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Chapter 15

I don’t know how long I cried into Nick’s chest, but when I pulled away, tears were streaming down Chelsea’s face as well. “Are you okay?” Nick frowned. He glanced at Chelsea, “you okay too Chels?” She just nodded but I shook my head.

“Did that really just happen?”

“Yeah, it did,” He rubbed my back. “You handled it well though Ally. I’m proud of you.”

“Where’s BJ?” I looked up at Nick and noticed his features harden. “I don’t want to see her right now.”

“She left.”

“Yeah, your Dad did a pretty good job of telling her how uncalled for that was.” I glanced at Chelsea. For Nick to say something in front of anyone, especially someone that was me or Alex, he had to have been pretty angry.

I glanced back at Nick and he just shrugged. “She was totally in wrong, I wasn’t going to let her get away with it.” I knew he counted this as the second strike against his sister. The first was the drunk driving fiasco, and now inviting Jen into our home completely unwelcome and uninvited. He turned to Chels, “You pack a suit in your bag?” She nodded.

“Why don’t you two go get changed, I’ll make some popcorn and then we can head out on the boat tonight.”

“I thought you were going out?”

He shook his head, “I don’t feel like it anymore. Why don’t we three spend the night on the boat.” I sighed contentedly; it sounded like heaven.

When I walked into my bedroom to change I stared at myself in the mirror, looking for anything that told me that I somehow belonged to her. I picked up my Blackberry.

“Hello?” He sounded sad.

“Alex?” There was no hiding the quivering in my voice.

“Ally, what’s up baby? Are you okay?”

“She was here,” I whispered and I locked myself in my bathroom just in case Nick or Chelsea came looking for me.

“Who was there Al?”

I started to cry, “Jen.”

“Huh? I thought you didn’t want to meet her?”

“I didn’t! But she was sitting in the living room with BJ when Nick and I walked through the door.”

“Jesus Ally…” He sighed heavily, “Is she still there?”

“No, she left and Dad kicked BJ out,” I whispered. “I’m sorry; I just wanted to call you. You and I talked so much about it and I know you would make me feel better.”

“I don’t know what to say to make you feel any better honey. I’m sorry.”

I bit my lip, “It’s okay. I’m sorry I interrupted-”

“You didn’t interrupt anything Al. You know you can call me absolutely any time you need me right?”

“Yeah,” I whispered. I loved my Godfather. “Bye Alex.”

“I want you to do something for me before we hang up. Take a deep breath, and smile.” I looked in the mirror and even though I looked like a mess, I smiled.

“I’m a mess,” I chuckled.

He laughed with me, “but you’re a mess that I love to help clean up. I’ve helped you grow, and shape that beautiful smile into what it is right now. So the next time you get sad about her, think about all the people who you had instead. Would you trade any of us if it meant you got to keep her?”

It’s amazing how a few little words or actions can put everything in its place. “I love you Alex.”

“I love you more baby.”

I met Nick and Chelsea at the dock and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I had to make a phone call.”

“Alex?” Nick helped us both on the boat. I nodded. “Once we get out on the open water, how about I let you drive?”

I grinned, “Oh definitely. No take backs on that one either.”

“Are you gonna let me drive too Nick?” Chelsea grinned and Nick smiled.

“And let the wild child risk sinking my boat? Think again Bug,” He winked at her.

Chelsea and I went to the front of the boat while Nick drove us out to sea. She rested her head on my shoulder and giggled, “Your Dad is so freaking hot.”

I scrunched my nose, “Gross Chels.”

“If he was like…15 years younger, and not my best friend’s father, I’d be all over him.” I rolled my eyes.

“Gross.”

“Hot…a little dorky. But hot.” I agreed on the dork bit. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, I felt tons better after I had talked to Alex. “Yeah, I am. Alex asked me if I would trade everyone who I grew up with for her and it put things into perspective for me.”

We hit the open water and I ran up to the deck and kicked Nick away from the wheel. It was my turn to relieve some stress. He went to the lower deck and I could see him chatting away with Chelsea. I groaned; it meant I would get an earful later about how swoon-worthy my father was. It made me sick.

“You want anything Ally?” Nick’s head poked above the ladder.

“Yeah, I want you to stop leading on my best friend. She’s getting ideas.”

He laughed, “The only girl who’s 17 and has my heart is you baby.” I rolled my eyes; he was such a dork. He climbed all the way up and handed me a bowl of popcorn. “Just the way you like it, cocoa powder and powdered sugar.” I shoved a handful of it into my mouth. “You know Ally, you handled the situation perfectly, much better than I would have.”

“How did it feel seeing her again?”

He shrugged, “not sure. I was too worried about you to figure out how I was feeling.”

I nodded, “I was worried you’d be sad.” I ducked out of the way when he tried to ruffle my hair.

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

I frowned. Then who would?



I couldn’t sleep. What Alex said made sense. No, I wouldn’t trade anyone, except for BJ, for Jen. But it didn’t change the fact that she just showed up on our doorstop and told me that she did have a family, that didn’t include me. That she was too selfish to stay. What made me angry was that her life, to her, seemed perfect. She had the perfect job, the perfect husband, and two perfect kids, and nowhere in that picture did I fit into it. She wanted to talk to me to tell my why she didn’t want me.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

I smiled as Chelsea sat next to me, “just thinking about what happened tonight.”

“I’ve come to realize that nothing in your life is normal. There’s craziness everywhere around you.”

I chuckled, “it’s why I’m friends with you.”

“Psht, I am not crazy.”

“Boy crazy,” we both giggled. “Please tell me your summer was full of hot boys.”

Chelsea laughed, “I spent the majority of the summer with Adam Kesher, our lovely senior quarterback.”

“No way,” I frowned. She always got all the luck when it came to getting guys.

“Yeah, but don’t let his hotness factor fool you,” she said, “he was actually pretty horrible in bed.” Chelsea and I may have been best friends, but we were pretty complete opposites. She had lost her virginity when we were 15, and at 17, the most I had done was kiss a boy, and it was only one. She went out on the weekends to parties, to the beach, to anywhere really, she could make anyplace fun. I sometimes tagged along with her, but mostly not. I was always pointed out as ‘Chelsea’s friend’ and I was sick of it.

Another thing about my life I was determined to turn around. I turned to her, “any parties happening this weekend?”

She grinned slyly, “I think I know of a few.” Her eyebrows raised, “care to partake?”