Page 25 of New Hope

I was about to give up and head into the kitchen to search for something else to eat when my phone pinged with an incoming text. I grabbed it out and looked at it. River. He’d never texted me before but seeing his name across the screen had my heart trying to beat its way out of my chest. Was this it? Was he texting to say he never wanted to see me again? I rolled my eyes. It’s not like the two of you are dating. Holding my breath, I opened the text.

River: I’d rather have a patient throw up on me than listen to one more boring lecture.

I sighed with relief, smiling as I scrambled to type out a reply. That bad, huh?

River: Like you wouldn’t believe. And the people here are all really strange. Did you know that each human can produce enough saliva in their lifetime to fill not one, but two swimming pools?

Me: I did not. That’s rather gross.

River: Yes, well, that was one of the many weird facts a colleague decided to share with me as I tried to eat my lunch.

I chuckled, my thumbs texting out a response. That’s horrible.

River: Oh, that was only the beginning. Did you also know that every person—in addition to having their own unique fingerprints—also has a distinctive tongue print? Or that while everyone has their own smell, identical twins share the same smell?

Me: Oh my…

River: Yes, well, another tidbit this fount of knowledge shared with me was that hearing can actually decrease when you overeat. However, that was not a problem for me, since I stopped eating around the time he explained that human heads remain conscious for fifteen to twenty seconds after decapitation. I’d almost wished I could have overeaten so I wouldn’t have to hear him talk anymore.

I laughed out loud at that. Glancing up, I saw two sets of eyes staring at me in fascination. “I recognize that look,” Ben said.

Mike smirked. “Me too. It all makes sense now.”

“What the hell are you two going on about?” I demanded.

Never one to beat around the bush, Mike answered bluntly. “We’re talking about the fact that you’ve been a grumpy ass for the last three days.”

“I have not!”

Ben and Mike shared a knowing look. “No offense, but he’s right. You have been a little surly. You made Mary Tucker cry the other day because you gave her a speeding ticket,” Ben pointed out.

“Because she was speeding!” I argued.

“Five miles over is hardly speeding. I expect that type of thing out of Barney Fife here—”

“Hey!” Ben grumbled.

Mike shrugged unapologetically. “It’s the truth and you know it. Anyway, it’s not something I expected from you.”

“And yesterday, you threw such a fit when we ran out of creamer for your coffee that Layla finally ran to the store and bought some just to shut you up,” Ben added.

“Even Gene’s been avoiding you and he’s one of the easiest going guys on the planet.”

I held a hand up, having heard enough. I had half a mind to kick them out of my house, but as they both stared at me, waiting, all the fight suddenly went out of me, and I deflated, pinched the bridge of my nose, and sighed. “You’re right. Both of you. I’ve been a real jerk and I’m sorry. It’s nothing any of you did and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately.”

“Clearly. So, who is she?”

“Who is who?” I asked, confused.

Mike shot a pointed look at my phone. “The woman who somehow managed to pull you out of your funk. She must be special if she got you to smile again.”

The sound of my pulse roared in my ears and my mouth open and closed like a fish. They stared at me; their eyes boring into me as they waited for an answer. “Daddy, I’m tired. Will you come tuck me in?”

“Coming!” At the sound of Ellie’s voice, I leapt out of my chair, thankful to have an excuse to escape the prying looks from my friends. My phone clattered to the floor, but I didn’t bother to pick it up as I rushed out of there like the room was on fire.

I watched over Ellie as she brushed her teeth, then waited for her to climb into bed before tucking the blankets around her tightly the way she preferred. “Goodnight, Boo.” I smiled as I bent down and kissed her, breathing in her sweet scent.

“Daddy.”

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