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“Squirrely?” Milo put the ice pack on his shoulder.
“Yeah. Like she needs to tell me something. Does she need to tell me something?”
“Um…not sure.”
Mathias turned to the sandwiches Wilda was making and finished assembling them. “It’s happened, hasn’t it?” He turned back to Milo. “You promised me this wouldn’t happen. You said you understood her situation. That she wasn’t ready.”
“I didn’t talk her into anything, Mathias. It just kind of happened. She wanted to tell you.”
Mathias folded his arms across his chest. “I thought I could trust you.”
“She’s a grown woman capable of deciding things for herself.”
“She’s vulnerable, and you took advantage of that.” He turned away and walked out the back door.
“Well, shit.”
Wilda came into the room with Caleb. “Where’s Mathias?”
“Your brother is…” He glanced at Caleb. “He’s been informed of the…situation.”
“You told him?”
“He…confronted me. I wasn’t going to lie to him.”
Wilda turned to Caleb. “Honey, sit down and eat your lunch.” She put a sandwich on a plate and set it in front of him, then poured him some milk. “Do you want a sandwich, Milo?”
“No, I’m not hungry.”
“Will you stay here with Caleb? I need to go talk to Mathias.”
“Yes.”
She started to leave, then turned back. “I’m not upset with you.”
“Good.”
“I’m pretty upset with him, though.”
“Just go talk to him.” She went out the door, and Milo looked at Caleb. “How’s the sandwich, kid?”
“Yummy.”
Mathias wasn’t outside, so Wilda went to his trailer and knocked on the door. He opened it and scowled at her.
“Either come out here and talk to me, or let me in.”
Mathias stepped out of the trailer and closed the door behind him. “He took advantage of you, Wilda.”
“Do you really think I’m that…fragile? So vulnerable that I could be talked into doing something I was ready for?”
“Of course not.”
“Milo is…from the very beginning, I knew…something.” She wagged a finger at Mathias. “You have no right to be mad or to judge me.”
He held up his hands. “I’m not judging you. I’m concerned.”
“Do I look like I’m under duress? He makes me happy. For the first time in a long time, I’m happy.”
