her head up. “Pony? What about the man Ted loved, Lee Greatson?”
“Lee Grayson. That’s all I know about him.”
“Yeah, and that’s why God invented the internet, Pony.” She pulls out her phone, and two minutes later: “I have an address!” This feels like an invasion of Ted’s privacy. He gets so weird about his personal stuff; I don’t think he would be pleased to know that I’m stalking his long-lost love.
“He owns a store in Dallas,” Georgia says.
“I think we just figured out why Ted moved to Texas. To be near Lee. He’s lived in that house over ten years without getting in touch with him.”
“And now he’s going to die,” she says.
“Where is Lee?” I ask.
“His Facebook page says he owns an antique shop on Richmond Street. How long does Ted have left?”
I think about his less-frequent breathing and his more-frequent visits to the hospital. The machines, pill bottles, oxygen tanks around the house. “Not long,” I admit, and we both look back up at the stars.
My vision gets blurry as tears fill my eyes. I wipe them away, undetected. My heart hurts for Ted and everything he missed out on in his life. I don’t want to waste any time with Georgia today, but maybe we can help Ted London get some closure. It’s time to add something to the schedule.
“Georgia, how about we go antiquing?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” she says.
We ditch the museum, snapping a few pictures as proof we were there, including a selfie of us in front of a huge cross-eyed frog. Half an hour later, we turn into the parking lot of an old church that’s been renovated into a store. I park the car and read the large, rusty sign above the doors. “Thingamabobs?” I ask.
“Yeah, duh, from The Little Mermaid.”
“Any girl who combs her hair with a fork is a big red flag,” I say.
She laughs. “You ready, Pony?”
“To be part of your world?”
“I’m done here,” she says, then gets out of the car.
We walk up to the huge cathedral doors. I open them, setting off several chimes and bells. A dog barks from the back. This place is huge, with high ceilings and endless shelves. It’s stuffy, like we’re inside a snow globe of dust. And it does feel oddly like the Little Mermaid’s cave, with gizmos and gadgets from floor to ceiling.
I’m tense. We shouldn’t be here. Ted is going to kill me. Too late to turn back—Georgia has run off to the shelf of typewriters.
A man appears from the office dressed in a polo shirt and khakis. He’s a bit younger than Ted, and slimmer and healthy. No oxygen machine at his side. “Good afternoon!” he says with a warm smile that I can see from across the store.
I’m frozen in place. I have no idea what to say. I look at Georgia with panicked eyes.
“My boyfriend has a question for you,” she shouts, shrugging at me.
“Thanks, girlfriend,” I say (and pretend it’s real) as I walk toward the man. “Hi. We were just in the neighborhood and had to stop. We are freaks for antiques.” I look back to Georgia, who is shaking her head and trying not to laugh. “Beautiful shop you have here. Are you the owner?”
“Yes, been open ten years.”
“That’s nearly a decade,” I say, wasting more time.
“Sure is,” he agrees.
“Is your name Lee Grayson?” Georgia says, now standing behind me.
“Why, yes,” he says, taking a closer look at us. “Do I know you two?”
“No, but I know someone you know,” I say, finally finding my words. “I’ve been helping an old friend of yours. His name is Ted London.”
Lee takes off his glasses. I can see a shake in his hand. “I see,” he says, leaning on the counter. “He lives here?”
“Just outside of Dallas, Mr. Grayson.”
“Please, call me Lee.”
“This is Georgia, and my name is Pony. I have some sad news. Ted is sick. Real sick.” My eyes water, but I fight it back. “He’s doesn’t have much longer, and I think he moved here to be near you.” Lee’s face has grown white. His eyes look busy. I continue, “And I think he’s going to kill me for doing this.”
“Honey, he will have your head for this,” Lee says, wiping his eyes. “That man is stubborn as a mule.”
I pick up the pen on the counter and scribble on a receipt. “Here’s his address. I don’t know the whole story between you and him, but I do know that he cares