Two rules to live by:
Watch how you speak to me.
Drink your water.
—Jasper’s secret thoughts
JASPER
I snuck home in the middle of the night, shivering at the cold.
I was still in sweats and a t-shirt and had no shoes on, but I had to go home to get her the presents I’d been planning to anonymously give her.
There would be no anonymity now.
I wanted her to know what I was giving her.
I also wanted her to know that I paid attention.
After sneaking into my house, I walked to the thermostat and kicked the heat up higher—sixty was just too cold for what we were experiencing right now—and headed for the small tree I’d put up.
It wasn’t much.
Just a little one I’d bought at the Dollar Store for Sophia and her kids.
But that was where I’d stored all the gifts for everyone, including the four that I’d gotten for Calliope, that I thankfully no longer had to hide.
After tucking everything under my arms to carry outside, the lights flickered and went out.
I waited to see if they would come back on, but sure enough, my generator started up a few minutes later.
I hesitated, not sure that I wanted to take everything over to Calli’s place if I would have to turn around and bring it all back.
I’d just stepped out of my house with the presents when she texted.
Calli:
Where are you?
I felt something in the vicinity of my heart start to react at her instant reach out.
I headed back outside and across the lawn to her house.
When I got to her door, I walked inside and called out, “Calli?”
While I waited for her reply, I tucked the presents underneath her tree.
“Here.”
I looked to the side to see her munching on a frosted sugar cookie.
“Geez, do you ever stop eating?”
She snorted and said around a bite of cookie, “Not really. If it’s there, I eat it.”
I caught up the blanket from the back of the chair—one she must’ve had wrapped around herself at some point because it was still warm with her body heat—and wrapped it back around her shoulders. Once it was tightly around her, I picked her up and tossed her over my shoulder.
She squeaked, and I felt crumbs leak down the gap in my pants.
