Page 38 of Lost Petal

“While I was out, walking,” Malia says, sniveling. “I had my phone with me, like you said I should. But still... I didn’t... I wasn’t ready for—”

“It’s okay,” I interrupt her, feeling inclined to place my hand on her shoulder to console her. But I retreat mid-motion, knowing that it would only do the opposite with Malia. She and I, we’re not in that place. Physical contact is out of the question, even when it’s nothing but a reassuring gesture of friendship. We’re not friends, and we never will be.

“He didn’t waste any time, did he?” I opt to say instead, hoping it will make her feel less alone. If there’s one thing she and I share, it’s our joint dislike of Robert.

It appears to work, as Malia manages to let out a dark chuckle. “Nope, he certainly didn’t.”

“What’d he say?”

She huffs. “What do you think he said? He was worried and angry. He wanted to know if I knew where she was, and when I said no, he...”

Malia pauses, pressing her lips together as if she were afraid to share this crucial piece of information.

“He got really upset.”

“With you?”

She shakes her head. “No... I don’t know. I mean, why would he? He can’t possibly know that...”

“No, he can’t, and he doesn’t. He’s just worried. You know him.”

Malia bites her lower lip as she nods, her thick lashes fluttering nervously.

“He said he’s going to the police if he hasn’t heard from her by tonight.”

“That shouldn’t surprise us.”

“No. But should it worry us?”

Her eyes meet mine, wide with concern and a desperate need for reassurance. We’ve had this conversation before, many times actually. We practiced, we prepared. We knew what would happen once we set things into motion.

But it’s one thing to play out these scenarios in theory. It lacks the imminent threat that reality poses. Malia doesn’t need to hear anything new from me; she just needs to know that everything is going according to plan, that everything will be fine.

She needs to know that she’s safe.

“No. We have nothing to worry about. You know what to say when they call you,” I say.

And so do I.

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