Page 65 of Fight Or Flight

When Natalie stood, Chelsea threw her arms around her in a tight hug. “Please think about staying. Even just until you have to leave for Australia? Do you really need to go back to London?”

“I don’t know . . .”

“We’ll have fun together. I promise. Just call me later, and let me know what you decide. I’m going to call the new landlord and get my money back and tell the movers my new address.”

She walked back down the sidewalk, got in her car, and drove away.

Natalie stood on the sidewalk, alone and lost. Eventually, she got on Elizabeth’s old bike and headed for the Manor, but at the intersection where she should have turned left, she took a right instead, and headed for the sparkling lake. She slowly biked along the paths that stretched for several kilometres along the beach, passing by each of the fifteen gardens Ethan had planted, each one bursting with bright flowers and buzzing with activity from bees and butterflies. When the paths ran out, she biked up to the street, then came back along Main Street past the quaint cafes and specialty boutiques.

Mapleton had a certain charm to it, and if she forced herself to look at it objectively, she could see it for what it was: a hidden gem. She’d visited many small towns all over the world, and this one was right up there with the others. It had a quirky beach town vibe, somewhat historic architecture, and it sat on astunning natural landscape. If tourists around the would knew it existed, they’d come from far and wide and eat it up.

She turned at the intersection and biked the five minutes back to Monroe Manor. She walked into the house, marched up to her bedroom, and plopped down on the edge of the bed, staring at her suitcase on the floor next to the dresser.

Then she looked over at the empty drawers right next to it.

With a sigh, she picked up her phone and dialed Jess’s number. It rang only once before she answered.

“Nat! Are you back in London already?”

“No. I’m still in Canada. Where are you?”

“Dublin. When is your flight coming in?”

“Actually, there’s something that came up.” She shook her head. That sounded like a total lie. She ordered herself to get it together. “I can’t come back to London.”

“Oh. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just . . . I can’t leave yet.”

“I see. Will you be in Sydney on the first?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

“Okay, good. Man, how great will it feel when you land in Sydney for the first time?”

Natalie smiled. “It’s going to feel so satisfying. I can’t wait!”

They spoke for a few more minutes before hanging up. When she put her phone down, she stared at her suitcase again. If she was staying for two more weeks, maybe it made logical sense to unpack. She hadn’t done that since she lived on the cruise ship and knew she’d live in the cabin for four months.

She reached into her suitcase and picked up one pair of her unremarkable panties, folded them in half, then opened the top drawer and carefully set them down inside. After staring at them for a few minutes and noting that the sky hadn’t fallen, she picked up the rest of her measly belongings and finally unpacked her suitcase for the first time in nearly ten years.

fourteen

Ethan tapped his fingers on his full beer bottle and scanned the sizable crowd at the baseball complex while Adam sat on the other side of the picnic table, looking at him in horror. They’d just finished their last game of the tournament and won, coming in first place. He’d played well, hitting three home runs and making a handful of catches that, if he were a less humble man, he’d brag about all night.

He should have been on top of the world and celebrating with his teammates, but he was too nervous to celebrate.

“Hey, know what’s even better than tapping your beer?” Adam asked.

Ethan rolled his eyes and took a long drink before continuing his tapping and scanning.

“Man . . . you’re a mess. It’s just a fucking pond, Ethan. It’s going to be fine.”

“Pond?”

“Yeah, isn’t that why you’re all”—he gestured with his hand toward the bottle—“tappy?”

Ethan cringed. He hadn’t given the pond much thought after hearing Natalie was leaving, then being given a glimmer of hope when Chelsea asked her to stay. He’d convinced himself she’d stay when he left her on the sidewalk. Then he went home and doubted he’d ever see her again. He’d been in turmoil for hours before pulling out his computer and distracting himself by reorganizing his desktop.

---