face.
“You . . . well . . . I don’t even know what to say to that.” She was stunned for a moment. “I mean, of course you would run into him at some point. His parents too, I ’spose, but what did he say? What did he . . . do? Was he . . . I don’t know. Civil?”
“He hates me. I mean . . . of course he does.” She shrugged her shoulders. “He got me fired. Not sure if it was intentional or not, but he certainly has no problem with the fact I’m jobless. Sometimes I think I was crazy to come back here. I mean, my lawyer had to actually do lawyerly stuff just to get me paroled back to Savoy from out of state. What the hell was I thinking, and what the hell did I expect? That I could avoid him forever?”
“Stop. This is your home as much as his. Your mom is here, and now that your dad’s gone, she needs you. You have as much right as anyone to be here.”
“Well, I think you and Mom are the only ones who actually believe that. Someone vandalized my bike. My bike! That’s . . . I mean . . . it’s a bike, for fuck sake!” Michelle’s expression was sad, and perhaps a bit stunned. A bike, after all . . .
When they finally made it to the parade, and she caught sight of her nemesis across the street from her almost instantly, she thought certain God was tutting at her in disappointment. Darren did not see her, and as the marching band moved between them, she took the opportunity to watch him. His hatred for her didn’t extend to the rest of the world in any way. He smiled as different people greeted him with a hand clapped on his shoulder. It was too small a community for people not to know the prodigal son who’d come home to such a noble pursuit as ER doctor in their hospital. The town loved him, and he greeted everyone with a friendly smile, but she saw that smile fade quickly when no one was looking, just to be reinvigorated when the next person called his name.
She remembered that smile, and she missed it more than she cared to admit. It was a hard thing being hated by him. She knew she was staring, but Michelle beside her was too busy watching the procession of band members, cheerleaders, firemen, and the like to notice that Bailey was off in a different world. Bailey imagined what life had been before. She let herself feel the warmth and comfort of a world where so many people didn’t hate her. She let herself feel the flutter of nerves as Darren flashed his million-dollar smile at her. None of it was real, but it had been, and she escaped to those memories as she watched him shake hands, wave at people, hug a little old woman who greeted him warmly.
He returned his attention to the procession shortly thereafter, and when his eyes moved across the street and caught on Bailey, who was still staring at him like a buffoon, his face dropped. His expression turned to a glare, and he returned her stare venomously. Bailey’s cheeks burned, but she didn’t look away. She lifted her hand tentatively before she could stop herself, and the moment he took in her gesture, he turned, pushed his way through the crowd behind him, and disappeared with one final glare over his shoulder.
“Michelle, can we go?” Michelle looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Bailey didn’t want to get into the Darren discussion here, so she pleaded with her eyes. Michelle watched her for a moment, gauging just how much resistance she wanted to put up. With a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders, Michelle nodded, and they left.
Michelle was one of Bailey’s oldest friends. After high school, she’d ended up in Kansas City for college, and she’d returned to Savoy with her MBA a couple years ago to help her father run his furniture store. It was the only furniture store in Savoy, so being successful and profitable had never been a problem for them, but her father was nearing retirement, and he’d be handing over the reins soon enough. Bailey’s small cottage was furnished in damaged pieces from their store, and she’d
“You . . . well . . . I don’t even know what to say to that.” She was stunned for a moment. “I mean, of course you would run into him at some point. His parents too, I ’spose, but what did he say? What did he . . . do? Was he . . . I don’t know. Civil?”
“He hates me. I mean . . . of course he does.” She shrugged her shoulders. “He got me fired. Not sure if it was intentional or not, but he certainly has no problem with the fact I’m jobless. Sometimes I think I was crazy to come back here. I mean, my lawyer had to actually do lawyerly stuff just to get me paroled back to Savoy from out of state. What the hell was I thinking, and what the hell did I expect? That I could avoid him forever?”
“Stop. This is your home as much as his. Your mom is here, and now that your dad’s gone, she needs you. You have as much right as anyone to be here.”
“Well, I think you and Mom are the only ones who actually believe that. Someone vandalized my bike. My bike! That’s . . . I mean . . . it’s a bike, for fuck sake!” Michelle’s expression was sad, and perhaps a bit stunned. A bike, after all . . .
When they finally made it to the parade, and she caught sight of her nemesis across the street from her almost instantly, she thought certain God was tutting at her in disappointment. Darren did not see her, and as the marching band moved between them, she took the opportunity to watch him. His hatred for her didn’t extend to the rest of the world in any way. He smiled as different people greeted him with a hand clapped on his shoulder. It was too small a community for people not to know the prodigal son who’d come home to such a noble pursuit as ER doctor in their hospital. The town loved him, and he greeted everyone with a friendly smile, but she saw that smile fade quickly when no one was looking, just to be reinvigorated when the next person called his name.
She remembered that smile, and she missed it more than she cared to admit. It was a hard thing being hated by him. She knew she was staring, but Michelle beside her was too busy watching the procession of band members, cheerleaders, firemen, and the like to notice that Bailey was off in a different world. Bailey imagined what life had been before. She let herself feel the warmth and comfort of a world where so many people didn’t hate her. She let herself feel the flutter of nerves as Darren flashed his million-dollar smile at her. None of it was real, but it had been, and she escaped to those memories as she watched him shake hands, wave at people, hug a little old woman who greeted him warmly.
He returned his attention to the procession shortly thereafter, and when his eyes moved across the street and caught on Bailey, who was still staring at him like a buffoon, his face dropped. His expression turned to a glare, and he returned her stare venomously. Bailey’s cheeks burned, but she didn’t look away. She lifted her hand tentatively before she could stop herself, and the moment he took in her gesture, he turned, pushed his way through the crowd behind him, and disappeared with one final glare over his shoulder.
“Michelle, can we go?” Michelle looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. Bailey didn’t want to get into the Darren discussion here, so she pleaded with her eyes. Michelle watched her for a moment, gauging just how much resistance she wanted to put up. With a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders, Michelle nodded, and they left.
Michelle was one of Bailey’s oldest friends. After high school, she’d ended up in Kansas City for college, and she’d returned to Savoy with her MBA a couple years ago to help her father run his furniture store. It was the only furniture store in Savoy, so being successful and profitable had never been a problem for them, but her father was nearing retirement, and he’d be handing over the reins soon enough. Bailey’s small cottage was furnished in damaged pieces from their store, and she’d
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