Page 58 of True Blue

A vaguely mentioned high school girlfriend he broke up with before college.

A college girlfriend he was off and on with for four years, toxic enough that Luke and Heath had to practically drag him out of the cycle of forgiving her for cheating, and then her cheating on him again.

Then me.

Teddy always tells me I’m the love of his life, that he’s going to marry me, and I believe him.

But I can’t lie that it doesn’t hurt to have his ex-girlfriend here, in his house, completely adored by his mother, who hates me.

“Oh my God,” Colleen says, pressing a hand to her chest. “That was adorable.”

“Colleen, hand me the photo album there.”

“Mom, come on, can we just—” Teddy starts, but gets cut off.

“This is going to be precious!” June squeals.

“They were such cute little kids,” Robin says, sipping from her wine. “And now look at them. Teddy’s grown into such a handsome man⁠—”

“And Lily, you are just so beautiful,” Dawn cups her chin. “Like a little china doll.”

Lily preens under the praise, trying for demure.

A bright red Teddy sends me an apologetic smile across the room.

“Mom,” Teddy says, firmer this time.

She ignores him.

And I stand at the edge of the room as everyone gathers around Dawn, Lily, and Teddy, reminiscing over times I know nothing about.

It isn’t a new feeling—being the outsider, the one left out of the joke. When it happens often enough, you get used to it. That doesn’t mean it stops hurting when you realize there is no way in.

Teddy nods at the appropriate times and smiles tightly as his mother, Colleen, his aunts, and their friends go through memories.

Lily looks like she’s having the time of her life being the center of attention.

And I hate how the focus has been pulled away from the person who died.

Ellie.

June, Robin, Colleen, and Dawn’s friends speak over each other as Dawn flips through the photo album, turning the photos around to show everyone. Little Teddy, with his big smile, his clear green eyes with dark lashes around them, smiling, his arm around little Lily, adorable and sweet.

And it kills me that as I look at them then, and as I look at them now, they do look good together.

“Look at these little sweethearts!” Dawn coos,

“Adorable!”

“So sweet!”

“Precious!”

“Aw, I remember my first love…”

My breathing shortens, my heart pounds harder and harder as people celebrate the reunion of Teddy and Lily like they’re long-lost loves, and I am just… there.

I turn and walk out of the room, up the stairs, taking the path I took a week and a half ago.