Page 112 of A Me and You Thing
“Right here.” Sawyer nods toward the child in his arms.
“Follow me to radiology, please.” To me, she says, “You can wait right here. We’ll be back shortly.” She’s down the hall before Sawyer is even on his feet.
He leaves without saying another word to me.
The events of the afternoon replay through my thoughts over and over. There’s one moment that brings me to a heart-stopping skid every time—the absolute devastation on Quinn’s face as we drove away from the house.
I know Quinn. I know her as well as I know myself. That was no ordinary upset expression.
No, that was utter despair.
She’s going to give up and step aside. It’s in her nature. She’s not like me. I’ll try to force someone to choose me, to love me. I’ll yell and scream and fight. I’ll scratch until my fingernails fall off.
As for Quinn, she’ll accept it and put another’s happiness ahead of her own. Because she’s Melanie and I’m Scarlett.
Hey, everyone loves Scarlett. She’s downright tenacious and she’ll get her way in spite of having to perform unpleasant and slightly deceitful tasks.
On the other hand, it’s harder to be a Melanie. I can’t do it. It takes far too much sacrifice and selflessness, the kind of qualities the world sometimes views as weak. In reality, it takes more strength than most of us can muster.
Quinn will always be a Melanie. And that’s why I love her. I do, I love her and I’ve been awful to her today.
Sawyer returns to the room with a whimpering Jordyn. I take it the x-ray didn’t go so well. She’s clinging to her dad, her head resting on his shoulder. I want to hold her, but she wants her father and I don’t dare disturb her. Her eyes are heavy. I think she’s falling asleep again.
We sit in an uncomfortable silence in the airless room as we wait for the x-ray results. It’s time for my ugly confession to make an appearance, as much as I’d like to sweep it under the rug.
“Sawyer?”
“Hmmm?”
I’m just going to blurt it out. There’s no way to make my actions sound reasonable. “Quinn wanted to come with us today. I told her to run inside and grab her shoes, to lock the front door. We drove off just as she walked onto the porch. She watched us drive away without her and I’m pretty sure she thinks it was deliberate. Well, it was. On my part, at least.”
His eyes fill with massive disappointment as he stares me down. “Bree... I don’t understand. I thought you were her friend.” His lips pucker like he just tasted something really bitter.
Ouch. My face burns hot with guilt. I haven’t behaved much like a best friend today. The circumstances are unusual and beyond painful, but it’s time I step aside and do the right thing. This is not the time to stand up and fight. This is the time to channel my inner graciousness—I know it’s in there somewhere—and allow Sawyer and Quinn’s perfect romance to continue and thrive. They belong together. I’ve always known they do.
“I’m sorry.” There’s nothing else I can say.
Sawyer palms his phone again. “Maybe I should have Charlotte check on Quinn. She’s been alone for far too long.”
The doctor interrupts Sawyer’s intended phone call, moseying on in as though he has all the time in the world and there’s not a waiting room full of people depending on him.
“It’s a clean break,” he says without preamble. “The bone broke, but then went right back together again. The x-ray shows a hairline crack. We can’t cast it right away. We need to allow time for the swelling to go down, just three or four days. We’ll splint it and wrap it for the time being. And I’ll give her something for the pain.”
The doctor waltzes out, as if a child with a broken arm is no big deal. I suppose he sees it every day.
We’re left waiting in the stuffy room once again. After a few more moments, Sawyer gets to his feet and paces back and forth, rocking Jordyn in his arms.
All at once, he stops in front of me. His height makes it feel as though he’s towering over me like a giant ready to attack. He looks down at the ground, thinking carefully about his next words. “Bree,” he says slowly and distinctly. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for my daughters. I will always be grateful to you.”
I nod, tears welling in my eyes. “I loved it. Every moment.”
“I know you did, and I can never repay you. Your selflessness amazes me. It always will. The thing is, I don’t want to be in the situation we find ourselves in any more than you do. But here we are and...”
I know he’s going to say something I don’t want to hear.Again. He’s been saying it over and over. I’ve just refused to listen, refused to accept it, hoping I could change his mind—sure that I could.
I stop him. “Don’t say it. I don’t need to hear it again.” He loves Quinn. I already know. I’ve always known. “I’m sorry I’ve been difficult. This has been... hard for me. Hard for all of us, really.”
His face is unyielding, rigid. No more apologies. No more making sure I’m okay. No more holding me as I cry.
