Page 59 of The Infiniteness of Yesterday
She still doesn’t say anything, which I appreciate.
I’m not sure how much time passes before I speak. “How did you know where to find me?”
She shrugs. “I know you like to surf, so I figured you’d find the nearest beach and I was right.”
“Did you walk all the way here?”
She nods.
I can’t believe she did that. That was a long way to go not knowing for certain if she would find me.
“I didn’t want you to be alone.”
“Thanks.”
It’s silent again, but neither of us feels the need to fill it. Waves crash against the shore, and the sound is a familiar comfort.
Harlow clears her throat like she’s going to speak but then doesn’t and shakes her head like she’s clearing away her thoughts. I wonder what she wanted to say, but I don’t push—frankly, I don’t have the energy to.
After a while, I stand and dust the sand off my pants and scoop up my discarded clothes. “Do you have a ride?” I ask her.
“I’ll call my mom or dad.”
I shake my head. “I can take you home.”
“Are you sure?” She takes my offered hand, and I help her up from the sand.
“It’s not a problem. I’m not ready to go home anyway.” I squint from the sun. “My mom’s probably going to chew me out for running away.”
She shakes her head. “I doubt that.”
We make our way back to my car and she gives me quiet directions to her house. I pull up out front and she reaches for the door. She’s halfway out before I find my voice.
“Wait.” I grab her wrist, and she looks over her shoulder at me.
I let her go. “Thank you. It means a lot that you came and sat with me.”
She gives me a small, sad smile. “Of course.”
This time, I don’t stop her when she gets out of the car. I sit out front and watch to make sure she gets in okay before I pull away.
CHAPTER 18
HARLOW
Jameson dropped me off a little over an hour ago and I’ve used my time before Roe’s arrival to clean the apartment. It’s not the deep clean it needs, but it is enough to make me feel better.
When Spencer sends me a text that they’re on the way up, I unlock the door and run to pee. Once Roe’s here I know it’ll be a while before I can go to the bathroom. That kid is always up in my business.
Washing my hands, I hear voices and a moment later the door to the apartment bangs open and Monroe enters with a cry of, “Mom?”
Opening the door, I can’t help but smile when I see her. The cast on her arm quickly has my lips falling into a frown. It’s not that I forgot about it, but seeing it all over again is a kick to the gut. My baby got hurt and I wasn’t there.
She runs to me with open arms and crashes into my legs. “I missed you.”
“You saw me earlier,” I remind her, bending to kiss the top of her head.
“I know,” she sighs, and swings her hand around with a paper clasped in it. “But I still missed you.”
