Chapter 13 #2
Apparently, I had sounded more bitter than I’d intended. “I know. I just…we said we were going to be friends. There’s nothing wrong with seeing a movie together.”
“You’re right,” she said, sounding a lot more sure of herself. “Friends can go see a movie. It doesn’t have to be a date. Maybe I can ask the girls along? Rosa loves that movie.”
I gritted my teeth. How was I supposed to say no to that after going out of my way to assure her it wasn’t a date? “Sounds good,” I said, hopefully managing to keep the bite from my voice. “Just let me know about the numbers and I’ll get tickets.”
“Great.” She sounded genuinely happy about it, and that was enough to take away at least some of the sting that my great plan to spend more time alone with her had turned into a group outing.
The next day, Friday, I was late to pick up Josie. I’d gotten stuck talking to the assistant coach after practice and now I was going to pay for it by royally pissing off my daughter.
I wasn’t usually the one to get her after school, but she had her computer club with Gracie so her release time matched up with my practice schedule.
After the phone call with her mom had upset her so much, I was trying to put in as much face time as I could, wanting to remind her that she would always be my priority.
Plus, the regular season would be starting soon, and that meant more travel, more nights spent away. I wasn’t looking forward to it.
And I wasn’t looking forward to how mad she was going to be when I pulled into the parking lot nearly ten minutes late.
My stomach sank when I saw how empty it was.
The other parents had probably already picked up their kids, like responsible adults would.
Cursing to myself, I jumped out of the Explorer and ran towards the door.
Locked. My heart dropped into my shoes. Locked? Where the hell was my kid?
Maybe pickup from after school clubs was supposed to happen somewhere else? At Meet the Teacher Night, I’d had to find a spot in overflow parking in the teacher’s lot. I’d been running late that night, too. Jesus. I wasn’t winning many parenting points lately.
I jumped back in my car and circled around to the back of the school. The teacher’s lot wasn’t quite as empty—there were a few cars scattered around. And one of them was familiar to me. I pulled up next to the silver Prius and sure enough, Gracie was standing right there.
My relief at seeing her was short lived. Josie wasn’t with her. I met Gracie’s eyes through the front window and could read frustration and confusion there, neither emotion making me feel much better.
“What are you doing here?” she called as I climbed out.
“I’m picking up Josie. She went to science club, right?” God, what if she had skipped? What if she’d left right after school, on her own, and Gracie had been too busy with the club to notice. Or what if—
“Her grandparents got her half an hour ago,” Gracie said, her voice perfectly calm. “Didn’t they call you?”
“Shit,” I muttered, reaching for the cell in my pocket. I must not have turned the volume back up after leaving the film room—coach kept us in there watching tape from our last depressing preseason game for hours. Sure enough, there was a voicemail notification and two texts waiting from Evelyn.
“She wasn’t feeling well,” Grace explained. “She said her tummy hurt. She used my phone to call her grandma and asked to be picked up.”
Something cold slammed right into my stomach. Josie knew I was coming to get her today. We’d talked about it this morning. Had she even felt sick at all, or had that just been an excuse to get her grandparents to pick her up instead? To get out of spending the afternoon with me?
“Hey.” Grace took a step closer, her hand coming out to rub gently across my forearm. “Are you okay?”
I wondered what my face must look like, to make her expression so concerned. I attempted a weak smile—probably looked more like a grimace—and pressed Evelyn’s contact. “Yeah. I’m just going to call them…”
Evelyn picked up a moment later. “Hi, Liam. Did you get my message?”
“I missed it,” I told her, pinching the bridge of my nose. “But Gra—Miss K. told me what happened. How is she?”
“She seems just fine,” Evelyn said. “She wanted to lie down on the couch when we first got home, but she was up and moving around not too long after.”
I nodded, the cold weight in my stomach sinking a little lower. “I’m thinking she was probably looking for an excuse to come home with you guys,” I muttered. Gracie squeezed my shoulder and I closed my eyes at the sensation of her small, warm hand giving me comfort.
“I had the same thought,” Evelyn said, sounding sympathetic. “I’m sorry, Liam.”
“Not your fault,” I mumbled. “I really appreciate you picking her up. Did you take her to the house or back home with you?”
“I brought her to our place,” she said. “I had just turned the crockpot on and I didn’t want to leave it. You want me to have Peter drive her over and meet you at the house?”
“I guess so.” I felt like shit. She clearly didn’t want to be with me, but what was I supposed to do?
“We could have a sleepover,” Evelyn suggested cautiously. “Maybe she’ll feel better about things in the morning?”
I blew out a breath, frustrated. I didn’t know the right answer here.
Was Josie trying to test me in some way?
Would it be counterproductive to let her stay there?
I was afraid she’d think I was proving whatever point she was trying to make—that I didn’t care, that I was failing as a father.
On the other hand, maybe she was just feeling angry about things and getting some space would help.
