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Miriam waves at me as I climb into the Jeep. “Take care of your feelings for Samantha Clarisse,” she says. “And take care of yourself.”
I nod agreeing.
“We’ll be together again,” she adds.
I wonder when. I wonder what bizarre things will take place before I see her again.
Chapter Nine
In my room at The Edge, I open the bay window to let the ocean breeze clear out the stale air.
While I was gone, Peach returned to the room, though she’s gone again. I see things missing on the dresser and I wonder if everything of hers has been taken away.
I make the half slept in bed, pulling the generous covers tight at the edges so they look smooth and untouched. I’m startled when the door opens and Peach walks in. I walk toward her, wishing I felt free enough to put my arms around her, but she maintains a distance with her manner that says “stay clear”.
“Did Miriam soften the blow?” she asks as I approach her. She still wears the collar, but not the chain. She’s dressed in a white summer shift. Her skin glows its luscious hue, and her eyes look almost translucent as if I could see right through them. She stares at me as if she were staring into my soul.
“How did you know I was there?” I ask.
“Where else would you go?”
“She kept me from going crazy,” I say.
“Too bad,” she comments.
I’m hoping that the rift between us will dissolve with a little tenderness, just as Miriam dissolved my anxiety. Unfortunately my anxiety returns with Peach’s unexpected reappearance. Her cryptic comments go straight to my heart.
“Tell me please, what’s going on?” I ask.
“You know better than I, ask yourself. Right now, I’m moving downstairs with Anastasia.”
“That’s not enough explanation, Peach,” I say. My anger shows.
She leans on one foot with her hand on her hip and her lips pursed tightly. It’s not a typical Peach pose as she looks exceedingly bitchy. “You’ve got to know everything, don’t you? Always have to have it spelled out to you?”
I stare at her without saying a word, hoping she’ll go on.
“The truth is, Cass, I don’t really know what’s going on. Yeah, that’s right.” She nods her head to emphasize her point. “I just know I have to do this. When I was here before, I witnessed certain things, things I couldn’t handle then, but I made commitments.”
“What commitments, what are you talking about? You’ve never said anything about commitments to anyone but me.”
“I wasn’t ready then, I suppose I was too young, but I’m ready now. I tried with you, but it’s better that I came back here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You don’t have to understand right now.”
I wish there was more empathy from her. She might soothe me, but now she only frightens me more.
“Does Miriam know of this?” I ask.
“Of course.”
Peach combs the room for her things, slipping some of my things into her bag along with the others. I say nothing, thinking if she wants them, perhaps she’ll remember me when she sees them.
“It’ll be over in a few weeks,” she offers, trying to say something to appease me.
“A few weeks.” My look of protest is obvious.
