Page 91
Story: I'll Be Waiting
His lips tighten a fraction, not enough for the other two to notice.
Too bad, asshole. My trauma isn’t your fucking meal ticket.
“We should have a ghost story,” Shania blurts.
Jin obviously struggles to hide a wince. “I’m not sure that—”
“No, it’s fine,” I say. Anything to distract me. “So, whose turn is it?”
Cirillo looks my way. “Nicola? I have a feeling you might have an old story for us.”
I go still. Very still. My gaze slowly pivots his way, but he’s just sitting there, watching me.
Does he know about Patrice?
“I have one,” Shania cuts in. “Let’s save Nic for tomorrow and the last séance. This one’s mine.”
Cirillo clears his throat. “Actually, I think we’ll skip tonight’s ghost story. Can we get yours tomorrow, Shania?”
Her look of disappointment has me opening my mouth to say no, let her tell her story. But everyone—Shania included—quickly gets into place, and Cirillo is beginning before I can object.
After a few words, I tune out Cirillo’s invocation and force myself to relax. If I self-sabotage, I’ll blame myself for it later. I’m really good at that.
Anton? If you’re out there, we need to talk.
Yes, I’m using that voice, the one you always said reminded you of when your parents said they needed to talk to you and you knew you’d done something.
But even when you knew it wasn’t going to be a happy conversation, you always talked to me. You never blew me off or made excuses.
Please. I’m sorry if anything I say upsets you, but understand that I need to know, and if the situation were reversed and you had questions, I would absolutely want you to ask.
I’m beating around the bush, and I hate that. Shania said to reach out and just ask, and Anton and I had the kind of relationship where I could do that. But imagine wanting to ask your spouse a vital and personal question and needing to do it before an audience.
Anton, I’m sorry. I just need to talk to you.
A sigh ripples past, and my eyes fly open. I look around. Everyone else seems to have their eyes shut, but Jin must be peeking because he glances over, frowning. My headshake tells him to ignore me.
When he shuts his eyes, I whisper as softly as I can, “Anton? We need to talk. Please.”
That sigh again, and in it, I feel a frisson of something like frustration. I open my eyes with my face turned away from Jin.
“Are you there?” I whisper.
That bristle-static sense of frustration increases. Then it vanishes, and everything goes silent, preternaturally silent, as if I’ve fallen into a vacuum. I’m straining so hard that when I hear something, I jump, and the table jumps with me.
“Nicola?” Cirillo says. “Did you experience something?”
I shake my head, and Cirillo’s voice firms, as if I’m a stubborn child.
“Nicola? If you’re experiencing anything—”
“I will tell you,” I snap. “Something startled me. Now I’d like to focus on figuring out what it is.”
He holds my gaze, every bit the professor with an uppity grad student. I only meet his stare. If he wants a battle of wills, I can give him one.
“All right,” he says. “I trust you will let us know when you hear something.”
“I will.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91 (Reading here)
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134