Page 192 of As They Are
Only now, it hurt to think about. I needed a voice of reason. I pulled out my phone.
Are you free?
Mollie
Unfortunately, no. They didn’t get the whole scan done, so I have to stay another night. Booooo! At least Mom drove out to take us to dinner.
I didn’t answer. There was no need to. Mollie was busy with her family, the one she’d made. The one she’d never resent like mine did.
I wasn’t sure when it happened, but my space in Strawberry Springs had been filled. Mollie had her baby to plan for. Tammy had her daughter.
And Henry? Henry had no room for me in the first place.
My phone buzzed with a reminder. I had twelve hours to get to my first meeting on the home renovation in Nashville.
I took a shaky breath. Once I was gone, they’d all forget about me. Mom certainly had.
But now I thought it might be better that way.
35
HENRY
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor: I think I speak for everyone when I say I am SO glad the filming is done. The extra attention was nice, but that lady Madison was kinda rude ...
Comments:
Jade Clark: And so was Jude, while we’re at it.
Kerry Winsor: Ugh. Never meet your heroes ... except for Wren. She’s staying, right?
Jade Clark:I sure hope so. But she’s gotta be busy with the other stuff she did. You know her schedule is BOOKED.
Kerry Winsor:@Mollie Wilson, do you know anything?”
Mollie Wilson: I might, but I’m sworn to secrecy.
Kerry Winsor: UGH. Tell me!!!
Jade Clark: Nope. Best friend rules. She can’t. (You can text me though, right?)
The anger mademe crash the second I got home, though I had my ringer on, waiting for Wren to either call or walk in the door and wake me up herself. I didn’t even dream, though I woke up with an anxiety churning in my stomach that I couldn’t place.
It had to be the fact that it wasdaylightand I must have slept through the night.
The bed was cold beside me, and the nightstand that I’d told Wren to use as her own was barren, except for one thing. A handwritten note. I immediately grabbed it, my entire body tensing.
I want to start this by saying how sorry I am. You’ve been going above and beyond for me since I got here, and I’m not sure I deserve that.
My meeting in Nashville is today. I know we said we would make it work long distance, but after the meeting, I’m going to stay here for a bit and give you a break from all of my chaos. Take that time to recover.
And when you don’t miss me, you don’t have to call.
I’ll get the message.
Wren
