Page 42 of This Memory
“That’s notentirelytrue now, is it, Gavin?” Declan prodded.
I was going to kill him.
“What do you mean?” Evelyn asked him.
“Ignore him,” I said, this time shooting him a death glare.
Evelyn sighed. “I know you and Brystol have always had a salty relationship.”
Declan laughed again, and I elbowed him in the gut.
“But, Gavin…I really need you to fix this. This is a very delicate time during her pregnancy, and I don’t want Brystol to be stressed.”
Denny nodded. “I agree. Whatever you did, at least try to make it right, Gav.”
“I’ll fix it.”
“Right now?” Evelyn asked.
“Now? Um, I mean, it’s kind of personal.”
“Then we’ll watch the store while you and Brystol talk.”
Panic started to take over, and I wanted to turn and bolt. I caught Declan looking at me, and he nodded, this time givingmea warning glare.
“Fine. But only if she wants to talk to me. If she doesn’t, then I won’t press the issue.”
Evelyn smiled. “Sounds like a plan!”
Glancing over to Declan, I said, “I’ll meet you at the flower shop.”
He nodded, said his goodbyes to Evelyn and Denny, and continued down the block.
Evelyn wrapped her arm around Denny when we stopped at Memory Lane Toys. I drew in a deep breath and prayed Brystol didn’t have anything sharp in her hands when I stepped through that door.
Brystol
I loved trick-or-treating on Main Street—I always have, and I always will. I adored seeing the kids come in all dressed up. Most years, you couldn’t see what the kiddos were wearing because it was so cold that they had to wear coats over their costumes. But it was unseasonably warm tonight, and most of them only wore light jackets, so I could see their creative getups.
A little girl in a Belle costume walked up to me and held out her bag.
“Why, you look beautiful, Belle.”
She giggled. “I got a book from the bookstore lady. And candy, but she said I needed a book too.”
“Of course you do!”
“I’m going to put it with my other books, and Mommy and Daddy said maybe someday I’ll have enough to have my own library.”
“How wonderful would that be?” I said, as I held out a bowl of candy.
She carefully looked in the bowl, reached in and took a Reese’s Cup, then smiled up at me. I wanted to bend down and hug her. And I had to fight back the sudden urge to cry.
Ugh. What in the hell is wrong with me?
“Thank you, toy store lady!”
Turning, she quickly skipped back to her mother and father, who took her hand to usher her to the next store. I watched them until the door closed. Someone tugged my sweater, and I glanced down to see a little boy dressed as a firefighter.
