She let out a deep sigh, picked up the top paper from the stack,and started reading the report. But the words began to run together halfway through. She set the paper back down and picked up her necklace again, watching the sparkles dance around the tabletop.
She jumped at the sound of a beep as the office door swung open. She spun around with a smile, expecting to see Cahir, but it was Benny standing there with a cup of coffee.
Her smile faded.
“Sheesh, don’t look so excited to see me. It’s not like you were expecting anyone else?” He laughed lightly, then winced, realizing how insensitive that came out. “Here, I brought you a drink. Not the best coffee… a little burnt. But it was leftover from some execs who came through and brewed a large pot.”
She accepted the coffee with a small smile, the aroma filling the air and making her stomach growl. “Thank you.”
“He’ll be back soon,” Benny said to her, his eyes filled with tenderness.
“I hope so,” she replied as she took a slow sip of her coffee and winced. “You weren’t joking. This coffee is a little gross.”
They shared a gentle smile, both making an effort to stay positive despite the circumstances. As Benny took his seat in Cahir’s chair across the desk, his leg started to tremble with nerves.
She noticed his gaze drift to the mandarin on the floor, the same one she had thrown at Cahir for falling asleep the day of the Wyrd.
She hadn’t picked it up yet. Picking it up felt like giving up hope. She knew that didn’t make sense, but every time she glanced over at that same mandarin, she saw his dimpled, mischievous grin as he awoke from his nap.
“I’m scared for him and Dad,” she said as she set the coffee down. “What if something happened to Cahir? There wasn’t enough time to make it to Cascade when he left. Where would he even have stayed to be safe for curfew? What if Dad is already at the Camp? This was a bad idea. I can’t do this without Cahir, Benny.”
“Do you remember that one time when the Jotnar attacked the dome and the crowd went crazy, and a Rozzer tripped while holding his sword? Cahir caught that sword by the blade. It almost stabbed you!”
Seda did remember that. The blade hadn’t actually cut Cahir’s hand. He claimed it wasn’t sharp and handed it back to the Rozzer, who stared at it in confusion.
“He’s a lucky guy, Seda. You’re also special to him. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. He’ll be back.”
She took another sip of the lukewarm coffee and nodded. Hope felt better than despair. He was right, Cahir was clever. He’d return. She just needed to stay positive.
Benny stood up from the chair. “I will be back in a bit to check things. Mom wanted to know if you were going to stay with us tonight again?”
“No, I want to be at home. Please tell her I love her when you see her.” She wanted to be in her own home, where she felt secure and surrounded by their belongings, and perhaps he’d come back for her there.
“I will. Love you,” Benny replied.
Benny left the room, and Seda looked down at her desk. The conversation gave her a little confidence. Cahirwouldbe back. She picked up the report one more time and started reading again from the first sentence.
At five o’clock,the clock chimed, and Seda put down the last report she was reviewing. She had wrapped up both stacks of reports for the day and only got up to use the restroom. She stood up from her desk and stretched her cramped back, nervously biting her nail as she stared at the clock.
She watched the second hand slowly move across its face.
Cahir hadn’t returned yet.
It occurred to her that maybe, since the work day was almost over, he’d gone home instead of coming to the office. She quickly gathered her things, cleaned up her workspace, and left the room.
Walking home felt lonely as she rushed through the streets, occasionally taking shortcuts through apartment courtyards to speed things up.
A cat suddenly darted across the road in front of her. She tried to avoid it but tripped and fell, catching herself with her hands.
She worried she might have hurt the cat and called for it. It peeked its little black and white head out of a bush, gave her a dirty look, then turned away and sauntered off, as if Seda was the one at fault.
She sighed and tried to compose herself as her palms now ached from the fall. As she sat there brushing the gravel from her hands, the color red caught her attention.
Someone had stapled red pieces of paper onto a nearby wooden post. She stood up and moved closer to read what they said.
At the bottom of the paper was an image of a dragon. All of the pieces of paper conveyed the same message. Seda tore one from the post, shoved it into her pocket, and quickly ran the rest of the way home.
Complete silence enveloped her as she entered the apartment. She hurried to the bedroom and bathroom, searching for Cahir, but he wasn’t in either room. She stifled a sob and returned to the portrait to say her usual, brief prayer. She slowly stepped into the living room, the heavy silence making her heart sink.
