Page 21 of The Kidnapped

Hollis stared at her. Raleigh had this shiny brown hair that she’d worn down for the show and had brushed behind her shoulders when they’d sat down on the surprisingly available sofa with their coffees. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel that kind of shimmered. No, they definitely shimmered. Sometimes, it was, unfortunately, with tears, but right now, they were just shimmering. It was nice, the shimmer.

“No, it doesn’t. I don’t date a lot, and I haven’t in a while, but my last ex was a woman.”

Raleigh’s eyebrows lifted.

“Couldn’t tell?” Hollis asked, smiling at her.

“Your last ex?”

“I’m bisexual,” she replied. “I’ve had three adult relationships, if you count college. One was with a guy I met in class. We dated my senior year and a little after graduation. Another was a couple years after that. She and I were together for about two years but never got close to moving in together. I went on a few dates after that, men and women, but nothing came from them, really. Then, I met a woman, fell for her, and we were together for a year and a half. We broke up a couple of years ago. There hasn’t been anyone since.”

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

“I’m not easy to be with,” Hollis replied. “I never knew I’d been kidnapped by my own father, but because of those weird memories and the confusion that came with them – I don’t know – it’s been hard to trust people. My first boyfriend was a nice guy, but once we graduated and he’d gotten a job, he started staying late and traveling for work, and I started wondering if he was cheating on me. He swore he wasn’t, but I wasn’t ready to trust another person like that. My first girlfriend was great. She just wanted me to take those steps couples do. She wanted us to live together. I needed my own space, though. We broke up when she got a job somewhere hours away and I didn’t want to go with her. My last girlfriend struggled with my inability to sleep some nights. I’d have dreams of a past life I had no idea was real. She stopped wanting to sleep over because I kept her up all the time, and then, when I thought I really was ready to live with someone for the first time, she broke up with me. She wanted someone to go to work parties with and someone who could hang out with her friends without being awkward instead of someone who just wanted to go home and get under a blanket with a book. I’ve never been that person, so it ended, and I’ve been alone ever since.”

“No offense, but she sounds like an asshole.”

Hollis laughed and looked down when her phone dinged again.

“My food’s ready,” she said.

“I’ll walk with you,” Raleigh replied.

They left their mugs on the table and walked next door to the Mexican restaurant, where Hollis picked up her to-go order. Then, Raleigh walked to the deli, where she ordered the soup for Hollis’s mom. They left the deli and stood by their cars for a second while Hollis put the food in the back seat.

“I should get going. I don’t want it to get cold.”

“I hope your mom likes it. Tell her there’s a grandma inside that deli who makes the stuff. It’s always better when you know it’s homemade.”

“I will,” Hollis said, opening her door. “And thank you.”

“Thank you,” Raleigh replied.

“For what?”

“For being there today. I don’t think I knew that I needed it, but just knowing someone was there for me made it easier.”

“You’re welcome,” Hollis replied, giving her a soft smile.

“I’ll see you at group?”

“I’ll be there,” Hollis told her.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Do you think you’d watch the episode with me? When it airs, I want to watch it, but I don’t want to be alone.”

“Oh. Sure,” Hollis said. “If you want.”

“I’m a glutton for punishment, but I want to see it. I don’t really know why.”

“I’ll be there,” Hollis said, repeating her words from before. “I’ll find out the air date before you, probably, so I can text you when I know.”

“Thank you.” Raleigh smiled and gave her a little wave like she had earlier that day. “Good night, Hollis.”

“Good night. Drive safe.”

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