Chapter 13 0 0 When Charles Logan got up to leave , Jimmy Leach rose to see him out . Teresa Sullivan didn't move - just quietly picked at her food . After dinner , everyone went their separate ways . Teresa and Neil were both headed back to the school , so they walked the same way . The small town lay quiet under a bright moon and a handful of stars , their shadows swaying side by side along the road . It was October . The osmanthus trees were in full bloom , the air thick with their sweetness . Teresa was never much of a talker , and the walk stayed quiet until Templatby Megiller War War bands Hedlands , y tapeil couldn't stand it any longer . " So , where'd you go to school , Ms. Sullivan ? " " Riverdale University . " " I've got a good friend who graduated from there too . " the What a coincidence . " " I hear from the principal you're heading back to Riverdale tomorrow ? " " That's right . My time here's up . " " Then … mind if I take you to dinner sometime ? " Teresa paused , thought a beat , then said , " If you come to Riverdale , dinner's on me . You'd be doing me the honor . " Neil rubbed the back of his neck , smiling in that open , boyish way . " Since when do the girls pick up the check ? " Before they knew it , they were at the school gates . By the track , Jimmy stood in the shadows with Charles . From there , they could see Teresa and Neil walking back side by side . " Look at that , Mr. Logan , " Jimmy said , half - grinning . " Don't Dr. Sullivan and Mr. Watson look like a perfect match ? " Charles's gaze drifted their way , his expression giving nothing away . Teresa , in his mind , had never known when to quit . He'd told her no , clear as day , yet she kept pressing - asking if he No wonder he'd stopped picking up her calls . coming home . After Yolanda was born , Teresa was a mess - hair unkempt , clothes smelling of milk , skin gone sallow and dull . Whatever brightness she'd once had was long gone . He hadn't touched her in years . Still , like it or not , she was his wife . But she seemed to have forgotten that - getting far too close to another man . Charles said nothing . Jimmy took it for disinterest , but couldn't help adding , " She's a good girl . Whoever married her is a lucky man ." Lucky ? Was he ? Charles didn't think so . He didn't care . After all , everything he had had very little to do with Teresa , Meanwhile , Teresa and Neil turned the corner of the academic building . " Mr. Logan , " Jimmy said suddenly , " you and Mr. Collins have both been drinking . I doubt you'll make it back to the city tonight . Perhaps you'd be willing to rough it at my place for the night ? " The town had no decent hotels , and Jimmy doubted a man like Charles would stomach the run - down conditions . 1/3 P. Chapter 13 Charles looked off into the distance , lost in thought . 。 By the time Teresa reached her room and closed the door , Jimmy was leading Charles down the hall . Jimmy's room was right across from hers . As Jimmy opened his door , Charles said , " No need , Mr. Leach . I've got a place to go ." Before Jimmy could ask , Charles was knocking on Teresa's door . She opened it to see him there , brows drawing in . " What is it ? " Her voice was cool , lacking the warmth or respect she used to show him . He didn't bother waiting for an invitation - just stepped inside . Jimmy was still caught off guard when Charles quietly shut the door behind him . The room was simple : a bed , a desk , a small sofa , and a bathroom . Th nothing fancy . ஈ . bedspread was pale green , dotted with tiny flowers - clean , fresh , Teresa stood by the door , eyes narrowed . " You just came in without asking - what's your purpose ? " real anger . were sharp , but without Charles sat on the sofa , his bespoke suit out of place here . Looking up at her , he said , " Nowhere else to I'll stay here tonight . " If it came down to it , he'd rather sleep where she had than in a filthy inn - or in a bed some stranger had used . She caught the faint trace of liquor and guessed enough . She didn't throw him out . " Then I'll sleep somewhere else . " Once , she'd have run to hug him , drawn him a bath , changed his sheets , found him a set of comfortable pajamas and slippers . She wasn't that foolish anymore . Reaching for the door , she was ready to leave when he said , " Teresa , I want a shower . " In his mind , she'd always given him whatever he asked . He didn't mean to depend on her - circumstances just made it the only option . If he could , he wouldn't even see her . She paused , glanced back . " The school's got limited facilities . If you want a shower , you'll have to use the bathhouse . " He frowned . " No other way ? " Without a wash , he'd never fall asleep . There was , but she wasn't about to tell him . " No , " she said flatly . And with that , she left . Letting him have the room was already more than generous . Alone , Charles sat on pins and needles . The place was spotless , but he just couldn't lie down . He called Liam . " Find a driver in town . We're heading back to the city . Now . " He'd rather spend the night jostling in the back of the Rolls than try to breathe in here . Qut in the school's parking lot , Teresa got into her own car . She folded down the back seats , spread a sheet , and lay down . It wasn't cold in October , a light quilt was enough . 2/3 P Chapter 13 She'd barely been there ten minutes when she heard Liam's voice outside , speaking to Charles . " Mr. Logan , Ms. Yates is here with Miss Yolanda . Should be here any moment . " Headlights flared . A small voice piped up as the car stopped , " Daddy … " Yolanda leapt into Charles's arms , latching onto him like an octopus . " What are you doing here ? " he asked , glancing at Naomi Yates as she got out of the car . Before Naomi could answer , Yolanda poked his cheek . " Yolanda missed Daddy . Miss Naomi missed Daddy too . She kept saying you'd never stand the lodging here and had to come get you ." Charles smiled faintly . " You're not afraid you'll be late for school tomorrow ? " " I'm more afraid you won't sleep well ." That brought Teresa to mind . She'd never think that far him . " Let's not stand around ," Naomi suggested . " Get in . " Charles helped Yolanda into the car , closed the door , then straightened and looked at Naomi . " Thanks for coming ." Under the streetlamp , her bright face was split clean down the middle - half in gold light , half in shadow . Her eyes held a depth that made it hard to look away . Two silhouettes stood beside the car , enough to make the stars and moon hold their breath . From where Teresa sat , it looked like they were about to kiss . Maybe they remembered Yolanda was there - so they didn't . It wasn't until the car rolled away that Teresa's eyes brimmed with sudden tears . Letting go was real . But so was the ache it left behind . 3/3