I turn up the radio to drown out my own thoughts and focus on the road.
I make a decision as I drive. I’m done with the Cranes overall. It’s time for me to move on. I’m not going to accept any more speaking engagements about them. No more articles. As soon as I’m home, I’m going to check my contract and see if I can get out of the book deal.
I never want to hear the nameCraneagain in my life. I’ve never been big on social media anyway. I’ll delete all the apps and just ignore them until the mess dies down.
It’ll be good for me to focus on new stories anyway.
It's midday when I finally pull into my parking spot. I sit in the car for a long moment, hands still on the wheel, staring at the familiar brick of my apartment building.
Home. I'm home.
I grab my bag from the back seat and head upstairs.
Akari is on the couch when I come through the door, laptop balanced on her knees, some documentary playing on the TV. She looks up at the sound of my key in the lock, and her expression shifts immediately from casual greeting to sharp concern.
"Jesus, Jamie." She's on her feet, laptop abandoned. "What happened to you?"
I catch a glimpse of myself in the hall mirror and wince. I look like I've been through a war. Dark circles under my eyes, skin pale beneath the lingering flush of heat recovery, and my collar has shifted to reveal the edge of a bruise on my neck. There are more underneath my clothes. A map of the week is written on my body.
"Long story," I say.
"You look like death."
"Thanks."
"Sit down." She's already heading for the kitchen. "I’ll make you a cup of tea."
I don't argue. I drop my bag by the door and sink onto the couch, letting my head fall back against the cushions. Every muscle in my body seems to unclench at once, and the exhaustion hits me so hard I could cry.
Akari returns with two mugs. She hands me one. It’s deliciously warm between my hands. “Do you need a hug?”
I look at her and burst into tears. She scoots over on the couch and wraps her arms around me while I sob like a little girl.
“Wanna talk about it?”
My kneejerk response is to say no, but it’s followed close after by honesty. Yes, I do. I want to tell someone because my head is a mess and maybe she can help sort it out for me.
I tell her the cabin and the weird tenderness. And then I tell her about the argument.
"He saidwhat?" Akari's voice has gone sharp. "That piece of shit."
"He also more or less admitted they're behind all the crap online." I take a sip of tea. It's cooled enough to drink properly now
"So it's done." I set down my mug with more force than necessary. "I'm done. No more Carter, no more Cranes, no more any of it. I need to move on."
Akari studies me for a long moment. "Okay. What's the plan?"
This is why I love her. She doesn't try to talk me out of it or tell me I'm being hasty. She just asks what I need.
"First, I need a new phone number." I pull out my phone and stare at the screen. There are no new messages, but that doesn't mean anything.
Carter might be giving me space, or he might be sulking, or maybe he’s still driving. "He can't have any way to reach me. If he can text me, I'll answer. I know myself well enough to know that."
"There's a phone shop that’s just opened two blocks up," Akari says. "We can go now if you want. Get you a new SIM card."
"Yeah." I stand up, and wince.
She rolls her eyes at me. “Sit. I’ll go.”
