“I think you should stop bragging about dating Henry. He was a drug user, Grace,” Ben says flatly.
Sighing in frustration, I reply, “So, he vaped here and there. It’s not a crime against humanity.”
“Vaping kills?—”
I groan, preparing for a lecture I’ve heard before.
“Plants. Vaping kills plants.”
Tired of our antics, Mia cuts in. “Keep going, Grace.”
Ben pipes up. “Yeah. You found his creepy shrine, then what happened?”
“It wasn’t creepy! It was…special. It was nostalgic.”
Mia, ever the romantic, sighs dreamily. “So, why are you calling us in a panic then?”
“Well, I’m in the guest room, getting ready for bed because I’m staying here.” I frown. “Did I mention that?”
Chiming in, Ben says, “This conversation is really taking a sharp ‘nightly news’ turn. I didn’t think Dan fit the profile, but it’s always the ones you least suspect.”
“Anyway, I’m in this guest room, and I just happened to notice under the bed?—”
“You were snooping,” Ben says.
“I wasn’t snoop?—“
Mia interrupts. “My client is innocent on the grounds of ‘she’s just a girl,’ Your Honor. Please continue, Grace.”
“Thank you,Mia. So, I found a scrapbook. Obviously, I looked in it?—”
“Obviously,” Ben drawls.
“And aColumbus Dispatcharticle about the grand opening of my animal clinic was inside.”
“Whoa,” they respond in unison.
“Whoa,” I agree, collapsing on the guest bed.
Ben smacks his lips. “Welp. Turns out he’s just as in love with you as you are with him. Congrats!”
I shoot up into a sitting position and resume panic mode. “So, this means he kept up with me all these years? While I was actively avoiding him, avoiding all of his successes, he was following mine?” My throat feels scratchy. “It’s a lot for me to process, you know? And, if he knew where I was and what I was doing, why didn’t he reach out? Was it just an ‘I’m happy for her’ type of thing? Or was it more?”
“Grace,” Ben says gently. “I think you’re interpreting his feelings before he has a chance to explain them.”
I bring two fingers to my temple. “What do I do? Is this just a closure thing, where we catch up and part as friends? Or do you think it could be…?” I trail off, not knowing how to finish that sentence exactly.
“After all this time, you do whatever feels right to you, Grace. What feels right to you is the best decision.”
Mia’s kind words quiet some of the noise in my head, and I sigh in relief. “I needed to hear that, Mia. Thank you.”
“And thanks to me, too,” Ben adds.
“You did nothing. In fact, you actively stalled this conversation several times,” I point out.
“Sure. Alright, well, keep us posted, please! WiFi has been spotty in our neighborhood, so this nugget of information will keep us occupied for a while.”
“Glad to be of service,” I say dryly.
