Just Like That - Cole McCade Page 0,92

a heist to steal this magic stuff. You can have it when I’m done.”

Mom poked her head in and asked me if I wanted some coffee. “Sure, thanks.”

I sat down on the couch as Dolly curled up at his feet and closed her eyes.

Mom brought me a cup of black coffee and some creamer. I added enough so that the coffee turned from black to khaki. Perfect.

“How was your drive?” Mom asked.

We caught up on my trip, the fact that she’d cleared out my room for me, and what else was happening in town. Mostly it was about who my parents knew that had died, what they had died from, and talking shit about a few while simultaneously hoping they rested in peace.

Less than an hour at home and I already wanted to escape, but I was stuck here, at least for now.

I had to unpack my car, find a place for Dolly’s food and water bowls, and settle into my room. Luckily for me, my brother, who was ten years older, had vacated it a long time ago to go to college.

My bed was small, but Mom had bought me a new mattress recently, so there was that. Still, it was a twin bed, when I’d been sleeping in a queen in my apartment. That had been left on the street. No one wanted someone else’s mattress. The bed frame had been taken by Natalie, one of my former coworkers. I missed her already, and needed to text her that I’d made it home safe. She was so worried about me moving back to Maine that she’d literally bought me bear spray. I told her that the likelihood that I would die from a bear attack was slim to none, but she wouldn’t listen.

The walls started to close on me as I looked at the tiny bed. Sure, I’d had to share my old apartment with someone I didn’t like, but my bedroom had been twice this size, and I’d had two big, beautiful windows that looked out on a courtyard filled with flowers and butterflies and twittering birds. Maine had all those things, but it wasn’t the same.

To add insult to injury, none of my sheets or blankets were going to fit the bed. I added that to the list of things I needed to get with money I didn’t have.

Dolly followed me into the room and climbed up on the bed. She took up most of it.

“I’m going to end up on the floor,” I said to her. She closed her eyes and huffed out a sigh.

I sat on the edge of the bed and looked around. At least the posters I’d had on the walls in high school were gone, and the room was freshly painted white. My window looked out toward the ocean, which sparkled at me beyond a row of trees. At least I could see the ocean every day here.

My phone buzzed with yet another text. Natalie. I sent her a quick message that I’d arrived safe and had not been mauled by a bear. I ignored the message from Anna, my old roommate, about some dishes I’d apparently left behind and if it was okay for her to have them. Whatever. She could knock herself out. She’d stolen a bunch of my other shit, so I wasn’t sure why she was contacting me about this. I considered blocking her number so I’d never have to speak to her again.

I reached out and stroked Dolly’s velvet head. She leaned into my touch. “What are we gonna do?” I asked. She didn’t answer.

Later that night, after I unpacked my car and had dinner that consisted of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a fiddlehead salad, I sat on the couch as Mom watched a reality talent show and Dad read.

This was my life now.

“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Mom asked during a commercial break.

“I’m not sure.”

I hadn’t thought any further than today. Everything else was a blank. I was always the girl with the plan, but now, I was adrift. An unmoored boat, lost at sea with no hope of rescue.

“I was talking to Cindy Malone the other day and they’re hiring for summer help at The Lobster Pot,” Mom said. “You did that in high school. I know she’d hire you. At least it would give you something during the summer until you can find something more permanent if you need to.”

I tried not to make a face and instead grabbed one of the