Page 100 of Show Me

Ben laughs. “That’s about right.” He shoves Sam in the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s finish that show.”

I take the slice, lean back against the counter. It’s cold. Grease soaked through the cardboard. I chew anyway. It doesn’t taste like anything.

Across the room, Sam flips the channel. Ben drops back onto the couch. The noise settles around me, easy, familiar. Nothing here asks for anything. Nothing here shifts if I walk out.

I finish the slice and toss the crust back in the box. Since Isaac took a job out of state last month, it’s just been the three of us around here. He claims he’ll be back eventually. I’ll believe it when I see him.

“Got stuff to do,” I mutter as I snatch up my keys and trudge up the stairs. No one stops me.

My room is quiet. Door shut. Noise from the living room muffled down to nothing. I sit on the edge of the bed, phone already in my hand. Screen lights up. No messages.

I stare at it anyway. Thumb hovers over her name. Drops. Lifts again.

I type: Got tied up. Won’t make it tonight.

Stare at it. Delete. Type it again. Erase it.

Me: Something came up. Check cameras.

That’s better. Short. Clean.

My thumb hangs over the screen. I look toward the door. Keys sit on the dresser. Boots still on my feet. Wouldn’t take long to get back. I could…. I look back at the phone and hit send.

Too fast. The message goes through before I can think about it again. I don’t type another one. Don’t add anything to it. Just sit there with the phone in my hand, staring at the screen like something might change.

Nothing does.

I drop the phone onto the bed beside me. Lean forward, elbows on my knees. Sit there longer than I mean to.

Then I push back and lie down, staring at the ceiling. The room’s still. Too still. My hand comes up behind my head. Drops back down. I turn onto my side. Then onto my back again.

The phone lights up once. I don’t reach for it right away. Let it sit there. Then grab it, thumb dragging across the screen.

One message. Hers.

I don’t open it. Not yet. Just look at her name. Then lock the screen again and set the phone face down on my chest.

The ceiling doesn’t change. The room doesn’t shift. But something sits wrong anyway. I close my eyes.

They don’t stay closed.

Chapter Fifty-One

Ruby

I’m halfway to the bedroom when my phone buzzes in my hand. I glance down. Xavier. My chest tightens before I can stop it.

Xavier: Something came up. Check cameras.

That’s it. No apology. No explanation. Just… done.

I stare at the screen longer than I should, thumb hovering like there’s something else I’m supposed to say. Something that would make this feel less like a door shutting. Or slamming in my face.

Of course he didn’t come back. Of course he didn’t.

I type anyway.

Me: No problem.