Page 158 of Romeo

My heart kicked hard against my ribs.

There were any number of responses I could’ve sent to that.

Every one of them would’ve pushed.

So I gave her the only one that didn’t.

Me: Good.

The phone stayed quiet for almost a minute before another message came through.

Ma Belle: Romeo?

I frowned.

Romeo.

Fiona used Jasper when she was comfortable. Romeo usually appeared when something became too real and she needed the road name between us.

Me: Yes, Cher?

Ma Belle: Nothing.

I stared at the word. Whatever had been behind that Romeo mattered. I also knew better than to chase it.

Me: One day you’re going to finish that sentence.

Ma Belle: Maybe

Me: I’ll wait.

I lowered the phone and let my head fall back against the wall.

Waiting used to feel like the hardest part of this whole thing. Now it was becoming strangely easy.

Not because I wanted her any less. If anything, I wanted her more. But each time Fiona came closer on her own, it felt better than anything I could’ve dragged out of her.

What if I already found him?

I closed my eyes.

She was getting there.

And so help me, God, I was going to let her.

Three nights later, I’d been staring at the ceiling long enough to start considering whether I should get up and find something productive to do when my phone buzzed against my chest.

Ma Belle: Can I tell you something?

Every lazy thought disappeared.

Me: Always.

The three dots appeared, vanished, then came back. I waited without touching the keyboard.

Ma Belle: It’s complicated.

I smiled faintly. Complicated didn’t scare me. My entire life had existed somewhere between complicated and completely fucked.