lana _ has been acting strange. Since we returned from Rowan and Zahra’s house, she has remained quiet. Before she had a chance to ask her what she thought about the night, she disappeared into Cami’s room, claiming that she needed to get her ready for bed.
When I get out of the shower, the door to his room is locked and he doesn’t answer when I knock.
He’s probably still in the shower.
I take a seat on the couch and open Candy Crush. My highest score was quickly surpassed by the same idiot from around the world who took first place by just three points.
I’m not sure how long I play. Lana never answers the door, so I lose track of time. I only give up once my eyes start to get heavy.
I get up from my spot on the couch and knock on Lana’s door again. “Wool”. My knuckles knock against the wood.
Unanswered.
I press my ear against the door but I still can’t hear anything. Instead of waiting, I go to my room and text him.
All good? You didn’t answer when I called. My text message also goes unanswered. Either Lana fell asleep the moment she put her head on the pillow or she’s avoiding me. Yeah
While the first option is very plausible, especially after the long day we had, I can’t help but consider the second.
I sift through the memories of the night. From my point of view, it looked like she had a great night. Lana got along well with Zahra and Iris, and she stood up for herself when she confronted Declan. She even had that special twinkle in her eye that I love when Rowan tried to buy the recipe from her for a million dollars.
I don’t think anything went wrong. However, I can’t seem to shake the nagging feeling in the back of my head.
Hey.
I text Iris individually.
Time passes painfully slow as I wait for her to respond.
Did anything seem strange about Alana after dinner?
Hey. What’s happening?
The dots appear and disappear twice before a message appears.
I’m not sure. Ask me tomorrow when I’m sober. I throw a pillow over my face and groan. Although Iris won’t be much help tonight, I plan to hound her for answers once she’s coherent enough to remember what happened.
Sleep eludes me no matter how long I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling as I review everything that happened tonight for the second time. Despite considering every little detail, I can’t think of anything that would have bothered Lana. My family was on their best behavior, a surprise in itself, so I’m not sure what could have gone wrong.
Just ask him in the morning.
It’s the last thought I have before my eyes close and my breathing evens out.
 |
“Hey.” He kissed the top of Lana’s head. She doesn’t lean on me like she usually does, which only adds to my growing evidence that something is wrong.
I already texted Iris early this morning, but she hasn’t responded yet. Knowing my sister-in-law and the headache she gets after drinking too much wine, it might be a little while.
“Hello.” His gaze goes from his food to my face before returning to his plate. I take a seat next to her and wrap my arm around the back of her chair. Lana is careful not to touch me.
“All good?” I twist a lock of her hair around my finger.
“Just tired.” He takes a long sip of his coffee. “You went to bed early.”
“I had a headache.” Her lips were thin.
“Are you feeling better this morning? “We can always skip the water park today if you’re not.”
“I’m not going to let Cami down no matter how bad I feel.” Something passes over her face, but it quickly fades as she returns to the blank expression of hers that makes acid churn in my stomach. “Do you want me to get you some medicine?”
“Sometimes the best cure is time.” She looks away in a poor attempt to hide the twitch of her jaw.
“Ready!” Cami comes out wearing a swimsuit and a skirt that resembles a mermaid tail.
Lana places her cup on the table and stands up. “Perfect. Let me help you with your hair.”
“Can you make a crown of braids? “Pretty please?”
“Of course.” She walks around the table, leaving me behind.
Compared to her icy interaction with me, Lana is nothing if not warm to her daughter. The tightness in my chest intensifies until I’m unconsciously rubbing the spot over my heart with a frown.
The silence around me adds to the weight pressing against my chest. After spending weeks with Cami and Lana, eating alone seems unbearable.
Alana is acting weird and I don’t know why. I think something happened at dinner. Did Declan push her away when I was in the
bathroom or something?
I take a deep breath and fight the urge to drink as I pull out my phone and text Iris.
I sit with bated breath, waiting for a text message that never comes.
He’s probably still sleeping.
Instead of staying silent, obsessing over why Lana is upset, I eat breakfast and prepare for a day at Dreamland Water Park.
By the time I’m tying the string on my swimsuit, Cami runs into my room.
“Come on!”
I grab my shirt from the bed and follow her out of the room.
Lana is dressed in a white dress that highlights the warm tones of her tanned skin, and her wavy hair is pulled back in an intricate braid.
I stop mid-step, my shirt hanging in my hand as I look at her.
“You look beautiful,” I say in a raspy voice.
His gaze falls on my body for only a second before he turns around and busies himself searching for something in his bag.
No response. No recognition. There is nothing but a cold and desolate silence that eats away at the calm I feel in its proximity.
The stomach-churning feeling from before returns, accompanied by a sickening feeling of dread.
Cami grabs my hand with a big smile. “Ready?”
At least what Lana is feeling hasn’t affected Cami, which gives me a little hope. Because if I didn’t do anything to affect my relationship with the little boy, whatever happened was specific to Lana.
If only I knew what.
|
Since my phone is kept in a locker all day, I don’t have a chance to check Iris’s messages until we’re done with the water park. While Lana is busy in the bathroom helping Cami change into dry clothes, I read the text Iris sent.
Don’t you remember her looking subdued?
Hmm. Everything seemed fine. And no, Declan didn’t talk to her, although I’m sure Alana would have been fine with it.
Your message comes much faster this time.
I’m just getting to know her, so I don’t think so. Because? I wipe my face in frustration, stifling my moan.
No.
You did something?
He’s barely spoken to me today and locked me out of his room last night.
At least I don’t think so. All I’ve done is try to make this week special.
Yes. He seemed happy before and even during dinner.
Are you sure?
Let me think… I take a seat on a bench and let my head fall into my hands while I wait for his response.
After Alana got the bottle of wine out of the fridge, she seemed a little calmer, but she mentioned that she had a headache, so I didn’t think much of it.
Plus a lingering smell of whatever Declan burned coming from the trash? No.
Something strange in the kitchen?
She mentioned the same thing to me about the headache, but that wouldn’t explain her attitude today.
My groan of frustration catches some people’s attention.
Keep me informed.
I wanted to have all the facts before trying again.
Why don’t you ask her?
You understood it.
If you don’t hear from me within 24 hours, call the police.
She adds a greeting emoji after her message.
|
I try to talk to Lana privately twice after my text conversation with Iris, but she does an amazing job keeping herself busy with Cami, the parks, and everything else Dreamland has to offer. If she and Cami are not in the room, they are visiting the different resorts and tourist areas. Lana doesn’t completely freeze me, but she feels like she’s built an impenetrable wall between us.
I succumb to drinking again to relieve the feelings of anxiety that fester inside me like an infection. It makes me feel like shit depending on alcohol, but I don’t know how else to deal with the stress. It’s that or corner her. And knowing Lana, she won’t respond well to that kind of confrontation.
By the time we board the private jet, I still haven’t had a chance to talk to her. My texts go ignored and my knocks on her door go unanswered, which only fuels my growing anxiety and, with it, more drinking.
My shoulders slump as I drop into the large seat in front of the couch that Cami loves. Unlike last time, Cami makes room for Lana to sit. The two spend the entire flight back to Michigan watching Dreamland movies and laughing together, although Lana’s smiles never reach her eyes. It’s the same smile she had plastered on her face all week. The one that makes my chest hurt, knowing it’s a watered-down version of her real smile.
I promise then and there to talk to Lana tonight, even if it means having to tie her up to get some answers.
