“Everyone needs someone to talk to. Right?”
Jamie was probably correct, although Norah had done a pretty impressive job of keeping things to herself for the last decade. “I suppose.”
“Well, if you ever need it, I can be that someone. We can just talk. You know—”
“Woman to woman?” Norah echoed her phrase, unable to contain her smile at Jamie’s rather endearing proposal.
“Exactly! Of course, you’re my boss. And I have nothing but respect for you. I also know this is pretty unorthodox, but hey, the world’s ending. Am I right?”
Norah patted Jamie softly on the back. “Not if we can help it.”
“Right. You’re so right, ma’am. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that we weren’t, that you weren’t doing an incredible job, because you are. I just meant—”
“I knew what you meant. And I appreciate the offer. So, woman to woman. Is there something you want to ask me?”
Jamie stopped mid-stride and studied the tops of her feet. She brought her hands to her hips and looked up, staring so confidently into Norah’s face it startled her.
“What’s the story with you and Chase?”
Chapter Nine
Something about the pure darkness around them comforted Norah, almost like a church confessional. Jamie was her subordinate. It was beyond unprofessional for Jamie to ask questions about Norah’s personal life. And even more unprofessional for Norah to answer. But she wanted to. Jamie did have a point—maybe the world wasn’t going to end, but these were unprecedented times. And Norah found herself starving for someone to talk to.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you that.” Jamie must have picked up on the vast amount of silence Norah had placed between them.
“No. It’s all right. I want to tell you. At least, I think I do.”
Norah shoved her hands into the pockets of her cargo pants and resumed walking, slowly this time. “I don’t even know where to start.” She exhaled loudly, the air rippling through her pursed lips.
“You two knew each other, before all this, I mean,” Jamie said.
“That’s putting it casually. Chase and I went to school together, at Brown. We…dated. For a few years.”
Jamie flashed a satisfied smile, and it was obvious that she felt she had won some kind of bet with herself.
“I thought so.”
“What else do you want to know?”
Jamie’s face fell clear to the ground, and Norah could see she was hoping for more. A lot more.
“You really don’t have to tell me anything else, ma’am. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position.”
“Will you stop calling me ma’am?” Norah laughed. “I like you, Jamie. You’re a good soldier. And I want us to be friends. But whatever we talk about tonight—”
“I know. It stays between us. Yes, ma’am.”
Norah rolled her eyes. “Norah.”
“Norah.”
“Just don’t let the others hear you call me that,” she whispered.
It took until near sunup for Norah to finish recounting the details of her past with Chase. She and Jamie had been walking for the entirety of the conversation, lapping the perimeter at least fifty times. Norah’s feet had begun to throb inside her boots, and her usually reliable legs were starting to soften. But she was invigorated, more awake than she’d been all night. The flight of emotions recounting her years with Chase had brought on left her feeling almost manic. She wasn’t sure how many of these feelings were positive ones, but it didn’t matter. Talking about Chase made Norah feel alive in a way that came second only to being in front of her again. So much time had passed. But that spark that only Chase could ignite in her hadn’t burned out. It was just an ember, waiting, while she went through the motions of what she thought was a perfectly suitable existence.
“Wow.” It was the first word Jamie had spoken in what must have been an hour. Norah felt briefly embarrassed that she’d droned on for so long like some kind of infatuated kid. But Jamie hadn’t seemed to mind in the least.
“That’s…that’s quite a story.”
