The Day of the Door by Laurel Hightower

Author:Laurel Hightower [Hightower, Laurel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ghoulish Books
Published: 2024-04-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

IT WAS EMBARRASSINGLY easy to get Katy’s cooperation, and Nate felt like dirt for deceiving her. Was he any better than Stella?

“Of course,” she said, and even over the phone he could tell her whole face had lit up. “That’s brilliant—it’s exactly the kind of help Mom needs. And then she’ll see that we believe her, that we’re on her side, not plotting against her.”

Nausea took an uneasy swim through Nate’s stomach. Guilt always manifested in his gut, resulting in endless ulcers and digestive issues, to the point that food was more of a minefield than a pleasure. The thought brought a wave of relief with it—that ridiculous stirring in his belly, what else would it have been but his usual stomach upsets? He was an idiot to let those dreams get to him so badly. “Right, exactly.”

“Oh, Nate, you can’t imagine how happy this makes me. I’m literally dancing right now—she’s going to be thrilled. Can I be the one to tell her? Please?”

Nate swallowed back a splash of stomach acid. “Of course.” He’d been planning to ask her anyway, knowing if it came from him Stella would suspect a hidden agenda.

“Can you imagine if it works? I mean, this is your boss, I’m sure she’s amazing so of course it’ll work—it’s just hard to wrap my head around the idea that this nightmare might finally be over. We might get our mom back, and I . . . ” Her voice became suspended with tears and she soon ended the call, but not before thanking him. “You’re wonderful, Nate. Truly the best big brother ever.”

Nate put his head in his hands and dropped to his couch, considering heading out the door and straight into traffic. Best big brother, shit. Shawn would have been. He’d have held them together, brought them through even if they did irritate the piss out of him.

Nate thought about what his brother would look like now, if he’d lived. What kind of man he’d be, if Stella had given him the chance. He’d have been a good guy, the kind of solid dude his friends and family could rely on. Shawn wouldn’t have believed that—Stella had him so twisted back then, he’d bought into the persona she’d created for him. Subject to ungovernable rage. Violent, dangerous. Damaged. None of that shit was true, and he’d have seen that once he got away from home. There’d be some screw ups in college, if he’d ended up going, but by now, he’d be on the right path. He was the one who always did the right thing, no matter how scary it was. If he were here now, everyone would be better off. Instead all they had was Nate, less than a shadow in comparison, and what kind of trade was he? Manipulating his little sister, using his intimate knowledge of her weaknesses to push her where he wanted her. His mother’s son, after all.

And if he held up a mirror right now, who would

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