Page 62 of Craving Chaos

“We’re in a small town called L’Ascension. I need you to get us a couple of hotel rooms.” I pause as he gives my aunt her marching orders.

“What else?”

“I need credit card info to pay for some stuff until I can get back.”

“Done. I’ll read it off before we’re done with the call.”

“The other thing I need might take a bit more finesse. We need to get back in the States without passports, and I don’t want to wait for legal channels.”

“Of course not. That would take fucking forever.”

“Exactly.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll make it happen.”

“Thanks, Gino. It’s been pretty rough going these past three weeks.”

“I can’t imagine. You both alright?”

“Aside from losing some weight and a couple of run-ins with a bear, we’re good.” Physically. I can’t say the same for our emotional status.

“Fuck, a bear?”

I can practically see his eyes bulging through the phone.

“Christ, I can’t wait to hear this,” he says almost to himself. “Etta, babe. They got attacked by a bear—you believe that? I don’t know. I don’t know, I tell ya. He can tell us when he gets back … yah, okay. I’ll tell him. Your aunt says there’s a hotel a few minutes down the main road in a place called … what is it? Oh yeah. Rivière-Rouge. She’s got you two rooms for the night.”

“She works fast.”

“Four kids. The woman can move mountains when she wants to.”

“Give her a big kiss for me. I’m gonna get a burner phone on the way to the hotel. I’ll get you the number once I have it so you can keep me informed on how we’re getting home.”

“Good deal. Fuck, I can’t believe it’s you. I mean, we hadn’t given up hope, but there’s a part of you…” His voice catches, and he has to clear his throat.

“I get it, Gino. There were times we weren’t so sure we were going to make it back.” It’s true for that first week, but hearing his torment amps up my guilt. I’d been so focused on Shae that everything else had been out of sight, out of mind. Now, I have to face the consequences.

Uncle Gino goes quiet. When he speaks again, his voice drips with malice. This version of Gino is all business. “You know who did this?”

“Not exactly, but you better believe I’m going to find out.”

He grunts his agreement. “Get some paper, I’ll give you that card number.”

We wrap up the call not long before Shae returns.

I know she’s pissed at me, but it’s so fucking good to see her that I wrap my arms around her and press my lips to her head. “They got you squared away?”

She nods, not hugging me back but not pulling away either. I’ll take every inch she’ll give me.

I pay the hospital bill with the card info and get the number for a cab company in the area, which apparently consists of a man named Jean hauling people around in his wife’s minivan. Again, you won’t hear complaints from me.

It takes him a half hour to show up, but he’s all smiles and nods when he does. He doesn’t speak a word of English. I’m still able to communicate we need a drug store, then our hotel. When I see a fast food place by the hotel, I have Jean make a quick run through the drive-through.

Food, toiletries, a phone, and minutes away from clean beds and a shower. I should be floating on cloud nine, but instead, all I can think is this is where we part ways, and all the creature comforts quickly lose their luster. White linens and a pillow-top mattress mean nothing if I don’t have Shae.

CHAPTER 36

SHAE

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