Page 26 of The Souls We Claim

If she is surprised by the mention of a husband, she doesn’t show it. “For real?”

“I need to make a call.”

“Leave Lola with me.”

I glance down at my niece. “I’m sorry, I don’t feel comfortable leaving her with you when I barely know you.”

“One second.” She dials a number. Whatever the person says to her when they answer makes her smile. “As much as I’m intrigued by that proposition, I’m with company. Is Halo there?”

I begin to shake my head. “No, please, don’t make a fuss.” The words escape on a strangled whisper.

“It’s fine,” she says to me. “Sorry, no, sweetie. Was talking to Arianne. Yeah, I just need him to confirm it’s okay to leave Lola with me.”

There’s a pause, and a little bit of me dies inside. Tears sting, and I force them down. Most men don’t like being bothered at work. I rarely called Patrick while he was working. Even though I knew my dad wouldn’t mind, Patrick did.

“Hey, Halo. I’m with Arianne and Lola, and Arianne has something she needs to take care of real quick but doesn’t want to leave Lola with me because she doesn’t know me. Can you reassure her it’s cool?”

Halo obviously says yes, and she offers me the phone. I look at it like it’s a viper ready to stick two fangs into me. But finally, I take it.

“Hey. I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was going to bother you at work and I?—”

“You got a problem, Arianne?” he asks, cutting through the apology.

“I just need to make a call and didn’t feel comfortable leaving Lola with someone I didn’t know.” My heart races in my chest.

“Smart girl. I should have left you my number this morning. Give me yours. I got a pen.”

I recite my cell number.

“I’ll text you in a minute from mine. Yeah, Gwen’s one of the good ones. She’s my president’s twin. You sure you’re okay? You need help with something?”

I think about the call I’m going to have to make. “No. I’m okay. Thanks.”

“Okay. You did the right thing checking, and Gwen did the right thing calling. Good girl. Catch you later.”

And with that, the phone line goes dead. I hand the phone back to Gwen. “I’m sorry. This is all new. Yes, please, take Lola with you. I’ll just be a minute.”

I step outside, and before I can pull up Patrick’s number, I see a text from an unknown number.

Save this to your phone. H.

The speed at which Halo is ready to ask if I need help, and the efficacy with which he deals with things, is enough to hammer home the absolute lack of care in my marital relationship.

He reassured me I did the right thing, as if he knew I’d be worried about that. Patrick used to love leaving me hanging.

You did the right thing calling. Good girl.

His praise shouldn’t make me feel quite so gooey, should it?

Taking a deep breath, I call my husband.

“Where the fuck are you?” he says. His voice is tightly controlled, reedy. I’m certain his lips will be narrowed to thin lines. I always knew if he walked into a room looking like that, he was furious. And I’m relieved to be an unknown distance away from him right now.

“I couldn’t let Mercy be buried without family.”

“Do you know how it feels to come home to an empty house? No dinner? No wife?”

I note the order in which he raises his concerns. House, dinner, then me. “I’m sorry,” I say, then I wonder why I apologized. I try to swallow, but my mouth is so dry, I find it hard. Somehow Halo’s quiet strength and burying my sister both give me some clarity. “I had to come. You gave me no option.”