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“I think so.” I don’t know what to say. “I’m sorry. Sorry. I didn’t know if, there’s... I mean I can’t... It’s just...” He lets his voice drift off, and as my shock abates, I hear him unravel. He’s flat and distant. I gather my head about me and dive in quickly.
“Katydid.” His voice breaks as my heart does.
“Get to me, Squire. I’ve got you.”
Our fake monikers from Hawaii suddenly become actual terms of endearment. Sitting right in the sand, at the base of the Sphinx surrounded by unimaginable beauty and history, nothing matters but two flights to Boston.
Chapter 60
Don’t Blink
ZANE
Cairo/Giza
My body goes cold as the Jeep bounces. I called her immediately. Her voice a salve I knew I needed. Instinctively she was the only person on my mind when my sister called. I scrub my face trying to clear my head. It’s clouded with all things that could go wrong. All the things I should have said or not said is more accurate.
My phone lights up a notification of a plane ticket to London followed by one to Boston. I rub my thumb over the still shot I have of Kat from the Utah footage. He can’t die before I let him know I’m sorry for being such a prick all these years. I pinch my eyes.
I’m not good. I don’t want the man to tell me what to do, but I don’t want him to die. She calls me back and she talks immediately after I answer, her voice is urgent and reassuring. “He’ll be okay.”
I exhale and I don’t know what this will mean to her. I hope she’s who I think she is. “I’m almost there.” We careen around a corner toward the Sphinx and I see sand flying off of her boots as she sprints to get to me. I jump down and she’s holding me in an instant.
I move the brim of her hat to the back, and nuzzle into the crook of her neck and release all this instant panic. My body moves with quickened breaths, and she rubs the top of my head. Nothing else matters right now. Every cell in my body identifies this is where I’m supposed to be.
“I’m here. I’m here.” She keeps cooing as I cry like I haven’t done since my grandparents died. Eventually, I lift my head. I say with bloodshot, damp eyes, “Hi.”
I’m barely holding together as she proves to me she’s exactly who I hoped she was.
“Call Birdie and tell her we’re on our way. Call Colin and tell him what’s happened. Let him be your boots on the ground.”
My voice is quiet. “I will.” Colin is my ride or die but I called Kat.
She’s sweet and soothing. “Come on. We have to go.” She wipes my face and I grab her hand and kiss it.
“How was it?” I ask weakly.
“Later.”
She takes my hand and there’s a car waiting already packed with our meager luggage. Most of my things are with Liesel and Bill waiting for us in Athens.
The waiting for more information is killing me. We nestle into the car and my leg is bouncing. She keeps putting her hand on it as I stare out the window. I have to do something, I want to take care of something. She threads her fingers through mine and leans on my shoulder.
“I don’t know who we’ll be when we land.”
She leans up and kisses my cheek. “We’ll be a version of this.”
“I want to be this,” I tell her as I take her hand.
“Me too.”
My sister is ill-equipped to handle this and my brother is a joke. This falls to me like a dark shadow that’s been looming. Perhaps it’s why I’ve tried to take care of no one but myself for so long. Not care about anyone beyond a night or a bit of fun. Just Colin.
And now there’s this fucking beautiful unexpected Harpy to contend with. How do we remain co-conspirators and whatever this is between us when we walk back into their lives? I thought if the path to my heart was convoluted enough, it could never be found. It’s like she’s found the map.
I’m shaking out the adrenaline through my hands. I look like I’m trying to get something sticky off of them. Time to do 3 things that make me feel like I’m doing something. She pulls her legs up onto the seat, I ignore how filthy we are, and that she’s getting sand on the seat. I look down and so am I. The small things surrounding us as we face something big.
Traveling the way I’ve done is a constant pivot, where’s the story, where am I needed, what can be done immediately and how do I get it done. My mother loves the wild boar ragu macaroni at Contessa. I order most of the menu and grilled salmon no sauce, all gluten free for my sister and my niece.
