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I blink and stroke the glossy cover of my post card as she talks.
My brain…I must be tired. I feel wound up. Like things are connected when they aren’t connected. Like I’m about to cry, or barf. I look over my shoulder. Where is Lora? Is it chapter night? What day is it?
I’m going to pass out.
Just turn the fucking post card over.
I feel strong resistance to the idea. Cindy’s voice is driving me insane. She prattles on. My heart swells like a balloon behind my ribs. It takes up all the space. With a flick of my wrist, I turn the post card over. Read the time stamp: September 19, 2014. So…today.
I blink several times, and scan the text. It blurs as pressure builds behind my eyes.
“Cindy?”
She takes my interruption as a sign that she should wind things down. “So to proceed, we’ll need a commitment. Verbal and—”
“Cindy?” A tear falls onto the card.
“Miss Whatley? Are you okay?”
I swallow, but my voice is still a rasp. “I have a question.”
“Sure,” she says indulgently.
My heart hammers. I swallow, but it doesn’t help me breathe. Again, the chicken bone. “Can you tell me…when did R. die? What day?”
My chest is on fire. My head on fire. I lean against the table as my hand mangles the card.
“If you really want to know, I guess it couldn’t hurt. Just one moment, Autumn, okay?” I can hear her fingers clicking on a keyboard.
“Cleo.”
“Cleo? Okay, Cleo. I’ll be back in just a moment.”
My chest rises… My head spins.
“Sloth,” he says. “Is that a nickname?”
“Chicken pizza? Are you kidding me?”
“What can I say?” He smiles. “Chicken? Pizza? It works. You agree?”
“I think we might be soul mates.”
“What makes you think so?”
“You just played a song I really like, one I usually play wh
en I’m coming here. But other things too,” I add.
“What things?”
“Like you how … you made me drink the Snow Queen. My friend used to always say to drink before I come here.”
“Anything else?”
“I just…feel weird about you. Good weird. Like I know you, even though I know I really don’t.”
I hear a click. “Okay, Cleo.” Cindy’s voice is clear and crisp.
