The Truce

Chapter 8

On Saturday, Scott took me out to lunch and then to the used bookstore, where he said he'd buy me three books. As all of my money from working over the summer was set aside for college, I didn't have any extra for things like nonessential books, so I was thrilled. It just took forever to narrow down my choices to three.

Scott was great. Normally, he grew impatient when I took too long in the bookstore and wasn't shy about saying so. Today, he didn't utter a word of complaint. I guessed he was trying extra hard to make up for not picking me up on Monday.

The bookstore was on the same street as the art supply store. Scott didn't mention needing to go, but he always did, so I told him to go ahead and get whatever he needed. The art supply store was as exciting to me as the bookstore was to him, so I was glad we did my thing first so I had something to do while I waited on the bench outside.

I was in the middle of the first chapter when a woman's laugh pulled my attention away. When I looked up, I saw Sebastian's dad with some woman clinging to his arm who was definitely not Sebastian's mom. They were smiling and holding cups from the coffee shop on the corner.

Dumbfounded, I watched the two of them until Mr. McBride spotted me. Having been caught, my face reddened and I thought about running away.

Mr. McBride stared at me for a second, trying to place me before he remembered. "Michaela?" he said coming over to stand in front of me. "I almost didn't recognize you. You're all grown up!"

I forced a smile, wondering what was wrong with him. Did he have no shame at all?

He turned to his companion, who was still inappropriately clinging to a married man's arm out in public, and explained. "Michaela and Sebastian used to be inseparable. Practically since they were born, you couldn't find one without the other. It was like having an extra kid of our own. They used to coordinate their Halloween costumes and we had to coordinate Christmas with Michaela's family since neither of them would let us start opening presents unless the other one was there."

It was weird the way the woman acted as if that were the sweetest thing - as if she actually knew Sebastian and cared about his life.

He looked at me again. "I'm glad I ran into you actually." He dug in his pocket for a second before pulling out an envelope. "Would you mind giving this to Sebastian?" He held it out to me. "I'm leaving on a last minute business trip in a few hours and I won't get to see him for our usual visit. I'm going to call him, but I want him to have that before I'll be able to get it to him myself."

Usual visit? Didn't he live with him? I tried to remember seeing him recently, but I couldn't. Long ago, I got in the habit of not looking at Sebastian's house if I could help it. His dad had always worked a lot, though, so even if I'd been looking, I might not have seen him.

"I don't think..." I tried to refuse, but Mr. McBride shoved the envelope in my hand anyway.

"I know you two weren't so close for a while there, but his mother mentioned that you'd finally made up. I'm glad. The divorce has been hard on him. Even more so now that Jamie and I are engaged. It's good that he has such a good friend back in his life."

Stunned by all the new information, I found myself clutching the envelope and nodding.

Mr. McBride looked at his watch. "Well, I have to get going," he said. "Make sure Sebastian brings you by one of these times."

They walked away and I stared after them, feeling shell shocked. His parents were divorced? How did I not know that? His dad must have moved his stuff out a long time ago. Was I really that oblivious?

"All done." Scott was suddenly there, holding a white bag with paints or brushes or something artsy inside. "What's that?" he said, looking at the envelope in my hand.