Sisters by Choice (Blackberry Island #4)(116)

Her cousin stared at her for a long time before turning and walking down the short hallway to the bedroom. Sophie knew what she would find there—an oversize master with a balcony facing the water. There was a walk-in closet, a jetted tub and huge stall shower.

Amber returned a few minutes later. Sophie looked at her.

“It’s a little small,” Amber said. “You couldn’t have found a unit with a den?” She sighed. “I suppose I can make this work, regardless.”

Sophie waited.

“What?” Amber demanded. “You want me to say it? Fine. I’ll be nice to Heather. I’ll say it’s so great and send her on her way.”

Sophie continued to wait.

Amber swore. “I’ll resign in the morning.”

“Excellent. Heather’s leaving Saturday. I’ll tell her to stop by to see you tomorrow night. Just to be clear, I will speak to her after that. So if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain, neither will I.”

“You’ve always been a bitch, Sophie. Just so you know.”

“As have you, Amber. As have you.”

  Time passed too quickly. Heather had a to-do list three pages long but she was doing her best to get through it. She had to make one more trip to the house to make sure she wasn’t forgetting anything important. She was only taking the basics with her and Sophie had said she could store the rest of her stuff in the garage.

She’d already filled out what felt like miles of paperwork to get enrolled at USC. Because of an unexpected opening in a class she wanted to take, she was going to be able to start summer school in a few short weeks. She had her job lined up and she’d spoken to the professor who would be renting out the small apartment above her garage. Everything was coming together.

Tuesday afternoon she ducked out of work early and drove to the house. Maybe it was cowardly, but she wanted to go through her room and get out before her mom got home from work. Heather knew she was going to have to see her before she left, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. There was no way the conversation would go well.

That truth made her chest ache. She was going to be leaving Blackberry Island and she wasn’t sure how long it would be until she got back. She and Amber might not be speaking right now, but they were still mother and daughter. Despite everything, Heather knew she was going to miss her mom.

She wanted to tell her about getting into USC and what Elliot had done and how great things were, only she couldn’t. Not only weren’t they speaking, she wasn’t... Heather pressed her lips together, not wanting to admit the truth, even to herself. But there was no getting around it. There was a part of her that knew Amber wouldn’t be happy for her. She would want to know why something good wasn’t happening to her, as well. She would resent her daughter’s opportunity.

Just as troubling, she wasn’t sure how Amber was going to survive. How was she going to rent an apartment on her own and pay the bills? She’d tried to talk to Sophie about it, but Sophie had told her to go see Amber first, and then they would discuss the problem. If there wasn’t a solution then Heather would have to—

“Have to what?” she asked out loud. “Not go?”

She already knew the answer to that. She would be going because she had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow her dream, to go to an amazing university and make something of herself. If she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t ever get away.

Her thoughts were still swirling when she pulled up in front of the house. She got the empty boxes out of the backseat and was halfway to the front door when she realized her mother’s car was parked in the driveway.

Her heart sank. Why was her mom not at work?

She opened the front door and called out, “It’s me.”

“Heather?” Her mother walked in from the kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

Not exactly the warm welcome she’d been hoping for. “I wanted to stop by and go through my stuff one more time.” She forced a smile and quickly thought of a lie. “I’m glad you’re here, Mom. I was going to stop by later to talk to you.”

“Uh-huh. You’re here now because you thought I’d be at work. You think you’re so smart, but I can read you like a book. So when you do leave?”

Heather put down the boxes and stared at her. “You know?”

“Of course I know. I’m your mother. Very little happens in your life that I’m not aware of.”

Heather was unable to read her expression. Amber wasn’t happy but she didn’t seem angry, which was something.

“I’m leaving Saturday. I really was going to come by and talk to you, Mom.” Just not tonight. She had been planning to put it off as long as possible.

“I see. So just like that, you’re taking off. With no thought for me or what I’m supposed to do.”

Heather felt herself starting to hunch up.

“You’ve always been selfish,” her mother continued. “I’m not even surprised. Well, fine. Go off to some fancy college and try to make something of yourself. I hope you appreciate the opportunity that the rest of us didn’t have. I lost my life, but sure, go off and leave me here to carry my belongings around in a shopping cart. I hope that makes you happy.”

Heather’s throat closed. She tried to fight against the guilt but it was too big, too overwhelming.