Chapter 17: Chapter 17

“You know you don’t have to go tonight if you don’t want to, right? If it’s going to be too hard, you don’t have to do it.”

“I can’t not go at this point, Charlie. Look. I’m all dressed up.” I gestured to my red gown which fell at my feet. “I already said I would go and everything. If I don’t show up, people will talk. And besides, what better things do I have to do? Cry? Grieve?”

I choked on my own words. I tried to avoid thinking about Young June, and how, by letting her down, I had let myself down. I let Eloise down. But I didn’t know how to fix things at this point. Maybe this was it. Maybe we were truly broken.

“If you wanted to do those things, that’s okay.”

“I don’t. I think I’d feel worse, honestly.”

“Then at least let me take you over there.” He waved the keys to his Pontiac in front of my face.

I smiled. “Yeah, you can drive me. That would be nice.”