“God, Scottie. Everything is always about you. Nothing is ever good enough for you, no matter what I do, say, or think. I have no idea why I ever wanted to marry you.”

Everything I complained about during that session with Sanders, every little thing, pertained to Matt. God. Will I ever be free of the pain that man caused?

“Scottie?” Wilder asks, concern heavy in his voice.

“I…I need to go.”

Before he can stop me, I leave the cabin and go for a walk.

Chapter Thirteen

WILDER

“Hey,” I say to one of the staff in the main building. “Uh, could I possibly use the pay phone? I want to check on my brother.”

“What’s your name?” the staff member asks.

“Wilder Price,” I say, using my wife’s name.

She checks her books and then nods while reaching into a container full of quarters. “You have ten minutes.”

I take the quarter from her, thank her, and then head into the UK-style pay phone that’s off in the corner. I shut the door behind me, pick up the receiver, drop in the change, and then dial Mika’s phone number.

I turn toward the main building so I can see if anyone walks up behind me and wait as the phone rings.

I’m hoping that Mika answers; he shouldn’t be at the bar just yet.

After a few rings, the phone picks up, and I hear, “Hello?”

“Mika, it’s me.”

“Oh, hey. I’m glad you told me about the weird phone number that might call, because normally I wouldn’t answer.”

“Yeah, they took our phones. How are you? Feeling good?”

“Feeling good,” he answers, a hint of something in his voice.

“You sure?” I ask. “You sound a little off.”

“Yeah, nothing like what you’re thinking.”

“What’s going on?” I know I have ten minutes, but my brother will always come first before what I’m going through.

“Do you really want to know?” he asks.

“You know I always want to know.”

“Digestive issues.”

“Oh.” Relief washes through me. “Uh, sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Other than that, everything else good?”

“Yeah, man. Thank you for checking on me. How is everything over there?”

I tug on my hair as I say, “Well, I thought it was going okay. We had a session with the therapist today, and what I thought was really good banter back and forth actually turned into so much more.”

“What do you mean, so much more? Like…did you guys kiss or something?”