by Jamie Berris
Sadie folded her arms in front of her. “We both know we weren’t going to last once you took off to school.”
Dylan grinned and eyed Travis. “Nice, dude, she just admitted that you’re just her fallback guy.”
Sadie spoke up again. “First, keep Travis out of it. This is between us, Dylan. Second, call him whatever you want. It won’t change the fact that I have feelings for him and it’s over between the two of us. Third, why don’t you leave before we both say and do things we’ll regret. Making a spectacle in front of everyone is so not cool.”
“The only thing I regret, Sadie, is hooking up with you in the first place. You use people, and when you don’t need them anymore, you get rid of them.” Dylan snickered towards Travis. “Don’t think you’ll be an exception.”
Travis looked like he wanted to put his fist in Dylan’s face, but knew better, especially since there were so many people around. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll gladly take my chances.”
Dylan and Travis looked as if they were ready to pounce on each other, so Sadie put her arm between them and rested her hand on Dylan’s arm, turning him away. “Why don’t the two of us go talk.”
“Screw you, Sadie.” Dylan flung her hand away. “There’s nothing to talk about. You were right. I would have dumped you for someone else once I got to school, anyway.”
“How mature of you, Dylan,” she said to his back, as he started through the sand towards the cottage where his car was parked.
As she watched him walk, she did feel bad for him—how humiliating, but then again, he was the one who drove here. Wait. Paige wasn’t budging. Shouldn’t this also be her cue to leave? For some reason, she was almost dreading confronting Paige more than Dylan.
No sooner than Dylan turned his back, Travis nodded toward their parents. “Oh man, look who else is here.”
Sadie’s jaw dropped as she saw Marissa approaching. If she could’ve dug a hole and climbed in, she would have. “This day is really starting to suck.”
Marissa had a smile on her face as she waved to Kurt, and he jumped up from his beach chair to greet her with a hug and a small peck on the lips. She had on big round sunglasses, a large brimmed straw hat, and a sheer white beach cover-up. Marissa was beautiful. It was no wonder her dad was attracted to her.
Marissa plopped down her beach bag. She was definitely here to stay. Translation: Paige was too!
Sadie cocked her head to the side and frowned. “You know I’m starting to wonder how Marissa can’t hate me. I mean I’m the one who’s been assuming and accusing her that she did something horrible to my mother for all these years, and now I’ve done this to Paige. Ugh, I’ve kinda been a real bitch.”
Travis put his arm on Sadie. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s only natural to defend your own parent. Besides, you’ve been through a lot. Marissa knows that. Why do you think she’s been so understanding and kind?”
“In other words, while I’ve been so mean?” Sadie thought of Taylor Swift’s song titled “Mean.” She sang the words in her head, the part about being pathetic and then, “Why ya gotta be so mean?”
“That’s not what I meant,” said Travis.
Sadie shrugged. “It’s true.”
Dylan rounded the corner of the cottage and was out of sight, but not out of earshot as he peeled out of the gravel driveway, no doubt, throwing up rocks behind him, most likely spraying her dad’s Denali. Kurt glanced over to Sadie with an annoyed expression, and Sadie looked the other way.
Paige still sat in the sand. She had filled in for Dylan and was playing with Nicholas.
“Let’s get this over with,” Sadie said, kicking her way through the sand.
Chapter 41
Sadie
To Sadie’s surprise, Paige ignored her and Travis as they approached. She kept playing with Nicholas, head down toward the sand, acting completely engrossed in perfecting the shape of the mermaid she just made with the purple mold.
Jayna, on the other hand, grabbed Liz and the paddle ball set, and quickly started a game five feet away from where Paige was so she could eavesdrop.
Sadie felt so awkward, but she could only imagine how Paige felt at the moment, probably pretty ridiculous, humiliated. Sadie was waiting for Marissa to come up and reprimand her, but honestly, she couldn’t see it really happening. It wasn’t Marissa’s style.
