Page 52 of Come Back to Me

Once everyone has read it, Emily speaks again. “Teddy had bipolar disorder. A lot of what made all of us love him was probably somehow related—his energy, his charm. He was well controlled when he was taking his meds and seeing his counselor,” she says, in a very matter-of-fact tone, though tears trickle down her cheeks.

“When I was at college, Teddy went off his meds, dabbled in some drugs, and ended up cheating on me by having a one-night stand. When I found out, I broke things off, letting Jack know what had happened so Teddy had some support.” She wipes at the tears that are now rapidly streaming down her face.

“Honey, you don’t have to tell us all of this if you don’t want to,” Shayna says gently, rubbing Emily’s back.

“No, I really do. I want to, it’s just hard…” She pauses. “Jack got him help back then. Got him back on his meds and into counseling. He even got him an advocate with the fire department, so he didn’t lose his job. After a while, Teddy was doing better and asked to talk, to make amends. We met and eventually worked toward becoming friends again, which was hard because I still loved him. When he’d been doing well for about a year, I agreed toslowlystart dating him. Because with Teddy, when things were good, they were great. You know?” she asks, choking back a sob.

Shit, it’s hard to hear her grief, but I know she needs us and I want to be here for her. To know Jack walked through this with him—my heart just breaks.

I glance over his way and see him looking at us, but when his gaze catches my eye, he immediately turns back to look at the woods.

Emily goes on to tell us that Teddy was on his meds and seeing his counselor for three years straight before she agreed to marry him. She blames herself for not realizing that getting married could have triggered him because of stress—good stress—but still stress.

“I’m so fucking mad at him right now for everything. For cheating on me. For leaving me here. For not telling me he was struggling. I feel so damned bad because I told him I was divorcing him. And I wouldn’t have stayed with him. I couldn’t anymore… but I still loved him, and he fucking left me. He wasn’t just my husband, he was my friend, and he betrayed me and left me. He left us well before he died…” She heaves, full on crying now.

We gather around her and hold her as she cries.

I don’t know what to say, and I guess Shayna and Trina don’t either, since none of us are talking. All I can do is try to let her know she isn’t alone, and that she is loved.

JACK

My best friend is gone and I failed him. His phone showed I was the last person he tried to call while he was stillalive. And I ignored his call because I was on the phone with Annie.

Maybe if I had answered, Teddy would still be here. Maybe if I wasn’t so wrapped up in falling for Annie and spending as much time with her as I could over the last few months, I would have noticed something was different with Teddy. Maybe I should have dug further when he seemed off. Maybe then he never would have stopped his meds. Maybe he never would have cheated on Emily. Maybe he wouldn’t have been facing a divorce. Then maybe he wouldn’t have…

“What are you thinking about, brother?” Fitz asks, interrupting my thoughts.

“Nothing,” I answer. I take a sip of my coffee with the whiskey I helped myself to from Dad’s supply when no one was watching.

Ben gives Fitz a look. I appreciate them both—I do—but they’ve never been to blame for something like this. They don’t know what this is like.

Ben turns to me. “Jack, if I know you, you’re going to find some way to make this your fault. It’s not your?—”

I stand up quickly. “I gotta go. I’m on shift tomorrow. You think one of you can let Annie know I needed to leave and give her a ride home? I don’t want to break that up…” I gesture over to where the women are all huddled around Emily, clearly crying.

They both just stare at me for a minute.

“Well, can you?” I ask, irritated.

“Sure, man. I’ll make sure she gets home okay,” Ben says.

CHAPTER 24

ANNIE

It’s quiet in the car while Ben drives me home from his parents’ house. I think I’m in a little bit of shock that Jack left without me and didn’t even tell me himself until I texted him. I open my text messages and read them again.

Me: Where are you? I thought you went in the house, but it’s been a few minutes. Are you okay?

Jack: Yeah, sorry. I had to leave. Working in the morning. Figure I should sleep at home tonight. Ben said he’d drive you home.

I was a bit stunned, so I didn’t answer for a few minutes. Then I sent a simple response, trying to give him some grace since he just buried his friend.

Me: Oh, ok. Are you all right? Love you.

After a few minutes with no response, I looked down and saw an automated reply:

“Jack has notifications silenced. Notify him anyway?”

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