Let It Be

Chapter 38: Abby's Truth

Graduation was uneventful. Well, as far as graduations go. It was so nice to know I was finally finished with high school; it felt like I had finally finished that part of my life and could close the book and forget.

Sam treated me, Birdie, Mason, Nate, and Emile to dinner at the younger boy's favorite burger joint after the graduation. Later, Sam and I went for a long walk through the countryside behind his house, just talking about futures and pasts and everything good about life.

A few days later, Birdie realized that she had forgotten a few things for Nate's end of the year party. It was nine o'clock at night and the party was the next morning, so I volunteered to run to the store to do the forgotten shopping.

Filled with plastic tablecloths, balloons and party favors, the Oldsmobile made it home in one piece. I wondered if the thing was ever going to die. Sam had already mentioned a few times that he would be replacing it when it finally crapped out (his words, not mine).

As I walked up the street to my house, I noticed Sam leaning moodily back against his car in the driveway. My heart skipping a beat at the sight of him, I walked quicker. "What's that face for?" I asked with a laugh when he continued to glare at me.

His voice was so thick with his accent I almost couldn't understand him. "I know you are hiding something from me."

I frowned deeply. "What do you mean?"

"Your brother's assistant? Why did you not tell me she was associated with the government?"

I paused for a second, stunned. "Well, my half-brother is associated with the government," I explained away.

He didn't take it. "Is he? Frankly, I do not know what I can believe about it! Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not lying," I replied, because I truly wasn't. I was just being allusive. "Where'd you did you get that assumption? My half-brother's associated with the government, Chloe is his assistant that comes and talks to me."

"Do you swear to me?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you still look so guilty?"

"Please don't yell at me," I breathed.

"Then tell me how else I am supposed to get to you!" he roared in what sounded like French, though I knew he was still speaking in my language. "Obviously, just loving you is not going to be enough. Apparently it does not matter to you that we are about to get married— you still want to have secrets. You know what? I do not even know if I am liking the idea of marriage right now, not with you lying to my face!"

"Sam, I'm not lying," I pressed as tears spilt from my eyes.

"Damn it, Abigail, you tell me what is going on right now or I am leaving."

"He's in jail."

Sam involuntarily took a step back with a mind-clearing blink, as if he hadn't expected such an answer. "What?"

I threw up my arms in defeat, not even trying to mask my crying anymore. "My half-brother's in jail. You want to know where he is, why he never visits me? He's in jail. There. And I didn't lie to you, Sam, I didn't: he is associated with the government, in quite a big way.

"And you want to know something else? My mother? She's a drug addict. I don't even know where she is anymore. That's why I haven't talked about her. She's probably in Canada living in a crack house or something, or probably dead, I don't even know. I don't even care.

"And do you want to know about Chloe, too? She's my lawyer. She comes and talks to me so I don't have to go see my half-brother. She's helping me with all the legal issues. Is there anything else you would like to know about?"