Page 18 of Wolf's Chance

I hadn’t realized I’d spoken out loud, but I felt her stiffen slightly in my arms. “I don’t know.”

Her eyes were open once more, and she was looking up at me as if I were the puzzle that needed to be solved. I didn’t have the answer either, and for the rest of the walk to her house, neither of us spoke.

I was lyingon her couch when she came out of the bedroom. Willow had been so out of it by the time we reached her house, I’d simply put her in her bed and left her there. I didn’t know anything about her illness, but holding her phone to her face and peeling her eyelids open while she mumbled about strangers in her dreams had allowed me to gain access to her phone.

I’d used the phone to reply to her friend’s text message, who I now knew was named Lily, to let her know I was home and safe, and in bed. I deleted the reply Lily sent that told me to give her all the “gory details” later.

I’d then used the internet access to find out about ME. I’d quickly learned it was much more than feeling tired, and another common misconception was that it was just in the sufferer’s head. No amount of exercise could cure it, and it had absolutely nothing to do with being lazy.

Some of the articles had surprised me. After seeing how quickly Willow had deteriorated beyond “simple” tiredness, it wasn’t clear to me why people may think it was a fake illness.

I heard her before I saw her approach. Slow but steady as she walked into the room.

“You stayed?”

“I did.”

“You’re on my couch.”

“The floor wasn’t comfortable.”

Willow looked me over. My boots were on the floor, and my jacket was on the counter in the kitchen. “You seem comfortable.”

“I’m not on the floor.”

“Why are you here?” Willow looked down at her clothes. “Did you undress me?”

I gave her a flat stare. “I took your sneakers and scarf off. You’re hardly naked.”

“I feel naked.”

“Can’t help with that.” Turning back to the TV, I waited for her to speak again, knowing I was pissing her off.

“You can’t stay here.”

I was on my feet so quickly that she stepped back in alarm. “I’m not staying; I was waiting to make sure you were okay.” Crossing to the kitchen, I picked up my jacket. “Job done.”

“You don’t have to leave.”

Straightening from picking up my boots, I watched her as she fidgeted, uncomfortable in her own home. “Giving me mixed signals here. I can’t stay, but I don’t need to leave.”

“I have questions.”

“You and me both.”

Willow gestured to the kitchen. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

It was a peace offering. I think. Warily we watched each other before I dropped my boots. “Yeah.” I followed her to the kitchen, noting how she still looked exhausted. “You need help?”

Willow shook her head without making eye contact. “I feel better.”

“You should never play poker,” I told her easily. “You’ll lose.”

Glancing over her shoulder, I saw the first hint of a smile. “Maybe you can teach me to lie sofluently.”

I held her stare until I saw the smile fade. “Who says I’m fluent?”

Willow turned her attention to putting the kettle on the stove, getting two cups, and rummaging in her cupboard for a box of tea bags. She put the bags back and, reaching up, took out a teapot and a tin of tea leaves. “It’s a little treat,” she explained as she spooned three carefully measured servings into the pot. “Darjeeling.”

---