Page 91 of Fractured Grief
My heart broke for Indy. How could no one have come to Lexi’s memorial? Not even her parents. It sounded like Lexi’s parents and the whole town were horrible human beings. I was glad he’d escaped.
“Maybe we could hold a Mnemosyne for Lexi. We could plant a tree, and you, Hazel, and Grace can say goodbye. You could share stories of Lex. You know, Ma and I would take care of everything for you,” I whispered. “Just think about it.”
I knew he had a lot on his mind. Maybe Greek traditions weren’t something he’d thought of, but everyone deserved to be celebrated. Lexi, especially, was worth honoring.
“Thank you, Seb,” he said. “Thank you for everything. For being here. For being my support. I don’t think I could have handled that conversation without you beside me.”
“I’m sure you could,” I stated. “You’re incredibly strong, Indy. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. You’ve survived so much and you’re still standing and still an extraordinary man.”
Indy’s beautiful face flushed at my words, as more tears welled in his eyes. It had been an emotional couple of days, and now we’d have to worry through the night as we waited for Grace to arrive.
“How about we sort out some dinner, and you call Hazel. I think you need to hear her voice,” I said as I checked Uber Eats.
Indy checked the time. “Good idea. She should be getting ready for bed anyway. I’m surprised we napped for so long.”
“You clearly needed it.” I smiled at him. “What do you feel like for dinner? My treat.”
“I need some comfort food. There’s a diner just down the road. Would you be up for going out?” he asked.
“If that’s what you want, absolutely,” I beamed at Indy, and his answering smile warmed my soul. He was incredible, and no matter what life threw our way, we’d face it together.
Chapter 44
Indy
Icalled Hazel like Seb suggested, and hearing how much fun she was having, settled me. She was safe and having a great time, with no worries or stress at all. She was such a strong and resilient kid.
Once I got off the phone, I washed my face and got ready to go out. I was still reeling from the call with Grace and everything I’d learned. I wondered if Grace had ever met Hazel. It sounded like Lexi had had more communication with Grace than I’d known.
Grace had been such a sweet girl growing up. She’d idealized Lex and followed us around more than Lexi ever liked. She’d been like my little sister, too, and it hurt so much more that she’d been turned against us when Lexi got pregnant. But in the light of what Grace had told me, maybe that wasn’t the case.
Once we were ready, Seb offered to drive. I readily accepted. I was interested in seeing him drive his newlyaltered truck. The diner was only five minutes down the road, and we were lucky enough to find a park right out front.
I almost fell out of the truck, but managed to catch myself at the last second, as Seb rounded the front of the vehicle to help me.
“I should have gotten the door for you. This is our first date after all,” he said with a wink.
He was right! This was our first date.Myfirst date.
Seb reached for my hand, and I hesitated. I’d been in Missoula a while, and everyone at work knew I was gay, but I didn’t know what the protocol was. We’d moved here as it was safer than Wyoming, but was it safe enough to be this open?
Seb noticed my panic and moved forward. “It’s okay. We should be fine. Missoula is more accepting than other cities, but if you’re uncomfortable, we can avoid any PDA. I just want to enjoy my time with you.”
This man! He always seemed to know exactly what to say.
“Thanks, Seb. I’m just so used to hiding, it was instinct. But I want to enjoy our date and not worry about what anyone else thinks.” And with that, I reached for his hand, and we walked into the diner together.
The diner was a simple mom-and-pop joint that looked like it hadn’t been updated since the seventies. It had an iconic red and white striped awning and black and white checkered flooring. The booths had wooden tabletops anddark red vinyl seats. It was cheap, yet brought me a source of comfort and familiarity when we first arrived in the city.
Seb and I were led to a table in the back and given our menus.
“What’s good here?” he asked once the waitress left.
“The burgers are great, but you can’t beat the fried chicken with potato and gravy.” My mouth watered at the thought.
“That sounds good. It’s been a while since I’ve had good old, greasy diner food.”
“Hmm, I guess with your family restaurant in town, there’s no need for a diner in Hope’s Ridge.” I thought about the small town. Other than Jolt and a pizza place, there weren’t any other options. “Where is your nearest diner or even a pub. I don’t remember seeing one on Main Street.”
