Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
"So where do things stand between you and Stu?" my mother asks. It's close to midnight, but we're both sitting on my bed folding my clothes and packing them in their designated boxes.
"We're just going to see how things work out. Neither of us has done the long-distance thing before so . . . we'll see."
The doorbell rings before she can question me further. She looks at me, "You get it. You're younger and you move quicker, if it's some psycho you have a better chance of getting away." I throw a sock at her before I roll off the bed and head for the stairs.
I push a stack of boxes out of the way, before I swing the door open. When I see him standing on the other side, I have to swallow before I can speak. "Bruce."
"Can we talk?" he asks.
I step back and pull the door with me in silent invitation. Once I've closed the door he starts, "I know it's late, but I wasn't sure what time you were planning on leaving tomorrow, and I didn't want to miss you."
"I gave you a chance to talk this afternoon; you didn't take it."
"That's why –"
He stops, and we both turn, when we hear my mother coming down the stairs. "Amy? Who was at the – hello, Bruce."
He and I paste on smiles. "Hi, Mrs. Gray." My mother sees right through our act, and for once I'm glad that she's so perceptive. She won't stick around and make this more awkward.
"Amy, did you bring home more boxes?"
"They're in the kitchen, by the back door."
When she's out of ear shot, I walk into the living room. "Do you want to sit down?" I curl up in the overstuffed armchair by the fireplace, and he sits down on the sofa.
We're both silent for a while before he speaks. "You were right."
"About what?" I know exactly what he's talking about, but if he can't own up to it himself, there's no point in us having this conversation, and better to find out now.
"About me, having a problem with your leaving."