“You can’t control when you’ll fall in love.”
I ignore her comment because hell yes I can. And I will.
“And I’m going to stay alive,” I add.
Mom’s face turns white. “I can’t believe I’m allowing this. I don’t know if I can. I think you should just come to Vancouver with us.”
I shake my head. “No, this is for the best. I’ll be fine, Mom. Like Avery said, I’m going on a new adventure. And it’s not like we can’t still talk and text. That’s why getting into your phone is like getting into Fort Knox.”
She laughs. “I’m still having a hard time putting in those passwords.” She tilts her head at me. “So, we were talking about you and Brook. You changed the subject.”
“There’s really nothing else to say.”
“Are you okay? I mean, you’ve been through a lot the past six days. Almost being kidnapped. Breaking up with your boyfriend. Going to a new school. It would be hard for anyone to handle. You seem a little too composed.”
“Almost being kidnapped was horrible. Being kidnapped would have been worse, so I’m thankful. Brooklyn wasn’t my boyfriend, so we didn’t break up. He’s going surfing. I’m going to school. If we’re supposed to be together in the future, he says fate will intervene.” I roll my eyes. Sometimes his karma and fate talk sounds a lot like bullshit. “So do you have any advice for me? You made it through high school, were prom queen and all that. What do I need to know?”
Mom runs her hand across the top of her perfectly coiffed hair. “Just be yourself, Keatyn. And be confident. You’re worldly, mature, well-traveled, well-spoken, and confident. You’ve always acted older than you are. Kids are drawn to that. And if I were you, I would make friends with a few boys first. It takes some time to figure out how girls are going to behave. And I know you have to tell a different background story, but you’re still you. The you you’ve always been, with your father’s gorgeous eyes, my killer smile, and your own individual grace. You are unstoppable. Don’t worry, everyone will love you.”
“Mom, seriously?”
“What?”
“You just told me what Elle Woods told her dog when they got to Harvard in Legally Blonde.”
Mom’s mouth starts out in a little smirk and then beams into her famous megawatt smile. She laughs. “You’re right. I did. Well, everyone will love you. And I love you very much.”
I hope Mom’s right about that. For the first time in my life, I have to totally rely on me. And what if me is really a loser? What if no one likes the real me?
When we land, Mom hands me a manila envelope. It looks just like the one that the photographs were in. Only it has my name on it.
My heart starts racing. What didn’t they tell me? What else is there?
“Keatyn, your face just went completely white. What’s wrong?”
I shakily point to the envelope in her hand. “Did the stalker send something else?”
Mom’s eyes get teary. “Oh, no, honey. This is . . . this is something we should have talked about yesterday, but I couldn’t bear to.”
“What is it?”
“You’re not my daughter anymore,” she says, then she breaks down crying.
Tommy pulls her into his arms and says to me, “One of the ways you could be tracked is through a money trail. If our financial people paid your bills like they do now, too many people would know where you are. We had you emancipated. Legally, you’re an adult now. You can sign yourself in and out of school. Legally, you can do whatever you want.”
I grab Mom’s hand. “Garrett told me all this yesterday. It was necessary. I’m still your daughter, Mom. It’s just that I’m legal a year sooner than planned.”
Mom looks like she’s going to puke, but she squeezes my hand and smiles. “Your grandpa wants you to call him before you open this.”
“Like now?” I ask.
Mom and Tommy nod.
I pull up my scrawny contact list and hit Grandpa. He answers with, “Remember our talk this summer?”
“Yeah.”
“I know the situation is different, but it still applies. You understand?”
“I’m fixing to become my own man?”
Grandpa laughs. “Exactly. I’m not gonna beat around the bush. You’re going to be on your own for a while, and you’re gonna need cash. You know I set you up with a trust fund, right?”
“You told me you did, but I don’t know anything about it.”
“When your dad died, I set one up to take care of you. Pay for college, things like that. When I sold my company, all your dad’s share of stock went into your fund. You weren’t supposed to get this until you were older, but with the present circumstances, I’m giving it to you now. I should tell you to spend it wisely, but after all this, I’m gonna say life is short. Have fun while you can. The paperwork for your new accounts is in the envelope, along with new credit and debit cards. You’re a very rich young lady.”
“Rich enough to skip school, buy my own jet, and travel the world?”
“How bout you go to school, be safe, and let us deal with this mess.”
“Okay.”
“Take care, hotshot. Grandma and I love you.”
“Thanks for setting everything up in such a short time, Grandpa, and I love you both too.”
I open the envelope and look inside.
There’s another copy of the legal document stating I am emancipated.
And there’s a black American Express card. Tommy doesn’t even have one of those, and he’s rich. I pull out the financial statement and I have to blink a few times.
Did I read that right?
I turn to Mom and hand her the statement. “Did you know about this?”
She and Tommy look at it. Their shocked looks answer my question. “Wow, baby,” Tommy says. “You wanna finance my next movie?”
Mom shakes her head. “I had no idea, Keatyn. I knew your grandfather was wealthy, but I had no idea.”
All of a sudden it dawns on me. Why he gave me the money now. Why my very conservative grandfather would tell me life is too short. Why he would suggest I spend irresponsibly. “You don’t think I’m going to make it until I’m eighteen, do you?” I cry out.
Mom looks horrified and wraps her arms around me. “We don’t think that, honey. I promise. Grandpa is just trying to keep you safe. If you have your own money, he can’t find you through us.”
I’m not sure if I believe her.
Garrett says, “Tommy, we need to get you and Abby off the plane as scheduled. We need to make this look as normal as possible, so say your final goodbyes.”
Mom stands up, then sits back down. Then her eyes fill with tears again. I stand up and pull her into a hug.
“It’s gonna be okay, Mom. I’ll text you. It’ll be just like when you go film a movie, but I’ll be somewhere new. Off on a new adventure.” I try to be brave for her. I try not to cry, but when I say adventure, it makes me think of the girls. And I can’t help it. I start to cry too.
Actually, I kinda bawl.
Mom hugs me tightly while I cry into her shoulder.
I try to soak in the feeling of her hug. The hug I’m going to need to remember. The hug that’s going to get me through this. The hug that gives me the strength to go on.
Tommy says quietly, “Abby, we need to go.”
Mom nods her head, lets go of me, and kisses me on the forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Tommy gives me a big hug and says, “I love you too, baby. Be safe.”
And then they are escorted down the stairs and off the plane.
I’m used to Mom leaving, traveling, but this feels very different.
I suddenly feel very alone.
I told them I’d be okay, but I’m not really sure if I will be.
Garrett sits down next to me. “They are going to park the plane like they normally do. You and I will get off shortly and board a different plane. It’s time to get you to school.”