Chapter 4

Earl froze, as if the question had caught him off guard too.

I pressed down the ache rising in my chest.

"Just sleep."

When I woke the next morning, the bedroom was empty.

I didn't want to waste a thought on where Earl had gone. I was about to get up when a knock came at the door.

"Miss Summers, may I come in and talk with you?"

The moment she stepped inside, Clementine dropped straight to her knees in front of me.

"Miss Summers, I'm begging you—give me a chance to make things right."

"I know you've been with Earl for seven years, but you saw it yourself last night. What we have is something you could never come between."

"I came back to this country to make it all up to him. Please, I'm begging you, give me that chance."

I glanced at her.

"None of this is for me to hear."

"What's between me and Earl has nothing to do with you, and whatever's between the two of you is not something you need my opinion on."

"If you still want to say all this, then please leave. I don't care what goes on between you two."

Her eyes were red, swimming with pleading.

"Miss Summers, I really do mean well for you."

"Even if there's a misunderstanding between me and Earl right now, I believe he'll forgive me one day. He can't let me go."

"I don't want you to get hurt—"

I couldn't stand to listen anymore. I pulled the bedroom door open.

"Please leave."

Hearing the ultimatum, Clementine scrambled to her feet and came to my side, her voice turning almost frantic when she spoke again.

"Earl doesn't love you at all. What's the point of dragging this out? It only hurts all three of us."

"He and I have known each other since we were children. No matter how much you've helped him over the years, you'll never mean as much to him as I—"

She didn't get to finish before my hand cracked hard across her face.

"I don't care how earth-shattering your past was. Right now I'm Earl's girlfriend."

"Clementine, you have no right to say any of this to me."

Clementine held her cheek, ready to argue back, but Earl's furious shout exploded beside us.

"Faith Summers! What do you think you're doing!"

The instant she heard his voice, the tears came pouring out of Clementine again, in fat drops.

I looked toward the doorway and saw Earl standing there with breakfast in both hands.

From the bags, it was the soy milk and fried dough sticks from that place I loved best.

But right now his face was tight with panic, and he flung the food to the floor without a thought.

Soy milk splashed everywhere, and the fried dough sticks, already cut into little pieces, rolled off in every direction.

Earl rushed to Clementine's side, his eyes dark and cold as he took in the swollen red of her cheek.

After a moment, he turned and glared at me.

"What right do you have to raise a hand to her?"

I looked at his eyes, red with rage.

In that moment, the last taut string inside me finally snapped for good.

I lifted my head and met his gaze without flinching.

"Don't you hate her? Aren't you the one who doesn't love her anymore?"

"I only slapped her once. And already you can't bear it?"

Earl fired back almost the instant my words ended, without a second's hesitation.

"That's between me and her. You have no right to interfere!"

"I can treat her however I want, but no one else lays a finger on her."

"You included."

I'd already seen all of it laid bare yesterday.

And yet, hearing him say it now, my heart still gave a vicious throb of pain.

We were still locked in that standoff when Clementine's body swayed, as if she couldn't stay on her feet.

"Earl, my head's so dizzy. I think I caught a cold from the rain yesterday."

"Take me to the hospital? Please?"

Earl pulled his eyes away, scooped her up in his arms, and started for the door.

Watching the two of them walk away, I wanted to hold on to one last scrap of dignity.

Wasn't Earl trying to settle a debt with the boy he'd been eight years ago?

I wanted to settle one too—with the seven years I'd just spent.

"Earl. Don't go."

His steps halted, as if he were wavering.

Then, after a moment, I heard his strained voice.

"Faith, I'll give you an explanation."

"Wait for me at home."

With that, Earl didn't hesitate any longer. He walked straight out.

Without any warning, my tears fell before I could stop them.

I raised my eyes to the soy milk and dough sticks scattered across the floor.

Filthy. So filthy.

Filthy, just like Earl.

Breakfast no one could eat, and a lover who would never turn back.

Both of them garbage.

Earl Fox, goodbye.