Chapter 222
Silence settles between us as Lilly continues to drive, but it’s the kind that doesn’t demand words. My mind, however, won’t rest. Lilly has given me a lot to think about.
Secrets don’t stay buried forever and after everything Aunt Ava and Uncle Rowan have done for me. After the kindness and love they’ve shown me, how could I lie to them? How could I steal their chance to be real grandparents to my baby?
How would I ever face them if the truth came out? Because we all know how this goes, don’t we? One way or another, the truth always finds its way to the surface.
I can already picture the looks of betrayal on their faces, and the image alone makes my chest ache painfully.
By the time the car rolls to a stop, the weight of the secret feels unbearable, pressing down on my chest until it’s hard to breathe.
I can’t do them dirty like that. Aunt Ava was the first person to embrace me after my own family. She showed me kindness when I was just a kid. When Noah treated me like a virus he wanted nothing to do with.
I remember the first time we met. Noah had invited everyone to his birthday party except me. Aunt Ava found out and forced him to give me an invite. I remember I told her I’d marry Noah one day and she gave me a funny look, but she didn’t take it the wrong way. Instead, she warmly welcomed me and took care of me during the entire party.
I can’t hurt her like that. I can’t let her down.
“Okay,” Lilly says as she parks and cuts the engine. “What are you thinking now p>
Neither of us moves to get out.
I lean back against the seat. “That I’m probably going to tell Aunt Ava the truth p>
Lilly smiles, soft but triumphant. “I knew you’d make the right decision. She deserves to know. They deserve to know p>
“I know,” I say quietly. “I’ll figure out when and how to tell them p>
“Good.” She opens her door. “Now enough with the heavy, soul-crushing topics. Let’s go. I can hear ice cream calling my name p>
A laugh escapes me before I can stop it, and we step out of the car together.
The café is small, tucked between a bookstore and a florist, with chipped wooden tables and a chalkboard menu that looks like it hasn’t changed in years.
The moment we step in, the smells hit me and nausea rises. I take a deep breath and force it down, taking in huge breaths till it completely disappears.
“God, I missed this place,” Lilly looking around, “Remember when we used to come here after school, dreaming about growing up and becoming independent adults p>
This was always our go-to spot. When we needed to relax. When we needed something sweet. When we needed to drown our sorrows. It helped that it sat right next to the bookstore where we used to borrow novels and lose ourselves for hours.
We haven’t been here in over a year, though, but still, it feels like stepping home.
“Adulting is a fucking scam,” I chuckle. “Why were we so eager to grow up p>
She laughs, already heading toward the counter. “Because we wanted freedom p>
“Yeah. I’d give anything to go back to a time when I didn’t have bills to pay, a job to stress over, or a hundred responsibilities breathing down my neck p>
Lilly laughs again. “That’s why you should marry rich p>
She’s always been on my case about marrying a wealthy man but honestly, after Noah, I stopped thinking about marriage altogether. My fantasies of getting married, having kids, and living happily ever after with my soulmate died the day Noah said “I do” to Chloe.
A familiar, cheerful voice pulls me from my thoughts.
“Two of my favorite customers p>
“Hi, Mrs. Robinson,” Lilly and I say in unison.
We smile at the woman behind the counter, now in her seventies. She’s the owner of the shop, and considering how much time we spent here growing up, it’s no surprise she knows us. Lilly and I even worked here one summer when we were in high school.