I reached across the table for Wren’s hand. Shannon’s eyes landed on our intertwined fingers.
“I think it went as well as we could’ve hoped,” I said. “He didn’t seem upset that we’d kept it from him—that’s a good thing. And I’d say his shocked reaction overall was to be expected.”
“Yeah. I know that shocked feeling, thanks to you, Moody.” Wren chuckled. “Kidding.”
I reluctantly let go of her hand. “It’s gonna be alright.”
Shannon insisted on bringing out the beignets and poured coffee for us. Wren said she’d stop into Rafe’s room on her way out. But before she had the chance, he came downstairs again. We turned to him as he stood in the entrance to the kitchen.
My eyes widened. “Hey.”
He looked over at Wren. “I wanted to see if she was still here.”
She put her beignet down and brushed the powdered sugar off her hands. “I am, buddy.”
Rafe walked over to Wren—and hugged her. The trapped air I’d been holding in me since this morning felt like it finally released. Seeing them embrace felt surreal. It was…everything. Thank you, God.
“Thank you, Rafe,” she whispered as she held on to him. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was mad. I’m not. I’m happy,” he told her.
She shut her eyes tightly. “That means the world to me.”
After a moment, they just stared at each other. I assumed Rafe might have been looking for signs of himself in her face. Whatever it was, it was simply awesome. The relief I felt was overwhelming. For a minute, I could breathe freely. Then the thought that Wren would be gone soon popped into my head, and I felt like I was choking all over again.
• • •
In the week after breaking the news to him, Wren took Rafe out for one-on-one time twice. They’d gone to the museum and to another bookstore she discovered. She was trying to make the most of the short time she had left here—one week and a day to be exact. Not that I’m counting. Other than that, Wren had been busy packing her stuff and getting ready to move. In the meantime, I’d done my best to immerse myself in work.
It was about 6 PM on a Friday night when Wren paid an unexpected visit to the house. I’d just gotten home from work and was about to pour myself a drink after a long day.
“Hey. I wasn’t expecting you,” I said as I opened the door, my heart hammering at the sight of her in a dress.
“I know. I was passing through Brookline on my way back from an appointment in Watertown. I thought I’d stop by and see Rafe.”
“Damn. I’m sorry. Rafe went home with Shannon tonight. Bobby Jr. is home for the weekend, and Rafe wanted to do some gaming.”
“Oh.” She looked down at her feet. “I probably should’ve called first anyway.” When she looked up at me, there was sadness in her eyes. I wished I could kiss it away.
“You okay?”
She shook her head. “Not really.”
“Come inside. Come here.” I pulled her into a hug. “Talk to me.”
She spoke into my chest. “Am I making a mistake by leaving?” She looked up at me. “So much can happen in two years. Something could happen to my dad. And I’m missing those years with Rafe…”
Last-minute doubts sucked, but as scared as I was for her to leave, I was more afraid of her staying. I paused to settle myself. My advice needed to be objective and separate from my feelings or fears. “Only you can make that decision,” I told her. “But I would say fear is never a good gauge. If the only reasons you have for not going are based on a fear of bad things that haven’t happened, or that might happen, I’d say you should probably disregard them.”
She wiped her eyes. “Yeah, I know you’re right. I’m just getting a bit chicken now that the date is looming. I suppose I could also regret not going for the rest of my life.”
“That’s right.”
I wanted her to stay, but I knew being alone together was a bad idea. We’d had our one night. Towing the line was over. But in a matter of days, she’d be gone... I thought up a compromise. “Are you hungry?”
Her expression brightened. “Yeah. A little.”
“There’s this Indian restaurant that just opened in town. I’ve been dying to try it. A friend owns it, actually. How about we go? It’s within walking distance. It’s a nice night for a walk.”
She smiled. “That would be great, Moody.”
The restaurant was only four blocks from my house. When we got there, they put us in a private corner. It helped to know the owner, especially since it was a packed Friday night, and we had no reservation.
The mood during dinner was fairly light, considering how things had started. We split an order of chicken tikka masala and aloo palak. The naan bread was warm and buttery, and the mango lassi drinks were delicious.