Page 68 of For You I'd Mend
“Theo has a cold,” Aiden lied. “He’s not being a dick on purpose.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Everly said. “I had a terrible one a couple weeks back. They’re never fun. So,” she said, clapping her gloved hands together, “you want to build a memorial for Logan?”
“Well, Aiden is technically building it,” Cal said. “We’re hoping Theo might paint a mural or something. I’m just here for moral support.”
“I’m not sure the barn could handle another coat of paint,” I said. “It looks ready to fall in at any moment.”
“Agreed,” Aiden said. “Which is why I think you should make a sculpture.”
“What makes you think I can do that?” I asked.
“Fine, work with Hell Cat and make a sculpture,” he amended.
Cal turned to Everly. “That’s what he calls Poppy.”
“It doesn’t have to be massive,” Aiden said. “Then I wanted to build something in honor of Logan. There’s the usual bench or gazebo, but that feels kind of boring, which is why you’re here, Ev.”
“A tree house,” she blurted out, pointing to the large oak beside the barn. “Something big enough you could sleep in.”
The muscles in Aiden’s jaw clenched. Without a word, he started toward his house, which sat directly next door. Cal looked as confused as I felt, but Everly wiped a tear from her cheek.
“When we were little,” she said, “Logan and Aiden built this amazing tree house. It was supposed to be a place where they could go to get away from us girls, but every time Aiden slept over, we’d all end up crammed inside. Some of the best memories I have of my brother were made in that tree house. We told ghost stories and sang stupid songs off-key and talked for hours.”
“I remember it now,” Cal said. “I don’t remember sleeping in it though.”
“You didn’t. Aiden was the only one of Logan’s friends Mom allowed to sleep over because they’d been hopping back and forth from our house to his since they were three. Logan always said he was going to live in a full-sized tree house when he grew up. Should we go after Aiden or give him space?”
Cal and I both shook our heads.
“A tree house is a great idea, Everly,” Cal said. “Theo, you could paint a mural inside or work with Poppy on a sculpture or both.”
“Yeah,” I said, kicking at the hard earth with the toe of my combat boot. “It’s perfect.”
“You sure?” Everly asked. “I mean Aiden didn’t say anything. That’s not like him.”
“He didn’t want to lose it in front of us,” I said. “The only time I’ve seen him cry was at Logan’s funeral.”
“Same,” Everly said. We stood in silence until off in the distance Aiden opened his front door and disappeared inside. “So, Theo,” she said, turning to me. “I’ve been looking into the expungement laws. Our first step would be to petition to have your conviction reduced since you can’t expunge vehicular manslaughter. After that—”
I shook my head. “I appreciate the offer, Everly, but I deserved that conviction and every day of my sentence.”
“The fact you think that makes you an excellent candidate for expungement. You’re a good person, Theo. There’s no reason you should still have restrictions on your life, but as long as you’re a felon, you always will.”
“Because of me, Logan is dead,” I said, placing my hand gently on her shoulder. “I am a felon. Even if you’re successful, nothing will ever change that for me.”
“Just think about it, OK,” she said. She looked so much like Logan. The same warm brown eyes. The same easy smile. She was tall like him as well, strong. Seeing her made me miss her brother, which sometimes got lost in all the guilt. “My parents and my sister want this too. If not for yourself, consider doing it for us. Mom got thrown out of the grocery store once because she overheard someone calling you a criminal and lost it on them. As her attorney, I cannot comment on the details, but let’s just say the bakery department suffered casualties. Rolls everywhere.”
Cal threw his head back and laughed. “Do you remember that time my dad told a prospective client to kiss his ass when he called you something?”
“Degenerate,” I said, fighting the urge to laugh. “He called me a hopeless degenerate.”
“Yeah, well, he got half of it right,” Cal said, rubbing his forehead.
“Please, Theo,” Everly said, clutching her gloved hands together. “Promise me you’ll think about it.”
Cal stared at me until I nodded. I’d think about it for however long it took Everly to walk back to her car and drive off, then I’d text her to tell her no.
“It was great seeing y’all,” she said, pulling Cal into another hug. She waved at me and started back for her car.
