Chapter Fourteen
Seth
Everly’s footsteps are still echoing on the stairs as I turn toward the bedroom, smiling when I see she’s picked up the clothes we were wearing yesterday and left them in a neat pile on the box at the end of the bed. They’re muddled together, hers and mine, and I sort through them before sitting on the edge of the bed and getting dressed.
I’ve enjoyed my morning, even if it was rushed. Getting River dressed was fun, although I never knew a baby could have so many clothes. I thought Everly was bad enough, but our daughter… I shake my head, smiling, as I remember trying to get her feet into her leggings, while she wriggled around. It was like she knew we were in a hurry, or maybe she just wanted to play. I couldn’t be sure, but either way, she wasn’t making things easy. We got there in the end, though, and the good thing was, she didn’t object to my involvement at all. In fact, when I first went in to her and lifted her from her crib, she quietened in an instant. Her eyes fixed on mine and I held her close, marveling at how snuggly and warm she felt. I had to take a moment then, just to hold it together… to realize what I’d gained, and how close I’d come to losing it. And then she grizzled, reminding me she was hungry.
“Okay, okay. I get it. Never keep a woman from her food,” I said, and she stared at me, and she smiled. It was the first time I’d seen her do that, and I forgot about keeping it together. There was no hope of it, and I held her tiny body to mine, until she grizzled once more, and I remembered my duties.
Fixing her formula was easy enough, and rather than going back upstairs with it, I sat on the couch and fed her there. She sure was hungry and had drunk down the entire contents of the bottle before Everly even emerged from the bathroom. I wasn’t sure what to do then and filled the time just talking to River.
“You’re a beautiful baby girl, you know? Just like your mom,” I said as I held her in my arms. “And I know I’ve been away for far too long, but I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere, I promise. I’m gonna be here for you and for your mom, and I’m never gonna leave you.” I kissed her forehead. “You’re safe,” I whispered, and she rewarded me with another smile, just as the bathroom door opened and Everly stepped out. She’d wrapped a towel around herself, fastened above her breasts, but she looked breathtaking in a swirl of steam, and I let my eyes wander, taking her in.
“Yep,” I said, smiling at her. “Still got it, babe.”
She blushed through her chuckle and walked over toward us. “What have you been telling our daughter?” she asked, and I explained, surprised when I saw tears welling in Everly’s eyes, and that she was struggling to swallow.
I got up, then went to her, putting my free arm around her.
“Hey… don’t cry.”
“I’m not,” she said.
She clearly was, but I was blown away when she told me she was crying because she was happy, and although she was clearly in a hurry, I don’t think I helped her emotional situation when I told her we were enjoying a family moment together.
She seemed to like the idea, though… which was good.
Of course, practicalities got in the way, but that was only to be expected, and like I say, I enjoyed getting River dressed.
I’m dressed myself now, and I go back out into the living area, wandering to the kitchen. The sterilizer seems to have finished, the screen reading ‘zero’ again, like it did at the beginning, although I’m not sure whether I should empty it.
My phone is still in my back pocket, where I left it last night after that awful moment when Davina sent that damn message, but I don’t want to think about that now. I don’t need to, and instead, I pull out my phone and type a quick message to Everly…
— Hey, babe. Sorry to disturb you, but what do I need to do with the sterilizer? It seems to have finished, but do I need to empty it? Love you xxx
I’m not sure how long it’ll take her to reply, especially at this time of day, and I’m surprised when my phone beeps within seconds.
— You don’t need to do anything. It will automatically dry the bottles, so they’ll be fine in there until later. Thanks for asking, though. xx
— You don’t need to thank me. I’m just heading back to the hotel to shower. See you soon. Love you xxx
She just sends a row of kisses as a reply, and I smile to myself, knowing how busy the breakfast service can get at the coffee shop, and feeling pleased that she took the time to reply at all.
I grab my coat from the hook behind the door, check my keys are still in the pocket, and head down the stairs, letting myself out onto Main Street, and locking the door behind me.
I glance into the coffee shop as I pass, but there’s no sign of Everly. Owen’s serving behind the counter, but doesn’t notice me, and I make my way past, knowing I’ll be back soon.
That thought is enough to make me smile… as is the recollection of everything Everly and I did last night.
