Eduardo's Arc

Chapter 85 of 115

A week after Kiersten fastened the locket, a car slowed on the road by the old house. Eduardo was on the porch, sanding the rail. He knew the engine. He knew the woman who stepped out before she waved. Aurora. He hadn't seen her in years. His stomach dropped the way it used to when a bluff got called. Aurora came up the walk smiling, like no time had passed. "I missed you," she said. "I heard you fixed the place up. I thought I'd come see for myself." The old Eduardo would have let that smile in. He had planned dates with Aurora once, back when he was still with Kiersten. He had used Aurora's name as a threat, telling Kiersten he could leave for her anytime. He had accused Kiersten of cheating while he was the one lining up a door to walk through. That lie had broken Kiersten more than any fight. The screen door opened. Kiersten stepped out, one hand on the locket at her neck. She looked at Aurora, then at Eduardo. She didn't flinch. "I know who you are," she said to Aurora. "I called you. Years back. I told you he was dangerous." Eduardo felt the pull to smooth it over, to charm them both. He breathed it down. He set the sanding block on the rail. "She's right," he said. "I used you, Aurora. I planned dates with you while I was with her. I wasn't honest with either of you. I made Kiersten think she was the one doing wrong. She wasn't. I was." Aurora's smile fell. "You never told me you were with someone." "No," Eduardo said. "I didn't. That was mine, not yours." He waited for the old hurt to rise, the need to win, the itch to make one of them pick him. It didn't come the way it used to. He just stood there, plain, the truth said once and left standing. Aurora looked at Kiersten. "He really told you all that." "Every Friday," Kiersten said. "He writes it down. I read it." Aurora was quiet. Then she nodded, slow. "Okay." She turned and walked back to her car. She didn't slam the door. She just drove away. Eduardo stood on the porch and found his hands steady. The woman who had once been his escape hatch was gone, and he hadn't reached for her. Kiersten came and stood beside him. She looked down the empty road. "You didn't lie," she said. "No." "And you didn't make her stay to feel wanted." "No." She was quiet a moment. Then she said, "The old door's shut." She put her hand on his arm, just for a second, then went back inside to the kettle. Eduardo picked up the sanding block and kept working the rail. The escape hatch he had kept open for years had closed itself, and he felt lighter for it.