Christian (The Mitchell/Healy Family #3)(10)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“You need to quit that, Chris. Some guy’s goin’ to try and take advantage of you if you don’t watch yourself. I get that you’re stubborn, but there ain’t nothin’ ugly about you.”

I finally looked up to meet his gaze. His eyes were widened and baring into me. He’d made his point, and I became overwhelmed with anger. “Noah, please don’t start this again. You’re my brother, but it’s no secret that I’m awkward.”

“Do you own a mirror?”

Before I could answer our sister came walking down the stairs. She was wearing an all black outfit and her hair had been dyed to match. Her eyes, which were shadowed in a dark color so much that she appeared sick, peered at the both of us. I noticed immediately how heavy they looked. It had only been a week since I’d seen her last, but it was blatantly obvious she wasn’t well. “Addy?”

Noah leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “You think you’ve got problems.”

I shoved him. “Shut up,” I said quietly before looking in her direction again. “What have you done to your hair?” I wasn’t about to come out and say that she looked like death.

She grabbed a chunk and ran her fingers through it. “I colored it. It’s more me.” Even her speech seemed to have slowed down.

“Are you drunk?”

“No, of course not.” She laughed at me before taking a few more steps toward the front door.

When we realized she was walking away from us, Noah and I followed. “Where are you goin’? Mom’s got dinner about done.”

She motioned with her hand like she didn’t care. “I’m goin’ out. Tell her to put a plate in the fridge for when I get home.”

I took hold of her by the arm and forced her to a halt. “Wait. You can’t leave. I won’t let you get into a car in your condition.”

“Fuck you, Miss Priss. I’m leavin’ and there ain’t nothin’ either of you are goin’ to do about it. Don’t give me those looks either. I hear enough from mom and dad every day. I can’t wait until I get out of here for good, so y’all can mind your own damn business.”

Suddenly a car rolled down the lane. A guy with his head shaved hung out the window of the driver’s side. “Come on, before your daddy gets his gun.”

While Addy jumped in the passenger side, I watched Noah marching over to take matters into his own hands. He reached inside of the vehicle and the guy started driving away. Noah jerked his hand away right before he was injured.

“Son of a bitch!” He yelled.

“Who is that guy? What the hell is goin’ on with our sister?” I was literally afraid for her. “What is she on?”

“Hell if I know.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and began talking to someone. “It’s me. Close the gates out front. I don’t care what time it is. Close the damn gates until I get there.” He hung up abruptly before walking in the direction of the house. Before he hit the first step our father was coming out.

“What’s goin’ on?”

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Noah murmured before climbing into our dad’s truck and taking off down the dirt driveway.

I looked at my father, still in shock from what had taken place. “Dad, what’s wrong with Addy?”

His face told me everything I wanted to know. It was obvious that he was aware of her condition. “I’ve been on the phone all afternoon tryin’ to get her into a facility.”

“A facility? Like rehab?”

“She’s in bad shape, darlin’. Your mom’s been a nervous wreck over this. We’ve tried everything. Your sister needs professional help. She’s been stealin’ from us. First it was blank checks for twenty dollars here and there. Last week I found out she pulled all of the money out of her savings account. She tried to access her college funds, but I’m the account holder.”

We’d had savings accounts since we were born, and I knew for a fact that we kids had been given the same amounts to deposit. Addy had blown through thousands of dollars, and she clearly had nothing to show for it. I sank down on the porch steps, in attempting to come to grips with how bad off my sister was just as Noah returned. Addy was in the passenger side, waving her hands all around as she screamed at him. Our father heard the profanities coming out of her mouth and hauled ass over to the vehicle, practically pulling her out by her black gothic looking t-shirt. She froze in place as he stared her down and waited for her reaction.

“Get your ass in that house, and don’t even think about pullin’ a fast one, young lady. That there was the last straw. You’re out of here come mornin’.”

“Fine, kick me out. I don’t even care,” she slammed.

He shoved her forward, and I half expected him to pull her pants down and spank her like when we were little and drew all over the bathroom walls with Sharpies. Noah met our dad on the porch and they both watched as Addy marched inside, slamming the door behind her.

Just then Shalan came pulling up on a golf cart. Since their new home was built only through the woods from our parent’s house, it was the easiest way of getting to and from each place without having to start up a truck or car. I think she knew from how we were all standing there that something was wrong. Noah put his head down as she climbed the first step. He spoke clearly so he wouldn’t have to repeat himself a second time with the bad news. “Looks like we’re goin’ to have to postpone the weddin’ again, darlin’.”

I sighed and watched the excitement leave from her face. The two of them were never going to catch a break when it came to them tying the knot. I felt terrible for them, even though I had nothing to do with it.

“She’s goin’ to be gone for about a month. The program will detox her and then she’ll have aggressive therapy to tame the addiction. It’s a long road until she’s back to her old self again.”

I looked over at my brother who did his best to shoot me a half smile. I gave one back to him even though my head was in a million places. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured my Sunday going, but somehow I knew I was right where I needed to be.

Chapter 7

Christian

As much as I wanted to stick around after dinner it was obvious that I was just in the way. After saying my goodbyes, I headed back to my house near college in hopes of being able to sleep without worrying about my sister.

I couldn’t have anticipated that Seth would be sitting on the front railing waiting for me to arrive. He stood up slowly and approached my vehicle before I could climb out. I let him open my door while I clutched my purse that his cell phone remained in. “Hi.”