Chapter 52: Brett

When the plane touched down in Greenville, Annie and I turned our phones back on for the first time in over a week. We had promised each other we wouldn't allow any outside distractions to mar our trip, and being out of the country made that easy to explain before we left.

Once on the road, she looked at me. "Do you think it's safe to check the messages at this point?" Her face was tainted with worry.

"Sweetheart, your friends will not be mad at you. Plus, they don't even know anything yet. Are you trying to avoid the confrontation? Is that why you aren't checking your phone?"

She nodded her reply.

"Who are you most afraid of telling?"

"My mom and dad," she stated plainly. "Things between us have been strained for years. This may be the final nail in the coffin. The sad thing is you're exactly what they always wanted for me."

I'd met her parents when we'd run into them one night, but it was only briefly, and neither had shown much interest. We'd all wanted to go in separate di