Page 52 of Like You Know
After a moment, she took a breath and turned to face me with a brittle smile. “I think they’d be beyond ecstatic to see you, baby. They can show you where your dad grew up, tell you things about him that I don’t know—his childhood and stuff.”
“Yeah?” I didn’t know what I’d expected, but relief flooded through me at her positive, if strained, response. I really wanted to get in touch with my Sri Lankan roots. My father’s parents had passed away before I was born, we’d lost touch with his family after he died, and I had no idea about his culture. But something deep inside me craved to know more. I felt as if I could know him better through learning about his heritage.
“Of course. It’s my fault you don’t have a relationship with them. I’ll reach out and talk to them.”
“Thanks, Mom.” I gave her a hug and let her hold on for a long time. I could tell it was hard for her to talk about this—abouthim—but she was making an effort for me, and I really appreciated it.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
I didn’t realizeuntil the next day what I’d helped my mom prepare for. The girls and I had plans to get ready for prom together at Donna’s place. We had someone coming to do our hair and makeup, and the boys would come pick us up in a limo.
I had all my things ready to go in a duffel, and I went to the fridge to grab a kombucha before leaving. Cold drink in hand, I shut the fridge door and came face-to-face with the invite to Raine Clayton’s party.
“Fuck.” I snatched the invite off the fridge and double-checked the date. It was definitely tonight. I tried to tell myself that maybe they were going to something else, that I shouldn’t let my worry get out of hand, but I didn’t want my mom anywhere near the culty weirdos of BestLyf. All previous experience pointed to the organization being seriously dangerous.
Kombucha forgotten on the counter, I headed back upstairs. I had to know.
“Mom!” I called as I took the stairs two at a time.
“In the sitting room,” she called back, and I rushed past her bedroom to the cozy lounge area. She and Cal sat in armchairs facing the massive window, cups of tea in hand. “Did you forget something?”
They both turned to face me. I’d already said goodbye and made plans for them to pop over to the Meads’ on their way out so they could see us all ready for prom.
“Is this where you’re going tonight?” I thrust the invite at them. Mom frowned down at it, and Cal took the thick piece of impending doom from my outstretched hand.
“Yeah. Why?” Mom leaned on the arm of the chair to face me more fully.
“Please don’t.” I could hear the desperation in my voice.
She took my hand. “I promise I won’t forget to stop by the Meads’ to take pictures, baby. We’re planning to be late to the party.”
I kneeled down next to her chair. “It’s not that. I just ... these are bad people. I’m worried. Please just skip this one.”
Mom and Cal shared a look that I was too frazzled to decipher. Were they just concerned about my weird behavior? Or was it something more?
“Holy shit,” I breathed out as I sat back on my heels. So very many things were clicking into place at the same time, and the weight of it all nearly crushed me.
She said she’d been working on herself for over a year. She’d been going to “meetings” even though she didn’t work. Just yesterday she’d told me that was how she met Cal—through whatever this journey of self-improvement was.
“It’s just a party, sweetheart. There’s nothing to worry about.” Mom tried to calm me down, but I could hear the concern in her voice. I was just as concerned about her, and I had better reason to be.
All the horrible shit that had been happening—all of it tied to BestLyf—flashed through my mind like a waking nightmare. And it jogged my memory of something else. It had been a traumatic night, and I’d forgotten about it, but I’d seen Cal talking to Shady in Devilbend North that night. Shady definitely had his finger in multiple BestLyf pies.
“You dragged her into this,” I said, getting to my feet. I needed to be higher than him.
Cal remained seated, slowly placing his mug on the side table. “No, I didn’t. We met through BestLyf, but only after Vivian had been attending the seminars for some time. I swear to you, I had nothing to do with recruiting her.”
“I don’t believe you.” I didn’t know what to believe.
“Amaya.” Mom got to her feet and took my hands in hers. “One of my friends took me to my first BestLyf seminar. Not Calvin. I wouldn’t have even gone if I wasn’t wasted when she dragged me there. Now, I won’t lie and say I wasn’t sucked in—I was. They’re very persuasive. I spent a lot of money on their seminars and courses, started to get a bit obsessed with passing up to the next level. But Cal helped me realize what was really important.” She threw him a warm smile—a look that lingered—and I realized my mom was falling in love with this man. If she wasn’t in love already.
That was a whole Pandora’s box of mixed feelings I wasn’t ready to open.
“We both came to realize that BestLyf is not for us,” Cal agreed but didn’t elaborate.
I looked between them. “What do you mean?”
“It’s ...” Mom sighed and glanced at Cal again. “Look, we can talk about it some other time, OK? You’re going to be late for your hair and makeup.”