Frankie
It was late when I heard a single knock on my front door. Late as in the hours that I am no longer decent looking. I wasn’t asleep. I stopped trying to even pretend I was going to about an hour before. I figured Piper was no longer was buying the “I’m sick” story and since my cell phone was still in Charming’s pants, I was guessing I’d missed a couple more texts or calls.
I tossed the TV remote down on the coffee table and padded to the door, swinging it open wide, not caring if Piper saw me at my most unattractive.
Only it wasn’t Piper.
“Charming.” I practically gasped his name. It was almost as if I had thought of him so much since lunch that my subconscious somehow conjured him here on my doorstep.
I wanted to cross my arms over my threadbare oversized T-shirt, to cringe from his stare and get a comeback ready for whatever insult he was sure to throw my way about the state of my appearance. But he didn’t say a word. In fact, he acted like he didn’t even notice my old as the hills shirt and holey sweats.
He was leaning on the doorjamb, like he was so tired he couldn’t hold all his weight. My mind automatically went to the possibility that he was somehow injured or hurt and I looked him over for some kind of confirmation. But he looked perfect as always. Except of course for his heavy posture and silent tongue.
“Can we talk?” he asked, quietly.
“Uh, yeah,” I replied, stepping back from the door while resisting the urge to ask him if he was playing some kind of joke on me.
He came inside, shutting the door, and trailed behind me as I went over to the couch and settled into the corner, draping a blanket over myself and tucking it around my bare feet.
He surprised me some more by sinking down on the opposite end of the couch. “I’ve never really had anyone to talk to before,” he said, not looking at me.
“Is this about what happened today at the café?”
He rubbed a hand down his face. “Seeing her got to me.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“I don’t. Not anymore.”
I wasn’t used to seeing him like this. Morose and quiet. “I don’t really understand what you’re saying.” Just from how well this conversation was going, I would have known he never actually talked to someone about this before even if he hadn’t told me.
“I had a sister a long time ago. Before I died. Before I became an Escort.”
A million questions sprang into my head. A million things I would love to know. I never really thought about Charming’s story, but of course he had one. And looking at him now, it seemed his story was the key to who he really was.
You know all you need to know.I reminded myself.You’re supposed to be washing your hands of him.
“He wants me to fail. I didn’t really realize how much.”
This time I didn’t say anything. I figured he was having enough trouble saying whatever it was he wanted to say without me interrupting and asking questions.
“He knew the one thing, theone thingthat could throw me off. He found my weakness and he used it against me.”
“Now you know how it feels,” I said. The words were just a thought, something I hadn’t meant to say out loud.
He glanced up, his green stare pinning me in place. “What did you say?”
I swallowed and shook my head.
“Say it again,” he insisted.
“I said now you know what it feels like. For someone to use your weakness against you. For someone to basically be working against you.” He just kept staring, almost as if he were looking right through me. “Whatever he did to you… it sounds a lot like what you do to other people.”
“You’re right,” he said, realization dawning on his features. “I’m the Target this time.”
“So, the Grim Reaper wants you dead?”
He stared off into space. “I’m already dead. He just wants to Recall me.”
