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“What happened to the first one?”

My father’s mouth spreads into a slow, pained smile, and his eyes hold the familiar look of unrequited love

“She found someone else,” he says “She chose someone else In the end, I had to respect her choice I had to let her go, so I could choose soain, I never would’ve met your wonderful mother”

My throat constricts, and I pick at the polish of a chipped nail I can’t count how many second dates I’ve turned down, how round before they had a chance, all because a foolish part of me still had hope

“Listen, Blaire,” hteen-year-old boys say a lot of things that sound good in the irls I have no doubt that he loved you once But that was a lifetireat, second love”

The idea that someone exists out there, whoh effervescence again is both exhilarating and terrifying

Butbefore

He’s right Ten years is long enough It’s time to move on—truly move on—and find peace with the fact that some prayers are better left unanswered

“Think I’ to head on up to bed,” I say with a yawn “Thanks for the talk, Dad …”

I kiss the top of his forehead and rab a bottle of water before heading up to put an end to this surreal night

10

Wyatt

“Forgivethis, son” Ma Her floral robe is tied tight on her waist, her hair is a mess, and a fresh cup of coffee steams from her left hand “But you look like absolute shit”

I didn’t sleep ht, if that

I couldn’t stop wondering if there was so more I could’ve said to help ease sos I want to say and all the things she can’t know

“Why are you out here so early anyway?” she asks “You’re usually not bustling about until at least seven on Saturdays”

“Sohts on around here,” I say, half-teasing but mostly not

Whencould’ve prepared Mama for the financial mess he left behind He’d let his life insurance lapse and replaced it instead with aourselves out of ever since Over the years, Mama’s accountant advised her to liquidate—only there was nothing to liquidate The bank owned it all