“Because of us?”
“We’re the only good part.”
“Do you want to call her?” he asks.
“I don’t know,” I reply. “Part of me wants to ask her how she walked away so easily. Why she never asked me for money. I mean, I haven’t exactly kept a low profile. I don’t even use a stage name. It would be easy to find me if she wanted to. I’m still angry with her. I don’t know if I ever won’t be, no matter what she says. I’m also…”Grateful, I think but don’t say.
It’s occurred to me many times, but most strongly now that I never would have met Teddy Owens if my mother hadn’t left.
“My dad and I never would have moved to Brookfield if she hadn’t left. He wouldn’t have met Lily. Spent all those years with my Gramps.” I hold his gaze. “I wouldn’t have met you.” I inhale. “Do you ever think about it? You wouldn’t have ended up in Brookfield either if your dad hadn’t…”
“Yeah.” His voice is quiet. “I think about it.”
“He’s still there. Why haven’t you visited?”
Teddy’s chest rises and falls with a deep breath. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to say to him, I guess. I haven’tdoneanything, it feels like. There’s no big accomplishment to show up there with, just me showing up alone, telling him I finally got the confidence to visit him.”
“I’d go with you,” I offer.
“Don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what?”
“Visiting my dad in prison isn’ttemporary, Sutton.”
Teddy pulls away, tying the condom and tossing it in the trash before he fixes his clothes. I pull the straps of my dress back into place, feeling his loss in more ways than one.
“That’s not what I…”
“We should go. You ready?”
I stand, yanking my dress down and smoothing my hair. “You still have my underwear.”
Teddy hands them to me, watching as I step into them and shimmy them into place with an unreadable expression.
“Go ahead.” He opens the door and waits for me to leave first. The perfect gentleman.
But I know what he’s really saying.
Walk away, Sutton. You’re good at it.