Page 80 of The Sound Of Us

I need a foolproof plan.

It’s the Annual Book Fair today and I receive at least sixteen texts on the community group chat, confirming that I would be at the park. I confirm that I would and that I’m looking forward to handing out the Benson Bookworm Award. Axel will be there with the Till Books Do Us Part book stand and I agreed to help Mrs. Dalton manage her cappuccino stand.

I get ready and drive around to Mrs. Dalton to load everything up.

She greets me dramatically, with kisses to my cheek and great big hugs. Then, inside her kitchen, she fidgets unnecessarily. I’m sensitive enough to body language to know something’s wrong. I still her hands with mine. She grabs a piece of paper, but I stop her. Speak, I sign. Whatever she wants to tell me, I don’t want it filtered.

“I heard some shouting last night,” she says.

My fists clench.

“Has he agreed to go away with you?” she asks.

I type on my phone. We haven’t talked about it properly yet.

“Please do it soon, Eli.” Mrs. Dalton takes both my hands in hers. “I always told him to find someone who would love him endlessly and then run away as far as possible. I told you that before, right?”

I nod. Yes.

Is Axel okay? I can’t talk to him on weekends, I type.

“He seemed okay this morning when he went out. I called him up for some tea, but he was in a hurry.”

Did you notice…?

I delete the sentence. I don’t have the stomach to even ask. I feel so helpless.

She answers me anyway. “I didn’t notice any bruises, but I was too far away, so I can’t be sure.”

The drive to the park gives me time to think. I’ll have to find a way to deal with the possibility that Axel may not want to go away with me. The thought makes me sick, so I put it away for later.

At the park, things are in full swing already. The park is filled with bright colors and happy people. It never ceases to amaze me how happy these people become when they come together for an event.

I’m greeted by several stall owners, who do their best to speak to me in sign language.

It’s heart-warming, the effort they’ve made for me, these people who barely have enough to get by every day.

I search through the crowd for Axel. The book stall is set up, but it’s a young girl who’s managing it. And just barely too; she has her head buried in a book, hardly paying attention to potential customers.

I search for Pepper next and come up with nothing. Mrs. Dalton comes up behind me with the last of the polystyrene cups and gives me her phone.

A text conversation between her and Axel is open.

Mrs. Dalton: Axel, where are you? Sent seven minutes ago.

Axel: Hey, Mrs. Dalton. We had to turn back for petty cash. Ben forgot. Casey is there in the meantime with the first load of books. Is everything okay?

Mrs. Dalton: Yes, everything’s fine. We’re almost set up. Eli is here.

Axel: Okay. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

And then, a minute later:

Axel: Can I talk to him?

Mrs. Dalton smiles and cocks her head toward her phone and makes a go on sign.

I feel like a schoolboy. With trembling fingers and my heart beating right out of my chest, I type.

---