Page 115 of Never Forget
Her face changed.
"In the clouds."
"Oh, Jamie."
I set the toast down.
I'd told her everything on the phone while I was driving over. The parking lot. The letter. The key. Jack. Bryce. All of it. She'd been quiet a long time on the other end and then she'd saidget your ass over here.
She reached across the table and put her hand over mine.
"I want to say something and I want you to not interrupt."
"Okay."
"That bitch."
I didn't answer.
"Thatbitch,Jamie."
She squeezed my hand, then let it go and sat back. Her hands went flat on the table, which was how she sat when she was deciding how much she was going to say.
"She opened a wound and she poked a bruise. She took Bryce, Jack, and she put them in a parking lot in front of you with your groceries in the trunk. She knew exactly what she was doing. Don't let me ever hear you say she didn't."
"Meg."
"No. I have been sitting in this house for an hour thinking about this and I am telling you. She picked the two things that would make you run. At the same time. On purpose."
"She wasn't lying about Jack."
"I know."
"If she wasn't lying about Jack, how do I know what else she wasn't lying about?"
"You don't know what else shewaslying about. But Jamie, I've known Sam Reeves since he was seven years old. That man has loved you his whole life. I don't know about the letter, or the key. I don't know the details of any of that. But I know what I've been watching for years, and Amber Henderson does not get to hand you this corrupted image of him in a parking lot and have that be the one that counts."
"She knew enough to cut."
"Yes. She knew where to cut. That's not the same thing as being right."
I didn't answer.
"And listen." Her voice softened. "Rosie has already lost her father. Don't let Amber take Sam from her too. Just talk to him. I think you've taken enough time already. Hear him out. And if it turns out Amber was right, I know where he lives and I know how to use a bat. You don't have to do any of the hard work, Jamie."
Something in me almost laughed. It came out as a short wet breath.
Megan squeezed my hand one more time.
"Eat your toast."
Sam's building caught the afternoon sun the way it always did, white stucco turning gold along the side where the magnolias grew. I sat in the car with my hands on the wheel for a long minute and looked up at it.
I think you've taken enough time already. Hear him out.
Don't let Amber take Sam from her too.
Megan was right. I'd sat with it long enough. I'd been angry, scared, embarrassed and exhausted. But somewhere along the way, the edge of that anger had dulled into something softer, and I could listen now. I owed him that much.
