Page 51 of Kaine

“Poor Superman.”

“It’s mystery man!”

“I wonder what happened to him. Oh wait, you said he caught you?”

“Yeah. I made a noise and he saw me staring. And he, well, in no uncertain terms told me to get the fuck out. And he never wanted to see me again. So, I grabbed my stuff and ran. And that’s probably when I stitch-popped.”

“Oh, honey. Are you okay?” Despite the excitement of the story, she’s still genuinely concerned about me.

“Yeah, I just went to a clinic and he stitched me up and I went home. It wasn’t a big deal.”

“You should’ve called me, I would have come to pick you up.”

“I know. I was fine, I just... needed to be on my own for a while. I’ll come stay with you tonight if you want.”

“Of course I want.”

“Well, I guess that’s that, then. End of the mystery man saga,” she sighs, almost sadly, and starts to push herself and her chair back to her desk.

“Actually...” I start to say and Harriet spins back around in her chair, “I banged into him this morning. Outside.”

“WHAT?!” And again, she’s on her feet.

“He, er, he was waiting for me, outside. Out back.”

“What for?”

“Apparently, to apologize,” I shrug. The truth is, I still don’t know what to make of it.

“Did you accept?”

“I said I understood. But the truth is, it IS over. It was fun while it lasted, all the mystery and stuff, but, he obviously wants to be left alone. So, yeah, I told him, he didn’t owe me anything, and we said our goodbyes.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“And you already miss him.”

“What? I do not!”

“Oh, really, is that why, when I came in you looked like Juliet after Romeo ran away?”

“Firstly, for someone who works in a library you sure are unwell-read. Romeo didn’t run away, he was banished. And secondly, I’m not a 14-year-old star-crossed lover. I’m a 28-year-old, cranky and injured, genealogist. There’s nothing Juliet Capulet about me. And now, I’d like to get back to work.”

“Fine,” she huffs.

“Fine,” I huff back.

We both turn to our work and it’s quiet, for a minute. But it’s clear neither of us are really thinking about work, so it’s no surprise to me when she speaks up again. “It’s just... him coming today means something. That he would make that effort, when really, he’d gotten rid of you. And I think it’d do you both good to find out what that is.”

“You...” I start to protest.

“Hush, I’m going back to work now.” Harriet cuts me off and gives her computer screen her full attention again.

“Yeah. Right.” The ring of my cell phone in my purse saves her from a death glare. “Hello, Jade speaking,” I say into the phone.

There’s a garbled, almost unintelligible voice on the line. But I know who it is.

“Where are you?” I jot the information down on my pad. “Just stay there. I’ll be right there. You’re going to be alright.”

I pick my bag up and sling it over my shoulder, ignoring the pain in my side, now replaced by a pain in my chest.

“I gotta go, Harriet. Tell Harold I’ll be out for the rest of the day.”

I’m out the door before she can say a word.