“No, she’d need help,” I told him.
“All right then, is she up for doing it again?”
I hesitated, then nodded.“Yeah.She enjoyed it.She likes numbers.”
“If she keeps the spread this fucking organized, then she’s got the job.I’ll get her a cut from last night’s profits.”
Sighing, I stopped hitting the bag and glanced back at him.“She won’t take it.Refused when I said the same thing.She liked feeling as if she was doing something to help us since we are keeping her alive.”
He shrugged.“Okay, works for me.Free labor.”
Why it annoyed me that he didn’t disagree, I wasn’t sure.He was the one who had agreed to help Calvin and take her in.Did he think she owed us something?She didn’t.None of this was her fucking fault.
Oz was headed back out of the room, and I opened my mouth to tell him just that, but snapped it closed before I did.Again, he’d read into it.Start watching me around her.He’d get on my damn nerves and probably make her nervous.
I wasn’t going to let him upset her.She was going through enough dark shit.And, yes, I cared.I understood why Calvin kept her around.
The door opened again, and Oz was back.What the hell did he want now?
“The funeral was yesterday.I received the video this morning.You’ve been around her more than me or Kash.Is that something she will want to see?I don’t fucking know how to ask her.If she bursts into tears, I won’t know what to do.”
Fuck.
She’d want to see it.At least, I thought she would.And it was going to upset her.Jesus.I didn’t want to see her watch that, but I knew I wasn’t going to be able to let her watch it alone.No one needed to face that alone.
“Yeah, I’ll tell her.”
He let out a sigh of what I assumed was relief.“Thanks.”
“Where can I access it?”
“The main server.Connect your phone to it, and you should be able to play it on any television or computer in the house.”
I nodded.“Okay.”
He started to turn and stopped.“Are you, uh … gonna watch it with her?”
I didn’t want to.I didn’t want to see any goddamn funerals.“Yeah, I am.”
He frowned.“You sure?”
I knew what he wasn’t saying.What we were both thinking, but couldn’t voice.
“I wouldn’t be alone if it was me.I can’t imagine what that would feel like,” I replied.
He inhaled deeply, then blew it out.“Yeah.Me neither.”
Eighteen
Elsie
Elsie,
It was good to hear that you are settling in and are sleeping okay.Oz is going to be a dad, huh?That’s cool.Tell him congrats for me.And his wife, Winslet, correct?You know I’m terrible with names.
Set life is crazy.It’s thrilling, but the anxiety levels are through the roof.At least for me.The filming has officially begun, and the high that comes with it is surreal.I can’t wait until you get to come experience it.You will love Koralee.She’s over costume design.She reminds me a lot of you.Same quirky sense of humor, her hair is your exact color, and if she didn’t hiccup at the end of every laugh, that would sound like yours too.I’ve told her all about my best friend, and she looks forward to your visit.
We are rewatchingStranger Thingstogether in the evenings.It’s fun to start from the beginning.She actually got to be on set a few times for it.Her stories are so badass.I’ll let her tell you though.
