She’d made me pinky swear, linking her smallest finger with mine with such seriousness that I’d had to blink back my own tears.
Hector had watched the whole thing from the doorway. He hadn’t said much of anything, and when I’d thanked him for everything, for letting me stay, for helping with the loan sharks, for all of it, he’d only nodded and told me to call if I needed anything.
I’d wanted to say more. Wanted to tell him that the past few weeks in his home had been the safest I’d felt in years. But the words had stuck in my throat, and I’d left with just a simple goodbye.
“Earth to Sarah.” Delia waved a hand in front of my face. “You zoned out again.”
“Sorry. What were you saying?”
“I was saying your phone is ringing. Has been for like thirty seconds.”
I grabbed it off the counter. Colin’s name flashed across the screen. We hadn’t exactly left things well the last time we talked, when he’d wanted to come home and I’d pushed him away hard enough that he’d hung up angry.
I answered while trying to locate where I’d packed the can opener. “Hey.”
“Hey.” His voice was cautious, testing the waters. “You answered.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because last time we talked I was kind of a jerk about the whole not-coming-home thing.”
“You weren’t a jerk. You were hurt. There’s a difference.”
“Still. I’m sorry for hanging up on you.”
There was a crash from the other room, followed by Delia’s voice. “I’m fine! Just making contact with the floor!”
I moved toward the bedroom to check what she’d broken, and she was standing in a pile of packing peanuts that had exploded everywhere.
“What happened?”
“The box lied about its structural integrity.” She tried to kick the packing peanuts away but they just stuck to her socks.
I couldn’t help it. I started laughing at her grimace.
“Sarah?” Colin’s voice came through the phone. “You still there?”
“Yeah, sorry. I was talking to Delia.”
“You sound different.” His voice softened, like he wasn’t sure he was allowed to hope.
“Different how?”
“I don’t know. Lighter, maybe? You’re actually laughing. I can’t remember the last time I heard you laugh like that.”
Something in my chest loosened. “Things are better. A lot better, actually.”
“Yeah?” The relief in his voice was clear. “Tell me. What changed?”
“Everything, kind of. How’s London treating you?”
“Wet. It’s been raining for three days straight. I’m starting to think I imagined the sun.” The tension between us completely dissolving. “But my linguistics project is going well. Professor says my thesis might actually be publishable.”
“Colin, that’s amazing. I got a new place now. Delia’s here helping me unpack and being generally chaotic.”
“I can hear you!” Delia called from the other room.
Colin laughed. “Tell her I said hi. And that I appreciate her keeping you functional.”
