“People think fate is a thing, and maybe it is, but what if we’re all tied together by that invisible string, and you hold the other end of ours?”
“Bella, that’s …” My words trail off, because it’swhat?
“Weird?” she fills in the gap.
“Deep,” I reply instead. “I’m going to have to read a little more about it.”
“You should. Then, you’ll see exactly why.”
“Why what?”
“Why you can’t give up on her,” she adds, matter-of-factly, turning to look at me.
“What?” I ask, searching her crystal blue eyes for explanations.
“She’s hurting and scared. She thinks she’s hiding it, but we both know how bad at that she is.” Bella sighs. “She needs you even if she’s not telling you herself, so please, don’t give up on her.”
What did I do to deserve all of them? I hope she hears the sincerity in my actions, but just in case she doesn’t, I add, “I won’t.”
She pushes off the wall. “She’ll be home tomorrow. She couldn’t make it tonight because she was meeting with someone, she said. I call bullshit. I bet she was avoiding you, but she can’t do it forever. So this is me telling you she’ll be home tomorrow.”
I’ll take it. Any crumb, open door, hand to hold, I’ll take it.
“Invisible string, Coach Clay. Invisible string.” She rushes out, surely to find one of her mom’s friends, leaving me here with a choice that was apparently made for me a long time ago.
An invisible string tying us together.
Suddenly, it all makes sense. I know what I need to do.
53
A PARTNER
Landslide (Early Version) by Fleetwood Mac • Stranger by Secondhand Serenade
Natalie
“Bella, answer the door, please!”I would like very much to be able to take a shower, just one, without it being interrupted by someone else. There’s always something.
I get dressed quickly, slipping on a maxi dress, and walk out to see who’s here. My life has been a revolving door lately.
“Who’s he—” My words die in my throat when I see Holden by my front door. I wish I could be mad he won’t listen, but what I feel is relief instead. He’s not giving up on us. “What are you doing here?”
“I told him to come. You two need to talk. I’ll take Vero outside,” Bella says, holding her sister by the hand and walking outside, but not before Vero hugs Holden’s leg and he ruffles her unruly hair. I need to wash her hair, but that’s a problem for future Natalie.
“Were we parent-trapped?” I ask Holden, who slides his hands in his front pockets.
“No, I thinkyouwere. She flat-out told me last night you’d be home all day.”
That little girl.
“Don’t blame her. She could tell I was miserable.”
I roll my eyes. “Please.”
“Can I come in?”
“Sure. Come sit.” We walk to the living room, where he sits in the same spot as the last time he was here, taking care of my kid.
