Chapter 64: Mitch

Skylar called her mother, who told her that Gavin had taken Bijou to his grandfather’s cabin. “I’ll go get her right now,” said Skylar. “And I’ll call you once she’s safely with me.”

“I’m coming too.” Anticipating an argument, I added, “She’s my daughter, Sky. You can’t stop me.”

Skylar pursed her lips, ready to shoot me down, but before she could, Magda chimed in. “I also want to come.”

Even though my head was still pounding I spun toward her. “No,” I told Magda. “That’s a bad idea.”

“Mitch…” Her voice was even, overly patient, like she was speaking to a small child. “You can’t keep shutting me out. Remember our plan.”

“What plan?” Skylar asked.

“Mitch promised that we’d move back to Florida with Bijou,” Magda answered.

I turned back toward Skylar, feeling stuck between them. “That’s not entirely true,” I said.

“When did you make her this promise?” Skylar asked, her face all pinched. “Was it before or after my sister died?”

“After. But I don’t know exactly when,” I told her honestly. “Everything has been so confused. I can’t always remember what I’m agreeing to.”

“Give me a break,” Magda said. “Estás conmigo o no?”

Was I with her or not? Weeks ago, I’d told Skylar that if she didn’t love Gavin, she should break things off. But I hadn’t followed my own advice. With my shoulders sagging, I faced Magda. “Lo siento. Pero se acabó.” I watched as her face fell, knowing I needed to repeat myself in English, so Skylar could bear witness. “We’re over, Magda.”

I didn’t have time for Magda’s tears, or to make the apologies I most likely owed her. Instead, I kissed her on the cheek, wished her a safe flight back to Florida, and then as quickly as possible, Skylar and I were in her car. She broke the speed limit driving to the cabin, which was isolated, with no driveway and no parking.

“Wait here,” Skylar said. “It’s better if I just go. I’ll hike up to the cabin and get Bijou, but if I’m not back in forty-five minutes, call the police.”

“Hell, no,” I said. “I’m coming with you.”

“Mitch, I think that’s a bad idea.”

“I think it’s a bad idea that the guy who tried to murder me this morning is alone with my daughter this afternoon. I’m coming with you and you can’t stop me.”

Skylar puffed out air through her nose but said nothing. She started walking and I followed. We travelled through the snowy terrain and to keep my panic at bay I thought about how long ago the earth may have resembled a giant snowball, covered in an ice that was called “the big freeze.” Now I could pick up a handful of snow, mold it into a sphere, and throw it against a tree. It would shatter, just like my world would shatter if Gavin hurt Bijou.

Finally, we reached the cabin and Skylar put her index finger to her mouth, as if to quiet me, though I’d been silent. She pointed, gesturing that I should stand off to the side, so Gavin wouldn’t immediately see me when he opened the door. I did what she wanted, and then she knocked on his door.

“Gavin? It’s me, Gavin. Are you there?”

After a moment, the door opened and I heard Gavin’s voice. “Hey,” he said. “This is a surprise. How’d your Brontë test go?”

“I think it went okay,” she answered. “At least it’s over. Can I come in?”

From where I stood I’d been able to see Skylar, shifting her weight in Gavin’s doorway. But then he opened the door wider, she entered, and the door slammed behind her. I stood there, the icy wind cooling me on the outside and my anger heating me from within. How long should I wait before I just burst into that cabin?

“Poor Mitch,” Jo Beth said, and I started at her sudden appearance. “Nothing ever completely makes sense to you, does it?”

I whispered my reply. “Tell me what to do, Jo Beth. Give me some answers.”

She laughed softly. “Oh, Babe, I wish I had answers. Tell you what… I know now that you’re not responsible for my death. Does that make you feel better?”

My relief at hearing this was so great that I reached for her, to hug and spin her around. Of course, my arms just grabbed at air and we both laughed at my stupidity. “How’d you figure it out?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Some things are better left unexplained.” Her face turned serious. “But Mitch, just because you didn’t kill me doesn’t mean you don’t still owe me. I died a seriously flawed person, but I was trying to be better. Now I need you to be the best version of yourself—for Bijou and for Skylar.”

“I’m not sure how to do that, Jo Beth.”

“Of course you aren’t. I mean, are you ever sure about anything?”

I considered this like it was the question for the ages. “I thought I was sure about you and me, that we should be together. Even when I found you in bed, clutching that knife, I still thought we could be happy. And then when you died, I was sure my life was over too.”

“But it’s not.”

“It almost was. Without you, I would have died this morning. Tell me how I’m supposed to get by without you.”

She gave me that sad smile of hers and somehow, I knew that it would be the last time I’d ever see it. “It’s simple, Babe. Don’t be afraid of who you are.”

Then she was gone, like she’d melted into the snow.

I thought it was a fitting resting place.