Making love with her was like coming home, although in a way, it was more than that. It was better than that. We didn’t just recapture what we’d had before. We gained something new, too… or I did. Call it maturity, call it understanding. I don’t know what it was, but after I’d watched Everly feed River in the middle of the night, bathed in the soft glow of the nursery, I knew things had to be different this time. I had to be different.
We went back to bed, and when she said she was too tired to make love again, I wasn’t upset, or angry, or frustrated. I just knew I had to do something about it. I wanted to help her, to make things better for her, so she’d never have to feel like that again. Not so we could make love all the time, but because she’d carried the load for far too long. It was time for me to pull my weight… to be the man she needed. That meant being here, listening, helping, keeping her safe, and anything else she wanted of me.
It also meant accepting that she could change her mind in the blink of an eye, and decide she wasn’t so tired after all.
I smile to myself, slowing my pace almost to a halt, recalling how it felt to be buried deep inside her… to hold her in my arms and feel her come so hard around me. I should have used a condom, but I was willing to forego my pleasure in favor of hers. Besides, I love feeling her come, and I knew the release would help her sleep. I never expected her to take things further… to move down the bed and take me in her mouth, or to make me come in such a spectacular fashion, while squealing her way through another orgasm herself.
Naturally, she was exhausted after that, and fell asleep on top of me, which was lovely, and just what I needed. Why? Because I was clearly just what she needed, too… and there’s no better feeling in the world than that.
Lying there with my arms around her slender body, her breathing aligned with mine, I knew what I had to do.
The only problem was, how to do it.
Even now, in the cold light of morning, as I pick up the pace again, and walk back to the hotel, I’m still unsure how to go about it… how to explain things to Aiden, and what I’ll do about the rest of my life in Concord. It’s gotta be done, though, and the sooner I…
“Seth?”
I startle at the sound of my name and turn around, looking across the street.
“Jesus,” I mutter under my breath as Helen waves, waiting for a car to pass before she crosses over, coming straight toward me.
I can hardly ignore her, but I keep walking at a slowed pace, so she has to change direction slightly, and she grabs my arm, pulling me back.
“We need to talk,” she says, looking up into my eyes.
“No, we don’t.”
She glances at her watch, letting out a sigh. “Okay, maybe not this minute. I’m on my way to the school, and I’m already running late, but we still need to talk, Seth.”
“We really don’t, Helen.”
“I can meet you this afternoon for coffee, if you like?”
If she’s suggesting what I think she’s suggesting, she can think again. The idea of meeting Helen in the coffee shop is so far beyond wrong, I can’t even contemplate it.
“Which part of ‘no’ don’t you understand?” I say, raising my voice.
“The part where I know you don’t mean it.” She places her hand on my arm and although I step back, she’s not letting go. “You made it very clear you were interested in me, Seth, and I don’t think you can have been in any doubt that I felt the same. I still do.”
“Then I’m sorry.”
“What for?” she asks, frowning.
“Because I shouldn’t have let things go so far. I shouldn’t have led you to believe I felt anything.”
“Are you telling me you didn’t want me?”
“Yes. I was just looking for attention, and you were there.”
“But I really like you,” she says, moving closer… much too close for comfort.
“You don’t know me.” I step away, pulling my arm free of her grip. “The only thing between us was a mild flirtation… one I should have put a stop to way before I did.”
“But you didn’t,” she says, shaking her head. “You didn’t stop it. You just left.”
“Exactly. And that should tell you everything you need to know.”
“Why? It wasn’t me you left, was it? It was Everly.”
“Maybe. But if I’d been interested in you… if I’d liked you in the way you say you like me, don’t you think I’d have been in touch?” She doesn’t answer, but just continues to look up at me, and although it’s occurred to me that, if she’d been as interested in me as she claims, she could have made the effort to contact me in the last twelve months, I’m not about to mention that. She might read something into the suggestion, and I’m not going down that road. “I’m sorry I didn’t make myself clear sooner, but I won’t risk what I’ve got with Everly… not for anyone.”
“You mean you’re back together?”
“Yes. I’m in love with her.”
“You are?”
“I always was. I was just too selfish to put her first.”
“And you’ve changed, have you?”
“In every way you can think of… except for loving Everly. That’s never gonna change.”
“So you led me on?”
“If you wanna look at it that way, you can. But you were the one doing most of the leading, Helen. As far as I was concerned, there was never anything in it.”
“Well… thanks for that.”
“You’re welcome.”
