Page 87 of Living with Death

Chapter Thirty-Two

We stand before the store, the sun shining over the broken glass. It sparkles like glitter.

“What the hell happened?” Sam says. The morning air is crisp around us. I tighten my ponytail.

“I don’t know. There were so many names.”

Last night, when we got home, Sam and I crashed into my bed. We didn’t stay up talking, knowing we’d have to face what we caused in the morning. I decided I would pay for all the damage, of course. I didn’t hear from Azrael again last night, and he hasn’t spoken to me this morning either.

He told me that was a bad idea, and I didn’t listen.

I put myself in danger twice in one day.

“You notice there never was a Richard?” I ask Sam.

She looks at me, and we both burst out laughing, turning when we hear Robbie say, “What the fuck?”

We stop laughing, and I grimace, looking at Sam.

She slides her hands into her coat’s pockets, gnawing on her inner cheek.

I turn to Robbie. “I’m going to pay for it.”

He gawks at me. “Pay for it? You did this?”

“Well, not really,” Sam says. “But it is our fault.”

“How?” he asks, looking at the damage.

“You won’t believe it,” Sam says, shaking her head. “We still don’t.”

“Try me.”

*

Robbie didn’t believe us, but after watching the surveillance tapes, he had no choice but to accept it. We cleaned up all the glass and fixed the shelves back. The store opened as usual, and we spent the rest of the day lying to customers, saying that some kids had broken the windows last night. We didn’t recognize them, and the cameras only caught their backs running away.

It’s better than making the townspeople believe it was adults breaking in and causing panic—this town’s safe, for the most part. Making people worry about the well-being of their homes isn’t something we care to do.

“Rue, you’ve grown,” I say, smiling at the kid as she walks up to my register.

“Thanks. I’m feeling the growing pains.”

I laugh.

“This is crazy,” Leigh says, referring to the windows. The glass crew is putting in new glass now, and we’re all glad.

“Yeah,” I agree, putting on gloves to warm my hands.

“Guess what?” Rue says.

“What?”

“Mommy got a job.”

I smile. “That’s great, Leigh. When did this happen?”

“Three days ago. I start Monday.”

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