Maybe a friend is what was waiting, and I can finally stop treading water.
“What did she say?” Tally asks, standing beside me, reaching out to grab my hand.
I look down at our hands and back at Tally, who looks at me with big, hope-filled eyes.
“She just yelled at me for yelling at you.” I smile, squeezing her hand.
Tally chuckles. “Sounds like her. I’ve got this, Mom,” she tells Shannon, but she’s facing in the wrong direction. Shannon smiles and nods, heading back to the wall she was leaning against before emotions ran too high. When Tally looks at me again, she motions for us to sit once more. “Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out,explain.”
I fidget in my chair.
That’s not how I wanted to tell her.
I didn’t want to tell her at all if I’m honest.
“I just told you everything. I helped people, stepped on someone’s toes, and that someone got me locked up in a mental institution for my mental illness. My craziness. And let’s just say it was not nice there,” I share, shuddering.
There are a few beats of silence, Tally’s lips forming a small pout while she tilts her head, her eyes filling with concern. “That must have been hard. When did it happen?”
I wring my hands, having to take a deep breath before I can answer, my voice just above a whisper, “I got out a little over a year ago.”
“That’s pretty fresh, no wonder you’re still so… scared.” She nods, reaching out to put her hand on my knee. “Was this someone who wanted your help?”
“No,” I say slowly.
Mayor Thomson definitely didn’t want any help from me.
“See? People who seek your help would never do that to you. They want your help and are happy about your gift. I’m not pressuring you, but think about it. We would be so selective about whom we let talk to you. Make background checks. Things like that.”
“We?” My eyebrows rise, and she giggles like the cute woman she is. Nothing left from the prickly persona that just explodedon me. “As if I would let you do that alone. If we’re doing it, we’re doing it together.”
Together.
Doing this together.
“I haven’t agreed to anything,” I warn because I’m not planning to do any readings if I can help it, but I don’t want to agitate her again.
“I know, but—” she starts, just when the door to the café opens, and Nash comes rushing in.
No, please.
Just behind him is Tim, trying to grip Nash by the shoulder. “I fucking told you to wait outside!”
“And I told you I needed to tell her myself!” Nash barks back, shrugging Tim’s hand off before he turns to me. His angry face falls, and he softens, his eyes burning into mine. “Siren.”
“What do you want?” I ask, standing from the chair, mentally taking notes on how I can step around him to leave.
“I want to apologize, okay? I’m sorry if you feel like I let you down.” He takes a step closer, and Tim tenses up as if he’s preparing to jump between us. “I’m sorry about everything that happened and how it played out. But you have to see, North makes the shots, and if you had told me sooner—” I let out a sarcastic laugh, cutting him off. I shake my head, looking to the ground. “Pretty girl, I’m so, so damn sorry. I just need you to listen to me.”
Stupid, pretty boy.
"I heard what you said. You can leave now," I say with a flat tone, clenching my hands so tightly that my fingernails press into my palms, using the sharp pain as a means to prevent myself from crying.
“But I said I’m sorry.” Nash frowns, looking at me like he can’t believe his apology doesn’t make me run into his open arms.
“Yeah, wrapped up in the same breath as saying it’s my fault. AnyI’m sorryfollowed up byiforbutisn’t an apology.”
He furrows his brows as if he has to think hard about what he just said. I use his confusion to step around him, giving Tally a quick hug. “See you tomorrow,” I whisper before I leave the café.
