“Mom doesn’t know.” I let that sink in for a beat. “No one does—or did until recently. It’s not something I want spreading around.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” he hurried to say, that quickly the innocent boy with whom I’d played hide-and-seek in the woods. “I swear, Maggie, I won’t, I mean”—he scrunched up his face—“who would want to know that about you?”
I could think of a number of people, and, in fairness, it would be more curiosity than malicious intent. Nina was a good example.I don’t care what happened in Boston,she said. The problem was that I did.
I cupped his shoulders again, rubbing gently this time. “The only reason I’m telling you is so you’ll listen to what I say. As bad as life looks right now, it will get better. I know. I’ve been where you are.”
“Not around here,” Chris said, no longer ten years old and now way too smart. “You had to leave wherever you were before it could get better. So that’s what I’m saying. I have to leave.”
“Not now you don’t,” I warned, retrieving my hands and stuffing them in my pockets. “You do not run away, Chris. Once everything’s done in court, you and your mother can decide what you want to do.”
“What if I’m in jail?”
“Then you won’t have to make a decision.”
“You’re supposed to say I’m not going to jail.”
“You’re not going to jail.”
“Were you afraid of jail?”
“Terrified.”
“Did you think of running away?”
“Then? No.”
“Afterward?”
I paused, looking back and up at the beautiful stone structure that was The Devon Inn and Spa. “I did. I came here.”
“Gah,”he sputtered, “that doesn’t help me. What if I skip school until the trial?”
I gave a slow headshake.
“Mom could homeschool me.”
Really?I asked with a look. We both knew the idea was absurd.
“Then I’m getting sick,” he said. “I’ll catch something… like Ebola.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.” His eyes held mine. “No?”
“No.”
“I’m telling you, running away is the best plan.”
I grabbed his arms this time. “That would make things ten times worse. Promise me you won’t, Chris?Promise me.”
“Fine. Okay.” Jutting his chin out, he looked away. A second later, with bravado, his eyes returned. “Then I’ll just shut myself in my room. I don’t have to eat dinner if Mom isn’t there. I don’t have totalkif she isn’t there. All I need’s a bag of nachos. I’ll get in bed and pull up the covers.”
I was about to tell him how childish that was, when I realized two things. First, taking a bag of chips to bed was harmless. Second, it was exactly what I wanted to do, myself.
“There’s a plan,” I said and, hearing the door open behind me, looked back. Grace emerged, followed closely by Edward. He seemed to be shepherding her, meaning that he may have forced her to come, but I lacked the wherewithal to analyze her expression. Not that it mattered what she felt. As long as she was there, I could leave.
I gave Chris’s arm a final squeeze, drilled him with aremember-your-promiselook, and set off for my truck. I didn’t look at Grace again, certainly didn’t look at Edward. I blocked out everything but the sanctity of my home.
