Page 29 of Remember Me

Outside the window, a man was hustling a little boy in uniform along, his hand on the neck of his backpack. The little boy stumbled, and the man stopped, unmindful of blocking the morning foot traffic, and bent to tie the child’s shoe. The child patted his head while he worked, his mouth forming the words to a tuneless song. The sight sent a bittersweet pang through my chest. “I need your advice, Levi. After our last conversation, I was all set to ignore my gut and see things through with Hayes. But now, after this… I’m wondering if that was the right move.” I turned my face back to Levi and pulled my braid around, twisting the end of it.

Levi swallowed and took a sip of the orange juice his mother had brought him. He wiped his mouth deliberately, then set the napkin on his plate. “Not to get all heavy or anything, but I never knew my father.” It was the first time I’d ever seen his eyes so devoid of humor, filled instead with a kind of gravitas that made me look at him differently.

“I didn’t know.” I flicked a glance behind me, to his mother still working the counter. “Your mother looks like she did the job for both of your parents.”

“She had to work her ass off. She was lucky that her dad had owned this diner, but she was still here all the time. Until I was old enough to stay home by myself, I was right here in one of these booths, doing homework or playing with my action figures.”

I nodded. “So, you’re saying I should just forget about it.”

“I’m saying you need to think long and hard before you write him off.”

“When will it stop feeling

like I am breathing

though a cloth soaked

in salt water?

When will home

stop being a silent cemetery

of every wish

I've had to bury?”

Tyler Knott Gregson

November 29¦Birdie

ITOOKLEVI’S ADVICE TO HEART. From here forward, I wanted to move forward. I wanted to do things with an eye to having a future together. To being a family.

More, Ro’s words resonated with me. If I’d truly been in love with this man, I had to trust that I’d find my way there again. Right?

Hayes and I hadn’t talked or texted in two days. He had texted me over the weekend to see if I was feeling okay, but after I told him I was fine there had been silence from his end. I needed to see him. Needed to fix things, and make sure he knew I didn’t blame him.

After eating my normal crackers in bed and sipping a bit of cold ginger ale, I sent him a text.

Me: Hey, Big. Are you free for lunch today?

His reply came instantly.

Hayes: I’m free anytime. You know where you want to eat, or you want me to pick?

Me:Wherever is fine. I plan on visiting the square this morning, though. So maybe somewhere in that area?

Hayes: Sure. Want me to drive you?

Me:No. I’m going to try getting behind the wheel again.

The phone rang almost as soon as the message showed as received.

“Hayes?”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” I heard people in the background, and figured I’d probably caught him at school.

“I think it’s something I need to do.” I kept my tone even, as much as the comment irked. I wasn’t disabled.

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