Jane shrugged one shoulder. “He did look pretty miserable, but I swear that’s what came out of his mouth. He leaves tomorrow.”
Elsie stood up and paced. He’d put off telling Jane until the last minute. She wasn’t sure if it was sweet or extremely rude. “Where does he go next?”
“San Francisco.”
“Aunt Diane and Uncle Steve are in San Francisco. They’d love for you to visit.”
“Elsie, don’t. He made it pretty clear we’re done.” Jane stood up and headed into the kitchen. “All I want right now is a cup of tea and some mindless television.”
Elsie went around her and put on the tea kettle. She didn’t talk about Charlotte and Collin, or Will coming over. None of that seemed particularly important when her sister was hurting.
Chapter 16♥“How is Jane Doing?”
Most mornings, Elsie shuffled into the kitchen to find Jane fully dressed, eating breakfast while watching one of the perky network morning shows. But today the kitchen was dark and silent.
Elsie went to check on her, but didn’t have the heart to wake her up once she saw Jane curled up against her pillow with a comforter pulled up to her nose.
She hadn’t said when Charlie was leaving today. Perhaps there was still time.
Elsie had a bad habit of meddling. She couldn’t help it when so many people around her made stupid decisions all the time. She debated whether to walk down and have a talk with Charlie herself. If things were really over, as Jane insisted they were, it would make little difference whether Elsie made a fool of herself on Jane’s behalf. Jane wouldn’t have to know.
She loaded up her car with the prepared shipping packages and drove down the street, parking in front of Charlie and Will’s house. Charlie’s car was still parked in the driveway. Will’s was not. Perfect.
She went to the front door, fighting the feeling she should head to the post office and mind her own business. That feeling went into overdrive when Caroline answered.
“Yes?” Caroline asked, as if Elsie were some random salesperson knocking at the door.
“Has Charlie left yet?”
Caroline sighed. “Not yet. But we’re leaving as soon as he and Will get back from running errands, so if you have a message for him, can you just give it to me? I want to get back to L.A. before this afternoon’s rush hour traffic hits.”
There was no message worth transporting through Caroline. Every look she gave Elsie demonstrated a strong dislike, though Elsie wasn’t sure what she’d done to deserve it.
“No, thank you. I was heading to the post office and thought I’d stop and say goodbye.”
Caroline gave her a syrupy, pseudo-sympathetic smile. “How is Jane doing?”
Elsie tensed. “She’s fine.”
“Well good. Charlie was worried about what to do, but after talking it over with me and Will, he knew it was best to make a clean break of things.” Caroline leaned against the doorframe, hiding half a smile. She wanted the news to bother Elsie. And it did.
Elsie’s ears grew hot and her throat closed off. She knew she needed to turn around and walk off before she said something she’d regret. And everything running through her head at the moment was not something she wanted to say aloud. Why was Charlie so easily influenced?
“Okay, bye.” Elsie ran down the walk and got into her car. Caroline was a terrible person. Will was a terrible person. She knew that. So why did it hurt so much to know what Will had done?
***
Will did all the responsible things. He checked the oil and tire pressure, carried Caroline’s two enormous suitcases out for her, gathered up phone chargers, and packed up any leftover food Charlie wanted to take with him. That’s what their last conversation had been about. Cleaning out the fridge.
Charlie had to be regretting his decision, but he stubbornly moved ahead as if he was fine with it. Will was not stupid. He’d seen the last forlorn look Charlie gave to Jane’s house. But he’d driven away anyway.
And now Will was sitting in an empty rental house in a neighborhood that surely hated him. He rubbed his forehead and forced himself away from the front window.
Whether he was staying three more days or three more weeks, it was best to get ahead on preparations. He vacuumed out Charlie and Caroline’s bare rooms, threw out a soap end left in their shower, and took out the liner in their bathroom trash.
Then he ate dinner in front of the TV and tried not to think about Elsie. Tomorrow was the day she and her father usually went to the library.
It would do no good to hide out in this house, and he doubted she would appreciate him showing up on her doorstep again. He’d make sure to run into her at the library and lay it all out. Then he could leave Meryton with no regrets.
