My Spy 6: Private Eye

Past and Present

Ryan and I were strolling through Central Park, hand in hand when the phone call came. I pulled him out of a rollerblader's way and dragged him over to an empty metal park bench as my phone sat shrieking in my hand. With wide eyes, I look at Ryan and ask, "Do I answer it?" 

"I don't know," Ryan replies, equally panicked. I see my mother's number flashing and I only have seconds to decide whether or not to answer it. I decide I'm not ready to face her so I let it go to voicemail. We both stare at the phone, waiting for the ping. I know there's no way she'll call and not leave a voicemail since she's been trying to get ahold of me for a few weeks now. I've shot off texts saying I was alive, but I've kept my whereabouts vague. I dart my eyes to Ryan and wonder if our perfect day is about to be ruined. 

I know I have to face Momma at some point, we now have a plan to drive back to Hollis at the end of the week. I can't show up after almost a month and pretend nothing has changed. I've been avoiding her and I keep blaming the time change, but my charade is up. 

Ryan and I had planned to show up in Hollis, I would speak to my momma alone and tell her that I did in fact fly to New York after Ryan was shot, we reconciled and he proposed. That's where I was going to leave it. I'd let her plan a wedding if she demanded I have one or if she was so pissed, I was already married, so I'd be totally fine if she didn't want to throw a big shin-dig.

 But now, with that letter, she's going to know I am more than engaged. I don't think Austin or Margot has spilled our secret, so she may be under the impression that I am married to Sebastian. She has no idea that I have neither seen nor spoken to him in almost a month. 

We hear the ping and I pull the phone up to our ears. We are in a quieter part of the park, away from traffic and tourists so we can hear her on speakerphone say, "Sawyer, I just received a very confusing letter from Horace Crump that I'd like to discuss with you. I know it's only six p.m where you're at so I'll continue to ring your phone until you answer. I have nothing better to do today darlin'." She hangs up and I sigh out, not realizing I had been holding my breath. 

"So she does think you're in Waterford," Ryan finally says and I nod. I slump against the bench and look at the trees above me. I can feel Ryan looking at me and I can't imagine what's going on in his head. I didn't think I was going to have an anxiety attack until I was pulling back up my driveway.

I roll my head to look at him and reply, "Do you think I can just text her and say, be home Friday, chat then?" 

"She might get on a plane and hunt you down if you don't start talking darlin'," Ryan says and I know he's right. She won't leave this alone. She's probably trying to get a hold of Austin. My eyes widen and I sit up straight while looking at Ryan, "She has Sebastian's number!"

 "What?" Ryan snaps.

 "I used her phone once to call him because my phone was dead and then I saved his number in her phone! She knows it's in there too!" I whine before putting my head in my hands. Ryan scoots over on the bench and pulls my hands from my face.

"We were going to have to face the music sometime." 

"Yes, just that I was engaged. Not married! And I didn't have a prenup signed so she's gonna have a shit fit!" I tell him and I catch his frown. I know he doesn't want to get into the financial side of this again. He keeps avoiding it altogether.

My ringing phone snaps my gaze from him to my hand. A number I never thought would appear on my caller ID again shows up and Ryan pulls away from me. I have to know what my momma said, so I answer.

"Hello." 

"Sawyer," Sebastian says coolly.

 "Uh, hi Sebastian," I reply awkwardly and Ryan won't look at me.