When I wake, Greg is already showered and sitting in the kitchen. He’s friendly over coffee, though maybe a little overly polite as he offers me cream and sugar twice and asks if I want anything to eat. I glance at my phone, check my e-mails. When I look up, he’s watching me.
“I’m waiting to hear back from Jenny,” I say.
“If you can’t get hold of her. I’m sure we can work something out for a few days.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate that.”
“Hey, just because it’s not Lindsey and Greg forever doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” But his smile isn’t meeting his eyes and he keeps taking sips of his coffee, like his mouth is dry, or he’s trying to keep his hands busy. I’m definitely leaving his house, even if Sophie and I have to get a hotel. His cell rings and his face tenses when he sees the number. “I better take this.”
“Problem?”
He shakes his head. “Just work stuff.” But he answers his phone abruptly, then walks downstairs as though he doesn’t want me to hear the conversation.
Sophie’s still in her room and I decide to wake her while Greg is busy so I can tell her the change of plans in private. I knock on her door. “Sophie, honey, can I speak with you?”
“Yeah.”
She’s still in bed, her sketchpad braced against her legs as she works on a drawing.
“Everything okay? Why aren’t you getting ready for school?”
“I wanted to finish this.”
I look at her drawing, the dark strokes of leaves and gossamer butterfly wings taking flight into an upward spiral, reaching for something out of sight. I remember what she’d said weeks ago, about the butterfly effect, and the coffee burns in my stomach.
“So there’s been a change of plans,” I say. “We’re going to stay with Jenny for a few days. We’ll pick up Angus and take the ferry down to Vancouver after your last class.”
She stops drawing, looks at me. “Why are we leaving Greg’s already?”
“We talked last night and realized things aren’t going to work out between us.”
“You broke up? But why?”
“We’re just very different people. We should’ve figured that out sooner, but I guess we were both hoping … I’m sorry to drag you through this, honey.”
Now she looks annoyed. “Yeah. You’re making me leave again.”
I’m not sure if she means when she was a kid or when we left our house yesterday, but either way, she’s right. For years I never even brought a date home until Greg. After living all over the place when we were hiding from Andrew, I hadn’t wanted to put her through more upheaval. Now I can’t seem to stop shaking up her world. Each day is a new earthquake.
“I know,” I say. “I’m sorry. We’ll talk about it later, okay? I’ll help you pack.”
“I have school this week. I can’t go to Jenny’s.”
“It’s just until the police can talk to your father and hopefully arrest him. I’m sure your teachers will understand and we might be able to get your lessons e-mailed.”
“What if they can’t prove it was him? Will we have to stay Vancouver?” She’s getting more upset, her face red and splotchy, her hand wrapping around a strand of hair.
“I don’t know. If your father finds us at Jenny’s, we’ll have to go somewhere else.”
She sets her drawing to the side, tosses her pen on top as though she’s giving up. “He came into the coffee shop last night when I was there with Jared. He sat down with us.”
My eyes widen before I can stop them. That’s why she went straight to her room. I’m upset she didn’t tell me, but I don’t want to scold her. Not now.
“What did he say?”
“He was angry because I’ve been ignoring him. He followed me there, Mom.” She looks really scared. “I don’t know how to make him leave me alone.”
“That is exactly why we have to get out of Dogwood.”
“What about Jared?”
“You can call, Skype. Maybe he can come visit on the weekend, but I don’t know, honey. Your dad could use him to follow us.”
“He kept insisting he wouldn’t hurt Angus—and he sounded so convincing. It was like he even believed himself.” She leans toward me. “I don’t want to ever see him again.”
“You won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” I stand up from the bed. “Why don’t you shower, and I’ll drive you to school. I’ll talk to your principal and we’ll work it all out.”
“Can I at least tell Delaney and Jared where we’re going?”
“Tell them we have to leave, but don’t mention Vancouver.”
“Do you think we’ll be back for my birthday?”
“I hope so, baby.”
“This is so surreal.”