Forget Me Not, Books I, II and III

Someone to Watch Over Me

A throat cleared, parting their cloud of delight. Teddi pushed a Calvin away, panting to see Riley Wynne standing there, arms folded.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Calvin asked. Teddi wanted to know the same thing, but she was surprised at Calvin's harsh tone.

"Your little friends told me they'd seen you disappear in this direction," said Riley. Before either of them could respond, he went on, "You haven't been answering my phone calls."

"So you flew three thousand miles to confront me?" Bitterness laced his voice.

The older Wynne smirked at his brother then looked Teddi up and down. Calvin stepped in front of her and folded his arms across his chest definitely. "I would have been here sooner, but-"

"Your real life got in the way. So why don't you get back to it?"

Teddi stepped out from behind Calvin. "What's going on? I would say it's nice to see you, Riley, but I'm not sure this occasion calls for such a sentiment."

"Well, a real polished lady, you've got there, kiddo."

"Yeah, she uses nouns and verbs and everything," said Calvin, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

Riley laughed. "Don't you think this has gone on long enough?"

"This what?" Teddi asked.

"You and my brother, sweetheart? It's a joke. You don't really want him. You're using him to get back at Grandmother Donovan."

"Riley, I think you should go," said Calvin.

"Do you know what your father did to our father or are you just stupid?"

Calvin stepped closer to his brother, seething. "You must have come here because you want me to rip your face off."

Riley stepped back and looked directly at Teddi. "Calvin's been keeping a secret about you."

"What secret?" asked Teddi.

"Don't look at her," Calvin said, his voice low.

"He sure as hell won't tell me," said Riley. "What happened, kid? You're in jail one day, ready to spill your guts, then the next minute the little princess bats an eyelash and you forget all about it?"

"What is he talking about, Calvin?"

Through gritted teeth, Calvin said, "He's lying."

"Is he?" Teddi touched Calvin's arm. He wouldn't look at her. "Calvin, talk to me right now. What is he talking about?"

"Doc Jessup told him something about you and your family and Calvin clamed up right after you sprung him from jail. I called him that night. He said he was fine and would talk to me in the morning, but after that, nothing. What are you hiding?"

"The only reason you're not bleeding from your nose right now is because Teddi's here. I promised her I wouldn't do that to her again."

"Well, isn't she lucky? But what about you, Calvin? What's she doing for you? Turning you into a liar?"

"Tell me what he's talking about, please?"

Calvin finally looked at her. His eyes softening. "It's not important, honey. I promise."

"It obviously is or you wouldn't be acting like this."

"Teddi..."

"I can't stand it if you're lying to me about something, Calvin. My whole life people have been lying to me, but not you. You're supposed to be the one person I can trust."

"You can trust me," said Calvin.

"Then tell me now or tell me later. It's your choice."

"I can't. It's not that simple. Just let it go for now, please?"

Every insecurity, every part of the world that she did not understand surfaced at that moment, and it was because of Calvin. "I can't believe you're doing this to me." Ache swirled in her chest and a curtain of tears enveloped her eyes. She blinked them away but couldn't look at either of them.

Teddi turned to leave. Calvin reached for her arm, but she pulled it away and pushed through the thick trees back to the jamboree. Then a scream ripped through the night, clearing the haze of her thoughts without heed. "Grandmother," she whispered fearfully.

She saw a group of people huddled near the tables where she'd spotted her grandparents earlier. Panicked, Teddi rushed forward.

"What's going on?" she practically screamed at the first person who'd noticed her presence.

When no one answered her, she forced her way through the crowd and gasped when she saw a doctor hovering over a limp body splayed on the grass.

"Grandfather!"

She felt Calvin's presence hovering behind her, but she couldn't focus on him. Not now.

"Stand back, Miss Donovan," someone said to her, touching her shoulder. "He's had a heart attack. Just stay back."

She pushed the person's hand away roughly. "No. Grandfather. What's happening to him?" Teddi managed to kneel down beside him and gather his hand in hers. "Grandfather? Grandpa? It's me. Teddi. Open your eyes. Please."

"I'm sorry, Theodora," whispered the doctor. "It's too late."

Elizabeth Donovan's scream echoed through the village of Brookhurst. But Teddi did not hear it, nor did she see the old woman's knees give out, her fall halted only by the reverend's stabilizing hands. She only felt twisting agony in her heart as she dropped her head to her grandfather's chest and cried.