Chapter 14

14

L ibby stared blankly out her bedroom window toward Parfrey's Glen and listened again to her messages that Peter had left during a layover on his way back to LA. His voice sounded strained and worried. He was so sorry. It tore at her heart.

The emotion in his voice brought back the old memories and pain. During the hours after her family's car crash, she had felt the same way, as piercing dread overwhelmed her. She'd experienced numbness and the taste of fear.

She crawled onto her bed, not bothering to take off the homecoming dress. She curled on her side and clasped the phone against her heart. She cried for Peter, his family, and all the fear she understood too clearly. She cried for his father's suffering as he fought for his life. And she cried for herself.

She let the floodgates open and mourned the loss of her mom and her sister. She cried because she would never get ready for a party with them. Her mom would never meet Peter and never see her graduate high school. She cried because of what her life had once been and would never be again.

She released tears of frustration at being dumped at her aunt's lonely, loveless house. She missed her dad so much, but felt angry that he abandoned her. She cried for her lack of friends and freedom. She'd put on a brave front for so long, but now the fa?ade crumbled. Finally, she cried for herself and Peter, both robbed of a normal childhood, for very different reasons. Tonight was to be their time, their turn, just a simple evening together.

Never in her life had she felt so alone.

The days following the botched homecoming dance and his dad's heart attack flew by. The heart specialists assured the family that his dad was out of danger but needed to rest. In an attempt to force his dad to take it easy, Peter's mom rented a house on Venice Beach in California. Life fell back into a normal pattern of concerts, interviews, and regular calls to Libby. Peter still felt awful about standing her up at homecoming, but she told him to stop apologizing; family should always come first.

If there was an upside to the heart attack, it was Peter's sudden freedom from his parents. His mom spent all her time hovering while his dad became more ornery over his new diet and restricted activity.

Peter pulled on a baseball hat, inserted his earbuds, and slid on a pair of sunglasses. "Going for a run," he yelled as he left. After a few warm-up stretches, he stepped through the dry sand and punched in Libby's number. When he hit the packed sand near the low morning tide, he broke into a jog. The salty scent of ocean air filled his senses. He loved spending time on the coast.

"You're right on time," Libby answered.

Peter smiled. The sound of her voice always made his day, like when a great song popped into his head. "Yeah, well, I'm still sucking up so you won't dump me."

"Stop it. I've told you a million times, it's okay. How's your dad today?"

"Better than ever. My mother's been driving him nuts with all her attention. Every time he starts to work, she threatens to call 911. He sees the doctor for a follow-up tomorrow. I think Mom is loving every minute of control until the doctor gives him the okay to work again."

"That's great he's doing so well."

"Yeah, but he's always blasting the TV. To annoy my mom, he's been watching Charlie's Angels movies over and over. It's driving her nuts." Peter loved his dad's tactics.

"My mom loved the Charlie's Angels television show. She used to watch it when she was a little girl. In fact, she wanted to name me Jill after Jill Munroe, one of the characters, but my dad wouldn't let her."

"You, a Jill? I don't think so. Libby is much spunkier. Fits you better."

"Plus, I don't have the sex appeal of the actress that played her."

"Now there I'll disagree." Libby was more beautiful than any movie star. She just didn't know it, which he loved about her.

"You're sucking up again."

"Never!" He laughed.

"Okay, and now you're breathing heavy. Where are you running today?"

He dodged a woman walking a fluffy little dog. "The beach. Where are you?"

"Just arriving at Parfrey's Glen."

"I wish I was there."

"Well, I wish I was in Southern California on a warm beach, not blustery late November in Wisconsin. All the leaves are off the trees and everything looks dead and cold. It could snow any minute."

He imagined her bundled up against the cold, holding the collar of her coat closed so the sharp wind wouldn't bite so hard. He pictured her rosy cheeks and windblown hair. "I know, but hang tough. It won't be long now, and you won't have to live there anymore. Did you fill out the passport forms yet?" He'd been hatching a plan to get her out. If things went his way, she'd join him on their European tour and finish high school via homeschooling like he did.

"They're filled out, but I don't know how we'll get them signed without a parent."

"Don't worry. I'm working on it. Once my mom isn't so freaked out about my dad, I'll tell her everything. There is no way she won't step forward and help. When she sees an injustice, she'll move heaven and earth to fix it. She'll deal with your aunt and take over guardianship."

"Are you sure? She's never even met me. Why would she do that?"

"Because she cares about me, and she always supports everything I do. You're part of my life and living with your aunt can't continue." His mom had the biggest heart, and he knew she'd be moved by Libby's situation. He hadn't mentioned it before because he wanted to respect Libby's privacy. But the more he learned about her home life, the more he worried.

"I can't believe you're going to get me out of here. It's like a fairy tale and you're going to rescue me from the evil queen."

"Yeah, I'll have to get my white horse out of the stable to make it complete." He dodged a rogue wave that washed ashore and threatened to soak him .

"You are so full of yourself," she teased.

He grinned at the sarcasm in her voice. "So, what are you up to today?" The beach became more crowded by the minute. He'd have to return soon.

"When I get back, there's a research paper waiting.

That should fill the rest of the day," Libby said.

"What a drag. How about Cruella De Vil? Has she been hassling you?"

"Nah, she's been out in the barn all weekend. I don't know what she's doing out there. She says she's making soap, but I've never seen any, and trust me, she could use more soap."

