Page 130 of Cockpit
I can barely get the words out as I hiccup over the sob. He’s going to save someone. He’s taking a risk.
Just not on me.
I force myself to drive. I turn south to head out of Sunnyville, a woman so very different from the one who drove into the town a little over five months ago.
“What’s this?” I pull a white bag out of Luke’s backpack as I empty out his stuff. Luke’s grin grows as he runs over to me and snatches the bag from my hands. “Whoa, dude, where’s the fire?” I laugh before falling onto the couch with a sigh.
It’s been a long ass day. First the shift. Then getting Luke from my parents’ place. And now the whole bedtime routine.
Oh, yeah, and trying to avoid thinking about Sidney when all I want to do is drive over there and see her. But . . . clean break. It’s best this way. For both of us.
Maybe if I keep saying it, I’ll start to believe it.
“Miss Sidney brought this to me today at school.”
“She what?” Now that got my attention.
“She came to say goodbye.”
I rise from my seat as if in protest. “She what?” I repeat, not wanting to believe my ears but definitely hearing the sudden rush of my pulse in them.
Luke gives me a funny look. “She said she’ll be back for the party but that she had to go for now.”
I stare at my son and wonder how he’s taking this news better than I am.
She left? For like good, left?
“Oh. My. God. Holy. Cow.”
“What?” His utter astonishment pulls me from my confused thoughts as I look over to him and see his eyes wide and jaw lax. “What is it?”
“She . . . she had a Block made just like me.”
I feel like I’m walking through a fog.
She left.
“A what? Luke, what are you talking about?”
“She had a Minecraft figure made to look just like me. A Steve Block, but I guess it’s a Luke Block.” His laughter makes me hurt even more. “It even has a shirt like my favorite one.”
She left me.
“There’s something in here with your name on it, Dad. Do you want it?”
She left us.
I grab the letter from Luke more forcefully than I should have, but I don’t think twice before tearing it open to find her handwriting.
Grayson,
I wasn’t sure how else to leave, but I knew I couldn’t go without saying goodbye. I figured this might be the best way since we all but said goodbye the other night at the hangar.
Walking away is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but I know it’s probably for the best. You aren’t ready to forget your past, and I’m not willing to give up my future on the chance that you might. You aren’t ready to make that choice and choose me. We were good together, though, weren’t we?
I learned so many things about myself in the time I spent with you, and I’ve left a changed person. For that, I owe you.
Thank you for the time we shared. For the memories we made. For the friendship you gave me even though I know sometimes you looked at me and saw someone else.
