Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

don’t know,” I said, resting my head in my hands. “I haven’t thought about it.”
    â€œWell, you better start. When do you see him again?”
    â€œI don’t know that either. He said he was leaving town for a while. He said he’d be back in a couple weeks.”
    â€œGood,” Roxanne said. “It will give you some time to figure out how to properly thank him. And I’m tellin’ you, sister, it better be good. You let this one off the hook, I’m revoking your fishing license.”

Matthew met Charlotte today. There was a discernible energy between them. I don’t know if this should please or concern me.
    Beth Cardall’s Diary
    Matthew didn’t come back that week, and by the end of the next week I began to worry that he might not return at all. Roxanne kept assuring me he’d be back, but I think that secretly she was also worried. After all I had done to push him away, I was surprised at how disappointed I was.
    On the bright side, Charlotte just kept doing better. She was back in school, and her teacher, Miss Rossi, stopped me one day after school in the parking lot to tell me how miraculous the change had been. “She’s like a new girl,” she said. “I just wish she could share some of that energy.”
    Thursday afternoon I was in the living room reading when a navy blue BMW with dealer plates pulled into my driveway. Other than the family who owned the cleaners, I didn’t know anyone with that nice of a car, and my first thought was that it had just pulled into my driveway to turn around, but it stopped. The driver’s door opened and Matthew stepped out. He was dressed in tan corduroy jeans and a thick, leather bomber jacket with Wayfarer sunglasses. He looked like something out of a men’s fashion magazine. Seeing him made me happy.
    I set down my book and met him at the door before he rang the bell. He had removed his sunglasses.
    â€œWhat happened to your VW?” I asked.
    â€œI traded up,” he said. “The bug kept breaking down.”
    â€œIt’s good to see you,” I said.
    He smiled. “I’m glad to hear that. So how is everyone? How’s Charlotte?”
    I put my hands on my hips. “She’s doing well. Actually, she’s doing amazingly well. But I think you already knew she’d be better.”
    â€œKnew? No. But I hoped.”
    â€œHope,” I repeated. “I’ve been in short supply of that lately. I don’t know how to thank you. My friend Rox said it better be something good.”
    He grinned. “You should listen to her. So let me think about this. What’s the best way to thank a man who potentially saved your daughter’s life? The mind reels.”
    I cocked my head. “Within reason.”
    â€œWell, considering the recent change in circumstances, if your moratorium on dating has been lifted, a simple date will suffice.”
    â€œGladly. When would you like to go out?”
    â€œYou said weekends are good. How about tomorrow night?”
    â€œI’ll need to find a babysitter.”
    â€œCharlotte can come,” he said.
    â€œNo, I’d rather keep her out of my dating life. I think it would be confusing to her.”
    He nodded. “Wise.”
    â€œSo, what do you want to do?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t care. Just spend time with you. Dinner and talking sounds good.”
    â€œThat sounds good to me too. You should probably give me your phone number, just in case something happens again.”
    â€œUnfortunately, I don’t have a phone. But I can call you, if you’ll give me your number.”
    â€œI’ll write it down. Can you come inside for a moment?”
    â€œOf course.” He followed me inside the foyer.
    â€œYou can wait here. My kitchen’s a little messy.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    I found a pen in the kitchen, but it didn’t work, so I rooted through drawers for