“In case...”Chad shook his head.He avoided facing Romeo.“In case you’re right.”
Romeo got up and crossed the kitchen to get the unopened box.
“What are you doing?”Chad asked.
The capsules looked the same.Romeo pulled one apart, sprinkling the same fine white powder over the worktop.
He stiffened at the hand on his shoulder.Chad stood behind him, biting his lip.
“The pictures on your phone.”Romeo blurted.
“What pictures?”
Romeo brushed Chad’s hand from his shoulder, searching the kitchen for Chad’s phone.“There’s a folder.Where’s your phone, Chad?”
Chad pulled it from his pocket.“Here.”
Romeo took it, scrolling the phone until he found the folder.
He pressed down on the woman’s smiling face before showing Chad.
Chad gave her a blank look, then glanced back up at Romeo.“I don’t know who she is.I don’t remember.”
Romeo exhaled, clicking off her picture.
“What’s going on, Romeo?”
“I’ve missed something,” he shook his head.“I know I have.There’s still something here.There’s still a shadow over us.”
He pressed down on the man’s face.
“Him,” Romeo said.“What about him?”
Chad had the same blank look on his face, then it changed.His breath caught and his eyes went wide, and his mouth slowly opened like he wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
“What is it?”Romeo asked.“Who is he?”
Chad didn’t answer.
“Chad?”Romeo studied him.His skin leached of color.He was shaking.“Shit.”
He put the phone down.“Breathe, Chad.”
Romeo cupped his face.“Jesus.”
He could hear Chad’s heart booming.He felt it when he pulled Chad close.
“Hey,” Romeo said, stroking Chad’s cheek.“You keep this up, you’ll pass out.You’ve got to breathe.”
Chad stared straight through him.Whatever he was seeing wasn’t Romeo.
“You’re okay.You’re with me.I’m here, Chad.I’m.Right.Here.”
Chad inhaled sharply.
“That’s it,” Romeo said.“And let it out, don’t just hold it.”
Chad’s eyelashes fluttered.He let out his breath.
