Page 53 of What You Never Knew

“How did you calm her down?”

“I just told her that he was going to be home soon. That we needed to go inside and wait for him.”

“And that worked?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “She agreed to go into the house, but then she just sat in the living room, staring out at the lake, rocking back and forth. I left her alone and eventually she just fell asleep in the chair, so I covered her with a blanket, put a footstool under her, and left her there for the night.” He thumbs in the direction of the house. “I went in early this morning, and she’d made her way to her bed and was still sleeping, so I guess whatever she was going through has passed for now.”

I reach out and rub his back. “That sounds awful.”

“Yeah. She’s gotten a lot worse lately. I think I may have to find a care facility for her. And that’s something I never wanted to do.”

“Yes, but you also can’t be expected to run a company and take care of your senile mother.”

He nods, true sorrow suddenly flooding his face. “She’s had such a hard life with my dad and everything, I just never wanted to, you know, abandon her.”

“It’s not abandoning her,” I’m quick to say.

He holds up a hand. “Can we talk about something else? I don’t have much time before I have to go to work, and I don’t want to waste it on such a depressing subject.”

It’s unlike Ezra to shut down like that, and I can’t help but feel a bit hurt by it. I wanted to make him feel better, not more alone, but I smile and nod. “Sure, of course. Just know I’m here for you and we can talk about it again if you need to.”

He gives me a tight smile. “Thanks.”

An awkward silence falls between us, which I can’t help but feel is full of bad history, the one created by my mother and his father. I may be imagining it, but I can almost feel the blame radiating from his body: if it weren’t for my mother, his would not be the way she is now.

“Maybe we could take turns,” I say, in an attempt to move away from the topic of his mom. “You stay with me at Avril Island tonight and then I stay here kind of thing.” He frowns. “Or vice versa. I mean, whatever you want.”

“It’s shitty timing, but I’m away tonight. For work. It’s a big job and has been planned for months, so it’s not like I can even get out of it.”

It’s childish, but I groan out loud. “Are you sure you can’t get out of it?” I whine, not caring how selfish I’m being.

He grabs my hand and gives it a gentle pull. “Just stay here tonight?”

“On my own?”

“I don’t want you staying on your own at Avril Island. Not until the police know for sure who was roaming around last night. Even if it is just some stupid kids, I’d feel better knowing you were here and not there alone while I’m away.”

For a split second I think about being brave and asserting my right to stay wherever I please, but I also like having Ezra’s excuse to not be brave and stay here for a night with Wi-Fi, a TV, a shower, and some human population around.

“Okay,” I say, working hard to make my compliance sound reluctant. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll stay.”

He leans over and kisses me. “Good. I’m glad that’s settled. Now, how would my beautiful guest enjoy breakfast in bed?”

“She’d love it.” He turns to go, but I reach out and grab the bottom of his T-shirt to keep him there. “Since you brought up the topic of guests.”

“Yes?” he says, eyeing me suspiciously.

“Why was it that me slipping into bed beside you last night didn’t seem to surprise you? Do you often get middle-of-the-night female guests?”

He throws his head back and laughs. “I’d like to say I do, but no, you’re my first one.”

“But you weren’t surprised?”

“June, I was exhausted. I’d worked all day in the sun; then I spent hours getting my mom settled down after the neighbor found her out on the street. I was fast asleep when you arrived. I knew it was you and figured you’d just decided that you didn’t want to be alone after the dead birds so came here. I didn’t feel the need to wake up and have a full conversation with you about it.” He waits for an answer, but I just stare back at him, assessing the believability of his reasoning. “Okay?” he says firmly.

“Okay,” I say back.

I’m not sure why I’m so suspicious when it comes to him. Especially when there isn’t even an ex-girlfriend I know of or any sign of another woman. In fact, there doesn’t even seem to be much of a dating history. Maybe that’s the problem. I know Ezra so well and so little at the same time. There’s a thirty-year gap in our history, and other than what he voluntarily tells me, I don’t know much.