Page 107 of That Conflicted Feeling

Carlydisappears to get the walker.

Pollyturns to me.“Whatdo you have to show us?”

“It’sjust out here.”Inod toward the back door.

“Righthere?”

I’mnot sure if she’s more pissed off or intrigued. “Yup.”Ichew on my bottom lip, hoping to hellI’vedone the right thing.

“Atour house?” she asks.

Thisis either going to be the greatest surprise ever or a humiliating disaster. “Well, not quite.Letme show you.”

“Hereyou go,Glo.”Carlywheels the walker into the kitchen and holds it steady asGloriaeases herself out of the chair.

“It'sgood to be vertical,” she says with a big smile.

“OhGod, please be careful,Mom.”Pollypurses her lips and rubs her forehead.

“Don’tworry.”Istroke her arm. “We’reall here to look out for her.”

Nothinghas ever filled my soul and given me more purpose than the thought thatI’mnow here forPolly.

AndI’llstill be here when she, no doubt, tells me she doesn’t need help and can take care of everything all on her own, thank you very much.

* * *

Fiveminutes later, and we’ve almost made it to the end of their driveway.

“Wherethe hell are we going,Max?”Pollydoes not look in the mood for a surprise. “There’snowhere to walk to from here, andMomcan’t make it much farther.”

Inmy enthusiasm,Ihadn’t thought to let this wait a few weeks tillGloria’sleg was fully healed.Maybethat would have been better.ButIwas so caught up in everything last night thatIwanted to arrange it all straight away.Mystomach churns, butI’min too deep now.There’sno backing out.

“I’mdoing fine,”Gloriasays, as she takes a deep breath and leans heavily on the walker.

“We’regoing right over there.”Ipoint at the field across the street.

“TheHarringtons’ field?Whatfor?”Alook of realization dawns onPolly’sface. “Oh,Christ, the helicopter’s not coming, is it?You’renot flying us somewhere, are you?”

Ican’t help but chuckle at her horrified expression. “No.Butnow you come to mention it, that would be a quicker way home than havingGeorgecome and pick me up.”

Carlyleads the way across the road. “Onelast little push,Glo.Maxwouldn’t have brought us out here for nothing.Youcan do it.”

Relievedthat at least one person has faith in me,Ijog ahead and open the freshly installed gate in the fence.

“That’snew.”Pollyturns toGloria. “Whendid theHarringtonsadd a gate?”

Gloriashrugs and concentrates on not bashing her splinted leg into the side of the walker.

Witheveryone safely in the field,Isteel myself and hope for the best.

Fuck,IhopeI’vedone the right thing.

Inmy heartIknow it couldn’t be more right—for me andPollyand for her mom.Ionly hopePollydoesn’t see it as me interfering too much in their lives.

Itake a giant breath.Herewe go.

“Okay.Well.Thisis it.”Ispread my arms wide. “Thisis whatIwanted to show you.”