“Every year, Mila would pick the saddest tree in the lot and that would be our tree. She always felt bad that no one wanted it, just because it didn’t look pretty or wasn’t perfect.”
Well, when he puts it like that… that sounds like I like only the sad broken trees. I don’t. I love the others too.
“Ah, Mila. That’s a beautiful story. And I think we should get it.” My heart goes wild in my chest. She wants the tree. It will have a home for Christmas.
“And we will pick a second tree. So we can have two trees.”
Now I’m deflated. That hadn’t been what I meant by it. Even though my ugly tree will have a home for Christmas now.
“Mila, that was your mother.” Dad pauses. The look on his face isn’t good. “She wants you home for Christmas.” And now my heart sinks and I no longer want to be out tree shopping.
“But she hasn’t called me since I got here, dad. How is that possible? I’m not going back there.” Asher wraps his arm around my shoulder in a comforting, friendly gesture, but it’s so hard.
“I told her she can talk to my lawyers. That you’re having Christmas here, with our family.”
Why is she doing this now? Why does she want to see me at all? She’s having a new baby now.
I hate my mom.
TWENTY-FOUR
MILA
My phone rings for the 10th time in the past hour. Between my mom and Malcolm, they've been blowing up my phone.
“Aren't you going to answer that?” Cadence asks me. I shake my head.
“Hell no, I want nothing to do with them.” But the amount of phone calls I'm getting, I'm going to have to pick up soon to get them to stop. I already tried blocking their number, but dad's phone was blowing up and he demanded that I listen to them. Maybe even go for New Year's.
I won't do that. I had better places to be for New Year's. And it’s not gonna be in New York with mom and Malcolm. It’s going to be here.
The only thing is, my dad doesn’t have full custody of me. If the cops come knocking on the door, they can take me back to mom.
I finish painting Cadence’s nails and move over to Sadie’s hand. They said they would come over and be our decoy today. So I can sneak into Asher’s room and make out with him for a while. Just a little while. But the payment was a fresh manicure and that I could do.
My phone rings again, and I have a look. Private number. I hesitate to pick up. Mom probably worked out by now that I’m screening her calls.
Fuck it.
“hello?”
“Mila, oh thank you for answering.” Ugh, I sink into the carpet as I shuffle my feet under my body.Malcom.At least his smarter than my mom.
“We need to talk. I need you to come home so we can all talk. Together and not over the phone.”
“I don’t want to come back.”
There’s a long pause and Malcom sighs.
“I don’t want to ask you this. But something happened, and I need you to come back here. At least for a few days. That’s all I ask.”
“What’s happened?” I sit up straighter. But it's weird he can’t tell me over the phone. Are the phone lines bugged?
“Is there a chance you will be here for Christmas? Or after?” he asks again and the sound of his voice has me worried.Oh god. Did he do some dodgy business deal?
“No, I’m sorry. I lived in that apartment for four years and it was hell. I’m not coming back. She’s not my mother. She is just a woman who gave birth to me. And never gave a shit. I’m happy here. I have a stepmom who treats me like her own.” Which makes me feel guilty every day that I’m off secretly kissing Asher.
“Just two days. That’s all I need. I will send you first class. I’ll send the ticket to you now.”
