Chapter 21: Saved by the Gypsy Prince
Evylynn's POV:
We sat around the small table in Mr. Brown's bakery. Each of us with a cuppa in front of us, while Mrs. Brown served us another batch of fresh scones. No one spoke, Rose just glared at Theo from across the table.
"How dare you." She muttered.
"I wasn't planning on seeing any of you. I didn't want too. I just wanted to show Ev where I came from. I will hide nothing from her." Theo said.
"You had no intention of seeing your father?" She responded, her tone full of doubt.
"Why on earth would I want to see the man that took me from my family, and raised me away from my mother?" Theo said, hands clutching the teacup so hard in front of him that I was terrified that it would shatter.
"If I may speak..." I said before being interrupted once again.
"How dare you speak so ill of the man that loved you."
"I don't have to listen to this," Theo uttered standing and walking away. I watched his back for a moment before turning to Mr. Bennett.
"He's not ready now, but maybe one day soon he will be."
"Keep him away from us." Rose snarled at me and stood. I blinked in shock before turning to Mr. Bennett. Who stared at Theo's back for a moment before going to stand too. My heart sank as he whispered, "Maybe it's time I let go of the thought of us being a family again and hold true to those who want me around."
"He's got a lot of healing to do," I started, but Rose raised her hand to shush me, before turning towards the door. Mr. Bennett was fishing through his pockets when Theo came back to the table.
"Don't bother, we don't need you to pay for anything for us," Theo said, slamming some money onto the table, and turning to me. I opened my mouth, "Not now Evylynn. Gus is here. It's time to go home, where we belong." I felt my eyes brim but turned to watch Mr. Bennett as he stared out the door at Gus's car.
"He came for you once you know. I never told you. But they came in the night and Margorie begged me for you. She reeked of alcohol. That man was with her, he offered me a large sum of money to return you to her. But, but I couldn't send you with her. I wanted you to have a normal life, even if I had to fight like hell to pay the bills to give you that life. Then you ran away to them the first chance you got. This is goodbye Theo, I love you but I won't watch you destroy yourself. I watched her do it, I won't watch you too." Mr. Bennett said.
"Don't worry I won't be back. I hate this perfect little town, with its perfect little white well, and all the people in it." Theo said. Pure malice filled his tone. He turned to grab my arm.
"Let's go Ev." I heard from the door that stood open, letting the snow and draft in, Henry and Gus stood there watching the scene play out. Theo's arm gripped mine, and he pulled me towards the door. I turned to look back at Mr.Bennett but his eyes were on Gus. Mrs. Brown cleared her throat from behind Theo.
"You're always welcome here. Take these for the journey back." She said warmly, gripping the handle of a covered basket. I smiled generously at her, even though Theo was as stiff as a board next to me. I took the basket with a warm smile despite the coldness of all those around me. She smiled back a genuine smile. I squeezed her hand before turning to Theo, his eyes studied me as he took the basket and my arm and led me out the door into the cold and back into the future. Maybe Theo was right, maybe it was time to leave the past in the past and live in the future we had together.
"Ya had to come all the way out to sam hell didn't ya." Henry joked as they made their way to the car.
"What of Theo's car?" I asked Gus, ignoring Henry all together.
"It will start in a few days when the cold front passes. We'll send someone to get it. In the meantime, he can use his other car." Gus replied not making eye contact. "Other car?" I turned to Theo surprised, but he didn't respond. He just looked back at me. Pondering. I wish I could get into his head.
"Ya didn't know he was well off? He's a James. Ya should have known better. He has a house too. Not that he ever stays there since you've been around and helped with the kids." Henry responded cheerily. How he managed to stay so cheerful was a work of art, especially with his life falling apart around him. Wait, house?
"You have a house?!" I turned once again to Theo.
"I have a lot of things. We'll stay there sometime when you have an evening off. It's your house too." He said, not looking at me but at the basket in the car. I sighed climbing in feeling Gus's eyes on me in the rear view, but I never looked up at him. I turned instead to the basket and opened the top. Squealing in delight at all the goodies inside. I grabbed an envelope tucked into the side next to the goodies. I grew quiet as I opened it. Covering my mouth with my hand before I turned to Theo.
"What?" Theo asked, glancing down at the pages in my hand as I tried and failed not to start crying. I handed him the papers. He read the first page slowly and again and again. It read, "You're always welcome here, but. in case you don't come visit, here's the scone recipe. I hope your life is full of light and happiness." He flipped the page to the scone recipe and turned to me handing the pages back and turning to stare out the window at the small town fading into the distance. Maybe some things shouldn't stay in the past, maybe some things were meant to come with us, I thought smiling down at the recipe.