She glares at me, and I turn away, heading straight for the hotel. I wish I’d managed to avoid meeting Helen, but now I have, I know I’ll have to tell Everly what’s happened, and just hope she doesn’t overreact.
I shower first, then brush my teeth, before packing my things, leaving out a pair of jeans and a button down shirt, which I get dressed into.
I’m still feeling a little unnerved by that meeting with Helen, and I’m in even more of a hurry to get back to Everly. It occurred to me while I was in the shower that someone might have seen Helen and me talking, and in the time I’ve been here, they could have mentioned it to Everly. She won’t have taken kindly to hearing that and I realized I probably should have gone back to the coffee shop, rather than coming here. At the time, I was more interested in getting away from Helen than anything else… and I wasn’t thinking straight. Now, I just need to tell Everly what happened, and to know we’re okay.
I close up my bag, checking around to make sure I haven’t left anything behind, and then I dash from the room, my jacket slung over my arm, as I carry my bag down the stairs.
It doesn’t take long to check out, and once I’m done, I throw my bag into the trunk of my car, locking it as I make my way out of the parking lot and back onto Main Street. I’ve pulled on my jacket now, rather than carrying it, and I hurry along to the coffee shop, pushing open the door, and sighing out my relief when Everly smiles at me from behind the counter.
She wouldn’t be smiling if someone had been telling tales, would she?
“Hi,” she says, letting out a sigh, like she’s pleased – or maybe even relieved – to see me. That feels even more promising than her smile. “Can I get you a coffee?”
“Sure.”
“Black?” she asks, taking a guess.
“Based on my lack of sleep, yes, please.”
Her smile widens, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks, which makes me wonder if she’s recalling the reason for my lack of sleep. It would be the same as hers, and not entirely related to our daughter’s wakefulness.
“Take a seat at table eleven,” she says. “I’ll bring it over.”
“Which one is table eleven?” I ask.
“The only one along the back wall that’s free.”
“Okay.”
I make my way over, sitting down and watching as she fixes my coffee. She works quickly, bringing it across and putting the cup in front of me.
“I’ve decided I’m gonna go back to using my alarm clock,” she says, rolling her eyes. “That way, we won’t have to rush around like we did this morning.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” I reach for her hand, clasping it in mine. “Can I take it last night wasn’t a one-off?” She frowns, like she doesn’t understand. “You said ‘we’. You said ‘we won’t have to rush around’.”
“Oh… I see what you mean,” she says, smiling again. “No. Last night wasn’t a one-off.”
“Good,” I whisper, turning her hand over and kissing her palm. “Is our daughter asleep?” I ask.
“Just,” she says, shaking her head. “She didn’t wanna know about sleeping when I first got down here, so I had to let everyone else do all the work around me.”
“Was that a problem?” I ask, sensing it might have been.
“Not for them. But it was for me. I hated feeling so helpless.”
“You weren’t helpless. You were busy with River. They’re not the same thing.” She sighs and I stand, pulling her into my arms, even though I know we’re attracting attention. “We’ll work something out,” I say.
“I don’t know what. I thought about going upstairs to get River’s baby carrier, but then I realized that might not be practical… or safe. There’s steam from the barista machine, and hot drinks, and…”
“Stop panicking, babe.”
She looks up at me, unconvinced, and pulls back, recalling where we are, as her eyes dart around the room.
“French toast with bacon?” she says, getting back to practicalities.
“You know me too well.”
“Hmm… I think I do.”
She smiles up at me, licking her lips, before she goes to put my order through and I sit back down again and sip my coffee. It’s good to see her smiling, but that brief interlude has brought it home to me that I really need to make some changes… and I need to do it fast.
I’ve barely had time to contemplate that before Everly comes back.
“It won’t be long,” she says, but before she can leave again, I grab her hand.
“I know you’re busy, but can you sit, just for a second?”
She glances around, then perches opposite me. “Is something wrong?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Her face falls, and I pull her hand a little closer, holding on tight. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What’s that?” she asks.
“I just saw Helen again.”
She shakes her head. “For Christ’s sake. Is she stalking you?”
I smile. “I don’t think so, but thank you for not getting upset.”
“Should I be? Upset, that is?”
“No, but I know how you feel about her.”
“That hasn’t changed, but I’m trying to trust you.”
“And I appreciate that. It means a lot, babe.”
She leans in slightly. “I know it does, although I’d still like to know what happened.”
