Page 13 of Her Unending Horizon

“I had to send Jiffy and Bruiser home. They were complaining of frostbite.”

“Wussies. It’s almost fifty degrees.” I walked over to the front door, unlocked it, and let my mirror image into my apartment. She tackle-hugged me. I almost went down.

“Whoa!”

Zoe continued to squeeze me in her arms, rocking me back and forth. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered in my ear.

“You saw me seven weeks ago.”

“That was two months ago, and you were a mess.”

I pushed her back and saw tears in her eyes. “Zoe, it’s okay. I’m fine. It’s not like before. I promise.”

She continued to hold onto my hands. “That’s what Trenda said, but I had to come see for myself.”

Now I had tears in my eyes. I hated that I’d worried my sisters so badly. Especially my twin. After all she went through with me ten years ago.

“You might be doing better, but this place is a pit, and you’re grimy as hell.”

“Am not. It’s just ink. And at least there are dishes in the sink.”

She turned to look in the kitchen. “Do I see a frying pan?”

“Hey, don’t look so surprised. I can cook.”

“Bullshit. You burn things.”

“I can cook when there’s no other option. I ran out of frozen dinners.”

“Now that I believe.” She let go of my hands and meandered over to the kitchen. “Eggs? At least I think it was eggs. Maybe you cooked green eggs and ham.”

“It wasn’t that bad. It was three days ago. I got caught up in the story.”

“Go take a shower. I’ll tidy up and hopefully find something to make for us.” Zoe started opening up cabinets. I didn’t bother telling her to stop, it wouldn’t have done any good. I looked down at the shirt I was wearing and grimaced. At least it wasn’t one of Zarek’s that I’d gotten ink stains on. I treasured those.

When I went to the bedroom, I plucked out one of his tees and pajama bottoms from the clean pile of laundry that I’d never bothered to fold. I took it with me into the bathroom and took a shower. A long shower. The ink stains took a while to come out.

I used my good shampoo and conditioner and started feeling almost human. It took a long time for me to blow-dry my hair, but I figured Zoe would need all the extra time to come up with some sort of meal out of the few remnants in my cupboard and fridge.

“Took you long enough,” Zoe said when I came down the hall.

“I pretended I was you, and took my time.”

Zoe laughed.

“Sit down and eat. It’s hot now.”

“Where did you find this?” I asked as I scooped up some homemade macaroni and cheese and then forked a small slice of meatloaf onto my plate.

“I told Trenda I was coming over, and she sent food.”

I forked two more pieces of meatloaf and another scoop of mac and cheese.

Zoe laughed. “I know! If Trenda made it, it’s as good as gold.”

I would have agreed with her, but my mouth was full. Trenda had always been able to figure out a way to make hamburger helper or ramen taste good for all of us kids when our parents had been out carousing. Drake would work to put food on the table, and Trenda would go to the food bank, but she always made it seem like we had as good of meals as any other kid in town.

“Simon’s a lucky man,” Zoe said. “He gets her cooking all the time.”