He Mistook My Sister For Me On Meetup Day Chapter 10

He Mistook My Sister For Me On Meetup Day Chapter 10

A year later, my new book came out in Claremont.

It was called Say My Name Right.

No Tidecaller on the cover

The author line was clear Lena Tate

Before the reading, Josie pinned my lapel pin

“Nervous?”

“A little”

“Too bad” She smiled and nudged me forward. “This time, no one’s speaking for you. And no one can steal

your words ”

The host stood under the lights and said my name.

“Please welcome Lena Tate”

Applause rose from the crowd

When I stepped on stage, I didn’t automatically scan the room for anyone’s eyes.

I didn’t need Evan to recognize me.

I didn’t need my parents to believe in me.

I didn’t need Iris to admit I deserved love more than she did.

I was just me.

After the reading, a staff member handed me two letters.

One was from Iris.

She said she’d moved out, found a regular job, and was learning to answer questions on her own without leaning on anyone else.

She wrote:

[Lena, I used to think you had everything.]

[Then I realized it was because when you lost things, no one ever cried for you.]

I read it, closed the envelope, and didn’t reply.

The other was from my mother.

One line:

[Come home for Sunday dinner. Your dad made your favorite.]

I still didn’t reply.

An apology isn’t a return ticket.

Some doors close so the people inside finally learn they can’t always wait for me to come clean up the

mess.

When I walked out of the venue, Evan was sitting in the last row.

He looked thinner than he had a year ago.

That year, he hadn’t shown up at my door. He hadn’t used work or connections to pressure me into seeing

him.

He’d just bought a ticket and stayed until the end.

Leaves from the sycamore trees littered the street.

He caught up to me and handed me a piece of paper.

It was a printout of the scheduled email from seven years ago.

At the very bottom was a line I’d written when I was eighteen, in tiny handwriting:

[If we’re not together seven years from now, please remember-Tidecaller loved you with her whole heart.]

Evan’s eyes went red.

“I remember. I’ll never forget.”

I took the paper, folded it, and tucked it into my bag.

He stood in front of me, his voice rough.

“Lena. Can we start over-from our names this time?”

The station announcement echoed from somewhere behind me.

Josie had already walked ahead with her bag. She turned and called back:

“Lena Let’s go.”

This time, someone finally said my name right.

I answered her.

Then I looked at Evan.

“No.”

The last light in his eyes slowly dimmed.

But I didn’t feel it anymore.

“Evan. You finally got it right.”

“But I don’t need to wait for you anymore.”

I turned and walked into the crowd.

Behind me, the mountain was gone.

Ahead, the tide had stopped calling.

Just Lena Tate’s own road.