“She saw me from across the street and come over to say hello.”
“Just hello?”
“No. She suggested we could meet up for coffee this afternoon.”
“Coffee? Where?”
“She didn’t say, but I assumed she meant in here. There’s nowhere else to go for coffee, is there?”
“I suppose you could go to Dawson’s… or MD’s as it is now, but…” She leans back, letting out a sigh. “You think she meant for you to meet in here?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. It was never gonna happen.”
“So, you said ‘no’?”
“Of course I did. She took a little convincing that I really meant it, but I suppose that’s easy enough to understand. I’d hardly discouraged her before, had I?”
“No,” she says, the sadness in her voice taking my breath away.
“I made it clear today, though, I promise.”
“You told her you weren’t interested?”
“I told her I never had been… that logic should have told her that if I’d wanted her, I would have been in touch during the last twelve months.”
“What did she say to that?”
“Nothing. Of course, I realized that if she’d really been that interested in me, she could have called… and she didn’t.”
“Which means?”
“She’s not serious about me, babe. If she was, she’d have made the effort, just like I would.”
“Hmm… I see what you mean.”
“I made sure she understood I’m off limits, though.”
“How?”
“I told her I’m in love with you, and that’s never gonna change. I—I think that pissed her off.”
“Oh dear. What a shame.”
I chuckle at her sarcasm and lean in, pulling her hand closer. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are we okay?”
She nods her head. “Thank you for telling me.”
“I’ll be honest, I was scared one of the local gossips might get to you first, but I’d have told you, anyway.”
“Promise?”
“I promise. My fear just meant I had the quickest shower of my life before running back here.”
“Well… fortunately, you made it in time.”
“Yeah, I did.”
I raise her hand, kissing her fingers this time, just as the people on the next table get up. “I should get back to work,” she says, standing too. “Your breakfast won’t be much longer.”
“I don’t mind waiting.”
She smiles down at me before she turns and rushes over to the counter, where there are two sets of customers waiting to be served.
“French toast and bacon,” Owen says, placing a plate in front of me and adding a jug of warm maple syrup. “Can I get you some more coffee?”
“Yes, please.” He takes my cup, returning within moments, having topped it up.
“It’s good to see Everly so happy,” he says, putting it down.
“Has she been that unhappy?” I look up at him, and he tips his head to one side.
“Of course she has.”
I nod my head and watch as he gathers the cups and plates from the table beside me, darting back through the swing door, knowing that, even though I don’t really have a plan yet, I have to make it work.
Whatever it takes.
“I hope that was up to our usual standard,” Everly says, coming over and reaching for my plate. I smile up at her, nudging it aside, and grab her hand again.
“You’re a lot less busy now, so why don’t you join me for a minute? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Oh? Who else has been hitting on you?” she says, sitting opposite me, just like she did earlier, although she gets more comfortable this time, and smiles right at me, her eyes locking with mine.
“No-one. It’s just… It’s just, I’m gonna have to leave.”
“Has Aiden called? Do you need to go back to work?” she says, and I shake my head, confusing her.
“No. I haven’t heard from Aiden. And it’s not about work. Not really. It’s more than that.”
“Then I don’t understand.”
“I need to leave town, Everly.”
She snatches her hand away, her face paling, her eyes filling with tears, and although I reach for her hand, she lowers it to her lap, making it impossible.
“How can you do this to me?” she whispers. “After everything we did last night? You said you loved me.”
“I do.” It hasn’t escaped my attention that she hasn’t said she loves me, but that doesn’t make my love for her any less real.
“You expect me to believe that?” she says, anger getting the better of her unshed tears.
“Yes. You know I’d never lie to you.”
“Is that why you told me you’d never leave?”
“Yes. And before you completely overreact, can I remind you that you said to me yesterday, before you invited me to dinner, that we need to get it right this time?”
“I hadn’t forgotten.”
“Well… that’s what I’m doing.”
“By leaving?”
“There are some things I need to iron out in Concord.”
“Like Davina?” she says, narrowing her eyes at me.
“No. She’s an intern at my office, just like I said. Nothing more, nothing less. I told you there’s no-one else. I meant it, although it’s pretty clear that, even if you say you’re trying, you still don’t trust me.”
“Are you surprised?”
