Happenstance 2 (Happenstance #2)(10)
Author: Jamie McGuire

“You don’t know what you mean to us,” Julianne said.

I pressed my lips together. “I’m really nervous about driving it.”

They laughed, and Julianne snapped dozens of pictures while Sam went over the basics, and then she waved as I very slowly backed out of the drive.

“You’re doing great,” Sam said as I pulled up on the signal lever and turned right.

“I’m going to wake up any minute,” I said, shaking my head. “This is just too wonderful to be real.”

Sam chuckled. “I’m glad you like it. It’s a relief. We were afraid you wouldn’t like it and be upset.”

I thought about what it must have been like for them to see disappointment in Alder’s eyes when they gave her a car on her sixteenth birthday. At the next stop sign, I made sure to look Sam directly in the eyes.

“You didn’t have to get me anything. The way you’ve been so accepting and understanding is more than I could ever ask for. But this is absolutely incredible. I love it. I can’t thank you enough.”

Sam’s smile stretched wide, and he settled back into his seat. “I can’t wait to tell Julianne you said that. She’ll be so happy.”

I pressed my foot on the gas, and the car that wasn’t just a car responded immediately, taking us to the restaurant.

When we arrived, it took nearly ten minutes for me to park, and then Sam instructed me how to turn off the ignition and lock up. He walked me across the parking lot and reached to open the door, but it swung open before he could.

The Mastersons stepped out, and Carolyn audibly gasped. Her platinum hair, thin and sparse from years of bleaching, was pulled loosely back into a low bun, her white, crisp collar popped up in the back and folded down in the front. When her mouth opened, her entire face shifted with it, as if the skin were so tight, it all had to move as a unit. She was nearly skeletal, but her husband, Harry, was round and breathed heavy, just from the walk from their table to the door. Unlike Carolyn, Harry couldn’t trouble himself to make any expression at all. Only his eyes moved to see whom she was reacting to.

Sam cupped my shoulders, and the air between us was immediately tense. “Hi, Harry. Carolyn.”

Carolyn collected herself and then arched one brow, looking me over like Sam had plucked me straight from the city dump and into the privilege of her presence.

“So she’s living with you now?” Carolyn asked, her voice breathy and full of disdain.

“Not now, Carolyn,” Sam said, encouraging me into the glass double doors.

Just as I took a step forward, Carolyn took a step to stand in front of the door.

“Do you have any idea what we’ve been through, Sam?” she seethed.

“I’m really not comfortable discussing this in front of Erin, Carolyn. Please,” he said, gesturing for her to step aside.

She didn’t. “I am devastated. Julianne is my best friend, and I treated Alder like a daughter. Do you know how sick and twisted this all is? I can’t even talk to Julianne about it because you have your new family now, and she doesn’t want negativity. Is she kidding me?”

My brow furrowed.

Harry stood there, stoic.

Sam glanced down to me and then back to her. “Julianne’s right. Our priority is Erin, and it’s not a good idea for you to be around her, considering…” He hugged me to his side. “I’m truly sorry, Carolyn. But I won’t discuss this now. We’ve all been through a lot, and now just isn’t the time.”

We went through a second set of doors and were greeted by the host. The walls were covered in bright paint and detailed murals, and the speakers played a Spanish tune just loud enough to be heard over the low murmuring of the patrons. Dozens of heads turned to see Sam and I walking down the aisle to the end booth.

Sam shifted nervously as the waiter took our drink orders and then leaned in to speak. “I’m so sorry about Carolyn. I didn’t know they would be here. They’ve been fairly private since the girls passed away.”

“Understandable.”

“Julianne and Carolyn disagree about our choices.”

“That must be very hard for Carolyn,” I said.

Sam paused, surprised at my comment, and then chuckled. “Yes, well, I’m sure it is. Julianne is usually very…amicable. Carolyn isn’t used to being ignored. As I’m sure you could sense, it’s a bit tense between us.”

“They don’t believe I’m your daughter?” I asked.

He pushed up his round glasses. “It doesn’t matter to me or to your…Julianne. We are only interested in a smooth transition for you at this point, and…Oh, Erin. I’m sorry. That sounds pretty clinical.”

“You don’t have to dumb it down for me, Sam. You’re a surgeon. I expect you to speak intelligently.”

Sam laughed once. “Well, I’m not speaking to you as your surgeon. I’m speaking to you as your Sam.”

I grinned. The term was definitely growing on me.

My phone buzzed. “It’s Weston,” I said. I read the message, silently first, and then read it aloud to Sam. “Julianne showed me pics of the car. Badass.”

Sam seemed pleased and gestured for me to respond.

Can I pick you up for school in the morning?

He didn’t respond right away. A few minutes later, my phone buzzed again.

Wow.

What?

I was afraid that was going to get cut out too.

What do you mean?

Our morning ride to school together. Call me before u go to bed. Love the car.

Okay. Thanks! Me too!

He sent me a yellow face kissing a tiny heart, but I had no idea how to do it back and didn’t want to spend my dinner with Sam texting, so I just sent back the same typed-out wink face I’d sent before.

“Things going well with you two?” Sam asked as I put my phone in my pocket.

I nodded. “He’s been kind of weird since I moved in.”

“Yeah, I think he misses you a little bit.”

“Is it weird for you? That I’m spending time with him, and he was Alder’s boyfriend?”

Sam thought about it for a moment, but I knew he already knew the answer. He was just deciding how to word it.

“I want you to be happy. Weston is a good guy.”

“You can be straight with me, Sam. I did ask.”

Sam’s mouth pulled to the side. “You’re…refreshing, Erin. But I stand by my original statement.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.”