Page 18 of Never Forever
I nodded. “Coach thinks I have a shot at making the varsity track team. I want to stay in shape this summer. Also, it helps me calm down. Gets me out of my head. You know?”
“I understand that,” she said.
“You better get going if you’re gonna catch the last ferry.”
“Mom and I are staying at The Dumont Hotel tonight, the audition is early so we have to leave before the first ferry.”
“Smart.”
The silence between us was both amazing and awful all at the same time. Like I could stay there all night and I wanted to leave immediately.
“I should go,” I finally said. “Dad will be getting worried.”
“Worried? About what?”
“Bears.”
Her eyes went wide. “There are bears here?”
I smiled at her. “You don’t have bears on the island?”
“No, smart guy. It’s an island. But are you serious? Are there really bears?”
“Not this close to town. I could walk you to the hotel if you like.”
“No,” she said. “I’m going to practice a little more.”
“Okay,” I said and sat down on the edge of the stage.
“I thought you had to go.”
“I’m not going to leave you here,” I told her.
“Because of the bears?”
“Because it wouldn’t be right.”
“What if Iwantedyou to leave me here?”
“I’d do it if it was daylight, but it’s getting dark,” I said. “I wouldn’t feel right.”
She looked at me for a long time. “Okay. Thank you.”
I listened to her practice a little bit more and then she gathered her stuff and let me walk her the three blocks to the hotel.
Beyond the circular doors was the brightly lit glass and stone foyer. Music poured out of the doors every time someone stepped out. Through the windows I could see people all dressed up, dining in the hotel restaurant. Eating expensive steak and drinking out of martini glasses.
Fancy ass shit, as my dad would say.
“Matt?” she said. “Thanks. Thanks for everything. Even turning around when I asked you to. I think…I mean, I guess you make me nervous.” The corner of her mouth kicked up.
You make me nervous too.
“You’re gonna be great,” I told her. “And…” The words came out of my mouth without any thought on my part. Like they arrived fully formed on my lips and I couldn’t stop them. “I know you already know, but my mom left too. When I was little. So, your dad leaving?”
“What about it?” she asked, suddenly stiff again.
“I know it sucks. No matter what your relationship was like. Just saying, if you ever want to talk,” I offered, feeling brave and wise and older than fifteen.