keep it. If I gave it to you, it’s because I wanted you to have it. I may not remember why, but you are obviously important enough to have it.”
They sat frozen and staring at each other.
“Did I … did I love you?”
AJ breathed in deeply, the air inflating his lungs and puffing out his chest, making him look larger than life.
“I don’t know,” he said, adding another one hundred miles to the tally. “I don’t know.”
“Did you love me?”
It was a hopeful question, as if she were hoping his answer was yes. She wondered briefly if that’s what her dream had been about – maybe she had seen him as a savior who would change her life and that’s why the sky cleared up and he replaced the menacing figure the dream had started with.
“Addie , stop.”
“Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”
AJ glanced out the window and saw Gram in the front yard welcoming Matthew home. He saw her glance up at the window. The look on her face said it all – she needed him to go. To leave them be.
“Addie, we hadn’t known each other very long. Especially not long enough to know something like that.”
“Oh.” She didn’t fight him or question him further. “Then I guess it’s probably pretty good I don’t remember anything, huh?” She stood up and pushed the chair in, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I mean, you can just pack up and go, essentially missing nothing, while I stay here and only have to miss knowing what happened the last three months of my life. The things I’ve done in the last three months, which are probably more epic than anyone seems to be letting on considering you have my medallion and no one has any straight answers for me. At least I was able to forget everything we don’t have.” The tone was angrily sarcastic, and she regretted her words the instant they escaped her mouth.
A slamming screen door broke their conversation and concentration and Addie welcomed the excuse to make her way out of his room.
“That must be Helen and Matthew,” she said. “I’d better go. Take care AJ.”
“Addie, I’d feel better if you take the medallion back. It’s part of your family.”
“Keep it,” she said, her back towards him and her shoulders hunched forward as if she were ready to bolt out of there at any moment. Her feet stood still, a statue to the ground. “It seems to find its way to people who walk out of my life. I don’t think I’ll want to give it to anyone else.”
The shattering of his heart had to be audible, he thought. It sure felt loud enough to echo the world.
10 SLITHERS
“How much for a room?” the old man asked, standing across the beat-up counter of Bob’s auto shop.
“Well sir, it’s actually a whole house. If you want a single room, there’s a B&B up the street that I can point you to.”
“A house would be better. I like my privacy. How much?”
“How long are you staying?” Bob countered.
“A month. Maybe more. I’m just chasing the breeze, looking for a new place to settle down. This one sort of called out to me.”
“Lee has a way of doing that.” Bob picked up a ring with keys on it and pulled two off. “Here’s a form for you to fill out. Nothing too detailed, just a phone number and contract to pay for anything broken while you’re there.”
The gentleman scanned the paper quickly, scrawling his signature in nearly unrecognizable handwriting across the bottom.
“Here you go,” Bob said, sliding the brass keys across the counter. “This one is the front; that one is for the back door. Rent is due on the first of the month, every month. Stay as long as you like. Don’t cause trouble. If you need anything, you can find me here.”
He’d only rented out the house a handful of times but knew the script. He’d only come up with a contract the day after Devin had left abruptly without paying. He placed the remaining clanking key ring back into the pocket of his coveralls, looking at the newcomer again.
“Where
They sat frozen and staring at each other.
“Did I … did I love you?”
AJ breathed in deeply, the air inflating his lungs and puffing out his chest, making him look larger than life.
“I don’t know,” he said, adding another one hundred miles to the tally. “I don’t know.”
“Did you love me?”
It was a hopeful question, as if she were hoping his answer was yes. She wondered briefly if that’s what her dream had been about – maybe she had seen him as a savior who would change her life and that’s why the sky cleared up and he replaced the menacing figure the dream had started with.
“Addie , stop.”
“Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”
AJ glanced out the window and saw Gram in the front yard welcoming Matthew home. He saw her glance up at the window. The look on her face said it all – she needed him to go. To leave them be.
“Addie, we hadn’t known each other very long. Especially not long enough to know something like that.”
“Oh.” She didn’t fight him or question him further. “Then I guess it’s probably pretty good I don’t remember anything, huh?” She stood up and pushed the chair in, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I mean, you can just pack up and go, essentially missing nothing, while I stay here and only have to miss knowing what happened the last three months of my life. The things I’ve done in the last three months, which are probably more epic than anyone seems to be letting on considering you have my medallion and no one has any straight answers for me. At least I was able to forget everything we don’t have.” The tone was angrily sarcastic, and she regretted her words the instant they escaped her mouth.
A slamming screen door broke their conversation and concentration and Addie welcomed the excuse to make her way out of his room.
“That must be Helen and Matthew,” she said. “I’d better go. Take care AJ.”
“Addie, I’d feel better if you take the medallion back. It’s part of your family.”
“Keep it,” she said, her back towards him and her shoulders hunched forward as if she were ready to bolt out of there at any moment. Her feet stood still, a statue to the ground. “It seems to find its way to people who walk out of my life. I don’t think I’ll want to give it to anyone else.”
The shattering of his heart had to be audible, he thought. It sure felt loud enough to echo the world.
10 SLITHERS
“How much for a room?” the old man asked, standing across the beat-up counter of Bob’s auto shop.
“Well sir, it’s actually a whole house. If you want a single room, there’s a B&B up the street that I can point you to.”
“A house would be better. I like my privacy. How much?”
“How long are you staying?” Bob countered.
“A month. Maybe more. I’m just chasing the breeze, looking for a new place to settle down. This one sort of called out to me.”
“Lee has a way of doing that.” Bob picked up a ring with keys on it and pulled two off. “Here’s a form for you to fill out. Nothing too detailed, just a phone number and contract to pay for anything broken while you’re there.”
The gentleman scanned the paper quickly, scrawling his signature in nearly unrecognizable handwriting across the bottom.
“Here you go,” Bob said, sliding the brass keys across the counter. “This one is the front; that one is for the back door. Rent is due on the first of the month, every month. Stay as long as you like. Don’t cause trouble. If you need anything, you can find me here.”
He’d only rented out the house a handful of times but knew the script. He’d only come up with a contract the day after Devin had left abruptly without paying. He placed the remaining clanking key ring back into the pocket of his coveralls, looking at the newcomer again.
“Where
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