“I guess not,” I say, shaking my head. I may not be surprised, but I’m a little disappointed, and I’m struggling not to show it. “Your insecurity around me is my fault. I should never have given you a reason to doubt me, but please believe me when I say I love you, Everly. You, and only you.”
She stares at me for a long moment and then slowly nods her head, which feels like a breakthrough.
“What do you need to iron out?” she asks.
“All kinds of things.”
She sighs. “Are you coming back?”
I stand, moving alongside her and grab her hand, pulling her to her feet and out through the swing door. Once there, I hold her in my arms, and even though she’s a little stiff and reluctant, I don’t let go.
“Of course I’m coming back. I know I don’t deserve a single thing from you, but please try to have some faith in me.”
“How long will you be gone for?” she asks, which isn’t really the answer I’d hoped for.
“I don’t know. As long as it takes, I guess.” That probably wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for, either, and she shakes her head at me, proving the point.
“That’s not very helpful, Seth… especially as you haven’t told me why you’re going.”
“I know, but that’s only because I haven’t decided exactly what I’m gonna do yet. All I know for sure is that things have to change.”
“Between us?” she says, pulling back, although I don’t let her go.
“No.”
I bend my head, kissing her, demanding entrance with my tongue. She refuses to grant it and I place my hand behind her head, tipping it slightly, moving closer and flexing my hips against hers. She gasps and I take advantage, sweeping my tongue inside her mouth. I feel the moment she relents, her body relaxing, her tongue flickering against mine. She sighs into my mouth, and I groan back in response before I release her, leaning back enough to look into her eyes.
“Nothing’s ever gonna change between us, Everly. I love you too much to let that happen.” I walk her backwards to where River’s sleeping in her crib, and hold her closer while we gaze at our daughter. “We made a beautiful baby.”
“Yes, we did.”
“I know you’ve said you forgive me for everything I did before, and I hope you still mean that.”
“I do. I just don’t understand why you have to leave,” she says, clinging to me.
“I’d rather I didn’t, but I do.”
“And you really can’t tell me when you’ll be back?”
“As soon as I can. I won’t stay away one second longer than I have to.”
She holds me close, squeezing me tight, and then releases me. “If you’re going, then go.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“I’m not. I’m just saying don’t drag it out. It’s gonna be hard enough without you. The last thing I need is a long, drawn-out goodbye.”
“Okay.” I can see her reasoning, and as much as I’d like to hang around until River wakes up, I have to respect Everly’s wishes. “I’ll call you when I get to Concord.” She nods her head, and I notice the tears have returned to her eyes. “Don’t cry,” I whisper, reaching out to caress her cheek, and although she shakes her head, I don’t think she’s saying ‘no’.
It seems best to leave before I make this any harder for either of us. I bend and kiss River on her forehead, making her wriggle, although she doesn’t wake up, and then I kiss Everly, hard on the lips, just long enough to make her sigh, before I exit through the swing door.
Owen is behind the counter and I wander over to him and lean across.
“Can I ask a favor?”
“Sure,” he says, looking around for Everly.
“I’ve gotta leave town for a while. Can you…?”
“You’re leaving?” he says, interrupting my request.
“Yes.”
He frowns at me. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s just fine.”
“Then why are you going?” he asks, his frown deepening.
“Because I have a few things I need to deal with in Concord. Everly’s not impressed with me for leaving, but…”
“I can’t say I blame her.” He shakes his head, folding his arms across his chest. “You’re not gonna hurt her again, are you?”
“No. What I’m gonna do will make things better. I’m not sure she appreciates that, but it will, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I hear his sigh of relief and he lets his arms fall to his sides, moving a little closer. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but she means the world to me. I—I went through a bad time before I met Tomas. My ex…” He stops talking for a second and takes a breath before he says, “My ex wasn’t a kind man. I can’t talk about what he did, but I wound up at the hospital on more than one occasion. The last time I was there, I met Tomas, and he’s the one who persuaded me to leave. I did, but it was hard, even with Tomas’s help. Colin – my ex – he’d sapped my self-confidence, and I’ll admit I became a bit of recluse. Tomas saw Everly’s ad for help. She’d placed it online, and he thought I’d fit in here, even though this is a million miles away from what I used to do.”
“What did you used to do?” I ask, intrigued by his story.
“I worked in advertising.” I nod my head and he smiles. “When I first came here, I was so damn shy, I wouldn’t even make eye contact with the customers. I used to be terrified of my own shadow, but Everly persevered. She has the patience of a saint, that woman, and with her help, I’ve managed to face the world again. Obviously, Tomas has had a lot to do with that, too, but I’d be nowhere without Everly.”
