Even if Lydia Rosenberg had some plan or wantedDominatussecrets, it didn’t have anything to do with Eliana. But she was going to carry her knife just in case.
Her family must have talked about her over the years when Eliana was able to hear them, and she’d subconsciously taken the fear of this woman on board. Turned her into a scary figure in her dreams who just happened to live here in Chicago.
Eliana downed a glass of water, pulled her hair back in a ponytail, and went to Patience’s apartment. She knocked but used her key also, just so that Patience wouldn’t worry about who was making their way into her apartment.
“…do it, please.”
Eliana called out, “It’s just me.”
“Okay, dear,” was the reply. The tone was markedly different, lighter than the tone she’d had during whatever Eliana had interrupted.
When Eliana stepped into the living area from the entryway, Patience had her phone in her lap. “Am I disturbing a call?”
Patience shook her head. She wore pressed navy slacks and matching slippers, a lavender sweater, and a simple necklace. “One of my daughters. She needed some guidance.”
“The one that lives local, or the daughter out in California?”
“California.” Patience’s smile took on a look Eliana had seen on her mother’s face. “Why she moved out there, I’ll never know.”
“I hear it’s warm.” Eliana chuckled. “Ready for dinner?”
“Yes, thank you,” Patience said. “You’re a good girl. How has your day been?”
“I went to work for a bit, then came home and took a big nap.” She shot a smile over her shoulder at Patience, but the older woman had her phone open again. “Naps are good.” Usually they were, anyway. When she didn’t have disturbing dreams.
“Sometimes I think I nap too much, but the pills they have me on for my blood pressure make me sleepy.”
“Maybe you can talk to your doctor about adjusting the dose, or getting you something else?” Eliana grabbed two meals she’d prepped out of the freezer.
Pretty soon, she would need to restock both their cupboards and spend a day prepping food. Maybe Carlos would help her do that. With two people, it would go a lot faster.
She peered at the frost under the clear lid of the container. “This looks like chili.”
“Chili sounds good.”
Eliana jumped and spun around to find Patience right behind her. The older woman said, “Did I startle you? I was just getting more water. It’s good for me to stretch my legs.”
Eliana nodded. “Right. Yes, it is.” She shook her head and sighed. “That nap did a number on me. I think I woke up with no idea what universe I was in.”
Patience filled her glass at the sink and went to the little table, pulling out a chair, a gentle smile on her face. “I’ll keep you company.”
“Thanks.” Eliana glanced over at her.
“I’m thinking you have a few things you need to give to the Lord right now.”
Eliana eased the wedge of chili from both containers into a pot and turned the heat on low, because she much preferred the stove to the microwave. “My friend who works with me at the Shrine is missing. No one has seen her, and she’s not at work or at home. Then there’s Carlos’s sister, Luci. She still hasn’t been found, either. Things are a bit of a mess.”
There was more than that, but how did she dump all her problems on this older woman who didn’t need the stress? She could end up giving Patience some kind of medical emergency when there had been far too much of that with Carlos being affected by Elysium and people getting out of control. She didn’t know who to trust or which way was up, but here with Patienceshe at least knew they both believed God was ultimately in control.
He would be glorified in the end.
“That’s so worrying, two of your friends missing now.” Patience shook her head. “Have there been…disappearances across the city? I haven’t seen anything on my news app.”
Eliana had nearly been one of those missing women. She would’ve been if not for Maizie pinging her phone—and those men in the apartment resetting her security settings.
She turned and leaned her hips back against the counter, her arms crossed. “There haven’t been other disappearances that I’m aware of. Carolena isn’t the religious type, so it’s not like she got caught up in the same thing as Luci. But the truth is, I have no idea.”
“People can surprise you.” Patience sipped from her glass. “Do we really know everything about the people we’re friends with, or even our family?”
