Page 77 of Flying

The silence stretches on, like she’s just letting me spin out and I eat it up, “Goddamnit, I didn’t want to hurt her, Deals. I didn’t tell her because there was never a good time to tell her!” My voice is gettinglouder and deeper as the anger fills. The desire to prove something to Delia as a proxy for Lily grows with each statement.

“I tried, you know! I really, really tried. I found myself thinking about it, and trying to make it happen. I just didn’t ever want to make her run away. I didn’t want to hurt her.”

“Telling her was going to hurt her,” she interjects.

“Yeah,” I sigh, “telling her was always going to suck and I was never going to want to do it.”

“No shit, you fool,” Delia replies dryly, pity filling her eyes like she’s looking at a child who learned about Santa.

“You could have told Seth, Lee, Stef, Nessa, your mom, or you know… me?” Delia matches my temper, before hitting back with her own groans.

“Ugh, men, I swear. Why do we put up with you all?” She tosses her hands up before continuing, “Lily had already decided she was staying and did the same thing you did; went to the elders. She’s waiting for Prudence. Holy fuck, you said soon?”

“River, what did you say?” Delia’s demanding tone and arm motions nearly topple a box of empty bottles for the next batch. We catch it in the nick of time and recognition flashes between us: we’re both going to be locked in. Together.

“Okay, boss, go. Now. Take a shower. Calm the fuck down because you look like hell. You’re going to listen to me clearly now. No, dumbass, she isn’t mad at you, she was shocked that it could have been prevented. By Grant owning up to his own shit. Does it suck you didn’t tell her? Sure. It sucks you didn’t tell any of us. Fortunately for you, she’s not running yet. So take this opportunity, because you won’t have one like it again.”

I’m slack jawed and staring off, unable to focus on anything in particular.

“She told us she’s done letting anyone—not her parents, not her ex, not the weirdness of this place—keep her from the people who love her. The people she loves. That includes you, but you already know that.”

I nod and mumble back to myself,she loves me, like I haven’t heard it before.

“Your anxiety is all kinds of misplaced, dude. Did you talk to your mom?”

I nod again, unable to get words past my dry throat.

“So Elizabeth guided you on how to make a plan, and you went to the Salvatores? Well, they went to the Kellys who were all waiting for Lily when she got Peter Pan from boarding. Prudence dropped off a bunch of very Pru things this morning, like soccer socks for padding,” she says.

“Oh that’s smart, I should dig out mine,” I interject.

“Go. Prep, because neither of you will have anywhere to go. Maybe you can both come clean about any remaining secrets. If you ask me, you both want this to work. You’ve both been growing towards each other, she’s slowing down, and you. Well, look at this place, look at what you made! Your trips with her introduced you to new things and you brought all the best parts back. If I see it, then I bet Elizabeth does too.” She’s boring holes into me with her glare.

“Anyway,”she brightens slightly, “I came down to say I did the draft schedules for the coming month for you to review. Also, I did payroll and paid a few bills and we’re still in the black. So really, there’s only one thing left to do.”

“Beg her for forgiveness?” I guess.

“Tell her the truth. The whole truth.” She rolls her eyes at me. “You’re both in the stocks which, God, why do they even want to use them? Ugh, this town is so fucking weird.”

Shrugging I say, “I don’t know, but I love it weird.”

I runupstairs and take a quick shower, trim my beard, apply deodorant and a light amount of cologne. I jump into a pair of jeans and a bar shirt before adding a pair of old soccer socks, thick and tall, just like Delia said Pru told Lily to do. Sliding into my running shoes and pulling on my Mets hat, I grab my phone and wallet and walk towards the salon.

The entire Salvatore family is there, nobody wants to miss this show.

Tina has her iPad open to some influencers page on a shopping app, and they’re listening to her go on about the latest makeup trends and tips.

I overhear Sofia mention, “Isn’t that the school Delia went to in London? I heard that she learned about events and bridal. Could be good for one of us to learn too. Maybe?” I’m so curious to hear what they say about Delia, but get whisked to an upstairs office.

Walking in, I see James Kelly, and, “Mom?” I’m really confused.

“Hi honey. I was on the committee that year, don’t you remember? I’m here on official business, let’s get this over with. George River Hendrix, do you hereby swear to replace Lily Jayne Long in the stockyard?”

I nod in confusion at Mom, so she continues, “Do you hereby authorize the township of Peacock Springs to record this in public records for posterity?”

Dropping the formal tone, she softens to add, “Honey, you need to say yes for it to count for her.”

“Alright,” I hesitate, “yes.”

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