If You Believe in Me by Natalie J. Damschroder Page A

were going to tell her tonight at dinner. They’d probably leave early tomorrow morning. She swung around the glossy newel post to hurry back to her dinner preparations. If Kale’s unit—
    Her gaze landed on a colorful folio lying on the sideboard, and her thoughts screeched to a halt. Those were plane tickets. Amber rubbed her suddenly damp palms on her jeans. The constant tug of conflicting emotions made her stomach roll.
    She shouldn’t look at the tickets. She’d jumped to conclusions, thinking the trip had anything to do with Kale. They could be going on vacation after the holidays, even if Christmas was still a week away. Kale’s mom always liked to prepare for travel early.
    But not this early.
    Amber’s feet carried her closer to the oak sideboard. The folder screamed for attention, lying all alone next to simple silver candlesticks. If their cherubic nativity scene had been set up like it was supposed to be, Amber never would have spotted the piece of paper. Peeking inside would be a betrayal of the trust they’d bestowed when they gave her a key. But doing this, and hiding it from her—wasn’t that a betrayal, too?
    No, that wasn’t fair. She wasn’t their daughter, even if they’d filled in for her parents in some ways since the car crash that killed them nearly five years ago. The Rikers didn’t owe her anything.
    But they owed their son. And Amber was Kale’s representative at home, wasn’t she?
    She twisted to see the clock over the fireplace. Five o’clock. They’d be on their way home from work, and never used the cell phone in the car. She couldn’t wait. Her brain would drive her insane with all the possibilities. Her hand shook, but she reached for the packet and peeled back the corner, looking for the date of departure. If it’s after the New Year…
    The letters and numbers were stark black against the pale green ticket stock. December nineteenth. That was tomorrow. They were leaving tomorrow. She closed her eyes and swayed, catching herself against the heavy piece of furniture. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, the silence and staleness of the house pressing in around her.
    A wave of cold air struck her. She turned to the open front door, where Kale’s parents stood. H is mother looked sad, his father grimly determined. Amber didn’t give a second’s thought to the fact that she’d been caught. All she could think was what the fuck?
    “What is this?” Her voice came out high. She brandished the folder. “Where are you going?”
    “We’re taking a cruise.” Arthur stood straight, defiant. “Two weeks in the Caribbean. Long overdue.” He strode past her into the kitchen, his knee-replacement waddle more pronounced than usual. A moment later the silverware drawer rattled and cupboard doors banged.
    “I don’t understand.” Amber swallowed back anger. “Why would you leave now?”
    Dorothy pressed her lips together and stared up at Amber for a few seconds, her eyes watery. Amber was struck by how frail she was, her skin papery and loose. She’d always appeared old to Amber, because she and Arthur hadn’t had Kale until they were in their mid-forties, but now the wrinkles seemed deeper, the circles under her eyes darker. She’d lost weight in the last few months. How had Amber missed it?
    “I’m sorry, dear, I need to go lie down. The shop was busy today. Arthur can explain.” She started slowly up the steps, her face turned resolutely away.
    Amber set the plane tickets where she’d found them and braced herself to enter the kitchen. “Arthur?”
    “You left the chicken out. It’s contaminating the entire counter.” He chucked the sweating package in the trash, ignoring Amber’s cry of protest, and scrubbed at the counter with a soapy sponge.
    She’d never seen him like this. “What’s going on?”
    He glanced at her, faded blue eyes snapping. “I told you. We’re going to the Caribbean. For two weeks.”
    “But what if Kale comes home?”
    “He’s not