Page 114 of Antagonist

“The other thing.”

She stares at me with a confused look but then smiles.

“Oh yeah, they’re both coming with me to London next week. It’s been difficult to convince Fletcher that’s the best option, but he’s come around. I hope you didn’t think things between you were serious.” She touches my arm, and I flinch. “Fletcher has always liked playing a little on the side. I don’t mind, you know. There are things I can’t physically give him, so we have an open relationship in that way…if you know what I mean.”

She winks and then turns to Bradley. “Bradley, honey, will you take me to Fletcher’s place? I need to see my boys.” She sighs. “What a traumatic evening.”

The sucker punch to the gut is too hard to bear after what happened today.

“Harrison, are you okay there, son?” Mr. Jones says. Where did he come from?

“Um, yes. I’m sorry, Mr. Jones. I need to go home.”

He puts his hand on my arm. “It’s been a difficult day. Why don’t you take a few days off? Come see me on Wednesday. There’s something I want to run by you.”

I nod and leave the fair and the loud music behind.

There’s no way to be sure if I obey any traffic laws because before I know it, I’m knocking on Stella’s door.

“Harrison, you look like a ghost,” she says.

Mike rushes over and grabs my wrist. I pull it away.

“Sorry, man. Just checking that you’re not going into shock. It’s been a tough day.”

I walk inside. “Why does everyone keep saying it’s been a tough day as if they know exactly how awful it’s been? Do they know how it feels to have the rug pulled from under your feet or how painful it is when someone puts their hands on your chest and slowly rips your heart out? They don’t. So why don’t they just—”

“Hare.” Stella’s voice pulls me back.

“Can I go to Megan’s room? I just want to watch her sleep.”

She holds me in her arms and squeezes me tight.

“If that’s what you need right now, go ahead. I’m here if you need me, okay?”

I nod, trying to keep my tears from falling unchecked.

Even though it’s still early, Megan is sound asleep, but I guess her little adventure has tired her out. Before I know it, I’m being woken up by Stella.

“Sorry, what time is it?” I ask, stretching in the small chair by Megan’s bed.

“Just past ten. Mike’s gone home, and I’m going to bed. Do you want me to set up the couch for you?”

“No. I’ll go too.”

I stand and place a kiss on Megan’s hair.

Stella walks me to the door.

“Megan said she was helping George because he doesn’t want to go to London,” she says. “Their big plan was to hide George under her bed and she’d save half her food for him.”

I can’t help smiling at the thought of my daughter rescuing her best friend.

“She takes after you, you know?” Stella says.

“Why do you say that?”

“I’m a nurse, Harrison. I help people for a living. But you? You will go out of your way to help someone you think needs it.”