Chapter 294

“You are trusting these boys to keep you safe?” Mom asks.

Behind her, all four of the brothers look properly chastised, even Steven, who I haven’t even had penetrative sex with.

“You need to get on the pill for extra protection,” Mom goes on.

I’m too embarrassed by now. I cover my face and pretend I’m somewhere else. Maybe sitting by a nice beach, perhaps. Or at the bottom of a well. Anywhere but here would be preferable, honestly.

“I want grandkids. You know I do. But I would prefer them when they are expectant and wanted.”

I peek through my fingers in time to catch Mom swivel her disapproving mom gaze over each of the brothers. She stops at each one of them, looking them over for good measure.

“And if she even gets an STD, I will bring down the wrath of the Gods on each one of you!” she continues.

I drop my face to grab her arm instead. “Mom, please. Stop. Please. I’m begging you.”

Mom continues to look at the brothers but she doesn’t say anything more. She doesn’t need to, I don’t think. Each of them looks properly scolded. None of them try to talk back.

“I’ll take care of it, Mom. We’re being careful, but I’ll take care of it.”

“The pill, Chloe.”

“Once we’re out of this situation,” I say, “I promise I’ll make an appointment.”

“We’ll hold her too it, ma’am,” Neil says, presumably trying to be diplomatic like always. My mom gives him a glare so sharp he takes a step backwards.

She glares at all of them, including me, a minute more. “Fine.”

Then Mom exhales. She claps her hands together and her entire demeanor changes like the flip of a light switch. In a flash, she goes from disapproving, overprotective mother to cheery hostess.

“Did everyone get enough to eat? Who wants brownies?” She heads off into the kitchen without another word.

All of the brothers are avoiding my gaze, and yeah, okay, maybe I’m avoiding theirs too. It’s feeling very awkward in this living room, all of a sudden.

Neil again proves himself the diplomat by meeting my eyes first. “Chloe… we’ll… uh… help with the… scheduling?”

I throw my hands up. Oh my Gods! “No thank you!” I say in a rush. The very last thing I want is for Neil to be calling my gynecologist to make an appointment. I hate my entire life right now.

“Chloe!” Mom calls from the kitchen, and I’m relieved to hear it. She’s ready to scold me again. I worry only for a half-second that she might want to bring up the pill again, but no, she said her peace about that. What could it be then?

Oh. Oh, shit. I forgot to go back and finish cleaning the dishes.

Gods, what a wonderful excuse to exit from this room right now. “If you’ll excuse me!” I say too loudly and run away.

I spend the next far too long cleaning the breakfast dishes as slowly as I can. Anything I can do to put off facing the brothers again until this embarrassment passes.

After cleaning the dishes, I sneak out into the living room. The brothers are gone, but Mom is still there, playing with Mia. Though I’m sure the worst of the lecturing and embarrassment is done, I’m still not ready to be around her yet. The shame is burning within me like a hot oven.

So I sneak out to somewhere I think will be safe: the garage.

Only there, I find Isaac, possibly also hiding, sitting on a lawn chair and doing the crossword puzzle from the newspaper. When I enter the room, he looks up at me and look down at him. It’s a stand off for a moment, before he physically stands.

“Take this seat, Chloe.” He reaches and grabs another lawn chair from a nearby shelf. He unfolds it and places it near the first. He sits in that one and goes back to his puzzle.

Okay. So this seems safe. He’s obviously hiding from the awkward situation, and he’s inviting me to as well. It’s a nice sign of solidarity. I’ve always liked Isaac okay. I should accept this gesture.

So I do. I walk to the free seat and sit down.

For a few blissful minutes, we sit there in total silence.

Then, Isaac, eyes still on his crossword, speaks. “You are of a certain age now where boys might try to take advantage.”

I freeze, both body and mind. Is this a father-daughter talk?

“Your mother and I don’t truly care what you do, as long as you are safe. And as long as it is what you want.”

Oh my Gods. It is a father-daughter talk! It’s still embarrassing to talk with Isaac about this, but he’s approaching this so much better than Mom did. We’re somewhere private, for one. And Isaac is giving me space to process. He’s not even looking at me.

I never knew my father. And Mom met Isaac when I was a bit older. I never expected a moment like this with anyone.

But here we were.

“You can’t let any boy, not even those with the last name of Hayes, push you into anything you don’t want.”

Familial affection swells inside of me for Isaac and what he is trying to do here. He knows that I didn’t have a father. He’s trying so hard to fit that role right now without overstepping.

I’m so happy Mom married this guy, who has turned out to be so good.

He doesn’t say anything else. Maybe he’s waiting for a response. I feel like he’d also just quietly sit here if that’s what I wished.

I want to assure him though. No one is taking advantage of me, least of all the Hayes brothers.

“Nothing is happening,” I say, “that I do not consent to.”

Isaac makes a soft noise of acknowledgement, and that is that. We stay like that for twenty minutes more. He doesn’t say a word, and neither do I.

But knowing that I could, and that he would listen, means the entire world to me.

That evening, once the shock and embarrassment has seemingly passed for all of us, Beau grabs me by the wrist.

“Come on, Nanny,” he says, smirking. “We’re having a party.”

I follow him out onto the patio, not sure what to expect.

It’s a much less extravagant party than what the boys are probably used to. String lights light up the back yard. The brothers are sprawled out on the lawn furniture. One of them, or Isaac earlier, has started a fire in the fire pit. Nearby, a cooler is brimming with ice and cool beer.

“What’s all this about?” I ask.

“Might be our last night on earth,” Beau says with a wink. “We should make the most of it.”

Archer rolls his eyes.

“Don’t talk like that,” Steven scolds more straightforwardly.

Neil cracks open one of the beers. Of all the people here, I would have thought he’d be the most responsible one.

He smiles a little when he catches me looking. “Our plan is the most reckless yet. We probably won’t die tomorrow but it might not be pretty. Why not take the edge off some tonight?” He holds the opened beer out towards me. “What do you say, Chloe? You in?”