I woke before she did.
The candle had long burned itself out, but the room wasn't completely dark. A streetlight outside cast a faint glow through the window, just enough to pick out shapes – the curve of the bed, the edge of the dresser, and the rise and fall of Tessa's breathing.
The power was back, and the rain had finally stopped.
Tessa was curled against me, warm with sleep, until she gave a little gasp and bolted upright, like something had startled her.
I was wide awake in a heartbeat. "What is it?"
"Maisie."
"What about her?"
Tessa lowered her voice. "Is she here?"
The house had been quiet for as long as I'd been awake. "Not that I know of."
"Oh." But then, worry crept into her face. "But wait…sheshouldbe here, right?"
I had no idea. "Should she be?"
"Definitely, unless…" Tessa glanced around. "I'll check my phone. My coverage is awful, but I tried to call her a bunch of times before…" Slowly, her words trailed off, and her lips curved into a sheepish smile. "Well…before,youknow."
Ididknow.
I reached up and brushed my thumb along her jaw, feeling the tension in her face even through the smile. With a smile of my own, I said, "I know what you're gonna say."
"What?"
"We need to find her."
Tessa's smile faded. "Well,Idefinitely need to find her...I mean, assuming she hasn't called. Shecouldbe stuck on the mainland or—"
"Wait," I said, cutting her off. "You're not planning to go out alone?"
"I won'tneedto if I've heard from her. She could've called the landline. You didn't hear a phone ring, did you?"
I shook my head. "All I heard was the rain, and even that's stopped now." I smiled. "But let's hope she called you back."
Tessa hesitated. "And if she didn't?"
"You can go find her, but you won't be going alone."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't have to."
"Yeah, but…" She bit her lip and never did finish.
"But what?" I persisted.
"Wouldn't that be a little awkward? Me showing up with you in the middle of the night?"
"Not as awkward as you wandering around by yourself."
"It wouldn't exactly bewandering," she said. "If she's not here, she could be at the bike shop. Shedoeswork late, so maybe she got stranded in the storm?" Tessa's gaze flicked toward the bedroom door. "And what if she's in trouble?"
I reached for her hand and gave it a steady squeeze. "Then we'll deal with it together."
