Cascade Falls by Bruce Ferber

Author:Bruce Ferber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rare Bird Books
Published: 2015-04-30T23:28:16+00:00

Now What?

Fresh off the high of Meteor Crater, Danny pulled into the nearest truck stop so they could grab something to eat. After placing their order with Bobbie, a bleached-blonde waitress with pumpkin-colored nicotine stains, Katie took out her phone for the first time since their escape from Applebee’s.

“You first,” she told Danny.

“Me first what?”

“Tell me how many messages you have.”

His phone was still in his pocket, turned off. “I don’t really want to look.”

Katie smiled, her theory being that their situation might not be so troubling if they could make it into some sort of game. “Here’s the thing. Should we count voicemails and texts only? Or do we throw emails in the mix? I’m guessing I’ve got you beat either way.”

“Let me get this straight. You want to make a contest out of seeing who has more people worrying about them?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Seems kind of sick.”

“I say I have a minimum of three from my boyfriend, four from my parents, and two from work. Think you can top that?”

“Katie, I’m not proud to have put the people I love in this situation.”

“So you concede?” She was determined to keep it light.

“If that what’s you want, sure.” He picked up the napkin under his silverware and waved the white flag.

“Aren’t we Mr. Party Pooper?”

“I just don’t get how tallying up who we’ve hurt is cause for celebration.”

“I’m not celebrating. But I’m not crying over it, either.”

“What if they’re crying?”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

“That’s a cliché. And on the off-chance it’s true, the reason they’d be crying is that you disappeared.”

This didn’t sit well. “Look, do I believe my boyfriend is going to be devastated by this? No, I don’t. In fact, he’ll probably just go and fuck my best friend, Leila, who he’s been obsessed with since forever. Do I think my parents will freak out because they haven’t heard from me? Sure. But maybe that’s their own fault for being up my ass about finding a real job and marrying some guy because he’s gonna be a doctor. Oh yeah, and they’d also like grandchildren, in case we’re making a list.”

Her point of view made some sense. Katie felt entitled to bail from an unsatisfying life, stifled by unfair expectations. But Danny? What gave any man permission to abandon children who loved him? Or even ones who didn’t? Did a rationalization exist that could justify a father skipping town? He wasn’t some kid in his twenties who’d mistakenly gotten a girl pregnant, but lacked the maturity to see it through. He had made a conscious, adult choice to become a husband and father. Now he was damaged and didn’t want his children to see him this way, but there were options he could have sought to get help. Had he checked into some sort of a facility, Maya could have explained that Daddy went away for a little bit and, while awaiting his return, they could have visited him wherever he was. But Danny had never considered such a path because his descent hadn’t been predicated on logic.

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