Around midnight, Poppy’s phone rang. She was already asleep but roused herself enough to answer.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Poppy?” said Bennett.
“Yes, Bennett?”
“Oh baby, I have missed you so much. When Katie said you had called, I was almost afraid to believe her. Where have you been? I have been trying to find you for months. You just disappeared. Why would you do that?”
Poppy took a deep breath and said, “Let’s not get into all that right now. Just know I did what I thought I needed to do at the time.”
“Do you know what the hell you have put me through? First, you won’t answer your phone. Then, you send the phone back and move out of the apartment. I even went to New York a week ago and hung out at your school, but I never saw you. Where the hell have you been? Why would you do this to me?” Bennett sounded so out of control and unBennett like that Poppy could hardly make sense of everything he was saying.
“Okay, so much for not getting into it right now. I really did not want to do this over the phone, but here we go. I was sick recently and missed some classes. But since we are doing this, what tookyou so long to come to New York if you were so worried? Like you said, you knew where to find me.”
“I was tied up with the bar exam and was assigned my first big case. I have been working my butt off trying to get to the point I could take off several days and come and find you. When I finally got away, I guess that was when you were out sick. Are you okay now? Why did you not call me? I would have come immediately.”
“I am fine. Just dehydrated after a stomach flu. But really, you would have come immediately? If you wanted to talk to me, why did you not call Gran? She knew where I was. You could have called her anytime and got my new number.”
“You know why I could not do that. I would have had to explain why I was looking for you.”
“Oh, great, back to being Bennett’s dirty little secret.”
“Poppy, baby, please don’t start that again. It is so good to hear your voice. God, I miss you. I miss talking to you. Kissing you. Holding you. I even miss fighting with you. Tell me where you are. I will fly to New York to see you.”
“I am in Memphis with Gran for Thanksgiving.”
“Oh, that makes sense. How are your grandmother and your aunt?”
“Sadly, she is not good. She could go any day. I promised Gran to come here for the holiday.”
“How long will you be there? Could you get away if I come over and get a room?”
“Well, I thought I would come to Searcy on Saturday. Thought it would be okay since Katie said your dad was gone.”
“Oh baby, that is perfect. We will have the house to ourselves just like the old days. Tell me where to pick you up. I will drive over and get you.”
“No, I have already got a bus ticket. Gran is expecting to drop me off at the bus station. If I changed my plans, she would want to know why.”
“Okay, I get that, but knowing you are so close and I can’t be with you is killing me.”
“You’ve missed me. I mean, you have really missed me?”
“Missed you, baby, I have burned for you. I love you. When you just cut me off, I lost my mind. Dad even called me in and told me to get my shit together. It has been a rough couple of months. Please tell me you still love me the way I love you.”
“Oh, Bennett, of course, I still love you. I never stopped loving you. I just felt hurt. I was just tired of feeling like your piece on the side. I needed to protect myself. You promised never to leave me again, but it felt like that was all you did. I felt like I was losing you bit by bit to Taylor.”
“Taylor, no baby, Taylor has nothing to do with us. I promised her brother I would take care of her if anything ever happened. That is all I have been trying to do. Honor my commitment to him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The day before Tatum died, he told me he knew you and I were back together.”
“I bet he loved that,” said Poppy sarcastically.
“Actually, he said he could tell I was happier than I had been in years. He just wanted me to be careful. He understood how damaging our relationship could be to my future but he got how much I loved you. As for Taylor, one of the last things he said to me was to make sure to take care of his sister no matter what happens in the future. That is all I am trying to do. She had really suffered. You are so good-hearted; if you knew her, you would love her.”
Poppy seriously doubted that but did not say it. Instead, she said, “So, Gran and I are going out for lunch tomorrow before we go to the hospital. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”
