Unknown
Are you okay, Trouble?
I hesitate, and my eyes burn again, but I refuse to let even one more tear fall.
I'm not this pathetic person. I left her in Amherst when I left Jesse. She's dead and buried. I had front-row seats to her funeral, and that casket is staying in the dirt where it belongs.
I forgot who the fuck I am, but I remember now. And I won't forget again.
My eyes stop burning, and my stomach settles as I unclench my body, softening everywhere except the one place I need to keep hardened.
Am I okay?
I type out the reply.
Aurora
Yes.
See you in a few hours.
36
CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED
SEVEN
Ipark in the vacant space right in front of Aurora's walk-up and quickly tighten the light scarf and pull down the hat, checking if the dirty-blond-and-copper beard is askew in the mirror. When I'm satisfied I look at least semi-passable as a dude in his fifties who spends his weekends playing board games and shopping at Costco, I exit the car.
The Blundstone boots and cargo pants were a step too far, in my opinion, but apparently, Melvin Christopher Davis doesn't go anywhere without either, and Atty is nothing if he isn't fucking thorough.
Clearing my throat, I rap on her door seven times in a little jingle, like I always do. I'm rewarded with several loud barks from Ellie, and I can hear Ro on the other side telling her to calm down.
It opens a second later, and Ro staggers back a step from the vision of me in her doorway that must be damn near cinema quality because it takes her a minute to recover. Ellie tackles me, jumping up for pets, almost dragging the scarf from my neck. I grimace and lift her paws from my chest, fixing the fucking plaidmonstrosity around my neck before it can slip enough to reveal my triple seven tattoo.
"I missed you, too, Ellie," I laugh, modulating my voice so it doesn't sound quite like my own.
Ro glances past me, to her foster father's car in the drive, and the surprise on her face turns sour.
"Hey, kiddo," I say in my best dad impression, and open my arms nice and wide. I think I've done a fucking phenomenal job, but the way she looks like she wants to kill me, I'm second-guessing myself.
I see the moment she remembers she needs to play along and begrudgingly paints a smile on her face. "Hey, Chris."
Ro steps into my embrace, and I squeeze her, lifting her feet right off the ground. "There's my girl."
When I set her down, I stalk past her into the apartment. "Where are your things? We need to hit the road if we expect to make it back before it gets too late. Grace wants to stay up to see you when we get in."
"It's just this," she says, indicating the bag by the door while Ellie trails me into the apartment. There's concern knotted between her shoulders, but there's no need for that.
Once I'm out of sight of the eyes outside, I curl my fingers beneath the edge of Ro's sweater and pull her to me, capturing her face in my hand, but she stops me firmly.
"Absolutely not," she whispers, giving me a hard look.
I hold back a laugh. Remembering who I look like.
Not exactly a fun role-play scenario. "Oops."
When I pull away, she shakes her head.
