“No.”
“Sawyer—”
“I said no.” She wraps her arms around herself, that hoodie swallowing her frame. “I need to go myself.”
Her brows are furrowed and lips set in a straight line. There’s no talking her out of this.
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“Knox. You don’t?—”
“You’re not going there alone.”
We stare at each other, neither backing down. Her thought process is clear on her face, she’s weighing her options, and decidedly not arguing with me on this is the easiest choice.
“Fine,” she says. “But we go now and get it over with.”
I glance back at the house. “Let me grab my dad’s keys.”
“My mom will drive us.”
I shift to lean against the doorframe, running a hand through my messy hair. Helen’s staring out the window, her eyes wide, like she’s looking at a house of horrors or something.
“She said she would?”
“She was bringing me anyway. Just…go get your shoes.” She peeks past me, curiosity getting the best of her. “I don’t want to be here for a second longer than I have to.”
She turns to walk down the driveway, not waiting for me, and I watch her speak to Helen through the open car window.
Hurrying back inside, I run up to grab some socks and my sneakers. Ella comes out of the bathroom as I’m about to head back down.
“You’re leaving?” Disappointment is written all over her face.
“Yeah, just for an hour or two,” I say, starting down the stairs. “I have to go get my phone and my Jeep from the park.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh.”
I can tell she wants to say more, but I don’t have time for that. “My mom could really use your help this afternoon.” I take her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. “And I’ll come right back to help with everything as soon as I can.”
Her lips tip up in a small smile. “Okay. I’ll go see what your mom needs.”
“You’re the best.” I kiss her cheek and rush out the front door leaving her staring after me.
The drive to Wonder World consists of Helen vaguely questioning me about my father, me trying to answer without the memory of how I found them in my father’s office creeping back into my mind, and Sawyer doing her best to ignore me. The closer we get, the more the air in the car feels like it’s being sucked out. Helen’s breathing shallows. Sawyer’s leg starts bouncing. My chest tightens.
When the park comes into view with that fucking clown on the sign, Helen makes a sound in her throat like a wounded animal.
“I can’t…I can’t look at it.”
“It’s okay, Mom.” Sawyer sounds steady somehow, even though her hands are shaking. “Just drop us at the entrance. I’ll see you later.”
“Are you sure?”
“We’re sure.”
Helen pulls into the parking lot. It’s packed with families unloading, excited for a day of fun. Sawyer’s breath catches as she looks out the window. I follow her gaze and find Owen’s car parked down the row from my Jeep, covered in a thin layer of pollen.
Abandoned, because he’s gone.
