Page 80 of The P*ssy Next Door

He nodded and his shoulders relaxed. “Yes.”

“I know. I'm putting all my faith and trust in that smart brain of yours to figure it out for us.” I touched his forehead softly. “So don't go and crack your head again, okay?”

He smiled, and it was almost shy, like in the early days. “I'll do my best.”

“I'm counting on it.”

We headed back into the city center to the address of the store my dad provided. The item he wanted us to get was a big, heavy box with zero markings on it, just a pre-filled customs slip. “I hope we didn't just become drug mules for the Yakuza or something.”

“Oh my god, don't even joke about that.” He took the box and carried it under his arm like it weighed no more than a football. My adorable little rule follower.

The flight back should have felt long, but it went by much faster than I wanted it to. Worry churned in my chest and stomach, aching. I had a feeling that everything was going to be different in all the wrong ways when we got back, and I had no idea how to fix that. It's not like I could up and run away to another country.

Luckily our flight put us back in Denver later in the evening and we could just crash for the night. In the morning, Hayes went to practice, or at least to see what the trainers wanted him to do, and I went back to work at the coffee shop.

The memories of our adventures, the intimate moments, and the reality of our very different lives, played on a loop in my mind, making it hard to focus on any tasks. Good thing Javier was there to pick up my slack. He was definitely getting a bonus on his next paycheck.

Near the end of the day, my dad showed up to the shop, a hesitant smile on his face.

“Hey, Dad.” I grabbed a mug and started making his usual order.

He waved off the coffee. “Were you able to bring that package I asked for?”

I nodded and had him follow me to the office. “Here it is. What kind of costumes did you order?”

He took the box, hefting it in his arms. “I need you to come over after work tonight, Willa. There's something important I need to discuss with you and your brother.”

A knot formed in the back of my throat. The last time he'd looked this serious and we'd had a family meeting, it was when Liam told us about his illness. “Is everything okay?”

Dad shook his head, a sad smile on his face. “No, honey. Just... come over tonight, okay?”

Yikes. I messaged Hayes to see if he could come with me, but he said the doctors wanted to send him for a new scan at the hospital and to meet with the UNC again. It's not like I could ask him to skip that to come to my parents' house.

I did a sloppy job closing up the shop that evening and once again missed Liam and George. If Dad was sick or something... No, I wasn't going to think that. I'd just see what he wanted to talk about before I went all doom and gloom.

When I got to my parents' house, Xander's car was already in the driveway, but Mom's was nowhere to be seen. Huh.

Inside, Dad and Xander were sitting at the kitchen table, an uncomfortable silence hanging between them. I slid into a chair, my nerves on edge. “What's going on, Dad? Where's Mom?”

Dad took a deep breath, his eyes tired and sad. “Your mother has asked for a divorce.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Beside me, Xander let out a low curse.

“But,” Dad continued, his voice growing stronger, “I'm not giving up on this family. I'm going to fight for us, starting with being a better father to you two.”

He stood up, motioning for us to follow him into the backyard. There, spread out on the lawn furniture, were two padded sumo wrestler suits.

Oh my god. These were the costumes from Japan. No wonder the box was so heavy.

“Do you remember,” Dad said, a hint of a smile on his face, “when you two used to fight as kids, and I'd put you in those inflatable bumper balls until you worked it out?”

A grudging laugh escaped my lips. “Yeah, but barely.”

Xander crossed his arms and shook his head. “We were four, Dad.”

And if I remembered right, Mom hated them. She poked holes in them with her cooking shears so they were ruined.

Dad nodded. “It's time we tried that again. But this time, in these.”