Page 92 of Replay

“I hope Angela realizes soon enough what kind of man you are… Actually, scratch that, she’s just like you. So, I’m sure you two are perfect for one another.”

He doesn’t talk, but he doesn’t go back inside either. Allowing me to speak my peace, so I leave him with one last thing.

“I don’t think I could ever forgive you for putting Mom through all of that. Not to mention, the pain you’ve put me through. And most importantly, I’ll never forgive you for keeping my sister away from me. I’m done.”

Without another word, I storm off his front porch, finally allowing my tears to fall freely as I mourn the loss of our relationship, because I know it’ll never be the same again.

I speed away and drive the short distance to the marina. A place that has always brought me peace, somewhere I can sit and be in my feelings. I take out my phone to text Nate and let him know where I am, because I’m sure he’s worried.

But of course, my phone is dead.

After plugging it in, I lean my head back onto the headrest and replay the events that have just transpired, and allow myself to break. It’s cathartic in a way. Knowing what just happened was needed in order for me to move on in my life. But that doesn’t mean my heart doesn’t ache with every breath. It hurts for the little girl who looked up to her father with rose-colored glasses,blinded by her adoration for the man she loved. It hurts for the wife who knowingly stayed in a marriage to try and save her family, or what was left of it. But most of all, it aches for the woman who will have to go through life never being able to trust her father’s words again.

My phone finally powers on and a slew of text notifications fill my screen. Before I read any of them, I snap a picture of the view with the gorgeous sunset sky and send it to Nate.

Me

[Picture message]

Me

Miss this place.

Nate

One Hour Earlier

Me

Where’d you run off to, BB?

My mind is all over the place, even after Willow’s cries have calmed down. I’ve never seen her so distraught. Not even when Dad and Mom told us they were getting a divorce. It kills me she had to bear that news on her own. I wish I could’ve been there to help shield the blow of my mother’s venom.

“I'm okay now, I promise,” Willow says after I hand her a bottle of water and a snack.

Me

Just let me know you’re okay?

I was so distracted by Willow that I didn’t protest when Berkley left, but I didn’t think she was going to leave, leave. Where could she have gone? I assumed she just needed air, but the fact that she’s not responding has me worried. I know this news must’ve hit her hard, especially after just recently learning about more of her father’s discretions.

Willow stands and walks to the bathroom while I pace around. My chest aches when I think of my dad and what must be going through his mind. My father is the best man I know. He’s always the first to show up and the last to leave. I can’t begin to imagine how he feels.

Willow exits the bathroom and goes back to sit on the bed. Eying her cautiously for a moment, I take out my phone and check to see if Berkley has responded to me.

“Has she texted back yet?” Willow asks, and I shake my head in response as I reread the unanswered messages.

Me

Baby… Whatever it is, we can face it together.

My last notification is colored green, which means she has no service, her phone is dead, or maybe she’s hurt. I refuse to acknowledge the small dip in my stomach at the idea of the latter, so my mind races with where she could have possibly run off to. It takes less than a minute before I realize where she’s gone, and within seconds, I'm packing up my bags.

“Wha—what are you doing?” Willow questions.

“I need to go talk to Coach for a second. Let him know I had a family emergency, and I won’t be taking the bus back… Can you go to the girls’ room down the hall, room 455, and get Berkley’s bag for me?”

“Uh, sure, but where are we going?” Willow asks again.

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