My distraction cost me everything I cared about and endangered countless others. I knew better than to leave terps out like that. Tears formed in my eyes, and I tried to hold them back as I sent shaky pictures of both pages to Cat.
She took no time in replying.
Cat:Well, great way to destroy the evidence, I suppose. When I warned you to keep Nash from seeing your studio, I didn’t think you’d take it so literally ??.
I laughed through tears that fell, sucking in a few quick breaths.
Sybil:Great way to burn money, too.
Cat:Haha. True! That should feel good! Burnyour parent’s money!
I laughed again, then sighed and wiped away my tears. She always knew what to say to make me laugh.
Cat:But on a serious note. You have superb insurance. There’s an accidental-fire clause. Your deductible may be sizable, but nothing you can’t manage. We will compensate your immediate neighbors for any smoke damage and rebuild.
Sybil:Let’s do something for the fire department too.
I sniffled, rubbing my eyes. If Cat let me, I’d give each person involved a year’s salary; that’s how awful I felt.
Cat:Already on my list!
Sybil:Thanks. How could I have been so stupid? I feel so guilty.
Cat:Guilt is just your own fears staring back at you, Sybil. It was an accident. It can happen to anyone.
Sybil:It still doesn’t make me feel better.
I tossed my phone down, wiping the last of my tears with a frown.
The phone buzzed in its nest of blankets. With a dismissive look, I finally grabbed it when it buzzed a second time. Myheart skipped a beat when I saw Nash’s name on the screen.
Nash:Hey.
Nash:Youhungry?
He’d been gone all day, and while I enjoyed the chance to regroup, I was also worried. I’d convinced myself of the worst-case scenarios: that he thought I was strange, or that I’d crossed a line. Maybe he was figuring out how to get rid of me. I didn’t want to seem needy or desperate. I bit my polished nail, finding the words.
Me:I’m okay. I’m not hungry. Thank you, tho.
Truth was I was starving, but too proud to let him know that. Bee supplied me with a steady stream of edible door gifts all day, but I still felt my body was making up for not eating at the hospital.
Nash:Yes? Oh good. I’ll bring snacks.
I laughed at his rejection of my answer, and for a moment, it shook me out of my self-pity. It was a welcome break before the anxiety crashed back in.
My room was a mess;Iwas a mess.
With little time to overthink, I clenched and unclenched my fists before getting to work.
In a sudden rush, I folded the fire report, put it back in the envelope, and slid it under the mattress. Heading to thebathroom, I checked the mirror, hoping the crying hadn’t made things worse. I splashed cold water on my face, brushed my teeth, and applied my new array of serums and lotions. I was praying they’d help reduce the puffiness and visible emotional exhaustion.
Bee worked magic on my makeup last night, and I tried to follow each step, hoping I didn’t mess up the color. I brushed my hair a few times, and sped out of the bathroom, turning off the light on my way.
Fanning my face with the effort of all I’d done, I un-paused Hallmark and jumped in bed to calm down. I attempted to reconnect with the movie I’d been watching, but it was useless. Bill sensed my distress and sidled over to me, placing his head on my knee.
I placed my hand on his head, and just as I cooled down, there was a knock at the door. My heart rate re-activated, sweat pricking my neck as though hell’s gates had flown open.
Bill leapt up like a rocket, jumping to the floor and trotting to the door with his little bandaged feet. After Bee took Bill out several times today, she’d brought him back to me with fresh bandages in a different shade. I was grateful for her help. I asked ChatGPT what color they were just in case I needed to know. Apparently, they were green.
