Page 44 of A Better World

“Don’t cry. Eat your fattening donut. I can’t be the only one.”

Linda took a bite, the first bit of food she’d had all day, and realized she was starved. They ate quietly and without plates. Linda held the donut over her hand to collect crumbs. Daniella did the same.

“Should I call the police and give a statement? I must have been the last person to see her.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Daniella said. “But they have her confession. They’ve already analyzed the converter.”

“What’ll happen?”

“If she’s strong enough to stand trial? I don’t know. We’re not equipped for attempted murder. We don’t have a jail. My guess is they’ll extradite her to the New York court. We use that one or the one in Chicago.”

“I guess now I know why everyone in town was so upset today. I asked but no one would tell me.”

“They love their secrets. Even things that don’t need to be secrets,” Daniella said.

“They took it hard,” Linda said.

Daniella nodded. “Those Parker kids were born here. We all know them very well. Don’t be surprised if people are on edge for a while.”

“Of course,” Linda said.

“New patients might even show up at your hospital, too. Psychosomatic illness happens a lot here. We’re all so safe that I think it weighs—the guilt. Some people haven’t lived. They’re drawn to vicarious tragedy. Do you think that word comes fromvicar?”

“I’m just sorry all this happened,” Linda said, stanching another wave of tears.

“I’m sorry, too,” Daniella said without looking at her. “Don’t think I forgot that she was screaming at us to help her last night. You’re not the only person who feels bad. But let’s make a deal. I won’t blame myself and you don’t blame yourself. She did this. She planned it long before last night.”

“It’s just so barbaric.”

“You have to understand this about me if we’re to be friends, Linda,” Daniella said, rubbing her thumbs along the rest of her fingers, to wipe away the donut crumbs. “I don’t dwell. I don’t like being around people who dwell. It’s just being sad for no reason. We’ve discussed this, and now it’s done. I won’t discuss it again.”

“Okay,” Linda said. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Just let’s not talk about this again.”

Linda nodded.

Then Daniella laughed, her seriousness gone. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I invite you to a little get-together and you wind up traumatized.”

They changed the subject. Linda learned that ActHollow had agreed to move forward with her candidacy. Rachel would contact her with more details.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll do everything I can.”

“I know it,” Daniella said after giving her a hug. “We outsiders are the only people who make this town run on a schedule.”

Soon, it was time to leave. Daniella called to the kids. On the landing halfway up the stairs, Linda spotted a Hollow altar. It was about twice as big as the one at 9 Sunset Heights. Something wet and red was inside. At first glance, it appeared to be a grisly set of animal intestines, but then she understood that it was boiled cranberries strung together and piled high.

By the time the kids headed down, Hip seemed much more at ease. He and Cathy walked close together. When she stumbled at the landing, he caught her.

“Whoa,” Daniella whispered into Linda’s ear. “That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. And a little bit hot. I wish I was fifteen again. I’d do it so different.”

“Wouldn’t we all,” Linda answered.

On the ride home, Hip’s babbling suddenly made sense. Turned out, Cathy sat across from him in half his classes: on the first day, she’d smiled at him. He’d liked her ever since.

“She’s vegan, too,” he said. “And I’m vegan. But we agreed it’s okay to eat caladrius. Not doing that would be wasteful.”

“That’s great, honey,” Linda said. Had Russell acted this lovesick when they’d first gotten together at Sluggs? Probably. They were sweet, these men in her house.

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