Page 126 of Dark Endures

“On or off the record?”

“That only works for cops,” she parries back.

“And friends.” These women are going to give me a migraine.

She nods. “We’ll get it done.”

I almost feel bad for foisting them off on Jacko.

Leaving The Nest

Mindy

When people say something traumatic happened, then their life got weird, they don’t mean this.

But that doesn’t mean mine isn’t weird.

“He’s going to die?” Brie starts crying into her pistachio and cheesecake ice cream.

“Do you want me to turn it off? I’m sure Mindy won’t mind.” Pit stops rubbing her foot to reach for the remote.

“Of course, I wouldn’t mind.” The movie isn’t half as entertaining as the two of them. If she moves, he jumps up to fluff her pillow or get her a drink. Watching a man whose whole world revolves around the woman he loves is so adorable. And I used to think it was only Maverick and Dahlia who found true love.

These two couldn’t be more in love without sickening people.

Leonie walks into my bedroom/prison. “I’m off to work. Thanks for coming in to sit with her so I could head in early.”

Brie smiles. “Anytime. We’re having a blast.”

We kind of are, but I want to pout that my jailors won’t let me up. Just because the doctor told me to limit my time walking, so I don’t pull out my stitches, doesn’t mean I have to lie in bed forever.

“You be good.” Leonie gives me a fierce look.

“Don’t get shot.”

She shakes her head at me. “See you next week.”

Winnie comes in tomorrow.

There’s literally a color-coded schedule on the wall with times and dates when each of my friends will be coming and going, as well as people from Willow Street.

“You need anything from the kitchen?” Brie gets up.

“Nah, I’m good, thanks.” What I want doesn’t come out of the kitchen. It’s my life back to normal or semi-normal again. I don’t even want to think about what my bank account looks like. Or where I’m going to live when I recover enough that they evict me from the apartment of my dreams. From exposed brick walls to stunning old actual wood floors that shine like they’re brand new and are smooth enough to slide across to fireplaces in every room, this place couldn’t be more perfect if I told someone what I wanted. I couldn’t imagine a place this pretty.

Brie comes back from the bathroom with a bowl full of grapes and a glass of water. “You should drink.” She sets it down on the little tray table in front of my hospital bed, and we go back to watching the movie.

Life is weird.

***

The apartment door opens, and a smile spreads across my face. Maddox is back. He’s the only one who makes me feel somewhat normal.

He tugs off his tie.

Brie fell asleep about twenty minutes ago, and Pit is completely absorbed in the end of the movie since the world is about to blow up.

Maddox slips out of his shoes and tucks them into a hallway closet just as the explosions on the television reach a crescendo. He walks past my line of sight, probably heading to the kitchen. When he comes back into it, the credits are running on the television.

---