Were they talking about my mom? Me? It was weird to suddenly be a mystery. I wasn’t sure I liked it.
“Perfect,” my mom said, as the waiter set down a glass of white wine. “Thank you.”
We were at O’Grady’s, the nicest restaurant my mom could find within an hour’s drive. This one had clocked in right at fifty-one minutes.
I still felt so discombobulated. Like, in another universe I was in New York, staring out a window at skyscrapers, the bustle of the city below. Or ideally, with Colin on that ship’s deck, waving away from the shore. But definitely not here, in a mall in a town called Chaddock, eating at a place with Irish pub décor: Gaelic sayings on the walls, lots of Guinness, and an abundance of clovers.
My mom, however, seemed as at home as I’d seen her since my graduation. She’d left me alone for an hour or so, during which I’d made up the beds in my room and unpacked my toiletries and cosmetics, if only to have something to do. When she reappeared at my door a couple of hours later, she was Catherine again: hair in a low bun, wearing a black sheath, her tote over one shoulder. “Want to grab an early dinner?” she said, even though she’d clearly already decided on it. “I found a place nearby.”
We left the Woods, getting back on the highway, wheremy mom immediately merged into the fast lane, accelerating. When she got a work call, I started texting with Hannah and Nalini. This was what I was used to. Us together while in constant contact with other people.
We exited onto a relatively busy strip, passing several fast-food joints and big box stores before a mall came up on the right. Bly Point, said the sign. The green awning of O’Grady’s was straight ahead, next to a department store. It looked sleepy even before I noticed the lot was mostly empty. When we’d come in, the bartender and hostess seemed surprised to see us.
“It’s early,” my mom said now. All the tables around us were free. The only noise was the TV, playing some soccer match. “Although it feels late.”
I looked up from the video Hannah had just sent me. “Long day,” I said.
“Yes,” she agreed.
I went back to my phone to see if Colin had responded to my last text, where I’d provided a link to my location. If nothing else, I wanted him to know where I was. When I looked up, though, she was looking at me in such a way, it was hard not to feel judged. I put my phone away.
From up at the hostess stand, there was a burst of laughter, making me aware of our own awkward silence. I said, “Why are they selling the house?”
A blink. Then she took another sip of wine. “Well, it’s a money pit, for one. Old construction, stuff always needing to be replaced. Plus developers have been trying to buy us out for years. It’s just smart to do it now.”
“So you’re selling to a hotel?”
She nodded. “The Tides has been adding on parcels since they built. Until now my family wouldn’t consider it, though.”
“Why not?”
A flicker of weariness moved across her face, like this was a story she’d told many times. And maybe she had. But not to me. “The house was my parents’ wedding gift. They got married here. My grandfather built it with his own hands. He got married here too.”
“Wow,” I said. “That’s a lot of history.”
At this, she made a face. “That’s one word for it.”
“Did you ever bring me before?”
She shook her head. “I haven’t visited much since I left for college and met your dad.”
“Why not?”
This time, the irritation wasn’t a flicker. “Finley. Please. Can we just have dinner? I’ve been thinking about this all day. I need a break.”
Under the table, my phone buzzed. It was all I could do not to grab it. “Sure,” I said, as the waiter came up behind her, our food prepared mere moments after ordering. The sooner this was over, the more quickly the night would come, and I’d have one day down. “Let’s eat.”
At two a.m., I woke up, if you can call it that. Really, I’d been tossing and turning since around midnight, when I’d finally stopped waiting to hear from Colin and gone to bed. It wasn’t like I’d expected him to be in contact with me the entire time.But I had thought he’d show up to defend his ninety-eight-game winning streak at Speculator. He was Mr. Competitive, after all. Then again, the ship internet wasn’t free, as his mom had reminded him repeatedly.
In truth, the game had been subpar, as it always was without Colin. We mostly hung out with his friends together, as a pair. When it was just me with Hannah and Nalini and everyone else from StuCo, I always felt lacking. Like I was no substitute and we all knew it.
But Colin’s friends were my friends now. After leaving Fountain, I’d fully intended to stay in close touch with Elinor and Jade, my BFFs from there. It was only a school change, and we’d known each other since kindergarten. But Colin’s world was so busy, all-encompassing. And soon enough Elinor got a girlfriend, while Jade basically turned her full attention to field hockey. Occasionally, I’d have a stab of guilt, missing them. With Colin taking up so much space, it didn’t feel like there was room anymore for my old life. Especially as all this—falling in love, having a boyfriend with a busy, bustling social circle—was brand-new to me.
I lay back down, now grateful for the blanket Liz had left on my bed. She’d been right. It was cold. After staring at the ceiling for a bit, I decided to go to the bathroom, if only for a change of scenery. I’d just stepped out in the hall when I heard a noise.
Someone was coming in the front door. A second later, I heard it latch shut, but much more quietly.
I took a couple of steps toward the kitchen, peering in. Thedoor to Juvie was closed. What was I going to do anyway, wake up my mom like a kid after a bad dream? I went into the bathroom, locking the wobbly door hook, just in case.
