Unexpectedly, Milo - Matthew Dicks [79]
The Jeep, the song on the radio, the mirrored sunglasses, the way that Christine had been wearing her hair that day, out of the customary ponytail that she favored, despite the wind that the topless vehicle would have generated. It would be impossible for Milo to convince Dr. Teagan that his intuition was undoubtedly accurate, but he knew that it was.
“Well, Milo, we have some time left if you’d like to talk.”
This was exactly what Milo had hoped for. An opportunity to explain his plan and receive his therapist’s seal of approval. He had played the conversation in his mind a hundred times over the past two days.
He would start by describing his plan to drive to Chisholm, North Carolina, in search of Tess Bryson. He would elaborate on his suspicions about the real reason that Tess Bryson had run away from home, using the information that he had uncovered about her father, Sean Bryson, and the time that he was serving in prison for molesting his niece, to support his claim. Dr. Teagan’s eyebrows would rise in approval, and he would compliment Milo for his powers of deduction. Though we can’t be certain, he would say, his hand stroking his chin, I think it’s a fair bet that you are correct. It’s likely that Tess Bryson ran away from her father rather than from her home.
Milo would then explain his goal: to find Tess Bryson and persuade her to call Freckles and tell her childhood friend that she was alive and well, thus relieving her friend of this ancient burden. Dr. Teagan would find this idea to be excellent in that it would serve the needs of both women. Tess Bryson, who had undoubtedly changed her name in order to hide from her father and the authorities, would be thrilled with the opportunity to thank her friend, and Freckles would finally be able to let go of the guilt and remorse that she had lived with for years. Milo suspected that Dr. Teagan would find the symmetry of the plan as beautiful as he did.
But how do you intend on finding her? he would ask.
Milo would admit that finding Tess Bryson would be a long shot, but he had a couple things going for him. First, Chisholm was a tiny mountain town with a population of fewer than five thousand people. If she was still in Chisholm, finding her would be considerably easier than finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Also, according to what she had told Freckles years ago, Tess Bryson had family in the town, which made sense. Perhaps they also knew of Sean Bryson’s predilections and had assisted Tess in disappearing. If Milo could locate one of these relatives and convince them of his sincerity, they might be willing to lead him right to her.
Dr. Teagan would undoubtedly mull this over a bit, warning Milo not to raise his hopes too much. A great deal of time had passed since Tess Bryson disappeared, and many things could have happened in that time. She could have moved. Any family living in the area could have also moved. She could be dead. He would warn Milo that while his intentions were noble, his probability of success was extremely low. Ultimately, he would offer Milo his blessing, declaring the journey to North Carolina an act of remarkable kindness and charity. One of which Christine would ultimately approve.
But Milo said nothing when Dr. Teagan asked if he’d like to talk. Instead, he sat there, staring at his shoes, imagining how easily their conversation could veer off Milo’s projected course. As certain as he was that Dr. Teagan would find merit in his plan, he was afraid to face the possibility that the doctor would declare Milo’s intentions to be ludicrous and foolish, and he felt crazy enough already after his conversation with Christine.
With such a long journey ahead, he could hardly bear the thought. Even if Milo also decided that his plan was foolish, turning back was now incomprehensible. The idea had taken on a life of its own, not unlike the demands that constantly plagued him. And though