Page 24 of Twisted Thorns

"To get ice cream. This amount of drama calls for ice cream."

I can't fault her logic.

She calls over to me from my kitchen. "What do you want, chocolate chip cookie dough or brownie batter?"

"Cookie dough." I holler back.

Claire makes her way back over, pints of ice cream and spoons in hand. She settles down before holding her hand out to me expectantly.

"Let me see your phone."

"My phone?"

"Yeah, you said Kieran gave you back all the pictures and video he deleted. I want to see them."

"You're right, this totally needs ice cream." I say as I hand the phone over and take the cookie dough ice cream from her.

A couple of hours later, pizza and wine joined the ice cream. We've been through everything repeatedly, and I'm still not sure how I feel about any of it.

I toss my head back on the arm of the couch and stare at the ceiling. "I just don't know what to think about any of this."

"I do." Claire responds.

"You do?" I look over to where Claire is petting Conan, who is curled up in her lap.

"Yes, angry! But also, it's kind of romantic. I mean, you wanted your relationship with Kieran to be a secret, or else I would have known about it." She narrows her eyes. "Right?"

I nod fervently. "Of course, yes."

"And we all know his family is into shady business, so I can see where he thought he was protecting you. But now, he misses you and wants you back, I think."

"This would be simpler if I could remember any of it."

"Yeah, it would."

“There are rumors…” Claire begins.

Leaning in closer to her, I ask, “What kind of rumors?”

“That the Calders, well at least Kieran and his brother, Liam, are actually trying to do good for the city. That they’re trying to clean things up after their father died.”

“Clean things up?”

“Less money through drugs and blackmail and more money through investing, I guess. Anyway, it’s just what I heard.”

There's silence for a moment, then Claire asks, "Do you think you're going to date him?"

"I don't know. A part of me wants to, but it's strange, having him remember me, but I can't remember him."

"Just start over."

"Just like that?"

"Yep, just like that."

I'm still pondering Claire's words as I get ready for bed later that night. There's something about him that draws me in, but I'm not sure if I'm prey for his web, or if what I see in him is just another version of myself. A creature wanting to break free of the chains placed upon us at birth, wanting to escape and fly away, to get away from the expectations of everyone around us.

Before I can think too much about it, I grab my phone and send a text to Kieran.

---