Lori pulls back, sniffling. “Okay. You better have a guest room ready, because I’m visiting.”
Beth dries her cheeks. “I’m counting on it.”
Lori turns on me, arms folded. “And you—”
I arch a brow. “What about me?”
She fixes me with her most serious stare. “Take care of her, Jack. Promise.”
“I will. You don’t have to worry.”
That seems good enough. Lori hugs Beth once more, then steps back. “Go now, before I change my mind.”
We don’t linger. Beth swallows hard and forces a shaky smile. Soon, we’re on the highway, the city shrinking behind us.
The drive to Kansas unspools in silence at first. Beth watches the skyline dissolve, fingers twisting at the edge of her sweater. I let her be.
Halfway there, she finally speaks. “I never told my parents I was leaving.”
I keep my eyes fixed on the road. “Didn’t expect you to.”
Her voice is low. “They don’t deserve to know.”
I glance over. The set of her jaw, the way she curls in on herself, tells me everything. “Are you okay with that?”
For a while, she says nothing. Then she nods. “Yeah. I think so.”
I take her hand. She squeezes back. That’s enough.
Dusk stains the sky pink and gold as we arrive in Riverdale. Familiar streets ease something tight inside me. Beth looks out at Main Street’s mom-and-pop shops, the glowing diner sign, the hush that settles over it all.
She lets out a breath. “It’s quiet here.”
I smirk. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
She shakes her head. “No. I think I like it.”
We pull into my driveway. Beth sits for a moment, staring up at the house. It looks the same as when she left, but something’s different now. Her hands fidget in her lap.
“Ready?” I ask.
She draws a breath. “Yeah.”
Inside, she moves through the familiar rooms with new eyes. This time, she’s not a guest. This time, she’s staying.
We’re halfway through unloading when Henry’s truck rumbles up the drive.
“Well, well,” he says, climbing out with a grin. “Look who wandered back.”
Beth manages a small smile. “Hey, Henry.”
He pulls her in for a one-armed hug. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”
She stiffens, then relaxes. Something seems to settle in her.
I clear my throat. “You going to help unload or just stand there giving orders?”
Henry snorts. “Why mess with tradition?”
