Later that evening, she found herself sitting on the front porch staring outward. The last of the day’s light was fading from the day, and the darkness edged over the hill, encompassing the field and the garden into the night’s darkness.

Emma had joined her for a few minutes to chat before she retired for the night, and as she was nearly ready to retire herself, the desire for rest evaded her. It felt impossible to sleep in any meaningful way knowing that Adrian was off who knows where. The audacity of it frightened and enraged her. After how angry he was during their fight, she had thought he’d be too angry to up and walk out. Especially that night? Without telling anyone? Had he even had time to pack? He wasn’t impulsive. He didn’t even have a temper. No way he’d’ve taken off out of nowhere.

Spinning these in her mind had consumed her all evening. The walls of the house had felt too restrictive, stifling. She couldn’t sit there any longer, the porch felt safer. At least from here she could walk away and move on to literally anything that might take her mind off it.

The breeze stilled. She looked out toward the fence and say a figure crossing the fence line and making their way toward her.

Thomas. He looked strained, unlike himself.

“Grace. Good evening.” His voice is flat, even. Grace briefly meets his gaze. “Would it be alright if I joined you?”

She nods, gesturing to the empty porch chair her opposite. Thomas sits on the edge of it, his forearms rest anxiously on his legs.

“I trust you heard the news?” He chooses his words carefully. “About Adrian?”

Just his name is enough to crack something open inside her.

“I did.” She’s quieter than she had intended. “Your father told me that he left.”

Thomas looks downward. “That’s what I heard too.”

A silence settles over them. Grace pulls her feet onto her chair and wraps her arms around her legs. Thomas separates his hands and rubs them over his knees.

“I’m wondering if you could tell me what happened last night before he left here?”

She glares at him. Was he asking or accusing?

“Left your house, I mean, not like. In general.”

Asking.

She recalled their evening for the hundredth time that day. “He didn’t tell me where he was going if that’s what you mean.”

She darts her eyes away.

Thomas’ brow furrows and he lets out a huff. “I don’t think that’s everything, Grace. You know as well as I that this is out of character for him. Right? I mean. Where would he even go? He’s got no ring, no papers.”

What was she supposed to say? The thought of confessing that she’d called him that was out of the question. Just admit that? What would he even say?

Thomas sits back in the chair and takes in the field before turning back to Grace. His expression softens.

“Just tell me what happened. Even if it was nothing. I’m trying to put the pieces of this together, you know. I’m sure you’d like answers too. What did you two talk about, what did you get up to, what was he like? What time did he leave, anything you can think of.”

Grace swallows hard. The tension she’d been fighting all afternoon seized her shoulders. It was all too much. Here goes nothing.

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“Course not.” His tone is firm.

Where to even begin?

She clears her throat. “Adrian came over around seven, once my family and I had finished with dinner. It was nice. Sort of a usual evening, I guess. He said he didn’t finish as much as he thought he would, with the seeds near the fence line. He was annoyed about it. I didn’t understand. We went outside and he showed me what he meant. When the rain started we went into my parent’s barn and decided to wait it out there. It was more private I mean. We talked a lot about my inheritance and then things sort of spiraled and we argued. After that he left. That was around midnight probably?”

Thomas listened attentively. “Well that gives a picture. What did you argue about?”

Shame rises in her throat. “I don’t think I should say. Adrian thought it would be better if your father didn’t know until it was time.”

“Grace if you know something its very important that you tell me. I’ll keep that secret if you don’t want my Dad knowing that, but if it will help us find Adrian, you need to say something.”

“Thomas-“

“What did you fight about?” He raises his voice, “tell me.”

Suddenly she felt about two inches tall. “We decided that…that when I inherited…I’d liquidate as much of it as I could and we’d get married and move to the city…where the birth difference wouldn’t be as much of an issue. But my parents are putting a residency requirement on it, so I have to stay in the area for five years and over time I can slowly gain more equity. But it would be that long before I’d have everything to do what we want with.”

She grips her skirt and twists it between her fingers. “So the plan had to be off. I told him – Adrian I mean, and he was very unhappy.”

“What did he say?”

Her eyes well up. “That he was done waiting. That he was going with or without me.”

Thomas places a hand on Grace’s shoulder.

Suddenly the tears spill from her. Her voice cracks. “He said things were getting worse at home, that he couldn’t manage it much longer. He thought I was stalling but I-” the stress of it builds within her until it finally boils over and she presses her face into her hands. “I don’t know what else to do!”

Thomas doesn’t remove his hand from her shoulder, instead he rubs it. They sit like that for a while. Why couldn’t she control this? Pull it together.

“I can’t imagine how difficult this must be, Grace. It isn’t your fault though. No one could have predicted he’d act so unlike himself.”

She knew on some level that he was trying to be comforting, but it didn’t help. She’d made him do it.

“I just can’t help but feel like I pushed him to do it. That it was unbearable and I was forcing him. But I didn’t mean to. I love him.”

“I know you do.” This helps some. He pulls his hand away and rests them on his knees again. “Listen. If he doesn’t turn up in the next day or so I’m going to head into town and see if he’s there. Maybe someone there’ll have some information.”

Grace sits up slightly, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Okay. That’s something.”

Thomas looks at her. His hands clasp again. “In the mean time, if you hear anything, think of anything else, or I mean if he shows up here. Let someone know. He isn’t in any trouble or anything. No one is angry, he won’t be punished. We’re just concerned for his safety. And we’d like him to come home.”

She sniffles, at least he seems like he isn’t judging. “Me too.”

Thomas gathers himself and stands. “I know you two have a really close bond. If you need to talk about it or you need anything, I know I’m not so good as my brother but I am here.”

Grace smiles. “Thank you. You as well. If you need.”

He nods politely and heads down the porch steps.

“I’ll let you know if I learn anything. Try to get some rest, yeah?”

“I’ll do that.”

She watches Thomas walk back down the pathway toward the fence. He turns back once and waves. She returns it and heads into the house.