Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92547 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“She’s sort of what you were to me back then.”
“I think so, yeah.” Chloe smiled. “Even though she’s young, she understands so much. She was especially sweet after she saw my mom. I think she kind of felt bad for me. At the same time, it seems like maybe she feels less alone knowing that someone else is struggling with their mom issues, albeit differently.”
I nodded. “I think it was a good learning experience for her to meet Judy. It’s hard to explain dementia. You sort of have to see it for yourself to understand how someone could be physically present but not necessarily there. She asked a lot of questions at dinner that night, but she seemed to get it.”
“I feel like my mom won’t be around much longer, Evan. I hate to admit that, but I feel it in my bones.”
I squeezed her hand. “Do you think it’s time to tell Fawn she needs to come home?”
“I keep thinking I don’t want to bother her, but given that Mom hasn’t been eating, I probably need to let her know just how bad it’s gotten. Dad, too.”
“He hasn’t visited her at all?”
A flicker of hurt crossed her face. “I think it’s easier for him to pretend it’s not happening. Then he doesn’t have to feel any guilt that comes along with not being there for her anymore.”
I shook my head. “He’s gonna wake up one day and regret not visiting her.”
“You’re right.”
“You need my help? I could call them, if you don’t want to deal with it.”
“No.” She rubbed her arms. “It’s something I have to do.”
“You getting cold?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get out of here, then. You said Millie’s with your mom until eleven, right?”
She nodded as she stood.
I linked her hand with mine. “We’ll go back to my place.”
After we got to the house, I knew I couldn’t do anything else tonight until I got something off my chest. It couldn’t wait. The moment we entered the kitchen, I reached into the drawer for a pink sticky note.
Chapter 38
* * *
CHLOE
I’d taken a seat at Evan’s kitchen table and put my head down. This day had exhausted me. But I was grateful he’d gotten me out of the miserable hole I’d been in when he found me at the storage unit.
Evan came up behind me and rubbed my back. When I looked up, he was holding a pink note.
“What’s that?” I asked as I sat straighter in the chair.
“This isn’t the typical challenge. But it’s something that will be difficult, and given that it’s my turn, I figured I’d take advantage.”
I took it and looked down at what he’d written.
Forgive me—for everything, even though I don’t deserve it.
“That’s not really a challenge,” I argued.
“Sure, it is. It requires you to let go of the resentment I caused with that phone call the other night. I know it’s still weighing on you. That’s the last thing you need on top of everything else right now. But this challenge extends to everything I’ve ever done—turning you down when you were a teenager, acting like a dick when you first got here. And, yes, scolding you the other night for doing something nice for my daughter. I’m asking you to let it all go and forgive me. Or at least try. I want to start fresh.”
I looked down again at the note. “Yeah, of course the phone call has been weighing on me because nothing was resolved,” I admitted. “I’m not upset because you warned me not to overdo it with Effie. I think I might be upset because I fear you’re right, that maybe I do need to back off a little when it comes to her.” My eyes met his. “But that also means backing off when it comes to you, doesn’t it?” I hesitated. “The company has been pressuring me to come back to Chicago. I feel like I don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next, especially with Mom. It’s all very scary.”
Evan’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t realize you’d been under additional pressure from work.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “So it’s been a rough week for more than one reason.”
He took a seat at the table next to me and leaned his head on my shoulder. “No matter what you decide is best, Chloe, I need you to know that I’ll always be here for you. You feel like you don’t have a family here in Dry River anymore. But you do. You have Effie and me, and you always will. That’s independent of the status of our personal relationship.”
While his promise was endearing, it also created more unsettling questions. I took a breath. “So what you’re saying is, if I leave and move back to Chicago, then decide to come back here only to find you remarried, you’re gonna let me stay with you like family? I’m certain your new wife won’t appreciate that.”