Page 43 of My Liar

“Sounds like you took the better of the bad options.”

I don’t want him to make me feel better. “That’s the same bullshit I told myself before I did it.”

“Well, do you regret it?”

I regret a lot of things. But one thing most of all. “I regret agreeing to play ball at all.” Everything has been a clusterfuck since I agreed to Big King’s arrangement and got put on Little King’s radar.

“I have a few regrets of my own.” Otis pauses for a few seconds. “Is everything with the bet and all over with your father? Dustin good?”

I nod. At least I think all is good.

“Last term of your rehiring—if your father does that again, come to me.”

“Will do.” Though I can’t conceive dragging Otis into this shit more than I already have. “If Coach says anything—”

“You let me handle him. You just take care of yourself. That’s most important and the reason I’m giving you your job back.”

“Thanks” is all I can say between the combo of sheer exhaustion and utter relief.

32

MORGAN

As I pull into the driveway, I look over the slate blue house with the wraparound screened-in porch. Stepping out of my car, I glance around the quiet street. This is not what I’d expected to find. I’m not sure what I’d envisioned, but the serene calm that’s come over me wasn’t it. Particularly since my head was in disarray during the drive to Hattiesburg. It only took me about two hours to get here, but I feel like I’m a world away from home.

Pulling the screen door open, the loud screeching breaks the silence along with the slam from it closing behind me as I walk to the front door and knock. After a minute or so, I tap my knuckles against the door again and take a few steps back. Just when I turn to walk back to my car, I hear movement behind me.

I turn to see a silver-haired lady, her yellow floral dress bright as fuck, inspecting me over her thick-rimmed glasses. “Whatcha sellin’, young lady?”

“Do I really look like I’m selling something?” I tilt my head to the side and take my turn to match a head-to-toe evaluation of the woman.

Her nose wrinkles as she shakes her head. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not ’cause nobody would buy shit from you with that attitude.”

“Fabulous,” I reply, trying to figure out how to put this clearly so I can be done here with grumpy granny. “I’m looking for Wendy. Is she here?”

“What do you want with her?”

“Not to sell her anything,” I reply as the ancient lady gives me a snide glower, and I know she’s just as tenacious as I am. “Just an old friend. I was in the area and wanted to say hi.”

The ancient woman doesn’t seem happy with the response, but thankfully, she gives me an answer. “She’s stayed over at the church. It’s potluck day.”

“Yummy.” Sarcasm. And I’m sure she picks up on it.

“Hey, girl,” she calls out as I exit the screen door. “Does ya daddy know you’re here?”

Wow. The old broad is sharper than I gave her credit for. “Nope. And I’d like to keep it that way.”

She gives me a quick nod. I can see she’s relieved by my answer. There’s no way she’ll say anything. Perfect. Because I need this to remain buried. For now. “Go down to the end of this street. Hang a left then you’ll see it.”

I’m back in my car, and it only takes about five minutes to arrive in the church parking lot. The first thing I see when I step out is the playground behind the church with a group of about twenty kids playing, running, and sliding. But there’s one who my eye is drawn to automatically.

The little girl is jumping rope, her brunette hair bouncing as she happily sings with each jump “M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I” until the rope snags on her foot and she yells “Stop cheating!” towards the little boy with the rope handle in his hand.

“Can I help you?” a woman asks as she steps beside me.

When I turn to answer her, I spot Wendy a few yards away. “No,” I say to the woman as I walk past her until I’m standing in front of our former housekeeper. I haven’t seen her in years, but when she glances up and sees me, her facial expression looks how I felt when I found out her dirty little secret.

“Morgan?” Her breathless tone continues as she asks, “What in the world are you doing here?”

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