His hand pulled away and Elly felt all her hopes fall away like leaves. When she closed her eyes, all she could see was Dennis. Dennis, with his head slouched between his knees. Dennis, staring at his imaginary world all day long, the screen lighting up his world-weary face. Dennis, staring at Snarky Teenager with wide eyes, Elly always mistaking his stare for lust when it was so clearly a hunger for companionship. And human touch. She buried her head in her hands. Oh, Dennis, please forgive me. Elly continued to pray, feeling Keith’s eyes burning a hole in her side as the plane continued to glide through the blue sky. The fear that something could happen to Dennis covered her like a weighted blanket and she was unable to shake it.
About an hour and a half later, the plane skidded to a stop in front of Pittsburgh International. Elly found herself standing alone in a massive terminal topped with spinning metallic works of art. What on Earth am I doing? Have I just signed the death certificate for Posies? Still, it was better than signing one for Dennis. She looked down at her phone: one hundred and six text messages, two voicemails, and one free song download. She began browsing the text messages from Snarky Teenager: Found pink Asiatic lilies! Where is the contract? Never mind, found contract. Buying lunch for all designers, getting expensive paninis since you abandoned us. Tussie-mussies DONE. Kim had sent her a long stream about Dennis, and Anthony had just sent a few encouraging words and Bible verses.
Keith jogged over, looking extremely attractive in his aqua-and-white plaid shirt. “I rented a car. Sewell is only about a thirty-minute drive away.”
“Good.” There was an awkward silence as they made their way to the rental car parking lot.
“So, how’s Cadbury?”
“Really? You’re going to ask about the dog?”
“Yes. I miss him.”
Keith squinted at her from beyond a sharp pair of aviator sunglasses that were really way too cool for him to be wearing. “Let’s see, how is Cadbury doing? Well, for starters, he’s depressed. He spends his days meandering around the house, trying not to feel sorry for himself and stalking you online. He isn’t eating very well, or sleeping very well. He likes to smell things that smell like you. You know, because he’s a dog. Sometimes he just stares at the phone wanting to call you, but he can’t, because he has paws.”
Elly looked over at Keith and saw a glimmer of pain cross his face, disguised as humor. “Then why doesn’t Cadbury just call me and tell me the truth? Why does Cadbury have secrets?”
“Cadbury isn’t ready.”
Elly lowered her eyes. “Then Cadbury can’t come home anytime soon.”
Keith paused. “Are we still talking about the dog, because I certainly hope Cadbury can go back to your house. He’s cute, but….”
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Sorry. I just need to find Dennis and then I need a giant glass of wine, and then I need to be back in my shop, dealing with the Lola Plumb’s wedding of the century.” Elly moaned. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“It will be okay. You always come through things with a certain grace.”
Elly watched a plane take off from the tarmac and roar overhead. “I don’t think this is going to turn out that way. Lola was counting on me. Gemma was counting on me. The business from this wedding was going to fund the new store. Everything is crumbling, but all I really care about is finding Dennis alive and okay.” That was the reason she had presented to Keith for his coming—she didn’t want to find Dennis swinging at the end of a rope, such a horrible thought. The truth was that no matter the situation, she was better with Keith beside her, a fact that she was just beginning to admit to herself. She wouldn’t be his mistress, but maybe, even though it broke her heart to look at him, she could be his friend. Maybe he would let her. If that’s all the love that they were allowed, she would take every ounce of it.
As the car approached Sewell, Elly was struck by how many abandoned buildings loomed overhead. “They’re all so empty.”
“This was once a steel town,” Keith said quietly. “Then the steel left.”
There were abandoned cars on the road. The streets were patchy at best. Here and there, she spotted nice homes or manicured parks, but they were few and far between the vast abandoned industrial parks and graffitied vacant homes. “What would it be like to grow up here?” murmured Keith.
Elly watched sadly as yellow papers blew down a street, swirled by the humid air. She was sweaty, as always. “It would be without hope.” She realized that those words defined Dennis completely. He was without hope. Even when he had lived with Elly, he was without hope. They approached Lincoln Street. “Turn here.”
“How do you know where he lived?”
“I just looked up his father’s name online, and then used the yellow pages to find the address.”
“Thank God for the Internet.” They continued to weave down a street that was overgrown with tall, mossy trees. The pavement ended and a dirt road began twisting away from the main thoroughfare. The car bumped and lurched over dozens of potholes. “Hurry,” murmured Elly. “Hurry, Keith.”
Keith looked like he was driving an ATV. “I’m trying.” He gripped the wheel. “You’re so bossy.”
“I’m not the one keeping secrets.” A bump launched them both upwards. “Just get there. Then we can find him, and we can go home.”
“Elly, I need you to know….”
“Stop!” The sign for the development appeared above an out-of-control azalea bush. “Southern Valley.”