the table. Sally is flipping pancakes and supplying them to the pile on the table between the men.
“Good morning, sunshine! Why don’t you take a seat there and help yourself to some breakfast?” Sally is all cheer and joy as usual. Reed is staring at his food but not speaking. If the others have noticed a change in his behavior, they’re not making it apparent.
Reed’s packed bag is by the door.
“Thank you, Sally; this looks great!” I say, trying to match her chirpiness as I sit down beside Reed. Today, he’s not reaching for me or touching me or holding my gaze like he did yesterday. In the matter of one night, everything has changed between us.
I know he has no reason to be mad at me. He is mad at the world and mad at his circumstances. He has no time to think about me.
Over breakfast, Sally and Matthew chatter some more and promise to come up to Chicago to visit us soon. Reed sticks to just eating his food and drinking his coffee, and then he gets up and puts on his jacket.
It’s his cue that it’s time to go.
“Oh, are you leaving already?” Matthew asks, standing up too.
I’m only halfway through my breakfast, but I put the dishes away.
“Stay a little bit longer? We’ll have an early lunch,” Sally suggests.
“We have to go. I have some important…sales calls to make this evening. I want to be home before then.” Reed’s voice is neutral.
I smile at Sally and Matthew, hoping they won’t take this too hard. They’re going to have to go through losing Reed all over again.
More pleasantries are exchanged as we walk to the front door. Reed is carrying both our bags and he rushes out to load up the car across the road. I stand back, turning to his aunt and uncle with warmth.
“Thank you for everything you did for us this weekend. Truly,” I say. I didn’t want to speak for Reed, but these are genuine emotions I am feeling towards them.
Sally pulls me in for a hug; it is tight and wholesome and I hug her back. Reed comes back towards us, but it seems like he is keeping his distance. Like he doesn’t want to go through the trouble of hugging.
Thankfully, they don’t try and push it on him, either.
“Hey, you should give us your phone number or address or something, so we can keep in touch. We’ll plan a trip up to Chicago immediately!” Matthew suggests.
I feel my heart sink. What is Reed going to do? Give him some fake information?
“I’ll send everything across to you over a text message later tonight. Ella has your details,” Reed says, and Matthew nods. He is happy with that answer.
I wave to them one last time, and we cross over to the car. Matthew has thrown an arm around his wife and pulled her close to him. My hand shakes a little as I open the door and sit down beside Reed.
He is stone-faced. He doesn’t even give them another look. He is ready to go and determined to do so.
I wave at them out of the car window as we drive away. In the rearview mirror, I can see them still standing there. Matthew is holding Sally close. They’re straining to follow the path of the car.
I wish we could have given them something more. Done something for them. They opened up their home to us, rushed us into their lives. Even though they are not related to me, I am feeling grateful to have met them.
Reed is silent, and I realize we haven’t directly spoken to each other since last night. I turn to look at him. He knows I’m giving him a stare, but it doesn’t seem to make him uncomfortable.
“You know you’re doing exactly what your mom did,” I say.
“What?” he snaps—brows furrowed, lips sealed shut. He isn’t happy about that remark but I’m not going to take it back now.
“You’re abandoning your family, leaving everything behind, just like she did,” I reply.
Reed turns to glare at me. If I didn’t actually know him, I would think he is a dangerous man.
“You don’t know anything about me, Ella. You don’t know anything about my family, either.”
I sit back in the seat and look out the window. Honestly, I don’t want to look at him. I don’t want to coax a conversation out of him, either. I am quite happy to sit silently here for the rest of the car ride.