“I don’t know,” I finally said, rubbing a rough hand over my face. “I guess…why don’t you ask her if she wants to stay and we’ll just leave it up to her.”
“I think that’s a good plan.” Evelyn’s voice contained so much kindness, so much sympathy, and it somehow made me feel even worse. “I’ll text you in a few, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks for getting her today. Sorry I didn’t have the phone on.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “You’re doing just fine, Liam.”
I blew out a breath, sure she couldn’t be farther from the truth, and ended the call.
“I’m sorry things are rough right now,” Grace said without preamble.
“Thanks,” I said, leaning back against my car. I knew that I could confide in Gracie, could tell her all about this sick feeling in my stomach, and that she would listen. She might even have the magic right answer to make everything better.
But I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth. I didn’t want to lay all of that at her feet. Or maybe I just didn’t want her to realize what a shitty father I really was.
As if in response to my self-recrimination, my phone pinged with a message.
Evelyn: She said she’d like to have a sleepover.
Of course she would. That was probably her plan all along.
Another message pinged on my phone.
Evelyn: I’m going to try to talk to her tonight about the way she’s been feeling. Just hang in there, Liam.
With numb fingers, I typed my thanks then slipped the phone back in my pocket. I couldn’t think about this anymore. Yet I now had that huge empty house all to myself. The thought of bouncing around on my own all night, worrying myself sick about how I was failing my daughter, was pretty grim.
“You know any good bars nearby?” I asked Gracie. Maybe she could point me in the right direction and I could go get myself wasted. That might make the night easier to get through.
“There aren’t many in this neighborhood,” she said and from the corner of my eye I could see her watching me closely. “Why are you heading to a bar at four-thirty in the afternoon?”
Shit, was it really that early? I was even more pathetic than I thought.
“I’m gonna take off,” I told her, twirling my car keys on my finger. “You have a good night.”
“Liam, wait. Why don’t we go and talk or—”
I cut her off with a shake of my head. “I appreciate it, Gracie. But I have a feeling I’m not going to be great company tonight.”
She studied my face carefully, maybe trying to decide if she should let me go or not. “If you’re sure you’ll be okay… will you call me if you need anything?”
She sounded really worried, and that somehow made me feel even worse. I gave her a tight nod and walked around the hood of the Range Rover. Once alone inside, I let out the ragged breath I’d been holding. What a shitty day it had turned out to be.
I had made it to the stop sign at the street when I finally looked back at Grace in my rearview mirror.
She was standing right where I left her but she wasn’t watching me drive away.
Instead, she was staring down at her car, a hand on her hip, that frustrated expression I’d seen when I first pulled up back on her face.
Strange.
I watched her for a moment more. She pulled her phone out, held it to her ear, and waited. I didn’t see her mouth move but when she put the phone back in her purse, she looked even more frustrated.
Okay, something was going on there. I put the car in reverse so I could turn around. Gracie didn’t look up until I had almost reached her and there was surprise in her expression when she saw me.
I rolled down the window so I could lean out. “What’s wrong?”
She gave me a rueful smile. “Flat. I tried to call roadside assistance through my insurance but I’m just getting a recording about a high volume of calls.” She rolled her eyes. “What the hell is the point of paying extra for assistance if they can’t answer the phone?”
I just gaped at her. “You knew it was flat when I pulled up?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, it’s pretty obvious.” She scowled down at the tire in question. “I must have run over something this morning on my way in.”
Shaking my head, I put my vehicle in park and climbed out. “Gracie, why didn’t you say anything? You were just going to let me drive away?”
She shrugged. “You have a lot on your plate. Besides, it’s only a flat tire. Not the end of the world.”
“Yeah, but you’re standing here in a nearly empty parking lot, by yourself, without any help.”
She almost looked amused when she met my gaze. “This is a safe neighborhood,” she said. “Besides, it’s not close to being dark yet.”
It was the wrong thing to say because now I was thinking about what would happen if it had been dark. My brain immediately drew up an image of Gracie all alone in this parking lot at night with God only knew what kind of assholes passing by.
“Do you have a spare in the trunk?” I asked, already walking to the rear of her car.
“Liam, you don’t have to put on the spare. I can just—”
I whirled on her. “I’m not leaving you alone when you’re in trouble, Gracie,” I snapped, tone way harsher than I had intended. I took a deep breath, trying to force some calm. “I don’t like the idea of you stranded out here by yourself. Anything could happen.”
She looked like she wanted to argue, but as she held my gaze something softened in her expression. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I would appreciate the help.”
Something seemed to pass between us in that moment, some understanding that I couldn’t quite name. Like an essential puzzle piece had finally snapped into place, right where it was supposed to be.
Realizing that I had been staring at her for a lot longer than probably seemed sane, I cleared my throat. “Pop the trunk for me?”
She pressed something on her key fob, opening the trunk, and I got to work on the spare.