Page 91 of The New Place

And not—not elsewhere, either. Not later, when he can talk to her in person, not at all, not ever. Because she will then tell their father they’re not truly engaged, not at this point at least, and through him or Chris that news will reach Beverly and⁠—

And Ned just came from his job talk. Newbury is so very, very close, for both of them.

Perhaps Ned has a point that this is turning out less than ideal. That Chris’s machinations in their lives aren’t just amusing. One mention of marriage and everything will apparently spiral from there.

“I…” he flounders. Help, he wants to ask Ned, but Ned’s leaning against the counter like it’s holding him up. “You’re coming tomorrow.”

“Oooh, you were going to surprise me,” she says, sounding delighted before her tone switches again, accusing now. “But Daddy told me before you could.”

“Yes,” Abbot gets out. “He apparently did.”

“He’s coming with me too.”

Abbot straightens “What?”

“To celebrate. He wants to come, so he got a ticket.”

“No, thank you.” Abbot’s mouth feels stiff. The words too. His entire body.

“So when is it?” she asks. “When’s the wedding?”

“He’s coming with you,” Abbot repeats. His father. Flying over here. Abbot just suffered through a visit to Switzerland and thought he’d be spared another until the summer. Liesl is old enough to travel on her own. Their father will drop her off at the airport and Abbot will pick her up from the nonstop flight. The most she needs to do is not lose her passport on the way.

This suddenly feels very, very important, like if he can just convey that detail, the rest of this knot will untangle itself, and take with it the specter of his father arriving.

“Do you know what kind of cake you’ll have?”

“Your dad is coming?” Ned asks softly and Abbot closes his eyes.

“Can we try some while I’m there?” Liesl asks. “Will Baxter be in the wedding?”

“Liesl,” Abbot starts.

“Don’t try to make the cake yourself, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Liesl says. “You’re not that good at baking. And Baxter could wear a bowtie. I saw it in a video. And he can carry the rings in a basket. I could train him to do it.”

“Fuck,” Ned whispers.

Sandy, Abbot quickly mouths, and Ned squeezes his eyes shut, mouthing Fuck again, at least with his back to her this time.

“I’ll bring him some treats, but I don’t know if I should just get him some when I get there,” Liesl goes on. “You can take me to a pet store, or Daddy can, and we’ll get a basket, too.”

Baxter’s not well, Abbot needs to tell her. And he really doesn’t need his father here.

“Ned has plenty of treats,” he manages.

“Let’s make him some this weekend anyway,” she says. “We need peanut butter.”

Make them for Baxter or for Ned? Abbot might have joked under other circumstances, but he absolutely can’t manage it now.

“Yes, what a good idea,” he says.

They can bake dog treats and he’ll explain that he intended the visit to be just her, and also that Baxter might be sick.

Sick like Mom? she’ll ask.

Nausea climbs his throat.

“I’m so sorry. I have to go,” Abbot says.