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Chapter Forty-One
Leo’s mother wrapped him in an embrace, his dad close behind. When they pulled back, I could tell he was at least a little glad to see them. Although he’d come to Ocean City to hide out, you could tell he did care about them.
“I cannot believe you did that to us. We’ve been so worried about you,” his mother said, ignoring everything but Leo. She fluffed his hair a bit.
“Son, you need to come back. You can’t keep hiding here.”
“I can’t believe you came all this way for that. I told you on the phone I’m not ready,” Leo argued. He eyed me then, as if he remembered I was there.
“I’d like you both to meet Tillie Ashby. Tillie, these are my parents, Edith and James.”
The two of them turned then to eye me. His mother wore a pinched smile that tried to come off as friendly but just felt judgmental. I readjusted on my crutches. It was the first time since I’d met Leo that I felt out of place with him. I could tell what they were thinking when they offered a small wave and hello. Looking between me and Leo, they were considering I was the foolish American fling keeping him from his career, his success, and his passion.
“I better get home. I want to give you three some time to catch up,” I said. Leo put out a hand.
“Nonsense. We weren’t finished here.” He stepped away from his parents. They took a few steps back to give us false privacy, but I could tell they were hanging on every word.
I didn’t want to do this, not in front of them. But I also knew they weren’t there for a quick visit. They had come to talk sense into Leo. I wouldn’t be the one holding him back.
“I think we are,” I murmured, softly. I averted my eyes, though. I couldn’t bear to look at him as the words came out of my mouth.
He reached for my arm. But before he could get to me, another voice chimed up.
“Leo Turner, how’s it feel to be accused of lip syncing? Are the tabloids true? What are you doing here?” a male voice said. I turned to see a man standing with his cell phone in his hand.
Some other tourists who were on the boardwalk stopped. There was a lull in the crowd, and then the phones started to come out. The crowd of people started pushing in.
“Leo Turner?” a voice shouted. And then another. A few girls started screaming. Swarms of people were dashing up from the beach. I looked at Leo in a panic.
“Tillie, come on, let’s go,” he said. But there was now a sea of people pushing me out of the way and moving toward him. I saw Leo and his parents rushing off the boardwalk. I stayed still, my heart sinking. He looked back at me, sadness in his eyes, but then he was gone, rushing away as a few police officers tried to maintain order of the crowd.
And just like that, Leo Turner was gone. I was worried for him, the crowd clearly out of control at this point. But I knew he would be okay. He knew how to handle that life. He would get over this fun fling of a summer. He’d return with his parents to London, to screaming fans, and to a life I could barely imagine. He’d be okay.
As I hobbled away, determined not to look back, I wasn’t so sure if I would.