As Sadie was frantically searching for the right words to say to Paige, she was caught off guard when Paige popped up from the sand and started walking down the beach, blowing by Travis and asking Sadie to follow her, as she took hold of her arm.
Reluctantly, Sadie followed, looking over her shoulder at Travis with worry as Paige pulled her along. She noticed Jayna throw down her paddle and walk into the water, obviously disappointed there wouldn’t be a show.
Catching up with Paige, Sadie figured she had better start with the apologies. “Look, Paige. I’m sorry about all of this.”
Paige held up her hand and interrupted Sadie. “Save it, Sadie. Let me talk.”
Paige did just that. She talked and talked and talked some more, but Sadie was relieved. Paige actually apologized to Sadie and explained how, when she left last night to “babysit,” she and another friend, Megan, ended up texting Dylan to see if he could get them into the college party.
They drove to the party with one intention: to get back at Sadie. Paige explained that she and Megan hung out with Dylan all night. She eventually told Dylan that Sadie was cheating on him with Travis—that she saw it with her own eyes. Paige confessed she stretched the truth and added a few extra details that weren’t true, but she’d let her emotions get the best of her.
“When Travis took off after you yesterday, I knew. I knew he was in love with you. I made up an excuse that I had to babysit and I left. I called Dylan on my way home. I’m sorry. I was so mad or crushed or embarrassed. I don’t even know,” explained Paige.
Sadie didn’t blame Paige. She could see herself doing something like that had she been in Paige’s shoes. She was just glad Paige wasn’t screaming at her, calling her what she deserved to be called.
Paige wasn’t done, though; she had more to confess. After filling Dylan in, she decided she would get back at Sadie in a bigger way, so she kissed him. She admitted that at first Dylan pulled away, until Paige reminded him that his girlfriend was most likely doing the same thing at the same time with Travis. Paige said they kissed a few times, and it really meant nothing—she actually regretted doing it.
Sadie understood. She knew she had it coming, and honestly, it didn’t really bother her. What surprised Sadie the most was what else Paige spilled. She went on to confess that she had been in love with Blake Howard for, well, forever, and he had been going out with Abigail Fleming for, well, forever.
Paige thought that, if she tried to make something work with Travis, she might eventually really like him and maybe even forget about Blake. She admitted she really never had anything more than “friend feelings” for Travis, and deep down, she knew Travis didn’t for her either.
“I was more embarrassed than anything when Travis took off after you, Sadie. It’s so obvious that you mean everything to him. It just felt like such a stab. I can’t have Blake and Travis doesn’t want me.” Paige’s voice quivered. “This probably sounds corny, but I just want a boyfriend.”
This was supposed to be one of those times where she should have all the right words to say, but instead Sadie was scrambling. She couldn’t remember what it was like to not have a boyfriend.
“Sometimes having a boyfriend is highly overrated.” Sadie giggled. “Seriously though, it will happen. You can’t think about it too much. Let love find you. You never know; maybe Travis has some other friends he could introduce you to.”
What a lame thing to say, thought Sadie. She felt bad for Paige. Never would she have guessed that Paige felt like this. True, Sadie couldn’t ever remember her having a boyfriend, but she was outgoing, always cheery, and she was cute too.
If anything, Sadie bet most guys were intimidated by Paige. She was a major overachiever, super book smart, and had that goody-goody aura about her.
“I’m sick of the flings. It seems like right when I think a relationship is going to take off the guy takes off instead.”
Thinking of how forward Paige was with Travis made Sadie wonder if Paige just seemed needy and came on too strong. “Maybe you should try playing a little hard to get. Flirt, but don’t overdo it. Don’t act like you want a boyfriend. Guys need a challenge.”
Sadie truly had no idea what she was talking about, but it sure sounded good coming out. They kept the conversation loose as they approached the end of the pier and rounded the lighthouse, turning back towards the cottage.
It was weird talking to Paige this much. They had been as close as sisters when they were little, constantly together because of their mothers. Then they grew apart in junior high and high school because of their mothers. Sure, they were on the same tennis team at school, had the occasional class together, and were always friendly, but they hadn’t hung out in almost six years.
