Page 286 of Mountain Grump

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Tilda

I cross the driveway,my shoes crunching over the gravel.

I feel like I’m losing my mind.

Every text Ethan sends me puts me that much closer to replying.

But I don’t know if I should.

I don’t know what to believe.

My feet carry me forward, up the little hill, toward the tree line.

I don’t want to make the wrong choice and get hurt all over again.

I can’t?—

My steps slow.

He…

I look to the left. And to the right.

And for as far as I can see…

Purple ribbon.

For as far as I can see, Ethan has wrapped purple ribbon around the barbed wire fence that separates my property from the park.

I step closer until I can touch it.

It’s the same ribbon he gave me.

The same ribbon he bought me.

It’s… vandalism.

It’s beautiful.

I pull my phone out of my pocket.

I don’t know what to say.

No idea where to start.

But I need to let him know I’ve found this.

I need?—

My phone rings.

I stare at the screen. I don’t know the number. But… I feel like I should answer it.

I lift the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hello. Is this Matty?” The older man’s voice is frail.

The oxygen disappears from my lungs, and I can’t reply.

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