Page 10 of Macon

She turns toward me. “Do you usually have them with someone in your bed?”

I shrug. “My family, my cousin, and I’m sure a few girls back in the day after it happened. It started with me having nightmares about not being able to save her. Later, they got a little better with her just coming into my dreams. Then, a few years ago, she started with the girl with two faces. I try to block her out, but she occasionally shows up saying the same shit and leaves.”

“Do you mind if I ask what happened to her?” Raydene says softly.

I blow out a long exhale. “My auntie Fay was driving my ma, sister, and Snow. They were T-boned on the driver’s side, where my sister and auntie were, killing them instantly. My ma and Snow were hospitalized.

“Ginger’s mom was driving?” Raydene confirms.

I nod.

“I’m so sorry. That’s horrible. I knew Ginger’s mom had passed, but I didn’t know the details,” Raydene says, touching my arm.

I look down at her slender fingers wrapped around my forearm.

“It sucked. I lost my auntie and my little sister. She was my sidekick.”

“How old was she?”

“She was ten years old,” I reply, putting out the joint.

“Do you think she is trying to talk to you? I mean, do you believe in all that afterlife shit?” Raydene leans back, releasing my arm.

I want her to touch me again. I actually enjoyed our night last night. We didn’t get all deep like we are right now, but it was a good time.

She’s like an onion. I want to peel away all her layers. I know she’s hiding something. I’ll play detective until we get the dirt on her, or at least the background check on her and Vi.

I shrug.

Turning my face to look at Raydene, I ask, “Do you?”

She smiles. “I’ve had a traumatic loss too. So, yes, I do believe in signs of the afterlife. I also believe in following your gut feeling. And if I had the same dream as you, of my dead sister trying to tell me something, I might listen.”

Bitch, I got it all.

I laugh. “Oh, I believe, and I get them all. Gut feelings, signs from the afterlife, or visions, people would say…” I pause, thinking of the red-haired woman in my dreams. “I’ve tried to figure out what she’s trying to say.” I turn my upper body toward her. “You tell me, what does a girl with two faces mean to you?”

Raydene lifts her hand and rubs her chin as she thinks it over.

I laugh. “Don’t hurt yourself.”

She hits my shoulder with a smile.

“How do you feel?” I ask, rubbing my forehead.

“Like a Mac truck…” She stops, slapping her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”

I stop her, grabbing her hand. “It’s okay. I’m used to the term. But ladies usually say, ‘Oh, Mac, your truck rammed me good and hard.’” I wiggle my eyes.

She slaps my arm, saying with a giggle, “That is bad.”

I laugh and continue in a girlie voice, “Oh, MacDaddy, give me your Big Mac.”

She hits me again. “Ewh.”

“DamnDean!” I tease again, rubbing my arm.

Her reaction to me calling her that name wasn’t as bad as before, but I can tell it affected her. It makes me want to call her that name more, so I can find the back story to it.

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