Page 123 of Cackle

“Yeah,” I say. “Yeah, Saturday. You have my address?”

Ralph’s whining now.

“Somewhere. Actually, can you send it to me?”

“Yeah,” I say. “I have to go. I’ll text you my address. Let me know what time Saturday, okay?”

“Probably later,” he says. “I have to rent a car. It’s a long drive.”

“Okay,” I say. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Annie,” he says.

“Yeah?”

“If I come, I’ll probably have to stay over. I don’t think I can make it there and back in one day.”

“Okay,” I say. Ralph is going nuts, wailing away.

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. I really have to go. Bye.”

I hang up and stumble out of the closet. It’s hard to walk with no spine.

I move the sweater and open the bedroom door.

Ralph is standing there wearing a giant frown. I can see it in his eyes. He’s suspicious.

“Sorry,” I say, faking a yawn. “I was asleep. Must have dropped my sweater.”

He marches past me into the room. Fortunately, he’s too sleep-drunk to do any investigating. He climbs up the nightstand to his bed. He turns his back to me and resumes his snoozing.

I take my phone into the bathroom and sit on the edge of the tub. I send Sam my address and then delete my text and call history.

I set my phone down and curl up in the tub. It feels safe. Quiet and safe.

I used to think that if Sam ever came back, I would be ecstatic, I would be instantly freed of any and all sadness, but right now I can’t shake this sudden, indomitable dread.

What if we’re too far gone? What if we can’t be put back together? Not with all the king’s horses and all the king’s men or superglue.

What will I do then?

TOIL & TROUBLE

With every day, the dread morphs into something more and more like excitement. Sam and I are talking again. Texting constantly. I get to school early and stay late since it’s impossible to text at home with Ralph around.

By Friday, I’m full-on giddy.

Tomorrow, Sam says, adding a bunch of emojis. A series of smiley faces and a single slice of pizza.

Are you bringing pizza? I ask.

Pizza sold separately.

What about batteries? Are they included?

I’m a windup, he says.