I heard my burner phone ring. Shit! I haven’t changed the SIM yet.
I picked. "Tori, you shouldn’t have called this line back..."
"Are you okay?"
I sniffed. "Trying to be."
"You saw the article, didn’t you?"
"What article?"
"Don’t play dumb with !"
After all these years, she still knows better than anyone else.
"So what if I did... a news like that was surely gonna hit the screens soon."
"Yeah, I guess..."
"What?"
I could sense sothing was wrong.
"Nothing just—"
"Tori."
"Look, I didn’t wanna tell you. I an, you had made plans for a long ti. I was afraid that if I told you, then you would just go off the grid again, and you wouldn’t get the chance to see your grandparents."
"Tori, talk to . What’s wrong?"
"It’s about Ares."
I hated how much my insides shook whenever his na was ntioned. It was as if my entire body was designed to act on it like a switch.
"He’s been coming to my pub and asking about you. It started a year ago, almost close to when we started talking. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything until now."
I shook my head. "T-That has to be wrong."
"No? I an, sothing like this ans he’s been looking for you all this ti, and this is not a guess. I think he’s actually still is."
I gulped. "I-It’s been five years, Tori, That’s not possible..."
"I don’t think the Devil cares about that."
My hands trembled, and it was difficult to keep them steady while holding the phone.
"Cat?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"You good?"
I don’t reply because saying I am was basically a lie. I don’t know how to feel right now. It was hard enough all these years. I assud he might be searching for , and sowhere along the line, I didn’t have to worry about it, but now... I’m shaken to the core.
"Does this an you have to cut off contact again?"
Reed and I usually did this as a rotation. We changed location and identities, not staying around for long, but after I had Es, I decided I didn’t wanna live that way anymore.
I began using my na again, and we settled down in a small town so that Es could have a normal childhood.
Reed didn’t like the idea, but he understood and worked everything out.
However, leaving everything behind broke a part of , and I couldn’t just abandon the only family I had, so I resud contact with my grandparents. Although it was difficult, I did my best.
"Cat? Please talk to ."
"I’ll call you. Don’t try this line again. I’m changing it."
"Wait—"
I ended the call before she could say anything else and switched off the phone. I ran a hand through my hair in distress.
I can’t believe he’s still searching until now.
I walked up the stairs to Es’s room, and she was fast asleep. Her fifth birthday was coming up in two months, and I hoped to celebrate it with Gramps and Granny. They were really looking forward to seeing her.
When I told them the news, I dreaded many things, but I didn’t have anything to worry about because they welcod her with open arms. I smiled at the mory.
Sitting on the bed, I push so strands off her face.
Es was looking forward to this, and the thought of taking that away from her didn’t feel right.
The mont I let Reed know, we were gonna have to leave town and everything else we had built here. God knows when I’d be able to talk with my family again.
What am I gonna do?
~☆~
"You’re sulking."
I blinked away and looked to Maria.
"I’m not sulking..."
"You sure about that?"
"Yes, maybe I am... I an, look..." I emphasised to my empty diner. "There’s not a soul here."
"Yeah, because it’s normal, school is in session, folks are at work, and doing whatever. Just another day in our small town, Penrose. Now tell why you are sulking...?"
"I’m not—"
"Is it about Reed? Tell it is! I think it’s about ti you two rip each other’s clothes and go feral. If you won’t have him, I will—"
"Maria!"
"What? I’m serious, though... because I don’t know how you do it. He’s a walking hot at that needs to get clapped. How can you just have those goodies in front of you and go... nun?"
"Remind why you’re a woman and not a man? Seriously, you chase anything with a snake between the legs."
She shrugged. "I’m a chick who knows the taste of at—Ow!"
I hit her with my notebook, and she jumped away.
"Hey!"
"The deserts won’t make themselves!"
"Alright, alright! Chill!" She pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen.
That girl.
I took a look around the space. Of course, it was totally normal by this ti of the day, and when we got to it, there were usually more people who ca to hang around.
However, my thoughts were sowhere else; it’s been a week since I heard from Tori, and her words still created a hole.
I haven’t summoned the courage to tell Reed yet, and my lips have been sealed ever since. I wasn’t exactly panicking. Yes, Ares could still be searching for , but he can’t find .
I got distracted when I heard the bell.
"Hey, sheriff!" I pitched going back to my usual cheerful self.
"Ms. Walker." He took off his hat.
"Already here for your afternoon coffee, I was expecting you earlier."
"Yeah, I missed the usual morning run because the fuse box got faulty."
"Oh..."
"Don’t worry, Reed already took care of it. Thank God for him."
"That’s nice to hear. The usual?"
"Yes." He dropped his hat on the table.
I smiled. "Coming right up."
It took a few minutes before I set the mug in front of him, and he took a sip, humming in delight.
"Just what I needed."
"Work tough these days?" I asked, going back to my note, finally having it in to make accounts.
"Not exactly. Soone just bought that house across the street. The one that belonged to that newlywed couple."
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