Page 57 of Expressionate
“He makes you feel?” Trish prompts, soundingexcited.
“Good,” I say finally, “protected…happy.”
She smiles. A real smile. One I haven’t seen in a long time from her. Sitting back, Trish taps her nails against the table. “He must,” she says, “if he makes you grin likethat.”
It’s then that I realize she’s not the only one smiling like an idiot. I try to wipe it from my face and find that I can’t. The thought of Tax makes me blush and smile and it’s so strange and yet, also alluring. My phone buzzes, but this time it’s not alone. Trish pulls out her phone and groans. I pull out mine as well. One of the notifications is a spam email and the other is a text from Tax. I click on Tax’sfirst.
Tax:I’m coming over to see youlater.
I smile and send a quick reply, telling him what time I’ll behome.
“I have to go,” Trish says. I look up from my phone as she downs the rest of herlatte.
“So soon?” I tuck my phone away and stand as shedoes.
“Yeah, Lawrence wants to have some office friends over for dinner. I’ve gotta run to the grocery store and pick up some stuff.” I remember the flier in my pocket and pick up my own cup, sucking back the rest of my green tea, wincing when my stomach churns as I fillit.
“Will you throw my cup away when you take yours?” I ask quickly, before she can stepaway.
“Uh, sure.” She takes my cup and as she moves towards the trash cans, I realize she has her bag slung over her shoulder. I panic, looking around. But there, in her chair is her sweater. I rip the flier from my pocket and tuck it into the pocket of thesweater.
“Okay, thanks for meeting me,” she says as she strides back up. “I’m sorry I have to rushaway.”
“It’s no problem,” I assure her, taking her sweater and handing it to her. She sighs and slides intoit.
“I’ll see you later,” she calls back to me as she hurries out the door with me close on her heels. She turns one way, and I stand on the sidewalk, watching hergo.
Huffing out a breath that blows several strands of my hair out of my face, I start toward the parking lot. I know the moment he steps in the doorway, the thought of anything else will fly right out thewindow.
* * *
My fingers hoverover the keyboard, my chest aching.The page remains blank. I shut the laptop with a sigh and twist away from the desk. I can’t focus enough to write anything. Outside, a golden-hued sunset sinks over the horizon, bleeding out pinks and oranges across the sky. Above the lowering sun, the darkness rises, a vast blanket of midnight and stars that are barely visible – just out of reach. I rub my temples and stand up, padding toward the bedroom door, into the hall, and down to thekitchen.
My cell phone pings from my pocket and I pull it out, opening it to the latest text, wondering if Tax is going to be anylater.
Unknown:A little birdy told me where youare.
I frown, not recognizing the number. I type a replyback.
Love:Who isthis?
Unknown:You don't rememberme?
Unknown:I rememberyou
Isigh.
Love:I'm sorry. I think you have the wrongnumber.
Unknown:No, Love. I don't have the wrongnumber.
I frown at the screen as the same person sends an incoming image. I wait for it to load as I put water into a tea kettle and place it on the stove, cranking the heat up. My phone pings again. As I turn back, my eyes widen in shock. Ice crawls across my skin, buzzing at the threat. Horror freezes my heart in mychest.
Grainy and pixelated though the picture is, I recognize the contents. I don't remember it being taken, perhaps I hadn't even known that it had been. But I know my own body anywhere. Half naked, eyes hollowed out, dead. My skin is clammy as I stare at my own face reflected back. In the image, my breasts are barely covered by a deep plunging bra. My skin looks pale and icy, like all of the life – all of the color – had been leeched away. I recognize the hand on my shoulder, the one around my middle, as Danny’s. I swallow around a hard knot in mythroat.
There is a deep bruise along one shoulder, an oval shape broken in two places. It was the bruise from a rough bite. Another text comesthrough.
Unknown:Don’t you miss where youbelong?