Paige touched Sadie’s arm thoughtfully. “Hey, I know it really bothers you about my mom and your dad. I understand how it would be hard to watch your dad date another woman. I know we’ve talked about it before, and I’ve done some spying, but honestly, it has never really bothered me as much as I let you believe. I guess seeing my dad with someone else for so long and seeing my mom alone for equally as long made it easier for me to accept.”
Paige hesitated and then went on. “My situation is different from yours. I haven’t seen my mom this happy in years. Quite frankly, I’m glad it’s your dad. I’m not saying it isn’t a little weird, but at least this way it’s not some whacko. I feel like it’s comfortable. I already have so many childhood memories with him, you, and Jayna in them.”
Sadie could definitely see Paige’s point and maybe even agreed with her on some level. She felt that horrible sense of dread for what Paige would think after she knew what happened between her dad and Sadie’s mom.
“I know our moms drifted apart for a few years. My mom pretty much went into hiding after the divorce. She outright ditched her friends. It might be kind of cool to reconnect after all these years.”
Sadie swallowed hard. Was that what Paige thought? That her mom went into hiding after the divorce and cut my mom out of her life because she was devastated over her husband? If so, Sadie couldn’t believe that Marissa basically took the blame. She never let on to Paige that the friendship shattered because of Lydia!?
So it was quite obvious Paige was okay with their parents dating. Sadie knew this was the time she was supposed to open up and say something about being okay with it too, but she just couldn’t yet. Sure, she felt bad for the way she had treated Marissa, but Sadie wasn’t ready to invite Marissa and Paige into their lives with open arms just yet—she had way too much to process. Besides, would Paige feel the same after she knew the truth?
Anyway, Sadie could still envision Lydia and Kurt sitting in their lounge chairs next to each other by the pool. She could see her parents receding down the driveway together as they went for their nightly walks. She could see her dad come into the kitchen after work and give her mom a kiss as she made dinner. Sadie wasn’t ready for those mental images to be replaced.
There was a new normal around their house, and Sadie was mostly responsible for creating it. Paige didn’t get that. Her dad had been out of the house for six years, and she had seen him move on. Not to mention she could pick up the phone and talk to him whenever she wanted. Sadie’s mom wasn’t a phone call or even an airplane ride away.
~*~
“No hard feelings?” Travis asked Paige as she pretended to be engrossed in a book sprawled out on her beach towel.
Paige’s face flushed, and she had a hard time looking Travis in the eye. “Nah, let’s forget about it.”
The waves had kicked up to four feet over the afternoon, and they were having fun boogie boarding as Kurt, Marissa, and the Sutherlands relaxed in their beach chairs. Sadie was trying extra hard to be polite to Marissa. Even if it was excruciating and she’d rather avoid her most of the time, Sadie felt like she owed it to Paige and maybe her dad too.
When Kurt and Marissa went for a walk down the beach, hand in hand, Sadie looked away. She couldn’t watch their receding figures. As she glanced away, she caught the eyes of Andrea on her. Andrea gave her a warm smile, showing she understood. How weird was it that Sadie was this close to her boyfriend’s mom? Boyfriend, she thought as she watched Travis and Cody toss the football back and forth, even weirder.
Chapter 42
Kurt
Kurt and Marissa had decided that since all the kids were present, it was as good a time as any to tell Paige that Nicholas was her half-brother.
Kurt had asked Andrea to take Nicholas to her cottage to help her prepare dinner while Kurt and Marissa held a meeting with Paige, Sadie, and Jayna.
The girls all sat on the wraparound couch while Kurt took a seat in the chair. Marissa stood, looking fragile and uneasy, even though her arms were crossed and her face was set.
“What’s going on?” Paige chuckled, looking around at everyone’s straight faces.
“Well, Paige, there’s something that you need to be told. Nicholas, well, honey, Nicholas, he’s . . . he’s your half-brother.”
The room was silent for what seemed like thirty seconds, but was probably only five.
