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“He’s asleep,” I whisper back as I make my way downstairs. “What’s up?”
“You have a visitor.” She looks apprehensive when she gestures towards the couch.
I nearly stumble back when I see him. “Wes?”
“Hey, Charlie.” He stands and takes a few steps in my direction. “How are you?”
“I’m, uh, I’m good. How did you know where to find me?”
Wes looks over to Janelle and Lawrence, who are standing side by side, eating ice cream in slow motion. Their spoons are moving in freaking tandem as they watch this unfolding scene with rapt attention. “Can we take a walk or something?”
“Sure.”
“You all right, Charlotte?”
I nod, finally getting it. Janelle thinks this is Ethan’s dad, even though I’ve told her all about Simon. I know I’ve mentioned him by name. “Wesis an old friend.”
She narrows her eyes at Wes but nods her head. After Wes steps outside and I turn to close the door behind me, I shake my head and mouth the words:He’s not the dad, to make sure there’s no confusion.
“That was a little awkward.”
“I don’t have friends popping over for visits, like ever, so Aunt Janelle and Lawrence are probably a little shell shocked right now.” I’m not offering up the real reason Janelle and her gentleman friend were acting like total freaks back there.
“I’m sorry I just barged in, didn’t call first or anything.”
We start down a path that leads back towards the lake. “It’s fine, really.” My head is spinning with questions. I ask again, “How did you find me?”
“Wasn’t easy. Your brother’s been feeding me the same line of bullshit for the past two years…You went to live with an aunt, you’re doing great, all is well. It’s like you just up and disappeared, and when I ask why, he tells me you wanted out of there.” He stops and turns to look at me. “One night last month he was really drunk…Tells me you came back, stopped in at the dealership acting like…”
He trails off, so I finish for him. “I’m sure he said I was acting like a little bitch.”
He doesn’t reply, so I know I’ve hit the nail on the head.
“Anyway, he starts talking about driving you up and dumping you with your dad’s sister in Michigan. Then he starts ranting about the Wades, and how if he ever gets his hands on Simon Wade he’s going to do to him what he did to Timmy.” He lowers his head in shame. “I hate myself for it. You know that, don’t you, Charlotte?”
I look away and nod.
“He wouldn’t tell me anything more specific, but once I had a little information to go on, I was able to use the database at work to get your aunt’s address.”
“This is a long way to come just to say hello, Wes.”
He reaches down tentatively and grabs my hand. He squeezes it gently before releasing me. “I had to see you with my own eyes, make sure you’re safe and doing ok. It never sat right with me, you just up and leaving out of nowhere.”
I nod. “It wasn’t by choice, but it turned out to be a good thing.”
“Who was upstairs sleeping?” When I don’t answer, he says, “You had a baby, didn’t you? You left because you were pregnant?”
“My son’s name is Ethan.” I face Wes. “He turned two in March.”
He scrubs his hands up and down his face. “Wow.”
We walk side by side in silence for a few moments.
“Aren’t you going to ask me who the father is?” And I’m nervous now because this cat has been safely secured in the bag for quite some time now.
“I’ll go out on a limb here and guess that Simon Wade’s the father?”
“Bingo.” I attempt levity even though I’m shaking like a leaf.
