After chocolate cupcakes and ice cream for dessert, the kids start to say their good-byes. I spend a few minutes with each of them, and I’m a weepy disaster by the time I say good-bye to Logan, Aileen and her daughter, Maddie.
“Thank you so much for everything you did for us this year, Natalie,” Aileen says as she hugs me. “Despite what’s happened, I want you to know that you—and Flynn—have made such a difference for our family.”
“That means the world. Thank you.”
Aileen also hugs Flynn and thanks him profusely for the huge donation he made to the fund we set up at school for their family.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says with a smile and a wink. He’s denied making the half-million-dollar donation we all know came from him.
“Sure you don’t. You’ll never know how much it means to me.” She glances at me. “Take good care of our girl. She means a lot to us.”
He puts his arm around me. “It’ll be my pleasure to take good care of her.”
Aileen fans her face dramatically and leaves us laughing as she escorts her kids from the room.
Sue, the admin from the office, hugs me. “Hang in there, kiddo. If it makes you feel any better, the entire faculty and most of the staff are pissed with Mrs. Heffernan over this. We all think it’s ridiculous.”
“Thank you for that and for being here. I appreciate it so much.”
Sue whispers in my ear, “I thought you’d want to know that your sexy friend has paid for breakfast and lunch for every kid in the school for the remainder of the year.”
I’m staggered by this information as Sue squeezes my arm and leaves me reeling.
Leah is the last one to depart. “I fucking hate this,” she says with her usual bluntness.
“Me, too.”
“I’m going to miss you and Fluff so much.”
“We’ll miss you, too. Maybe you can come see us in LA?”
“I’d love to.” She pauses and clears her throat. “I want you to know… The way you’re handling this is so admirable. I’d be rolled up in the fetal position if any of this shit happened to me, but you… You’re amazing, Nat. We all think so, and I just wanted you to know that.”
I hug her tightly. “You’ve been the best friend I’ve had in years. Thank you for my little slice of normal in our cozy apartment. I’ll never forget it.”
“Me either. But you won’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll drive you crazy texting you every day.”
“Please do.”
I release her, and she hugs Flynn.
“You’re the nicest movie star I’ve ever met, and if I didn’t love Nat so much, I’d be green with envy.”
Laughing at her typical cheekiness, he says, “Thanks for everything today and for being such a good friend to Natalie. We’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” She steals one more hug from me before she leaves.
Addie has taken Fluff out to pee, so Flynn and I are left alone in the room. I place my hands on his chest and look up at him. “Thank you so much for this. It’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
“Least I could do.”
“You’re not still blaming yourself, are you?” I ask with a teasing smile.
The deep sigh that escapes from him as he hugs me says it all. “I wanted you to have closure with the kids if things don’t work out with the school.”
“I’m so glad I got to see them and try to explain what’s happening. I’d hate for them to think I left because of them for some reason.”
“You were great with them. They’ll never forget you.”
“I hope not. And you… paying for breakfast and lunch for every kid in the school… Flynn, my God!”
He shrugs. “You know how I feel about hungry kids,” he says gruffly.
I hug him. “You’re amazing. Truly. I love you so much for doing that.”
Wrapped up in his arms with his forehead resting on my shoulder, I feel the tension beating through him. He’s like a live wire that’s been set loose in a tight space. I worry what will happen when his rage boils over. But not for one second am I afraid for myself. Mostly I’m afraid for him.
Addie returns with Fluff. “Are you guys ready to go?”
Flynn glances at me.
I take a look around the room that was recently filled with people who mean the world to me. And then I take the hand of the man who has come to mean everything to me. “Yeah, let’s go.” Other than a few close friends with whom I’ll stay in touch, there’s nothing here for me anymore.
Seeing Natalie with her kids has toughened my resolve to fix this for her somehow, some way. I’m not used to being told there’s nothing I can do. There’s always something that can be done, and I’m going to fight the injustice that’s been perpetrated upon Natalie with everything I’ve got. I’m sure I’ve driven my friend and attorney Emmett to drink today with at least twenty phone calls looking for updates that have been slow in coming.