Lochlan had to travel with Schuyler (ironic but it's business. I could be travelling too, with Ben but that would be personal, god forbid.) and so I am being handed from one keeper to the next, it seems. Ben is busy. PJ is tired. It happens. The rest don't like children, I think. They're all suddenly burdened with things to do.
And so today is Batman's turn. He has no idea what to do with me but he's cleared his day so he suggests shopping.
Uh. Okay? I'm guessing he needs some things and wants a woman's opinion. I should have told him to bring Daniel because I don't have any taste, good or bad unless it's black or covered with words or skulls or even better, both.
We wander around downtown for a little while. He shows me things that are not masculine at all and I finally ask who he's shopping for. He laughs and tells me I have a birthday coming in a few weeks.
You don't..I mean..you're not supposed to...
If I want to buy a good friend a present, I should be allowed to.
A good friend? I'm thinking...what in the hell does that even mean? It means we're still vaguely awkward. That's what it means.
This would have been easier before.
When I was younger?
Yes. I still remember your ripped underwear when I took your dress off you.
I turn around and walk back down the sidewalk because blushing. Because I was so young and clueless and didn't have nice things and probably had my shit together more than I do now. Take that, nice things. You're not helping matters. He catches up and steers me back around.
I just mean I wanted to buy you some things then but I knew that wouldn't go over well with Cole.
So you opened the account instead.
Yes. Do you still use it?
I've never touched it.
He stops and turns pale. Bridget, that money was for you to get what you need. Or to get away from Cole. It wasn't meant to save.
I'm figuring at this point everyone and their neighbor's dog had a bead on Cole and they all just either were afraid of him too or figured I would somehow magically get out on my own.
(Yeah. I did that. I did it. On my own. Okay, well, I stood behind Jake when I told Cole I was leaving but I still did it.)
If you want it back you can have it.
Of course not. How much is there?
I tell him and he becomes angry. Did he keep you from using it?
He never knew about it.
Why didn't you take what you needed?
I had money from Caleb.
Ah yes. Had I known at the time-
Had you known what?
Had I known you were spending time with Caleb with such regularity I would have intervened.
You know something? Maybe we should go home. I have a lot of chores to do and I know you're a very busy man.
I'm not to busy to spend a day with you, Bridg-
Like I said. I have chores.
Asher was supposed to fix all of that so you would never be too busy to spend the day with me.
Life never works out how you plan for it to.
No, no, it does not.
What did you want out of life? What were your plans?
Twenty years ago I probably could have easily answered that, Bridget. Now I'm not so sure. But I think maybe it's time I had a little talk with Caleb and see what his plans are.
Is there any point now?
Am I twenty years too late?
Thirty.
