Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

DANIEL

Earlier that evening

The Miller family is a sit-at-the-table-while-we-eat kind of family. It's always awkward. I sit there quietly while they each talk about their day. Olive does most of the talking, but Laura mentions a new diet she's trying and Rob tells us about his newest contract.

I finish my food and take my plate to the sink before heading back to my room. Thankfully, Rob is done using it for the day. I shut the door and lie on the bed. I find myself staring at my hand, holding it above my face and analyzing Margo's handiwork.

I'm not the type of person who listens, but I let her order me around today. I followed her into the corner store, and I let her bandage me up. Why? Was it because I wanted her to? Why did my heart beat faster when she touched my hand?

I stir, rolling over to grab my phone. I bring up her messages. She wouldn't have done that today if she didn't like me. There's no way. She would've just left. I know that. That's what people do when they don't care about you.

She stayed. She took care of me.

There's a knock at my door and I fumble, dropping the phone as Olive barges into my room.

"My audition is coming up," she says, walking in. "I really need someone to help me practice my lines."

I grab my phone, and my heart jumps. I'm accidentally calling Margo. I must've tapped the call button when I dropped my phone. My nervous system lights up, every part of me on fire. I end the call and hold my breath. My pulse is racing.

"What's with you?" Olive says, scowling. "Are you doing something you shouldn't?"

"No, it's not like that." Well... I mean I did call Margo, which is definitely something I shouldn't do, but I'm not going to tell Olive about that.

Olive scowls and leans against the wall, crossing her arms. "Are you sure? Because you seem pretty guilty."

I roll my eyes. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"I'll leave if you say you'll help me practice my lines later," she says.

"Fine. I'll do it," I say. "Now, get out of here."

Olive smiles and ducks out of the room.

I'm not going to be able to sleep after the way my pulse jumped at the idea of calling Margo. My nervous system is on edge. My eyes are never going to close at this rate. They will stay open forever.

To try and get my mind off it, I reach for my messenger bag. I fish out my book and start writing to clear my head.

At five minutes past eight, my phone rings. Margo's name fills the screen, and my hands go numb. Should I answer it? What would I say? I'm bad at talking on the phone. I'm bad at talking in general.

I bite my lip and answer it. I can just explain to her what happened and hang up. No, on second thought, I shouldn't do that. How am I supposed to explain I was looking at her messages? She'd take that the wrong way. I'm sure of it.

But there's also a tiny part of me that wants to hear her voice again. I like the squeal she makes when she laughs and the sarcastic tone that coats most of her words.

"Hello," she says. Her voice is almost too quiet to hear.

"Hi."

Hi? I grimace. Why did I do this?

"Are you going to say something?" she asks.

I stare at my ceiling, trying to convince myself this is something normal people do. It shouldn't be hard, and yet, this feels like the most unnatural thing I've ever done. "Like what?"

She chuckles. "Like... tell me why you called."

"Oh, that." I need an excuse, and I need it fast.

"Yeah, that." She is so quiet, so unlike Margo. While I should be thinking about what to say, the only thing on my mind is why she's acting weird.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Because I'm in the bathroom— No, I mean, I'm not using it. I'm just in it. Calling you."

I laugh softly. "Why?"

"I asked my question first," she says.

I scratch my head, searching for an answer that doesn't exist. I finally settle on the most obvious reason I can think of. "Did you find my dad yet?"

"Really? You can't be serious." I can picture her face mocking me. Judging me.

The corner of my mouth pulls up. "Well, did you?"

"You are the most impatient person I've ever met. It's been four hours since I saw you, and I was at the movies. Did you expect me to pull him out of a hat for you? Things like this take time. It won't happen overnight."

My chest eases, and I start to relax. "Aren't you the self-proclaimed Great Margo Blakely? I feel like everything you do should take a maximum of two-to-four business days."

"I wish. Don't you think I would've found him already if I could?"

I pause. It's hard to say. She's the one who told me she has a plan. What if she's purposely stalling so she can spend more time with me? But then again, we've already made a lot of progress. I don't think she's stalling. "Well, the sooner you find him, the sooner I can get that thing over with that you wanted me to do. What was it again?" Maybe she'll slip up and confirm my suspicions.

