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“Glad we have your logical mind around,” he says with a sigh. “I also hate the idea of Raven being without us.”
“We can’t shield her forever. She’d never allow it, anyway,” I point out. Raven has always been stubborn. Honestly, that fire in her is part of the reason I fell in love with her in the first place.
He laughs at that. “Very true. Maybe it’s time to talk to dear old dad finally.” The hollow tone has me a bit worried but I can’t ask further because Raven is walking back to us, looking a bit lost.
“Hey, babe, what’s wrong?” Eli asks as he jumps to his feet.
“Nothing,” she promises. “I’m just good to go back to work. Feels weird.” She shrugs as her cheeks tint pink with embarrassment.
“I felt the same,” I agree.
“Eli Ridley?” the nurse calls out. He kisses Raven quickly before heading back to see the doctor. I hope he really tells the doctor about his blackouts, it could be dangerous for him.
“Why is Eli freaking out?” Raven asks. It was so subtle I’m a bit surprised she even noticed his tension. But then again she was always good at reading people.
“He’s worried about leaving you and going back to work. He mentioned calling his dad and then got real quiet,” I tell her. She frowns and glances at the door he just went through.
“Then he’s really freaking out,” she says quietly. “His dad was an awful man. Rich and abusive in his own ways. It’s a wonder Eli turned out so lighthearted.”
“Why would he call him then?” I hiss, angry now that he’d consider it. “What does he have to offer him?”
“A position at the company he owns,” she admits. “He calls about once or twice a year and offers it to him. I think he hopes Eli will forgive him and come back, take on the legacy.”
“I can’t see him as some businessman,” I laugh humorlessly. “So, how would this help?”
“Eli isn’t a businessman, but he’s amazing with computers. He could work on their security systems and get paid a few years' salary for a month’s work,” she admits.
“An opportunity to pay your bills and keep you safe,” I say, putting the pieces together. She nods sharply and sighs.
“This is all so fucked up.” There’s a waver in her tone and my heart breaks for her. None of us asked for this and yet we were thrown straight into a chaos we can’t escape.
“We’ll figure it out, Raven,” I promise her. No matter what I wouldn’t let some insane ghost take her from me.
We don’t talk again until Eli is walking out, looking more angry than before he went in. He doesn’t bother to wait for us as he barrels through the waiting room and outside. Raven gives me a startled expression as she grabs her clutch and we rush out after him. He’s already on the phone when we find him, tucked away on a bench around the side of the building.
“I’ve considered your offer,” he says in a harsh tone. “But it’s not forever.”
Raven looks panicked but doesn’t interrupt as he hashes out a few details like demanding to work strictly from home while he heals, only coming into the office once a week. I’ve never seen Eli anything but his usual jovial self, outside of our accident, but now he looks almost broken, and I fucking hate it.
When he ends the call his head hangs low and he shakes slightly. I know it’s taking everything in him not to break down and I don’t want to make things worse.
“I’ll bring the car around,” I say as I gently push Raven toward him, knowing he needs the comfort.
When I get the car and pull into the patient pickup lane they’re already waiting for me. Our mood is somber as we drive home but Eli is slowly becoming more determined, the anger being replaced. What I don’t expect is him to make the demands he does the moment the door closes behind us.
“Pack up. We’re moving to a new place. End your leases, I can pay whatever they charge for ending it early. We have to stick together now more than ever,” he starts. “And this apartment isn’t safe.”
“Yours is the same?” I argue but he cuts me off almost as soon as I say it, not allowing for further argument.
“Mine will be gone, too,” he promises. “We’re getting a new one. I’ll be working from the office one day a week and home the rest. Jayce mentioned working from home, too. So, Raven, for now I think you should stay home. You’ve always talked about making something of your jewelry, maybe try making that a side business or something, but we have to keep you safe while this bitch is out there trying to kill you with whatever she can.”
Raven
My head is spinning, too much is happening at once. The wreck has turned our life upside down and now we are expected to go back out in the world as if we didn’t die and come back with ghostly gifts? What the fuck did we do to deserve this? Worst of all, Eli had taken a job with his asshat father, for me. I want to protest the move, because I know agreeing to work for him is crushing his soul. But he did it for us, for me. How can I be a bitch and complain now?
The ride home is tense and overly quiet, but it gives me the time I need to think on my next move with my job. Once we are all settled on the couch, I speak.
“I’ll call Alice and talk to her about taking an extended leave. If she doesn’t approve it, I will walk. The only thing I hate is I’ll be mooching off you for everything. I have a tiny savings but that’s not going to last long if I put more time into my jewelry.”