“What? Huh?”
“Your father”—Marissa cleared her throat and spoke louder— “Marcus is actually Nicholas’s biological father.” The room fell silent. Page’s face went from confusion to astonishment to anger as she processed what she was told.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! Lydia had an affair with Dad? She slept with Dad?” Paige leaped off the couch in a fury. “Your mother slept with my dad? What a whore!”
Whoa, that did it. In an instant, everyone was shouting, throwing accusations left and right. Sadie screamed in Paige’s face that her dad had raped her mom. Paige blamed Lydia for breaking up her parents’ marriage. Jayna started sobbing and pushed Paige across the living room, and she flew back into the chair Kurt was sitting in.
Marissa and Kurt were refereeing accusations and obscenities that were flying left and right, trying to calm everyone down for a civil conversation.
“You’re a lying bitch, Mother! How could you keep this from me? Nicholas is four, and I’m just learning he’s my brother? Was that why you kicked Dad out and forced him to flee across the country?” Paige glared at Sadie. “Your mother slept with my father.” Then Paige turned back to Marissa. “And your best friend slept with your husband.”
Kurt piped in and defended Marissa. “Paige, calm down. You’re being disrespectful to everyone.”
Paige was seething, and now Kurt was under attack as well. “Your relationship with my mother is pathetic and disgusting.”
“Okay, Paige, that’s enough.” Kurt’s voice was firm as he looked into her eyes. “We need to discuss this in a mature manner. What’s done is done. Accusations aren’t going to change the outcome of what happened over five years ago.”
Marissa spoke up, “Bottom line, we have a little boy to protect here. Your brother! Let’s not forget that. We were waiting until all of you were older to discuss this, but Sadie and Jayna read Lydia’s diary and uncovered the truth.”
Paige wasn’t ready to listen. She was still fuming, yelling at her mom for being a liar all these years, howling through her tears that Lydia was a home-wrecker and a slut, screaming at Marissa, calling her twisted, and telling her she was out of her mind for being in the same room with the family that destroyed her own. She also added that she was actually still pissed at Sadie for stealing Travis from her.
“Like mother like daughter!
Marissa tried explaining to Paige that she and Marcus had already been going through a divorce and that it wasn’t a consensual relationship, but Paige wasn’t
ready to listen. She only screamed over her mother’s voice.
“Lydia was a slut! I knew it. I knew all along she did something terrible to you, Mom. Not in my worst nightmare would I have thought she was capable of seducing Dad.”
They were caught completely off guard when Nicholas came bounding through the door in search of his favorite bandana, which he called his chef’s hat, and had to wear while he helped Andrea prepare dinner. Andrea was running two seconds behind him, apologizing profusely that Nicholas ran out before she even realized what he was up to.
When the little guy stepped into a room full of yelling and saw his sisters crying, his little lip trembled. The room fell silent, and Paige stared at her half-brother with astonishment, curiosity, resentment, and longing. It was as if it was the first time she had ever laid eyes on him.
Kurt quickly swept Nicholas up and took him outside to comfort him. Luckily, Andrea’s beach bag was lying on the porch and her stash of licorice was hanging out. Andrea easily redirected Nicholas’s attention with the licorice and walked him back to her cottage to cook with her.
Paige stormed out of the cottage behind them and shut herself in the car.
“That bombed completely,” said Marissa, exasperated. “I think it’s best that we leave. At least we have a long car ride home. Hopefully, I can get Paige to settle down and hear the truth. It was probably for the best that Nicholas barged in. Things were only going to get uglier.”
Kurt agreed, saying that everyone needed to cool off and Nicholas didn’t need to see any more outbursts. Nicholas was a smart little cookie. He didn’t need to overhear the wrong thing and start asking questions. Back in the cottage, Kurt tried talking to his daughters about how they could help smooth things over with Paige. Sadie and Jayna weren’t so willing. They were deeply offended when Paige called their mother a whore and a slut, putting full blame on Lydia, acting like Marcus was the innocent one.