Page 108 of Antagonist

Stella and Mike follow Megan to the animal petting area. I know they’re going to be there a while because, in addition to Rosie, there are other animals for the kids to learn about.

Julius and Liv are sharing a stand, which has a long line of customers. They’re on their own, so I approach them.

“Hey, guys, do you need help?”

“Yes, please,” they say simultaneously.

“I thought you had someone to help out.”

Julius gives me a look. “So did I. I’m pretty sure at this rate, I’m just cursed.”

“Where do you want me?” I ask.

“If you can take the payments, we’ll serve,” Liv says.

Over the next few hours, I take people’s money, answer questions about the fair, and generally catch up with some parents I’ve come to know.

Stella and Mike come over to get a drink. “Look at you, putting your old skills to the test,” Stella says. “How long has it been since you’ve worked behind the counter?”

“I don’t think I’ve spent this much time standing in one spot since I was in college.”

Stella tells Mike how we met, and he laughs until Stella hits him.

“So you were hitting on him even though you thought he was gay, and he didn’t realize you were hitting on him because he was in love with his roommate. That’s priceless.”

“Whatever. He turned out not to bethatgay, so I won in the end,” she says.

“Love you, Stel, but go find a spot to make out with your new non-gay boyfriend. There's a line again.”

“Hey, I’ve…experimented,” Mike says, and I’m left in shock. “Still very straight though.”

“Thank fuck,” Stella says, taking him away.

“Gotta love small towns,” Liv sings, piling more brownies on the display tray.

Julius snorts.

I glance at the petting stand and see George and Megan still together, holding Rosie. All the stands that have children helping also have a parent looking after them.

As the line dies down, I check the other stands from a distance. The sun is setting, so the DJ we hired to play country music in the background is packing up.

Ellis’s brother, Darius, who works as a nurse at the same hospital as Stella, sings in a rock band. They volunteered to play for the kids as the day’s events draw to an end.

With so many parents and children getting involved, Fletcher’s mural is almost complete, and it looks stunning. As if he can sense me, he turns around and waves. He still has the white stripe of paint on his cheek that matches mine.

He pulls out his phone, and a moment later, my phone dings.

Fletcher:Come home with me? I want to talk to you about something.

Harrison:Is it naked talk?

I look up, and he smiles, but there’s something else I can’t detect.

Fletcher:Some of it is.

My chest tightens with the fear that’s been lingering for a while. The fear he’s going to tell me he decided to go to Europe with Fran and George.

I type my reply. Just a thumbs-up emoji. I can’t use words or look at him. I need to find a way to be the stronger person in this. I’m not going to hold him back. That much I’ve known from the first moment.