Page 39 of The Other Side of Green

“Believe me, it’s over.”

We disconnected the call and I stared at my empty glass. So college did want Lyra back? And they wanted me back too?

Maybe there was the slightest chance this could work.

I just had to make sure she could see that. Which meant erasing whatever shit her brother had put in her head.

Time for me to play the game, and this time, without my fists. Luca Lennox wasn’t getting anything else from me, because this time I was going to win.

Chapter Ten

Lyra

“So, the hearse will leave here at ten.” Pastor Clarke evaluated his notes again. “Your grandma wanted the full jazz procession, so it will meet the coffin at the top of the block here.”

“She’s going to be here, in the house?”

Pastor Clarke lifted his gaze, his expression perplexed. “Of course, as she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

I nodded, my throat tight. Luca reached a hand for mine and squeezed, so I focused on the cuts and grazes on his knuckles, trying to ignore the wince in my stomach when I thought they happened against Jack’s skin.

I’d been stupid earlier. I shouldn’t have tried to help with his wounds. I’d got too close.

Shaking my head, I refocused.

“Now, as you know, your grams wanted the full event.” Pastor Clarke grinned. “She’d have wanted nothing less.”

I nodded. “That’s very true.”

He glanced down at his notes again. “Lyra, she’s asked for you to sing and play.” Another glance at his notes. “Luca, she’s specially said for you to read a poem.”

Luca grinned. “Looks like I’ve got off easy.”

I pulled a face, probably not appropriate in the circumstances, but I knew that if Grams was here, she’d hit him upside his stupid head.

“Lyra, any ideas on what you will want to do? I can talk to Patricia.” I slunk down in my seat. Patricia, the choirmaster. Last time we spoke it wasn’t on the best of terms.

“I’ll need to think.” Obviously, this was a total bluff. I needed to find out if I could even play. Couldn’t even think of how. The thought of standing in Grams’ church as the big pretender made my blood turn icy. Knowing the big guy would be looking down, thinking; ‘Ah, black sheep, I knew you’d come back’.

“Lyra?” Pastor Clarke leaned forward, that look on his face. “Do you need to talk?”

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

He sighed and gave a small incline of his head. “You know I’m always here for you, we all are.”

My smile tightened. What he meant was that they were all there for you so long as you were doing things their way.

“I’m fine.” I cast a quick glance at Luca. “Did Grams leave any instructions for Mom, assuming she comes back for the funeral?”

Pastor Clarke pretended to look at his paper again. “No, doesn’t look like it.”

I snorted. “Grams must have known she’d be a no show.”

“Lyra! You don’t know that.”

I scowled at Luca in answer to his stupidity. “Whatever.”

I never wanted to see the woman again. All life on earth could end and still not enough time would have passed for me to forgive her. And not just about Jack being my brother, and the whole, oops look your real daddy is the other side of the fence and he’s a wife beating asshole. But for everything. Everything.