to. And that you’ll know when you need to. I’ve seen something, and I think maybe you’re going to need it soon, even though she’s still with us. This journey you’re going on, there’s something different about it.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but she silenced me with a finger. “You don’t need to tell me, dear. An old woman like me, I don’t need to know. But I know you need something to keep you safe. But maybe you don’t need to tell your Mom I gave it to you. Not just yet.”
She passed the little bag to me, and as I turned it over in my hands, I realized it wasn’t sequined at all. The tiny, shiny, translucent things adorning it were scales. Scales from the larbra fish, which Aegirans believe are divine. There was a shell clasp on the top, and I ran my fingers over its impossibly smooth finish. “How will I know when to open it?” I wanted to ask a thousand things, but she stilled me.
“You’ll know. Of course you’ll know. You already know enough to know that.”
She held me a little tighter than usual as I made to leave, and I felt my heart thump against her frail body and my breath ragged and coarse in her hair. I wondered what she’d seen in her visions. I wondered if I should try to pump her a little.
Then I remembered that no-one had ever been able to make Mrs Tripe do something she didn’t want to do. And I doubted that I was the one to buck the trend. Doubtless she’d told me all she could, all she thought I needed. And I guessed that had to be enough for now.
I jumped back in Ariel, glad to feel the smooth kiss of the leather on my thighs and hold her reassuringly hard steering wheel in practiced hands. She was what I needed – familiar, real. An antidote to the cryptic rabbithole world of visions and secrets I seemed to have fallen into.
I was so tired. But I still had one more stop.
She opened the door and shrieked the instant she saw me, arms clawing towards me.
He was a heartbeat behind her, his arms around her, shushing her gently, leading her back to the couch as he motioned me to come in. My eyes swept his pad, impressed as ever.
Doug.
He’s this big man’s man that you assume will have mildew growing in his bathroom, but instead he has the whole thing gleaming and alphabetized. And you should see his armory. If some girl ever marries him, he’ll never need Dr Phil’s Man Camp.
He was talking so softly to her. “Ma, it’s just Rania. Remember?”
I waited for Doug’s mother to rail at me some more, but I was relieved when her brow cleared and she relaxed in the sofa beside me. “Oh.” She sounded uncertain, but friendlier than a moment before. Her soft, still-pretty face looked lost and confused. A child caught in grown-up things.
“Hi.” I stayed as still as I could, like Doug had told me, and eventually she relaxed completely, and her eyes cleared. It was like the last few moments had never happened.
“Hi Rania. Nice to see you, girl. I’ve been baking. You want some?” She motioned to the kitchen with eyes an all-too-familiar shade of chocolate that tugged at a place deep inside me.
I saw a charred black circle on Doug’s granite benchtop.
“No thanks, Mrs D. But it sure smells good.”
Doug rewarded me with a smile. “Aw come on, Rania.” He gave his mother a quick squeeze around her frail shoulders as he led me away. “I’m sure I can convince her, Ma.”
When we reached the privacy of his slick chef’s kitchen, I touched his arm. “Bad day?”
“Nah,” he smiled cheerfully. “We’re fine. Burnt bench-top better than burnt Ma.”
“Some pair, hey?” I punched his shoulder. “Both living with Mommy.”
He smiled ruefully, indicating the bench-top with his head. “Least you get brownies.”
I laughed. “Listen, D, I just stopped by to say ‘bye. And thanks, y’know, for last night.”
He offered me a mock salute. “Don’t mention it, Sheriff.”
I hesitated a moment, then pressed on. “I’m sorry… you know, when you tried to tell me something.” I waited, but his face gave nothing away. “Last night. You want to tell me now?”
Doug’s glance flicked to his mother, who had started keening to herself. “No, Rania. I can’t. Not here. Not now.” I was surprised by how disappointed I felt. What had I expected?
But he pulled