knocked a little off my fucking axis to think you’d put our kids in danger by housing that cunt here.”
Ever looked angry for just a moment before the emotion faded away and looked more like amusement. “She’s not here,” Ever insisted.
“Did you buy a house I don’t know about?”
“Nope,” she told me. “Remember when I told you that I had a story to tell you about Toby and why I believed you saw him when you were missing?”
“Yeah,” I managed to get out, though it sounded more like a question, even to my own ears.
“Well, it’s all a part of that, and I was waiting until you were home and settled to launch into that bit of craziness.”
“Can you give me the short of it?”
“I met a psychic, she helped me find you, then she died and left all of her worldly possessions to me, though she asked that I hang onto all of it for a year and a day from the time she died, and so that’s where I stashed the cunt-faced troll who tormented you for months on end. That’s where her baby was delivered. She’s still there, waiting. I just checked on her day before yesterday. I have some help doing that,” Ever informed me before adding, “Trusted help.”
“Okay, when this party is over, we’re going to touch on both of those things, but for now, I need to tell you that I don’t care what happens to that cunt, but I want nothing to do with it.”
“What? Why?”
“If I go there, she will win. If I come for justice and try to take it out on her, I’m just feeding her delusion that I’m in love with her and will save her. Do what you need to, let the club have at her, it doesn’t matter. I just know that it can’t be me who does it. She’ll enjoy that too much.”
“That’s just so wrong,” Ever shivered visibly at the thought. “I’ll handle her after your party.”
“I love everyone out there,” I told her. “You know that, right?” I waited for her to nod. “You know what I wanted as a homecoming?”
“What?”
“A night with just you and our babies, cuddled up on the couch watching the goddamn Disney Channel.”
“Aww, babe,” she cooed and then her arms were wrapped around my middle and she was pulling me close. “I wanted that too, but your mom and dad will be here any minute, and this is all kind of for them too.”
“Ever?”
“Hmm?”
“It’s not looking good for either of them, is it?” She shook her head, almost imperceptibly. “I missed a whole year and came back to your mom being gone and both of my parents so sick that…” my words grew thick as I started to get choked up.
“It wouldn’t have helped, even if you’d been here. You need to know that. There would be something else you would blame for time lost. The club, trips to the grocery store, a family vacation where we spent time away from them. That time only seems precious the minute we know for sure that it’s fleeting. Hindsight always robs us of it.”
“When did you get so wise?”
“I’ve always been this way. That’s why you fell in love with me.”
“Really? I thought it was your fantastic boobs?”
“Jesus, Deck!” She laughed as I leaned in and nuzzled my stubbled jaw into the tender flesh where her neck and shoulder meet.
“Let’s get back out there. The more I’m seen, the quicker we can kick them all out and send them home,” I suggested.
Ever
The following day, I went to Ava’s house to collect on the revenge payment that was due to us. The only problem with that was the bitch wasn’t there. I searched the whole house before making my way back to the attic a second time. Finally, I found a letter and a gorgeous, luminescent feather lying near it. I must have knocked them off the table with the slight draft created when I opened the door. I bent to pick up both the paper and feather and found that there was ink on the tip of the feather’s shaft. I turned the letter over so that I could see the words that were printed there.
Sis,
I didn’t want you to get your hands dirty, so I took out the trash for you. Besides, it’s kind of a part of this new gig I got. Watch the news, you’ll probably catch wind of it in a couple of days.
Take care of your