Chapter 85

Joe’s POV

At school the next day, Joe handed William the letter in the hallway before homeroom.

William looked at the ripped-up top of the envelope. “You opened it. We said we’d open it together.”

“I was curious,” Joe said.

“Well, what does it say?” William asked, nervous excitement in his voice.

“Read it,” Joe told him.

“Joe,” William whined.

Joe couldn’t contain it any more. The truth had been bubbling around inside of him since the moment he read the letter. Now that it was finally time to reveal the truth, he shouted it, “Liam’s your dad!”

William’s eyes went wide. He tore open what remained of the envelope to look at the letter. “It says that?”

“Right here,” Joe said, pointing to the correct place in the letter.

William’s gaze moved back and forth, reading that section again and again and again.

“He’s my dad,” William said, his voice an awed kind of whisper, like he didn’t quite believe it just yet, but was getting there. “Liam’s my dad,” he said again, with a smile this time. “This is…”

“Good?” Joe prompted, when William’s voice trailed off.

“The best thing that could have happened,” William said.

While Joe could admit that Liam would make an awesome dad, and while he was beyond happy for his friend, something about William’s demeanor felt… off.

William seemed more than just happy. It was more like he was… relieved.

It made Joe feel a little worried for his friend, which was something William must have seen in Joe’s face when he looked at him, because he quickly looked away.

“Things haven’t been great… At home, I mean,” William said. “Mom’s been crying all the time, and when I try to cheer her up, she yells at me. Sometimes she throws stuff… I don’t know…”

“What kind of stuff?” Joe asked.

“Everything she can,” William said. “She threw a lamp at the door yesterday. Last night, I left my cars out. She grabbed one and smashed it.”

Joe couldn’t imagine his own mother doing something like that, not even if Joe did something to upset her.

“Did you do something to make her mad?” Joe asked.

“No. I don’t think so. I was just talking about Uncle Liam…”

“Dad Liam now, don’t forget,” Joe corrected, hoping to cheer up William, who was starting to look somewhat sad himself.

The words brought a smile to William’s face. “Right. Dad Liam. Thanks, Joe.”

The bell for homeroom sounded then, so the boys had to sprint to keep from being late.

William was more like himself at lunchtime. The boys talked about sports and racing, and where the next race was set to take place.

But at the end of the day, when it was time to get on the bus and head home, Joe found William lingering around the water fountain.

“You’re going to miss your bus, William,” Joe said, just in case William had forgotten.

“Yeah…” William said, lowering his head.

William’s hesitation told Joe that he didn’t want to go home. Maybe because his mom had been in such a bad mood lately.

“You could come home with me,” Joe suggested. “My mom likes you.”

Hope filled William’s eyes for a moment, before he squashed it down. “No. My mom doesn’t like your mom. If she found out I was there, I think it would only make things worse.” He shook his head, as if to clear it. “I should hurry so I don’t miss the bus.”

William walked off without saying goodbye. Joe, frowning, watched him with worry.

Liam’s POV

I’d been looking forward to this evening all day. It was the first real date I was going to share with Aria since our separation. Well, technically it was more of a mini-date, as we weren’t going anywhere, just hanging out together at her place. But she was still calling it a date, so that made it official as far as I was concerned.

Things had started out well enough. Aria and I worked together to make dinner. I made the meatballs for the spaghetti while she sliced up vegetables for the salad. All the while, we kept sneaking secret looks at each other.

We hadn’t really talked about my confession at my birthday party, but that entire conversation had definitely changed a few things between us. Aria had been more relaxed, more herself, instead of the tensed up, always on guard, version of herself that she had been with me since we’d been reunited.

It was a relief to see her smile again, especially when she smiled at me.

Yet, as nice as our evening was, when Joe came down to have dinner with us, he dragged his feet. His body looked heavy, all slumped and angled downward. When he sat down at the table with us, he sighed a great breath.

Aria and I looked at each other.

“Everything okay, buddy?” I asked Joe.

“Not really,” Joe said.

“What’s wrong?” Aria asked. “Did something happen?”

Joe wrapped his arms around himself. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Aria and I shared another look.

“If something bad happened, Joe, it’s important that you tell an adult like you mom,” I said. “Or me. Or your teacher.”

“I don’t know what’s happening though. Other than she’s throwing stuff,” Joe said miserably.

“Who’s throwing stuff?” Aria asked.

“William’s mom,” Joe said.

I entirely froze, not moving a single inch.

“Did William tell you that?” Aria pressed gently.

“Yeah,” Joe continued. “He said she’d be sad and then get real mad. She even broke one of his cars.”

As Joe talked, I went from feeling cold all over to suddenly, unbearably hot with rage.

Sophia had been pissed at me since the party. She’d been dodging my calls, only to leave me crying, rambling voicemails at 3am when I was asleep. When I went over to the house, even the babysitters had been told not to let me inside.

“I have to make a call,” I said now. “Excuse me.”

I stood up from the table and retreated into the living room. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dialed Sophia, and placed my phone to my ear.

The phone rang and rang, then went to voicemail.

“Sophia,” I said. “I’m just worried about William. I’d like to see him. Call me back.” I hung up.

Still standing in the living room, I thought about calling again. Maybe she would pick up on the second call, thinking it an emergency.

Before I could decide what to do, a text message came in – from Sophia.

Quickly, I opened it. It read…

Leave us alone.

My stomach dropped. After everything I’d done for them, after how close I had become with William, Sophia was now going to take it all away? It seemed too unfair for words. Yet here it was, said in three little ones.

Hardening myself, I force myself to remember that she had done this in the past. She’d be mad for a little while. Then, after a few days or weeks, she’d get it out of her system and call me again, asking me to reenter her life.

I just had to be patient. Things would probably return to normal in a few days.

Right?