Page 71 of The Luck of Finding You
“But I’m here with you.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m fine. I’m safe. Mitch didn’t ever come here, so he has no idea where I’m staying. He’s already got a new girl to do whatever the freak he’s gonna do, probably be sweet to her for a while.” I give her a look. “And I promise I’ll warn her, but he’s not going to hurt me again. I won’t let that happen. But Tally needs to know where you are. Especially since you told her you’d come see her.” Annie is looking at me like I’m the one in trouble, as if she didn’t have someone hit her. My gut sinks as I wonder if this has happened before.
“I did text her and tell her that I’m here,” I finally say, but the weight of my transgressions makes me feel like I’ve been tied to a boulder and am sinking in the ocean.
“But she doesn’t know that you’re Mo?”
I shake my head. How am I going to explain everything to Tally in a way that doesn’t make her hate me when I can’t even find the words to explain it to Annie?
“I can’t exactly tell her that in a text. I need to figure out how to tell her.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “I didn’t expect all of this to get so complicated. I got so freaked out when I found out that Tally was Nora that I kind of avoided mentioning it. But then I had plenty of chances to tell her once the initial shock wore off, but I didn’t tell her. I just hoped to meet her, just like she and Mo planned—until I got locked in the bathroom.”
If I needed any moment to go right in my life, it was that one. I can’t help but feel that I’ve missed my one and only shot at an actual chance with Tally.
“Why were you going to the bathroom anyway?” Annie asks, tossing me a chocolate bar that she had in one of her bags. “It doesn’t seem like that was the best timing.”
I shake my head. Annie’s always been the bolder one out of the two of us. She takes risks again and again, even after she’s been burned. I’ve followed her lead since the camping incident, but I still struggle to actually do thing things that are most important to me. I hope that what happened with Mitch doesn’t stop that for her. “I had to nervous pee.”
It's not exactly a lie. But when I couldn’t easily get back around to Tally, I got anxious, and naturally, that was the perfect time to hide in the bathroom.
Annie laughs. A laugh that fills her up completely. “You would” is all she says. Maybe someday I’ll find this situation funny, but right now all it does is make me want to vomit.
“I feel so bad.” I bury my face in my hands. “Obviously, she was super hurt and embarrassed about being stood up. She said as much in her texts after she left.”
“Well, duh,” Annie says. “Anyone would feel that way. Plus, she’s also been talking to you online for several years, and for you not to show up, that’s gotta hurt. What did you—Mo, I mean—tell her?”
“Nothing.” Annie’s eyes go wide. “Well, not quite nothing. She said we shouldn’t talk anymore and unfollowed me. I sent a message; it was a pretty sad excuse of an apology though. I asked if I could explain.” Annie pulls out her phone.
“Now she’s really not gonna respond,” Annie tells me. I groan. “You’re gonna go home and sweep her off her feet. There’s a flight back to Utah in three hours. We can get you on that one. You can sleep on the plane.”
“How exactly am I going to sweep her off her feet?” I ask. I’m pretty sure Tally doesn’t really want to see me. I think she’s embarrassed from our almost-kiss in the hotel and the fact that I, well, Mo, didn’t show up. And she really isn’t going to want to see me when I tell her that I’ve been Mo the entire time.
“You can figure that out on your flight. I just bought you a ticket.” Annie smiles at me. “So now we need to head to the airport."
I feel so guilty leaving her. “You have money to buy me a plane ticket but not new clothes? Are you sure you don’t want me to stay a few more days?”
“Mom’s gonna come stay for a little bit,” Annie says, biting her lip. “I’m going to be okay. And I want you to get your happy ending, so the plane ticket is worth it.”
“You deserve a happy ending too,” I tell her.
Annie ponders this for a moment. “Maybe it will come, in its time.” The thought hurts my heart, but I don’t have time to dwell on it, not right now.
“Did you say my flight leaves in three hours?” I jump up.
“Yup.” Annie grins. “You’ll eat at the airport?” I nod and we scramble to get my bags, which have been sitting untouched since I got here. Annie drives Sam’s truck again, since she doesn’t have a car and taking a taxi could take too much time, and we make our way to JFK airport.
“It was good to see you, Sis.” I give her a hug across the middle console when we pull up to the airport doors.
“Maybe next time I see you, my life won’t be falling apart,” Annie says with a smile. I know Tally talks about how I’m Mr. "Sunshine" all the time, but she’s never met Annie. Annie, who always has been able to see the bright spots, even in the darkest moments.
“I don’t know how you keep it all together, even when it’s falling apart,” I tell her.
“I don’t know if I would say that,” she says, her face darkening. “But I’ll get through it.”
I give her another hug. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Soon.” Annie waves as I get out of the car, and then she’s gone.
I type out a text to Tally, telling her that I’m on my way back and asking her if we could go out to talk. Two hours later, as I turn off my phone, there’s still no reply.
