Chapter 56

‘Wayne is back!’

I hadn’t seen that coming, just as I hadn't expected him to remember my dad's number. Matthew and Lindsey were equally surprised, staring at Wayne in disbelief. He had been gone for four years without a single visit. His sudden return was a complete surprise, a real thrill for them.

“Mom, Dad, what’s up? Aren’t you guys happy to see me?” Wayne said, walking over with a grin. He had always been the warm, big-brother type. In the ten years I spent with the Johnston family before he left, he brought the most warmth to the house. Unlike Jace, who focused on showing off how well he treated me, Wayne’s kindness was genuine—quiet and understated, more about what he did than what he said.

“Wayne,” I called out to him.

This snapped Matthew and Lindsey back to reality. Lindsey released me, stood up, and walked to Wayne, lightly hitting him twice. “You still remember you have parents? You still know how to come home?”

Matthew chimed in, “Why didn’t you give us a heads-up?”

Wayne glanced at me, then flashed a faint smile. “I wanted to surprise you guys.”

Lindsey’s eyes welled up as Wayne hugged her and said, “Hi, Mom.” Lindsey playfully hit him before pulling him close. “You’ve been away so long. Your dad and I thought we’d upset you.”

“What are you talking about? I was just super busy abroad,” Wayne said, his eyes locking with mine, making my heart skip a beat.

I couldn’t help but think, ‘Is he back because of me?’

Wayne’s arrival shifted the conversation away from Jace and me. I had said all I needed to, and Matthew seemed to accept it. Lindsey was still struggling, but with Wayne and Matthew’s support, she would eventually come to terms with it.

Wayne mentioned he hadn’t eaten and missed his parents’ cooking, prompting them to rush to the kitchen to prepare a meal, insisting that I join them.

With just Wayne and me left in the living room, the awkwardness from our last phone conversation lingered. Wayne broke the silence. “I thought you wouldn’t come here anymore.”

“What are you talking about? This is my home. I can come whenever I want,” I replied. Then I remembered I had another task: packing my things.

Seeing Matthew and Lindsey busy in the kitchen, I knew this was the perfect time to pack my belongings and avoid the emotional strain of doing it in front of them.

“I’ll take Wayne’s luggage upstairs,” I said, standing up to grab his suitcase.

“No need!” Wayne refused, reaching for it. Our hands touched, and I quickly pulled mine back. Wayne’s fingers lingered for a moment. “I’ve never let you carry anything heavy since we were kids. I’m not starting now.”

It was true. Whenever we were together, he never let me carry even a piece of paper. Besides being treated like a fallback girl by Jace, I never felt mistreated in this family.

“You’ve always been good to me,” I said, flashing Wayne a nostalgic smile.

“I thought you’d forgotten that,” he replied.

Not sure what to say next, I extended my hand. “Let me take your bag.”

This time, he didn’t argue. I grabbed his bag and followed him upstairs. His room was at the very end, next to mine and Jace’s. Mine was in the middle, and Jace’s was the outermost.

With all the renovations going on, Jace’s room door was open, showing the mess inside.