"What?" said Curtis.
"I told you that if you left the hospital, we would be done. I gave you a choice, and you chose to be a hero instead of a father. That's your choice, but remember that you made it."
"Melanie," said Curtis, "you don't understand."
"I spoke with Amber while you were gone," said Melanie. "You know what? Everything she told me about your relationship hit just a little too close to home."
"Melanie, I didn't have a choice."
Melanie sighed. "That's what you don't get, Curtis. You have a choice. You're free to do whatever you want. But I want someone to be a father to my daughter, not a hero to strangers."
"Melanie--"
"I'll let you see your daughter, Curtis," said Melanie, "but don't expect to be involved. I want you out of the house before I get home. I'll send you the divorce papers within a week. Now, if you don't mind, can you leave me alone? I want to spend some quality time with my daughter."
"Melanie," said Curtis, "are you serious?"
"Doctor!" shouted Melanie.
The door opened, and Dr. Patel opened the door.
"Can you take away Curtis?" she said with a smile.
"Melanie," pleaded Curtis, "please just tell me you aren't serious. I didn't realize that you were going to follow through on it."
"I'm sorry, Curtis," said Melanie. "Goodbye."
Curtis slowly stood, feeling numb. He waited for a few seconds, then turned and walked to the door.
Dr. Patel was holding Sophie in the doorway. Curtis looked back at Melanie, silently pleading for her to reconsider. She crossed her arms and looked away.
Curtis leaned over and kissed Sophie on the forehead. His daughter reached out for him, but Curtis shook his head. Sophie recoiled her arms, as though she could understand something else was going on.
"See you around, kiddo," he whispered to his daughter.
He kissed her once more, turned back to see that Melanie was still looking away from him with her arms crossed, then left the room.
The door closed behind him, and it sent a shiver through his entire body.
Chapter 66
Curtis checked out of the hospital that evening. He couldn't handle being there anymore. He had tried to talk to Melanie again, but she had made it clear she didn't want anything to do with him.
He walked out the front door of the hospital, a bottle of painkillers in his pocket. He popped a few pills into his mouth and walked to his car.
He climbed into his car and turned the key. The engine came to life.
He turned on the air conditioning as high and as cold as it would go and blasted the local rock station.
He looked up at the hospital as he pulled out of the parking lot.
He sighed.
He pulled onto a busy road. He drove to his house and walked inside. He grabbed a few things from his closet before he felt like he couldn't handle being there anymore.
He haphazardly tossed the clothes and personal belongings he had gathered into the back of the car.
He drove away from the house, looking back at it longingly.
He drove for a dozen minutes before realizing he didn't know where he was going. He was absentmindedly heading to the FBI headquarters, but he didn't know what use going there would be.
He drove past the FBI offices without going inside and kept driving.
Another fifteen minutes later, he pulled up to Frankie's house. He supposed that he could sleep there for a few nights while he figured out other arrangements.
He parked and climbed out of the car.
He knocked on the front door. He heard giggling and laughter coming from inside.
A few moments later, the front door opened. Will was mid-laugh and holding a glass of wine in his hand. He turned to Curtis and smiled at him. He looked slightly drunk.
"Curtis!" he said with a broad smile, "Great to see you!"
"Hey, Will," said Curtis, "do you mind--what's happening?"
"Oh, you know," said Will with a laugh. "Frankie and I are having a nice night in. You know how it is."
"Who is it?" shouted Frankie from the living room, also sounding somewhat buzzed.
"Never mind," said Curtis, taking a few steps back and feeling like he had intruded on something he didn’t want to ruin. "You guys enjoy your night."
"Curtis!" said Frankie, walking up behind Will. "What's up?"
"Nothing," said Curtis, turning on his heel. "Have a good night."
He turned and walked back to his car before they could say anything else. He pulled out onto the road and looked back at them. As the front door to the house closed, he saw Will pull Frankie close as they looked deep into each other eyes.
Then the door closed.
Curtis sighed.
He couldn't interrupt Frankie and Will looking happier with one another than he'd seen them in years. He didn't want to ruin the rekindling of their marriage because of the deterioration of his own.
The problem now, however, was that he didn't know where else he could go.
So, he drove with no destination.
He needed the time to clear his head.
He pulled onto the highway and drove. The air conditioner blasted cold air onto his face, and the rock music on the radio drowned out any sounds.
As he drove, the sun set, the streetlights on either side of the road turned on, the traffic thinned, and the roads became less well-maintained.
He drove until the houses on either side of the road were hundreds of yards apart.
Curtis finally realized where he was driving.
He looked up at the street in his headlights. He knew that something was about to appear on his right.
And then there it was.
The sign indicating he was entering the small town of Blind River, New York.
He drove into the town, past the motel where he and Frankie had stayed, past the prison where Sam Marino had been held, past a dozen other locations he associated with memories both good and bad, and finally, he pulled into the driveway of a single story house behind a battered up car.
He got out of the car and walked up to the front door. He checked his watch. It was almost midnight, but he could hear a television inside.
He knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
"Curtis?"
Monica, Curtis's sister, stood in the doorway, wearing pajamas.
"Hey, Monica," said Curtis. "Do you mind if I stay here for a few days?"
Monica frowned, looking him up and down. Then she sighed.
"Sure," she said. "Come on in."
To be Continued. . .
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Untitled
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Thanks for Reading
About the Author
Thanks for Reading
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Other Books by Ben Follows
The Absence of Screams
The Compound
The Other Side of Goodbye
About the Author
Ben Follows graduated from McGill University with a degree in history and economics. He lives in the Greater Toronto Area.
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BenFollows.com
BenFollowsbooks@gmail.com