Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

DANIEL

The morning sun seeps into my room. I shut off my alarm and stagger out of bed. Margo is still ignoring me, and I need to figure out how to get her to talk to me. If I'm stubborn enough, maybe I'll win this time. After throwing my clothes on and brushing my teeth, I grab my things, ready to run out the door.

"Daniel?" Laura says.

I crane my neck to follow the direction of her voice. She's sitting at the table with Rob and Olive. There's a stack of waffles on the table next to syrup, strawberries, and whipped cream. This is odd. In all my time here, we've never sat down for breakfast at the table. Laura usually makes a simple breakfast to hand off to everyone as they run out the door.

My skin crawls because this is definitely not normal.

"Could you come sit down for a minute? We have something we need to discuss with the two of you."

I inch closer, looking to Olive for answers.

She shrugs, as clueless as me.

"Do you want a waffle?" Laura asks, tilting the plate toward me.

"I'm good," I say, eager to leave.

Laura takes Rob's hand and looks at him with a smile. "We have some important news to share."

Olive groans. "Please tell me you aren't getting a divorce."

"Olive!" Laura and Rob say at once.

"Okay..." She raises her eyebrows. "Then what is it?"

Laura takes a deep breath. "We're having a baby."

Olive gasps. "How?" She shakes her head and waves her hands in front of her. "No, don't tell me that. But aren't you a little too..." She doesn't finish.

"Too what? Too old?"

Olive's eyes dart away. "You said it. Not me."

Laura laughs. "We aren't that old."

I don't say anything, but I have a lot on my mind. Do we have room for the baby? Where is it going to sleep? Is it going to share a room with Olive? What if they don't want me to stay here anymore? Babies are expensive.

"Did you plan this?" Olive demands.

"It was definitely a surprise," Rob says, eyes widening.

Laura squeezes his hand. "But we're excited."

Olive takes a giant bite of waffle and chews it loudly as she overthinks this new information. "Everyone is going to think the baby is mine anytime we go in public. What am I supposed to do about that?"

"Carry a sign that tells everyone you're the sister," Laura says without missing a beat.

Olive frowns. "Am I going to have to babysit all the time? I'm not good with babies."

Laura smiles at Olive. "You'll be just fine. You're overthinking this. This is going to be a big change for everyone, but it's going to be okay. We'll navigate it together. "

I don't include myself in the "we." I'm not part of their family, and I probably won't even be around by the time the baby comes. For all I care, they can turn the office into a nursery as soon as I'm gone. They don't need me here. They took care of me because they pitied me, but once I'm old enough to live on my own, they won't feel obligated to keep me here.

"What do you think, Daniel?" Laura asks.

"Oh," I say, sitting up. "Congratulations." That's a thing people say, right?

"Thank you," she says. "And don't worry. I know our house is a little small for three kids, but we'll make it work."

I nod. Do I believe her? Not really, but nodding seems like the fastest way to get out of here. I don't want to be sitting at this table talking about a baby that won't show up for months when I could be with Margo.

"I need to get to school," I say, pushing my chair back.

"You need to eat something," Laura says.

"I'll grab an apple."

"I should go too," Olive says. She jumps up and follows me out the door. She hurries in front of me and walks backwards. "I knew something was up!"

"Well, you were right."

She furrows her brow, and her mouth twists. "They can't be serious. What were they thinking?"

"It'll be fine," I say.

She huffs as she continues down the sidewalk. "By the time I graduate, that kid won't even be in school yet. They're practically starting over. What if they die young, and I'm left raising it? How am I ever going to get on Broadway if I'm taking care of a kid?"

"Olive? "

"Hmm?"

I stall as I reach the bus stop. "Your mom is right. You're overthinking this."

She crosses her arms. "Well, someone has to." Her eyes bug out. "I've never changed a diaper. How can I take care of a kid when I don't even know that? And are babies like dogs? If I accidentally give it chocolate, will it die?"

I can't help but laugh.

"This isn't funny," she says.

"Yes it is," I say, getting on the bus.

Olive sits next to me. "I'm not prepared for this. It can't happen."

"Well, it's a good thing you have the internet and months to research ‘how not to kill my sibling.'?"

"I guess you're right." She sighs. "You should research that too."

"The baby won't be my sibling."

Olive rolls her eyes. "You're practically our brother."

No, I'm not. I'm just someone staying in their house. "We're not that close," I say.

"Yes we are. You practice my drama lines with me, and we argue. That practically makes us brother and sister."

I stare out the window. "Whatever you say."

I like Olive. I do. But one day Olive is going to grow up, and when she does, she'll realize that I'm not the person she thinks I am. I'm not a good person. If she wants a sibling so badly, then maybe this new baby is a good thing. It'll give her what she thinks she sees in me. It'll give her a friend.

"My audition is coming up. If I'm in the play, you'll come, right?"

"Do I have to?"

She nudges me with her arm .

"Okay, okay. I'll be there."

"You better." She reaches over my head and pulls the signal for our stop.

Nerves flood through me from my head to my toes. Will Margo talk to me today? Will she go back to the way we used to be?

She's at her locker, and her hair stands out against her light top. Gold lemons dangle from her ears. An overwhelming pressure builds in my chest. I need her close. I just wish she wanted the same thing.

"Hey," I say, walking closer.

She glances over. "Hi." She hangs up her backpack and closes her locker.

My hands tremble at my sides, afraid she'll pretend not to hear me. "Are you heading to class?"

She nods. She's about to say something else when I follow her gaze and spot Annie at the other side of the hallway.

Annie shakes her head at us and walks in the opposite direction.

Margo's face falls and tears well up in her eyes.

They must still be fighting.

I reach out to her. "Do you want me to try talking to her?"

Instead of answering, she takes off running.

I jog after her. "Margo, slow down."

She doesn't slow down. She wipes her eyes as she barrels through the school entrance. I find her standing against the school off to the side, clutching her books like they're her support animal. Her eyes are watery.

"What happened?"

Margo stares at her feet, but I can't bear to see her cry. It tears me up inside, like her pain is mine .

I want to make it better. I want her to smile. "Will you please talk to me?"

Her chin quivers. "I miss Annie."

"I bet she misses you too."

"She hates me right now," she says. "She still won't talk to me."

"Have you tried—"

"I've tried everything," she cries.

My heart swells. I want to brush her hair back to get it out of her beautiful eyes, but I know better. "It will get better."

"How do you know?"

If I've learned anything, when Margo sets her mind on something, it happens. The universe bends to whatever she wants. As it should. "Because I know you."

She starts to smile when red blood drips onto her upper lip.

My heart drops like a brick.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

I know Margo is sick, but I've never seen any proof until now. "You're bleeding."

She catches her breath and touches her face. When she pulls her hand back, her fingers are spotted with blood.

She covers her nose and rushes back inside, racing down the hallway.

"Margo, wait!" I chase after her to make sure she's okay. I'm not about to make her deal with this alone.

She's about to barge through the bathroom door when it opens from the other side.

I slow to a stop when I see Annie standing in front of Margo. Her face drains, and she pulls Margo into the bathroom, leaving me outside.