Page 43 of Drum Me Away
“Just some fan? She sure acted like you were hella friendly.”
“Really, Faith? The jealousy bit doesn’t really fit you. Just like the nose in the air bit doesn’t.”
I snorted, too far down the path of anger and resentment to be insulted. “I was practically bred from birth to act like that.”
“Who are you and what did you do with Faith Devempor?”
“Faith Devempor is fake. A made-up character. A figment of your imagination.”
We didn’t speak again until we arrived at the treehouse. And even then, it was grunts, and one- or two-word responses to straightforward questions.
“What time do you want to leave for the viewing?”
“Three.”
“Okay.”
“Should we eat beforehand?”
“Not hungry.”
“Okay.”
I chose the suit-like dress and a hat, my hair twisted into a bun and mostly hidden in its depths. Hopefully, I could keep my emotions just as hidden.
Already I regretted the argument with Lucas, but I was so wrung out, I didn’t have the energy to extend an olive branch right now. I just needed to get through this viewing, and then we could make up and get back to where we were this morning, before we’d run into Regina, before I found out he’d had an interaction with a fan he’d failed to tell me about.
I picked up my small black clutch and started for the door, pausing when Lucas touched my arm. “You look nice,” he said.
I wanted to fall into his arms, but I smoothed my hand over my skirt instead. “Thanks. So do you.”
While I still preferred him in gray sweatpants slung low on his hips, I couldn’t deny that the man filled out a suit as if he were a shoo-in for the next James Bond movie. He’d slicked his hair into a tight bun at the nap of his neck and removed all his piercings too. Not a tattoo could be seen. Unless he came right out and told her, my mother would never know he was the drummer in a rock band.
He patted his lapel and grinned. “We should get dressed up more often.”
Instead of laughing, I glanced out the nearest window.
He frowned, reaching for my sleeve again. “Hey.”
I slid my gaze back to him, my mouth pursed.
“We’ll get through this. Okay? I got your back. We all do.”
My hands shook, and I squeezed my fists before tucking them behind my back. After sucking in a deep breath and letting it out on a long exhale, I nodded at the door. “The sooner we go, the sooner it will be over.”
We went.
Lucas ushered me to the passenger side door. I did not argue his plan to drive. A light rain had started and his movements were hurried as he tucked me into the vehicle and rushed around to hop into the driver’s seat.
Twenty minutes later, we were pulling into the parking lot of the single funeral home in this small town.
There were only a handful of vehicles in the lot; the viewing didn’t start for another forty minutes, but I wanted to get here early, get my bearings before I had to be on, be that persona I’d tried so hard to ditch all those years ago. I hated that I was going to do it, but it would be the easiest way to get through this ordeal.
A cluster of people were gathered in a far corner of the lot, under a sprawling old oak tree, umbrellas open and camouflaging the upper portion of their bodies, although I knew exactly who it was.
The band.
Lucas parked in a space near the group and extracted the compact umbrella the rental company had so considerately left for us, and then we made our way over to say hello.
