When the Truth Comes Out
? Safe and Sound - Taylor Swift ft. Joy Williams and John Paul White
Callie
Storm gallops pastwith Memphis chasing her as I stand off to the side of the paddock. Footsteps approach. My heart recognizes him before I see him.
Jaxon wraps his arms around my shoulders from behind and kisses the top of my head. "How are you feeling?"
"Nervous."
"We've been over every scenario. You know what you want to get out of it, right?"
"Closure."
"That's the goal. So, focus on that. Get the answers you need. You don't have to offer anything but your time. Forgiveness is earned."
I spin around and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my head over his heart. "Thanks for being my rock."
"I'll be whatever you need."
Tires crunch on gravel as a dark blue sedan pulls into the parking lot outside the big barn. I take a deep breath and blow it out, trying to ease the anxiety.
Jaxon cradles my cheek in his palm.
I lean into his touch, hoping to steal some of his strength for myself.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asks.
I place my hand over his. "I have to do this on my own."
He slips his hand into my hair and kisses my forehead. "I'll be close by if you need me."
Jaxon strides off to the barn, leaving me alone to face the past I've tried my best to bury. I have to remind myself that this is what I wanted.
"Hey," Clio says, striding over to me with her hands in the pockets of her wide-leg jeans.
I wouldn't recognize her if not for her eyes. She's thirty-one now. We've lived apart longer than we were together. For all intents and purposes, we're nothing more than strangers.
She scans her surroundings, her gaze stopping on the horses grazing beyond the fence. "This place is beautiful. You live here?"
"Yeah. It belongs to my boyfriend's family."
Her mouth pulls into a frown, and her brows draw together. "God, I never thought I'd see you again." Her voice a mix of awe and despair.
"That was your intention all along, wasn't it?" My tone is accusatory. I can't stop the anger from bubbling to the surface; I’m not sure I want to. After everything I went through, I think I'm entitled to at least a modicum of recrimination.
She jumps at the chance to deny the accusation. "No. I always meant to come back for you."
I don't know what to believe, so I remain silent.
"Is there somewhere we can sit down?"
We settle on opposite sides of the picnic table with our hands folded in mirrored positions. She smiles, likely noticing our similarities, and I place my hands in my lap instead.
I'm not Copycat anymore. We're nothing to each other.
"How are you?" she asks.
