Icing on the Cake

~48~

I had dinner with them. I just treated them as new people I was meeting for the first time. It was the first time in years I felt that maybe, maybe, one day, years from now, I might be able to forgive them for what they did. They apologized a few more times.

But they should’ve apologized to the sixteen-year-old me.

They didn’t ask about Calum, how he was, how we were. I could tell they still weren’t okay with this. I didn’t know if they were trying to be apologetic to manipulate me for money, or if they genuinely meant it.

I decided to just go home and try to sleep off the stress.

Calum was super supportive as always. We had a business lunch set up that day with our financial lawyer about our investments. As we were getting ready, there was a knock on the door. I opened to see it was Michael.

“Hey mate.” He said. “What are you doing today?”

“We’re meeting our lawyer for lunch.” I said. “But nothing this afternoon.

“You two need to come to Ashton’s house after lunch.”

“Why?” I asked.

“We’re going to jam.” Michael answered.

“Is Ashton okay with us being here?” Calum said. “Because I will bang his head on cement if he touches Luke again.”

“It’ll be fine. We need to play again.” Michael said. “Or we’ll get rusty.”

After Michael left, Calum and I looked at each other, somewhat dumbfounded.

“Well.” Calum said. “I guess we’re going to Ashton’s today.”

“He doesn’t have a pool does he?” I asked. “I really don’t need him trying to drown me again. That’s a you’ve-done-it-once-you’ve-done-it-enough sort of a thing.”

“I meant what I said.” Calum said. “If he touches you, he dies.”

“I always feel safe around you.” I said leaning into Calum, letting his arms wrap around me. “I always have.”

Notes

Only one more chapter until the STORY-CHANGING reveal in chapter 50!