Eves dark eyes widened, but she didnt say anything. She waited.
He wanted me to tell you that hes going to call. Its something about your dad, he says. He says not to hang up.
My dad, Eve repeated. Youre sure.
Thats what he said. I told him, no promises. Claire sipped her mocha, which was perfect, and watched Eves expression. Not too easy to read, right now. He didnt try to hurt me.
Broad daylight, on a main street? Yeah, well, hes bug-out crazy, but hes not stupid. Eve seemed very far away, suddenly. And all her happy glow was gone. I havent talked to either one of my parents since my eighteenth birthday.
Why not?
They tried to sell me to Brandon, she said flatly. Like a piece of meat on the hoof. I dont know why Jasons suddenly all nostalgic about the fam; its not like there were good times to remember.
But theyre still your parents.
Yeah, unfortunately. Look, heres the story of the Rosser clan: were the original nuclear family. As in, nuclear bomb. Toxic even when it doesnt explode. Eve shook her head. Whatever Dads damage is, I dont care. And I dont know why Jason would, either.
Another student had paid for coffee, and Eve cast him an absent, empty smile and started pulling espresso shots with mechanical precision. Its nothing, she said. And Im hanging up on him when he calls. If he calls. And even if its something, I dont give a damn anyway.
Claire just nodded. She had no idea what to say. Eve was clearly upset, a lot more upset than shed expected her to be. She waved good-bye and took herself off to a nearby study table, and began plowing through a book shed borrowed from the library. Somebodys PhD paper, which read like the guy had never bothered to attend a single English Composition class.
Good equations, though. She was heavily involved in them when her cell phone rang.
Hello? She didnt recognize the number, but it was local, and not her parents.
Claire Danvers?
Yes, whos this?