“I know. She’s amazing. And I promise, I won’t hurt her.”
“Good,” he says, his smile widening.
“Look after her while I’m gone, will you?”
“Of course I will.”
“Thanks.”
I reach over the counter and offer my hand. He glances at it, and then at me, and then holds his out, too. We shake and I give him a nod of my head.
“See you soon, Owen.”
He grins and I make for the door and step out onto Main Street. I hadn’t expected that, but hearing about Owen’s past just brings it home to me how much I wanna move my life back here… so I can be a part of this family again. Because that’s what it is. I don’t think I realized that before, but this is the best family there is. Aunt Clare started it, and Everly’s carrying things on, and it’s where I belong. I know that now. The problem is, to make that happen, I have to go. I wish I didn’t, but I do. It’s only fair, and it’s the quickest and easiest way to get things done… even if I’m not altogether sure what those ‘things’ are yet. Nonetheless, I steal a glance back through the window as I walk past, sighing when I see that Everly hasn’t come out from the kitchen yet. I hope that doesn’t mean she’s out there crying… although I think she probably is, and while I’d love to go back there and comfort her, I can’t. I need to get this done so I can come back home for good.
I’m back in Concord within no time at all, but that’s hardly a surprise. It’s not a million miles away, and I’m used to the journey… although it’s not one I’ll be making for much longer.
Not if everything goes according to plan.
Rather than going home, I head straight for the office, because I need to speak to Aiden before I can do anything else, and I park my car outside, making my way in.
It seems strange to be back here, even though I’ve only been away for a few days, and I settle behind my desk, switching on my computer and am about to pull my phone from my pocket, just as I hear a knocking at my door and turn, letting out a sigh as Davina comes in.
“I thought I saw you,” she says. “Thank God you’re back. It’s been hell without you.”
I can’t say the same, but I manage a smile. “I’ve got a few things to sort out,” I say, hoping she’ll get the hint, but she doesn’t and takes a seat opposite me, smiling across the desk.
“I need to talk to you about the…”
“Not now,” I say, more firmly.
“But I’ve been waiting since Friday, and…”
“Davina… I just said, I’ve got a few things to sort out.”
She stands up, frowning. “Maybe after lunch, then?”
“I’ll have to see. Don’t get your hopes up. I’ve got a lot to do.”
“Okay,” she says with a definite pout, and leaves the room… thank God.
I pull out my phone and place a call to Everly. She doesn’t reply, but she could be doing any number of things, and I wait for her voicemail to finish telling me to leave a message and then say, “Hi, it’s me. Just checking in as promised. If you get a chance, can you call me back? If not, I’ll call again later. Love you, babe.” I hang up and stare at my computer screen, deciding I may as well check my emails as I’m here. There’s nothing of any great importance, and I’m just wondering about going to see Aiden when my phone rings. It’s Everly and I snatch it up and connect the call straight away.
“Hi,” I say.
“Hello.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Sorry I didn’t answer. I was busy.”
“That’s okay. You don’t need to apologize.”
“You arrived safely, then?”
“Yes. I’m at the office.”
There’s a brief silence. “I should probably let you get on,” she says.
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do. You’ve got things to do. I might not know what they are, but the sooner you do them, the sooner you can come back.”
I can’t deny that. “Okay, but I’ll call you this evening. When would be a good time?”
“After eight,” she says. “I’ll have put River to bed, and hopefully eaten something myself by then.”
“Okay. I’ll call you then. I love you,” I say, waiting and hoping she’ll say it back, but she doesn’t, and I just say, “Goodbye,” and so does she, both of us hanging up at the same time.
That wasn’t the kind of call I’d hoped it would be, but I can’t blame Everly for that. She wasn’t expecting me to leave her… and she doesn’t really understand why I’m here. She doesn’t get that this is about making things better for both of us… for all of us. But she will.
I get up and walk out of my office, going along the hall to Aiden’s door. It’s closed, but I knock, and when he says, “Come in,” I enter and return the smile that greets me.
“You’re back!” He states the obvious.
“Yeah.”
“How did it go?”
“Really well. But there’s something I need to discuss with you.”
“Oh? Should I be scared?”
I close the office door and approach his desk. “That depends on your perspective…”