She stands. “You’re really not coming to Europe with me?”
“No. And neither is George. I don’t want to fight you, Fran. But I will.”
I hold my ground.
“Even with Harrison in Boston?”
I laugh. “Do you know why I’ll win a custody battle for George? Because I’ll always put him first before anyone else, including me. Harrison is…part of my life, but George is my life.”
She pins her gaze on me as if she’s trying to figure out if I’m telling the truth.
“I really wanted this to work, you know. It would have been great. Us and George in London. Going on vacation to the south of France or Spain. But I get it.” She opens her handbag and takes something from it.
“Here. I didn’t set it up. I was just told where and when to go.” She hands me a phone.
I stare at it, confused. “What’s this?”
“You’re smart. Figure it out.”
She grabs her coat and goes to the door. “Goodbye, Fletcher. Kiss George for me. I hope one day you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. Bradley is my new attorney. He’ll be in touch about setting up an amicable arrangement to see George.” A tear falls down her cheek. “I hope you’ll allow that. I won’t fight you for custody if that's what you want. George was always more yours than mine, anyway.”
I stare at the closed door for the longest time after she leaves. Hurricane Fran, as Melodie always used to call her, is very appropriate. Once again, Fran leaves behind a trail of destruction.
The phone unlocks without a pin or password. There are a few unread messages, but something tells me I need to check the photo app.
I fall back on the couch when I see the video. It’s a longer version of the one sent to Karina. It’s clear the guy that set the building on fire isn’t me. In fact, I’d say he looks remarkably like Karina’s younger brother.
My head throbs with pain. I put the phone down and go up to my room.
I don’t want to think about Fran willingly setting me up in order to sell Stillwater as an unsafe place for George. Or that she’d somehow side with Karina.
Then I remember…they’re cousins. They were close at school, but then Fran moved away. By the time we connected, Fran didn’t have any contact with her family anymore. She never said why, and I never asked.
I close my eyes and force myself to sleep. Maybe things won’t look so bad in the morning.
Eventually, I succumb to sleep. When I wake in the morning, the first thing I feel is a tiny body pressed against mine. Small hands, holding on to mine.
I don’t know at what point during the night George got up and joined me in my bed. It’s not something I’ve ever encouraged, but today, I don’t mind staring at his sleeping form. The blond hair that’s almost in his eyes because he needs a haircut, his little parted lips as he snores lightly, and his favorite pirate PJs.
When he wakes up, we make breakfast together, and then I take him to my parents with the excuse that he needs a haircut from his favorite hairdresser, Grandma.
“Honey, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you look terrible. Is everything okay?” Mom asks.
“I’ll be honest, Mom. Everything’s not okay, but the most important thing is that Fran’s leaving, and she’s not taking George. He doesn’t know it yet.”
“We won’t tell him.”
“Thanks, Mom. Can you keep him until tomorrow? My head is swimming with so much stuff, and I need to think about what happened with Fran and how to tell George.”
She gives me one of her amazing hugs. “Don’t you worry, honey. Dad has a project in the backyard that’ll keep them both busy all weekend. Why don’t you go to the cabin and get some fresh air?”
I nod. “Thank you, Mom.”
One stop at the grocery store before I get on the road, and I’m at the cabin by lunchtime.
I pause as I reach for the key. The last time I was here, it was so different.
The dark cloud of losing George was very much in the air. But Harrison was here with me. He was strong, caring, and let me cry at night when things became too much.
