Such a Beautiful Family: A Thriller(34)

Hailey hit the nail on the head. That was exactly what he was worried about. Jane could have whatever she wanted, and it seemed to him that she wanted Dad. Trevor turned back to stare blankly at the television screen, wishing Mom were home, wishing she had never taken the new job. Because then Dad would be in his study instead of acting like a twenty-year-old, Mom would be asking him if his homework was done, and Tank would be on the couch with his big head snug on Trevor’s lap.





CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Nora’s flight landed just after two in the morning. She took an Uber home. After a quick shower, she climbed into bed, snuggled close to David, and fell asleep. It was nearly eight in the morning when she awoke. David was no longer in bed, but she could smell the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifting into the room. She got up and put on her slippers and robe. It was Tuesday, and she had decided to take the day off. Reaching for her cell on the nightstand, she called the receptionist to let everyone know she wouldn’t be coming in. She hadn’t talked to Jane since Paris. She tightened the sash around her robe as she sauntered downstairs and found Hailey and David in the kitchen. Her jaw dropped the moment she noticed Hailey’s newly dyed hair. Her once beautiful and wavy, honey-colored, shoulder-length hair had been cut at least four inches and was now a bright neon purple. No subtle highlights, either.

“What?” Hailey looked at her dad. “I told you she wouldn’t like it.”

A pang of sadness swept over Nora. There hadn’t been a moment when she was gone that she didn’t long to be home with her family. Thinking about it now, the tension between her and Hailey had seemed to happen overnight. She couldn’t breathe without irritating her daughter. “I never said I didn’t like it. I’m just surprised that nobody”—she gave David a look that said “what the hell?”—“mentioned a thing about it.”

David was leaning nonchalantly against the kitchen counter. His eyes widened. “Don’t look at me. I only saw her new hair color last night.”

Nora looked at Hailey. “All I am asking is that you talk to me first before you make decisions like this. We’ve had this discussion before.”

“I’ll be sixteen soon. I shouldn’t have to get your permission to dye my hair. Besides, Jane didn’t think it was a big deal.”

Jane? “What does Jane have to do with it?” Nora wanted to know.

“She took me to a salon. The kind of salon where the stylists know what they’re doing.”

“Patty, the woman you’ve been going to since you were eight, isn’t good enough now?”

Hailey shrugged, but she avoided making eye contact.

Hailey had always seemed to enjoy seeing Patty when Nora took her for a trim. “How much did that cost?” Nora asked. “You can get purple dye in a box for ten dollars.”

“Jane paid for it. She said the place owed her a favor, so really, it didn’t cost her anything.”

“I thought you had cheer practice yesterday?”

“I did. Jane picked me up and took me to the salon afterward.”

“Did you know Jane was picking Hailey up from school?” Nora asked David.

“Probably,” Trevor said as he wandered into the kitchen. “She’s been here every night since you left.”

Nora felt a twang in her neck. “What?”

Trevor nodded.

Nora looked at David with the same confused expression as before.

“What was I supposed to do? Kick her out?”

“Well, yes. I had hoped the three of you would get time to bond while I was away.”

Hailey grunted. “That’s so cheugy. We live together. We’re family. We’re already bonded whether we want to be or not.”

David glanced at his watch. “Kids. We need to go in five minutes.”

Nora ignored him. “Why was she here every night?”

“She made us dinner,” Trevor said.

Nora didn’t understand. “Did she drop dinner off, or did she stay here and eat with all of you?”

“She bought groceries and cooked the meals here,” Trevor said, “and she ate with us, too.”

Nora folded her arms across her chest. She had called home on Thanksgiving. She knew Jane had cooked and eaten with them. She hadn’t been happy about it, but she’d let it go after calling from Paris and talking to both children and David. Now that she was home, though, she was curious how it all went. “How was Thanksgiving?”

“We talked to you on Thanksgiving,” Hailey said, as if she needed to be reminded. “It was fine. Turkey and mashed potatoes and yada, yada, yada.”

“It wasn’t the same,” Trevor said. “We all had to give thanks for something.” Tank was at his side. Trevor gently stroked the top of his head. “She kept poor Tank outside.”

“He’s a dog,” Hailey argued. “Dogs are supposed to be outside.”

Nora was surprised by Hailey’s attitude regarding Tank. She used to worry about the dog being cold and alone outside. But the new Hailey didn’t seem to care.

“Did she cook the turkey I bought?”

“She bought a way bigger one,” Hailey said.

Trevor pointed to the refrigerator. “Yours is in the freezer.”