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“Because I asked my assistant to call you,“ she says. “And I asked her to use a fake name so you couldn’t trace it back, a burner phone…I didn’t want Trine to feel like I was interfering with her life. And, for the record, Ilana is my middle name. Joslin…“
“Is grandma’s maiden name,“ Trine says softly. “I guess I just didn’t make that connection.“
Aura nods, crossing her legs as she does. “Yes, well, you weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to help her and then get out of her life. This happened years ago.“
“We thought we’d exorcised her, but it seems like she’s still dealing with some of it,“ I tell her. “For now, it’s nothing to worry about, but it might be later. It will be later.“
“Dealing with some of it how?“
Trine shifts uncomfortably in her seat. “I guess it has something to do with sleep, but mostly, I’m doing this because I need to help them with other people. Other people are suffering, and these three are struggling to help other people.“
“Trine is worried because we failed at helping someone who called us in Orlando,“ Rei says. I think it’s the first time he’s spoken since we got here,
“Someone I know. A sort of friend,“ Trine adds. “Just a kid. He’s barely out of high school and he could die…“
“What about you?“ Aura asks.
“What do you mean?“ Trine asks.
“Could you die if something isn’t done?“ Her mom says softly.
“Yes,“ Trine replies. “Yes, Mom. That’s why we’re here.“
TRINE
Ineed some air.
I can’t believe my mom called these people without talking to me about this. She probably knew exactly why we were here and I’m so mad that she didn’t even fucking call me about this. Now I’m here with three men I barely know, talking to my mom after she fucking made them exorcise me.
And then didn’t pay them, if I understood their complaints right.
I can’t be here. I can’t be in here, in this sunroom, having a conversation about this over a fucking cup of coffee. Storming off and leaving is probably rude, considering that the exorcists don’t know my mom at all, but if I stay here, I’m going to burst into tears.
I’m not going to do that in front of my fucking mother, so I get to my feet and push myself away from the rocking chair, despite how lightheaded I am. They all turn to look at me, the sound all but sucked out of the room.
“Bathroom,“ I mumble as a way of explanation and then bolt toward the house, as if I fucking know where anything is. I open the doors to the inside of the house and look around the open floor, trying to orient myself despite how much I feel like I’m about to stumble over my feet and fall face first on the tile floor.
Before I can, I feel a warm hand wrapped around my bicep, pulling me upright.
I crane my head back to see Rei, his brows knitted in concern. “Let’s go get some air,“ he says.
I nod, watching him slide his hand down my arm until our fingers are interlaced and he’s pulling me away, toward a side door that leads to the wraparound balcony. He closes the door softly behind him, but the Florida humidity is making it hard to breathe out here.
“Hold onto the railing for me,“ he says.
I do as he tells me and he does the same, his long, delicate fingers wrapped over the wooden handrail. I take a deep breath as I try to steady myself, letting my gaze wander up over his muscular arms. He left his jacket in the car, and he’s wearing this shirt that looks about a size too small for him, his biceps stretching the fabric of his sleeves.
“Do you need water?“ he asks, his hand on the small of my back.
I shake my head, but my mouth is extremely dry. I straighten my body as I look up at the suburban street, a Chevy driving slowly past us. The driver waves and I grit my teeth and wave back despite how much I don’t want to. I know what small Southern towns are like and people probably already gossip about my mom a lot. I wouldn’t want things to get worse for her, though, honestly, I don’t know what I’m thinking. From the looks of it, my mother is doing exceptionally well for herself. We never had a house this nice when I was growing up.
I turn to look at Rei. He’s frowning, obviously worried. “That was a lot,“ he says. “We don’t have to be here.“
“She was the one who called you, Rei. How could she have known? By that point, we already weren’t talking.“
“I don’t think it’s out of the question that your mother kept tabs on you,“ he says. “It sounds to me like she has a vested interest in your well-being.“
I glare at him as I straighten up. “Okay,“ I say. “Let’s say that’s true. Let’s say she ‘has a vested interested in my well-being’.“
