Page 149 of Wardrobe Malfunction

So, I keep my focus ahead and walk quickly.

I need to get a cab and get out of here. Only I don’t know the numbers of any cab companies. I’ve just got to pray Uber works around here.

I just need to get off the farm and onto the main road, and then I can take a breath and figure out how to get to the airport.

I can just stay there until there’s a flight out of here. God, I don’t even know if there’s a direct flight to New York.

“Charly.”

The sound of Vaughn’s grandma’s voice brings me to a stop. I covertly dry my face on my hand and take a breath before turning to her.

“Hi,” I say.

She smiles. “You’re leaving?”

I glance back at Vaughn’s house. “Yes. Look, I’m really sorry about Vaughn…what happened—”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

Her words surprise me.

But I answer her in the only way I can right now, “That’s the one thing I am good at—keeping secrets.” I make a self-derogatory laugh at myself.

“I was married once,” she tells me. “Before I met Vaughn’s granddaddy, I was married to a man I didn’t love. Something tells me that you did the same. Probably for very different reasons, but we both married men we weren’t in love with. Mine was for money to help save my family from bankruptcy. Your reason…I’m not sure of, but you definitely didn’t marry for love. That, I know for sure.”

“What makes you so sure?” My voice is small, timid.

“Call it intuition. Or because of the way you look at my grandson. You only look at one man in your lifetime the way you look at Vaughn. I know because it’s the exact same way I used to look at Vaughn’s granddaddy. Like the day began and ended with him. Well, that, and the fact that you came straight here to see Vaughn instead of going home to your husband.”

She’s got me there.

I stare at my feet, unsure of what to say.

“You want a cocktail?” she asks. “I just made up a jug of piña colada.”

I lift my eyes to her. “It’s pretty early in the day to be drinking.”

“Nonsense.” She waves my words away with her hands. “It’s never too early for a cocktail.” She turns and starts to walk toward the house.

I stay rooted to the spot, unsure if I should go inside. If I can go inside.

Surely, they all must hate me. I must be the last person on earth that his family wants to see.

I honestly don’t know why his grandma is being so kind to me.

She stops and turns back to me. “Nobody’s home, if that’s what you’re worried about. They’re out for the day at the farmers market. So, do you want that piña colada or not?”

I glance at Vaughn’s house, and my eyes start to sting with tears again. I realize that I’m not ready to leave just yet.

“Okay,” I say, looking back at her. “A piña colada would be nice.”

It’s not like I have anywhere else to be right now. And a cocktail might be just what I need to take away this aching Vaughn-shaped hole inside my chest.

Vaughn

I’ve been lying here, on my sofa, for two hours now, staring at my ceiling.

After Charly left, I came in my house and lay down on the sofa, and I haven’t moved since. Well, if I’m being precise, it’s been more than two hours since she left. It’s been two hours and seventeen minutes.