Page 51 of If You Stayed

Gabriel:Alive and somewhat well.

Kierra:Good. No concussion?

Gabriel:How would I know if I had a concussion?

Kierra:Symptoms include confusion, headaches, memory loss, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, confusion, ringing in the ears, and dizziness.

Gabriel:Did you just WebMD that and copy and paste?

Kierra:I might have copied and pasted from WebMD.

Gabriel:Well, don’t worry. I think I’m okay. Just a bruised eye and a bruised ego.

Kierra:Okay. Good.

Kierra:I mean, not good that your eye and ego are bruised, but you know what I mean.

I chuckled a little.

Gabriel:I know what you mean.

Kierra:Good.

Gabriel:I’m also sorry for getting a little too personal earlier. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.

A few minutes passed with no reply, and I felt like an idiot for even bringing that up. That was until my phone started ringing, and her name popped up on the screen. I hesitated for a moment before answering, thinking it was an accidental call.

“Hello?”

“Hi,” she murmured, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. “Sorry, I don’t mean to bother you.”

“Not a bother. I just wasn’t sure if the call was accidental.”

“Yeah, no. It’s not. I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… I mean, no… I mean…” She seemed disoriented as her words stumbled from her tongue, but I waited patiently for her to collect her thoughts. “Ava’s at her grandmother’s house, Henry is out drinking with a few colleagues, and my pillowcase smells like her.”

“Like who?”

“Lena.”

“Who’s Lena?”

“Our private chef.”

Oh.

Fuck.

“I also found one of her earrings,” she said. “She wears a certain type. It was under my blanket and poked me in the leg when I crawled beneath my blankets to sleep.”

“Kierra—”

“Can you ask me again?” she cut in.

“Ask you what?”

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