I look over at Ethan and he looks over at me.
“I could pay for a ride into the city for you, if you want,” he says. “If you don’t want to drive.”
“You wouldn’t need to do that,” I say. “I think I might be okay driving.”
“You sure? Because it kinda sucks. The parking too.”
“I can figure it out.”
“We could go to a Broadway show,” he suggests.
I smile. “Whatever you want to do.”
“There’s a break in March when I’ll be home.”
“Maybe you can meet Mikayla,” I suggest. “If you want to.”
“I’d like that.”
Ethan reaches around his neck and takes off the chain necklace and lock. He gives it to me. I take out one of my earrings and give it to him.
We sit there for a minute, and I half expect his parents to come out of the house, wondering why we’re just sitting in the driveway, but no one does.
“I’ll develop the pictures,” I tell him.
“I can’t wait to see them.” He pauses and bites his lip. “I have to go back to the city tomorrow, since we had all those delays. Otherwise, I’d stay.”
“I get it. I have to go back to work. And see my kid.”
“You think she’d like me?”
I laugh. “Yeah. Definitely. Or you can bribe her with unicorns. Just don’t tell her I told you.”
He looks at me for a long moment. “If I email you, you’ll email me back, right?”
“Yes,” I promise him, taking one of his hands in both of mine. “I swear to you. I’ll email you back. I’ll email you. I’ll call you. I’ll stalk you on IM. I’ll make this work, Ethan.”
He smiles one of his old smiles, a happy one I remember from years ago, and leans over to kiss me before he gets out of the car to get his stuff.
And after giving him another kiss goodbye and a long hug, I know it’s not really a goodbye. There’s no way I’m saying goodbye to him ever again.
As soon as I’m back to my place, before I go over to Gina’s to pick up Mikayla, I get on my computer and send him an email. I don’t know if he’ll see it tonight or until he gets back to the city. I just tell him that I miss him, I love him, and I can’t wait to see him again.
As I scroll through my inbox real quick, full of mostly junk, I remember that unread email from Everett.
I find it take a breath. I know that whatever he had to say to me a few months ago doesn’t matter so much now. Maybe he wanted to remind me of how much he hates me, I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out, and I’m ready to do that right now.
I prepare myself for the worst and open it.
And I read Everett’s last words to me.
***
From: Everett Sawyer
To: Shane Carraway
Subject: Hey
