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Quickly going over the plan one more time, Wyatt gets out of the car and begins to make his way through the meadow in the direction of my house. As soon as I pull into the driveway, I rush to move the ladder from its resting place in the garage and head inside. My parents are both in the living room when I pop my head in. My father is reading the paper, my mother a book, but the TV is on and the news is blaring from the speakers. You would think they were both partially deaf with how loud it was, but that was going to work to my advantage tonight.
“I’m home,” I holler.
“Did you eat dinner?” my mother asks without looking up.
“Yep. I’ve got some studying to do and then I’m going to bed.”
“Okay. Goodnight, then.”
Too easy. My parents have no idea what I do all day and most of the time, I’m certain they don’t care. I stay out of trouble, get good grades and run in the approved circles as far as they know. They see me as the perfect daughter because they only see what they want to see, and I plan to keep it that way.
Flipping my light on, I lift my window and slide out onto the roof of the porch. Looking over the edge, my eyes meet Wyatt’s and realize how real his fear is. His eyes are wide, and his hands are shaking as he grips the sides of the ladder, his foot poised on the bottom rung.
“I’m right here. You can do this. I promise,” I say with confidence.
Nodding, Wyatt slowly climbs the ladder, his eyes never leaving mine. Once he’s safely on the roof, he scrambles through my window, sitting on the floor inside my window. Climbing in behind him, I find him panting heavily, a panic attack on the horizon.
Holding him in my arms until he calms down, I rub my hand up and down his back and kiss the top of his head. I’ve had one panic attack in my life and it wasn’t pleasant. If I had known that this would send him spiraling into one, I never would have asked him to do it. I would have found another way.
“I’m sorry,” I say when his breathing finally returns to normal.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”
“Um, yes there is. I pushed you to climb that ladder. If I had known—”
“It’s not something I’m proud of, but heights scare the shit out of me. They always have. I don’t know why but there was going to come a time I was going to have to face that fear, and tonight turned out to be the night. At least it was for a good reason,” he replies, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
“Oh yeah? I’m a good reason.”
“The best reason. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Chloe. You have to know that by now. I love you.”
And just like that, my world turned upside down. All it took were three little words.
He’d never said them before, but I knew how he felt. I felt the same. Falling in love with Wyatt had been easy. We’d been together for four months and I’d fallen for him a little more each day. It was the little things like the way he looked at me or how he showed me he cared.
Tonight, on the floor of my bedroom, I fell the rest of the way. I knew he was the one. We were meant to meet, to find each other. One night changed everything for both of us.
“I love you too,” I reply, pressing my lips to his.
“I love you too,”I say aloud.
It still rings true. My love for Wyatt has never wavered, not one day. The only thing I can do to keep that love alive is to love our daughter because I know the moment he finds out about her, the only feelings he’ll have for me are hatred and disgust.
I’m prepared for that. To love him for the rest of my life without being loved back.
If I thought things could turn out differently, I would do whatever it takes to make that happen. Every scenario I’ve run through my head has led me down a dark road. One I’m sure is in the near future now that I’m home. Even if it’s only for a few days.
I can feel him.
I felt his presence when I drove through town, and I can feel him now. I wonder if he can feel that I’m back. Has he moved on? I’ve been too scared to ask anyone. The fact is, I know the answer will break me. No matter what it is.
