“Fuck,” I whispered.
My dad switched lanes. “Mmm?”
“Fuck,” I said again. “I was supposed to go out to lunch today.” I winced. “With Christian Fox.”
“Christian Fox as in Topper’s friend?”
“Yes.” I nodded, then I started to spill the story. “He knew Annie, Dad. He knew her back when she and Kathy Ryan came to the Vineyard.”
“I knew Kathy would have some involvement,” my dad mumbled.
“Christopher.” I poked his arm. “I’m serious. I found out he’s the artist behind Annie’s little watercolors. He was really important to her.”
“Okay…”
“He’s theChrisshe’s been complaining never visits, Dad. Not you.”
My dad glanced over at me, now hooked. “What’s the story?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I was supposed to have lunch with him today to find out.” I groaned. “He probably thinks I blew him off…”
“I’m sure that’s not true,” he said. “Olivia Lupo never blows anyone off.”
I snorted, because she’d definitely done a fantastic job of blowing off Connor. He’d poured his heart out to me and what had I done?
Left.
Like I always do, I started to reflect. I left relationships so no one had the chance to leaveme.
“Why don’t you text Erica?” he suggested, our car speeding up. “I bet she can get in touch with Christian.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, knowing it was a good idea but worried too. She’d only given me a shoulder-squeeze goodbye.
This was more important, though.
Hi, I wrote.I was supposed to meet Christian Fox today for lunch. Could you or your dad tell him I had to leave?
Of course, she texted back. I will call him.
I stared at her message for a few seconds, then typed,I’m sorry, Erica. I’m the worst.
She typed for a while after I hit send, but her response ended up being brief:Please give Annie a kiss for me.
My chest tightened.
“How are Erica and the twins getting home?” I asked later, when we finally crossed the Connecticut border into New York. Connecticut was such a small state, yet it took forever to get through because of its traffic. It suddenly hit me that we’d taken the car.
“They’ll fly,” my dad said as I scratched Swede’s ears. He’d fallen asleep with his head on the center console. “Martha’s Vineyard to Boston to Philly.”
“Expensive?” I asked.
“Outrageously,” he answered, and then he smiled the closest thing to a smile I’d seen this whole drive. Pilots and their families flew for free.
Onward we drove.
* * *
After finally dropping Swede and our suitcases at home, we drove to Capital Health, the closest hospital to Elkins Village. Annie was in surgery, so we sat in the waiting room until the doctor found us. Her surgery had gone well but sounded grotesque. She’d needed a few screws, along with a serious plate.
