Page 150 of The Cheerleader

The tears are back, and I swipe at them, laughing at myself. “Sorry. You’ve made me an emotional mess.”

He takes my hand away from my cheek. “Let the tears be. They’re tears of joy.”

“What about when you got picked in the draft? I bet that made you pretty darn happy.” I’m half teasing.

He smiles. It’s a new smile that I’ve only seen today, full of tenderness. “No contest.”

I laugh.

He lets go of me with reluctance, checking his watch. “We have to get going now.”

“Where are we going?”

He doesn’t answer me, but I suppose I don’t really care.

Good feelings swirl around in me like I’ve taken some special drug that makes me feel like I’m in heaven.

I reach over, and he takes my hand in his.

Epilogue

Susie

Within ten minutes, I know where we are as we approach Liz’s house. He pulls into the dirt driveway.

“What are you doing? Why are we here? I thought we were going to your⁠—”

He cuts off my panicked rambling. “Her father isn’t here. He’s in the hospital.”

I blow out a breath. I should be ashamed that I’m glad, but I don’t feel it.

He squeezes my hand. “Mom isn’t ready to see me.” He pauses. “I called Liz, and she is ready to see me.”

“But not ready to see me.”

“We’ll find out,” he says, erasing all the joy until I feel nothing but guilty and helpless, like a mean lamb being brought, rightfully, to the slaughter.

Liz answers the door, and we all stand there, mute, looking at each other, or she’s looking at Bryan while I look at her.

Then she smiles, but I see the small tremor in her mouth. She opens the door wide, turning inside. “Look who’s here, Wally.”

A young boy, the one I remember seeing at the football game, comes barreling past her like she’s a revolving door and hurls himself at Bryan. He’s ready for the impact, reaching down to hug the boy.

“Take it easy, Wally,” he whispers, soothing him, holding on tight as the boy cries.

“I thought I’d never see you again. I told your mom I was going to run away.” He swipes at his tears and backs off, looking chagrined. “She said you’d be back.”

“Come inside,” Liz says in a gentle voice. She hasn’t met my eyes yet, staying focused on Bryan, almost like she’s worried about him being upset with her.

He puts his hand on the small of my back, and we follow Liz and Wally into the old kitchen, instantly familiar to me. I remember baking a cake here—or attempting to—while Liz’s parents were gone because she had a craving for chocolate cake.

“Liz,” I say, not knowing what to say next.

She turns to me, finally meeting my stare. “Congratulations.” She’s not smiling, but she’s not giving me a death stare either.

“Thank you,” I say automatically, not exactly understanding what she’s congratulating me for.

When her eyes dart to my hand, my ring finger, I get it and automatically tuck my hand away self-consciously. Shit.