Page 63 of Grown

The sliding glass door opens behind me and I catch a whiff of his cologne. He plops next to me, bottle in hand, and I can’t hold the question in any longer.

“Did you really work with that girl?”

He rolls his eyes. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why all these secrets? Thought you said we didn’t have secrets?”

He sighs. “I didn’t want to tell you this ’cause I didn’t want you blaming yourself or nothing.”

“Huh? Why would I blame myself?”

“She’s... jealous. She’s seen us perform, knows we’re gearing up to do an album... but she wasn’t as talented as you. Icould only help her so much. That’s why she’s jealous. Of you, of what we have. So she’s hurting me, to hurt you.”

This is all because of me? It doesn’t make sense.

“Were you two... together? Like us?”

“No! No, of course not. We... we’re different.”

He must read the skepticism on my face.

“You don’t believe me, do you?”

I want to believe him. My heart longs to believe him... but then I think of the ice bucket and my emotions lock down. Wish I could just wish the thoughts away.

“I know I’ve... made some mistakes. But love ain’t no fairy tale, ain’t no Disney movie. Love... REAL love... is complicated. It’s hard. It’s gonna hurt some days. Then some days it’s not.”

His face cracks, and he breaks down crying, falling to his knees as he sobs.

“I don’t know why they coming for me like this! After all I’ve done! I’m a good man! Take care of my fans, give to the poor... what more do they want from me?”

I’ve never seen a man cry. Never seen someone so broken. It’s a strange, unbalanced puzzle. I hold my chair arms, glancing at the ocean just to anchor myself.

“If they ever arrest me... I can’t go to prison. It’d kill me. Just kill me. I’ll kill myself!”

He clambers around me, wiping his wet face on my stomach.

“You’re all I have, Bright Eyes. It’ll just be me and you. I swear, we’ll record your album and then maybe... maybe we can go somewhere. Live by the beach. Watch Disneymovies, eat popcorn, and make music. That’s all I want. OK? Is that OK?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“But you gotta promise you won’t ever leave me, Enchanted. Promise it’ll just be me and you. You’ll protect me and I’ll protect you. Together, forever.”

He gathers me up in his arms, clutching my back, his body shaking. A fresh wave of love washes over my heart. No one has ever needed me like this before. Maybe the Littles, but this feels so much more... desperate.

I look over at the ocean, at what was once my home, so close yet so far, then back at Korey. My new home.

“I promise.”

Chapter 44

Grown

Voice mail #1:Enchanted? It’s Mommy, give me a call.

Voice mail #2:Enchanted? It’s Mom. Again. I’ve been calling you for the past three days and the only way I know you alive is because of your Instagram. Call me back.

Voice mail #3:Enchanted? It’s Mommy. What’s going on?