all right.
Vaughn: Be careful. Doc’s smart, but stay with him if you go to the clinic. No wandering around by yourself.
I rolled my eyes but just sent him a kiss emoji back and shut off the screen. Kestrel’s room was quiet, in fact, the whole building seemed to be as I made my way down. Freddie was on the sofa in the sitting room, passed out cold. The debris of our movie watching still littered the table.
Clearing some of it away, I carried it into the kitchen to put in the trash. There was a note on the coffeemaker that read,
To turn me on, flick the switch.
I snorted. But one button hit, and it began brewing. There was another covered dish on the counter with a note that read,
Food. A little too much sugar, but we need to shop. I got you donuts.
The note was signed with a J, and under the lid was two boxes of donuts. There were all kinds, including pink frosted ones with sprinkles. The coconut dusted ones too.
I didn’t wait, I stuffed one of the pink ones into my mouth immediately before liberating a pair of the coconut dusted ones. You didn’t bring donuts into a theater full of dancers and expect any to survive. You were either fast or you starved. And here were two enormous boxes just for me and filled with all kinds of sugary goodness.
Donuts on a plate, I poured a mug of coffee and then carried all of it to the table. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I went utterly still…for about three seconds, then it hit me.
No one but Vaughn and the others had this number. It couldn’t be my parents, Marta, or worst of all, my uncle, texting or calling. I wanted to pee, the relief hit so hard. After licking my fingers clean of the stickiness, I took out the phone.
Kestrel: Awake?
Me: Just got up a bit ago. Found the coffee and my wallet. Thank you.
Kestrel: Welcome. At the shop until six. If you need something, text me.
I smiled.
Me: Will do.
I’d no sooner sent that message than my phone buzzed again.
Jasper: On a run. Didn’t want you to think I disappeared on you again. Might not be back before tomorrow. Stay close to the clubhouse. If you go out, take one of the others, please. Text location at all times.
I considered the message.
Me: I slept very well. How about you?
Jasper: I’d have slept better if Rome hadn’t stolen you away.
I laughed.
Me: Can I ask what kind of run?
Jasper: I’d prefer you didn’t.
Preferring I didn’t wasn’t an outright denial or a shutdown.
Me: Okay. I won’t. I wanted to see Doc today. Safe or no?
If he was going to make concessions for me, then I could for him. This weird world of theirs had become almost strangely normal very quickly.
His answer was not quick in coming, so I set the phone down and finished my donuts and coffee. I’d cleaned up and washed my hands before the phone buzzed again.
Jasper: Doc is going to pick you up around lunchtime when he would normally close the clinic. If no one else is back, can you take Freddie with you?
I smiled. His concern for Freddie softened him in a way. As much as I needed and wanted to talk to Doc by myself, I wouldn’t abandon Freddie.
Me: I can do that. Thank you.
He’d taken so long because he’d been making arrangements.
Jasper: I meant what I said.
Me: I appreciate that. A lot. Be safe.
Jasper: See you when I’m back.
I checked the time, it wasn’t quite ten, which meant lunch was at least ninety minutes away, maybe longer. I was dressed and ready to go, so I went to check on Freddie. He lay with an arm across his eyes. The rise and fall of his chest indicated breathing, but it was a little too deep and fast to be sleeping rhythm.
Perching on the table, I propped my chin in my hands and studied him. “Why are you hiding from me?”
Freddie pulled his arm back slowly and eyed me. “I’m not hiding.” But the faint grimace said that was a lie. I just waited, and he sighed. “Maybe I’m hiding a little.”
I nodded slowly. “Can you tell me why?” Because if I’d done something, I wanted to fix it.
Swinging his legs to the floor, Freddie sat up slowly. He scrubbed his hands over his face and looked anywhere but at me. “I fucked up.” The admission seemed to cost him.
“Okay.”
Shock rippled