"Well, anything that keeps her away from you makes me happy."

"What are you doing today, besides hanging out at the beach in the warm sun and making me jealous?"

Three little boys dashed in front of him toward the water. Peter dodged them. "Garrett's got phone interviews set for most of the day. With Dad on the mend, Garrett's decided he needs to be king of the mountain and run my life. I'm just about ready to take him out. He's been riding me every minute. Suddenly, he thinks that if we miss even one opportunity for an interview or appearance, our careers will end up in the toilet."

"Sounds like he's just looking out for the band," Libby said .

"No, Garrett only looks out for himself. I think it's all about having control. He's power hungry and loves to run my life."

"He can't be that bad."

"You have no idea. He can be a real asshole when he wants."

Peter talked to Libby until time ran out and he needed to rush back and shower. A day of marathon phone interviews lay ahead. The only good part was that he and his brothers didn't have to go anywhere. The interviews would be done from the beach house.

Garrett waited for him on the deck when he returned. "You're late," Garrett growled. "You can't tell me you were out running all that time. You sitting in a coffee shop talking to Libby again?"

"None of your business. I don't have to tell you anything. And ya know what? You need to relax. You should go work out and try to get that stick out of your ass. It might help improve your glowing personality."

"And you need to dump your dead weight in Wisconsin," Garrett said as Peter pushed past.

Libby was surprised a week later when her phone rang while she was waiting for the bus. When she saw Peter's name pop up on the screen, she smiled and answered.

"Hey! I didn't expect to hear from you until tonight. "

She walked around the side of the house so Aunt Marge wouldn't see her with the phone.

"This isn't Peter," responded a flat voice.

"Who is this?"

"It's Garrett. Peter's brother," he snapped.

"Oh. What's up? Where's Peter?" She didn't like the intimidating tone in Garrett's voice. Something was wrong.

"Well, that's just it. He asked me to call you."

Libby's heart dropped. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine. I mean, nothing happened to him or anything."

"So, what's going on?" She walked behind the farmhouse where she could talk louder.

"Listen, I'm gonna say this straight out." He cleared his throat. "Peter didn't know how to tell you this, and he didn't want you to go all psycho or anything, so he asked me to do it."

Her stomach hurt. Peter could tell her anything. They were so close and talked about everything. Libby's mind flashed from one tragic thought to the next.

"The tour is really crazy, and it's too hard to keep things going with you when he needs to be working. So, anyway, he won't be calling anymore, and it would be best if you don't call him, either."

Suddenly, her world moved in slow motion. This could not be happening. "What are you saying? Is Peter breaking up with me?" Libby's chest tightened. This made no sense .

Garrett was wrong. Peter loved her. In a few more days, he was coming to get her. They had a plan. He was eighteen now, and she would travel with him.

Garrett cleared his throat again. "Yeah. That's pretty much it."

Libby couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't imagine Peter asking Garrett to be the one to break her heart. She needed to hear it from Peter. "Let me talk to him. Give Peter the phone."

"He's not here. He left already. Look, Peter and I don't always get along, but we're devoted to the band. This is business; it's not personal."

She found it difficult to breathe.

"Peter would never do this. He's coming to get me in three days. We have a plan. You're lying!"

"Whatever plans you think he made with you aren't going to happen. It's over, Libby. He had fun, you had fun, but don't you read the tabloids? This happens all the time. He has more important things to do than hang out with some girl from Hicksville."

"That's not true. He loves me," she cried.

"Whoa. Back it up. What fantasy world are you living in? What makes you think someone like Peter would be in love with you? He has everything. He doesn't need you, and he's done hanging out in your small-town world. It's over. Now you need to go crawl back in your little shed. Peter doesn't want you anymore. "

"Garrett, don't do this," she pleaded. "I need to talk to Peter. He would never break up this way. He's better than that."

"Listen up. You have no idea how important he is in this industry. He has far more meaningful things to do than run off to see you all the time. You're holding him back. You were lucky to know him at all."

Her nerves were at a breaking point. One more strain would split the thread, and she would unravel. If what Garrett said was true, she'd never speak to Peter again. He was right; she was lucky to have known Peter. He changed her world for the better. She prayed Garrett was wrong, but what if he wasn't? Tears rolled down her face. She tried to hold herself together. If Peter wanted to break up, she didn't want to be the girl who begged and never let go. He'd been so good to her, and he deserved better.

"Do me one favor?" she asked.

"I told you, he doesn't want to talk to you."

"I know, just give him a message, please," Libby pleaded again as she hid next to the barn behind the house.

"What?" he answered flatly.

She swiped the tears with her arm.

"Tell him . . ." She paused, trying to find the right words. "Tell him, he saved me. And that it's okay, I get it."

She knew it sounded stupid, but it was the truth. He'd saved her from the depths of depression. Tears poured down her face. She swiped her arm across her nose. She never expected she and Peter would last forever, but how could he end it like this?

Garrett stayed silent on the other end.

"Garrett? Please tell him for me. Please." She sobbed, gulping for breath.

"Yeah, whatever. I gotta go." The phone clicked dead.

She wanted to call back but knew Garrett wouldn't put her through. She leaned against the side of the barn and covered her face with her hands. A tidal wave of anguish crashed over her. She slid into the tall grass, and sobs of grief escaped. She shouldn't have assumed a life with Peter could be real. It was a fantasy now ripped apart.

Life couldn't possibly get any worse.