Marjorie didn’t call in many favors, so when she asked everyone to gather on the square, they did. I was both happy and terrified as I gazed out on all the faces I’d come to know over the years.
“Breathe,” Piper said. “And you know what you’re gonna say, so just stick to the script.”
“I know.”
“You’re handling it better than I would.”
“I’m panicking inside.” And I was. It felt like every cell in my body burned. I was functioning on autopilot at best. I had no idea how Piper dealt with this kind of anxiety for years.
“Once it’s done, you’ll feel better.”
“What if I don’t?”
“All of this is temporary,” she said.
“I’m trying to make things permanent this time.”
“I mean all these emotions are. It might feel like this will never end, but it will. Life goes on.”
I didn’t know if I believed her, but I nodded anyway. “Stay with me?”
She smiled. “Always.”
“What’s happening?” Tammy called from the crowd. “I can’t stay away from the diner forever!”
“You’ve got this,” Piper reminded softly.
I never felt like I had anything, but today showed me that I did.
Slowly, I stepped up onto one of the benches and facedeveryone. Kelsey pushed her way to the front of the crowd, a frown on her face.
She’d said she’d supported me in text, but her expression now said otherwise. She was one of the few people I was close to. Her taking her support back would hurt the most.
I continued anyway.
“Uh, hi. I’m sure you all saw the post.”
A rumble made its way through the crowd.
“I just can’t believe someone would say something like that about you!” Jackie said from the back. “What awful lies!”
Oh, boy.I never thought I would be doing this even with Marjorie and Henrietta, but to now do it again with the entire town?
This was miserable.
“I’m sorry, but all of that is true.”
The crowd exploded.
“What?” Dale asked. “You’re a drug dealer?”
“Are you dealing here?” Tammy asked. “We don’t do that shit here!”
“You of all people?” Kerry yelled as well.
“Hang on!” Marjorie snapped at all of them. “He’s said one fucking sentence!”
“Did you know?” Tammy rounded on her. “Did you hide it from us?”