"Aw, charming. That thing happens to be very important, and I can't have you messing it up."

"It would be easier if you told me more about it."

"Nice try, but I'm not going to tell you who it is yet."

"Fine. Then answer my other question," I say. "Why are you hiding in your bathroom?"

"Who said I was hiding?"

Is there another reason that would make sense? Because I'm fairly certain it's not a place where people hang out. "Aren't you?"

"Maybe I just like the acoustics in the bathroom. Haven't you noticed every singer on social media nowadays sings in the bathroom? I'm telling you I sound great in here."

I picture Margo. She's probably huddled in the corner, lights off, and the door locked. "So you're hiding."

"Yes, I'm hiding," she says. "I don't want Annie to hear me talking to you."

I don't know if that's good or bad. "Why not?"

"She wouldn't understand. It's complicated, and I don't feel like explaining it to her right now."

"So I'm a secret?" My chest tightens.

"Yeah. For now."

For now? I don't know if she can be any more obvious. She plans to tell her sister about me eventually, which means I have to be right. She likes me.

"I'm going to have to hang up now. I still have homework to finish before tomorrow," she says.

I'm not sure why, but I like being Margo's secret. I shouldn't, but I do. "Yeah, sorry to distract you."

"You don't have to be sorry. I like distractions."

She likes distractions, and right now I'm the distraction. My smile breaks free. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you," she replies before hanging up.

I lie down on my pillow, fully ready to drift off to sleep, when I hear the washer machine click on. It's so loud I swear I could hear it from two houses down.

My eyes bug out.

The picture . It was in my jacket pocket. It's the only shred of hope I have of finding my dad.

I jump out of bed and run into the laundry room. Laura still stands in front of the washer, putting the detergent away.

I tug on the door, forcing it open. With flailing arms, I rush to the washing machine. The clothes are only starting to get wet. I crouch down in front of the opening and pull clothes out by handfuls.

"What are you doing?" Laura asks.

"My jacket." My temples are sweating and my lungs sting. Tears prick my eyes. "I need my jacket."

Laura bends down on her knees in front of the washer. She puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'll find it for you." She reaches in, moving things around until she pulls out my jet-black jacket. "It's right here."

It's damp, and I chew my lip as I reach into the pocket. Carefully, I pull out the picture. It's crumbled, and the bottom corner's colors are bleeding into each other, but I can still make out the most important part. Mom's friend is still clearly visible.

I breathe out a sigh of relief as I set the picture down on top of the washing machine.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know your mom's picture was in there." Laura rubs her face, and her shoulders slump forward. "I should've checked the pockets. I promise I won't let that happen again, and we can get another picture of your mom."

"I don't need another picture of my mom," I say, fanning the photo with my hand.

"Really, it's no trouble. I'll go look for one now."

She moves to pass me, but I gently grab her arm. "I'm serious. I don't need another picture of my mom. The only reason I needed this picture is because I'm trying to figure out who the other girl is."

Laura looks at the photo closer. Her eyebrows pinch together. "I know her."

"You do?" My mom grew up about four hours away, and from what I was told growing up, Laura's family and my family didn't do much together because of my mom and her bad habits.

Laura nods. "Yeah, she came with your mom to my graduation party."

And here I thought Margo was the only one capable of finding clues. "What's her name?"

Laura sighs. "I'm bad with names. I want to say Melissa, but I don't think that's right." She scratches her head. "Raegan? No. It was definitely a M name. Melony?" She slaps a hand over her mouth. "It's Meghan."

"You're sure?"

She nods. "I'm positive."

"What about her last name?"

She sucks in a breath. "I don't think I know it. Even if she did tell me what it was, it's been so long that I doubt I'll be able to remember it."

It's still more than I knew five seconds ago.

"Why are you curious?" she asks. "Do you have questions about your mom?"

I don't think I can tell her about looking for my dad. Not yet anyway. I don't know how she'll react. What if she tells me to stop looking? I can't risk it. "Yeah, I'm hoping she can clear some things up for me."

She smiles. "That makes sense. Well, I'll let you know if I think of anything else."

"Thanks," I say. Carefully, I pick up the photo and bring it back to my room. I set it down on the end table to dry out.