Page 110 of In the Air Tonight

“They’ll keep.”

“Are you sure?”

“I work my ass off. I haven’t taken a real break in years. It’ll be fine.”

“In that case, I’d love to spend today with you after I check in at work.”

“While you do that, I’ll make us some breakfast.”

“With coffee?”

“What do you take me for? A savage?”

He makes me smile like no one has in so long. “I’m sorry that things got derailed last night. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

“Don’t be sorry, and you have nothing to make up to me. When we get there, I want you fully focused on me and us and not worrying about anything else.”

“I want that, too.”

“Please don’t add me to the list of things on your mind. I want to be a positive in all of this.”

“You are. You’re the most positive thing to happen to me in well…ever.”

“Same, babe. Let’s just enjoy it, okay?”

I nod and smile as he kisses me.

“I’m off to see about coffee.”

“I’m off to see about work.”

“Meet me in the kitchen.”

“I’ll be quick.”

I step out of his back door into a cool, crisp autumn morning. I catch a whiff of woodsmoke, and for the first time since that night, the scent doesn’t repulse me. That used to be one of my favorite scents. Maybe it will be again now that I’ve taken this step toward righting the wrongs of the past.

I stop short at the sight of something on the front stoop of my cottage. Leaning in, I take a closer look that I immediately regret. It’s a bloody carcass of some sort. Whatever it once was is unrecognizable now.

I must’ve screamed because Jack comes running. “What happened?”

As I fight back a wave of bile, I point to the dead animal.

“What the fuck?” He pulls out his phone and makes a call.

“Wh-what’re you doing?”

“Calling Houston. This is a message.”

I was so shocked by the gory sight that I hadn’t made that leap on my own.

Jack puts his arm around me and leads me away from the cottage and back into his house.

“It was there when she woke up this morning,” he says. “All right. Thank you.” He puts down the phone. “He’ll be right over. What can I get you?”

I tuck my shaking hands between my knees. “Nothing. I feel like I’m going to be sick.”

He pours a glass of ice water and brings it to me. “Drink this.”

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