Page 19 of The Shadows We Keep

I dip my chin to him in understanding.

A tall blonde saunters behind the bar, switching places with him. “Hey Darlin’, what can I get ya?” she purrs in a thick southern accent, eyelashes batting away.

“Two mules and send them over there.” I quickly tip my head backwards to the table behind me.

Her flirty demeanor slips, but she must be used to brush offs because it quickly shifts back into place as she moves around behind the bar to make the drinks.

“Nothin’ for you, though?” Her hands move quickly, mixing the vodka with lime juice and some carbonated liquid. That looks disgusting.

“I’ll take another whiskey, neat.”

“That’s more like it.” She winks and refills my glass before taking the two copper mugs over to the girls. I don’t shift, but I can see the conversation happening behind me. Their heads jerk in my direction. I don’t turn around, instead I hold my glass up high to the side in silent salute.

The bartender rounds the corner and into my view, her eyes cast behind me to the side. A delicate hand wraps around my bicep. The long pink nails are a dead giveaway that it’s not my girl. Craning my neck to the left, I glance down at her hand with my eyebrows raised before trailing my eyes up her body to her face. Her bronzed cheeks heat to a pale pink as I don’t shift, adding a leer at her touch for good measure. She picks up on my mood, pulling her hand away quickly.

“I, uh, just wanted to say thanks for the drinks. My girl could really use it today.”

Her girl? No, my girl. And why does she need it?

“Well, then maybe she should be the one to come thank me then.” My gruff tone offends hers and she sways backwards a step.

“She’s not really the peopling type,” she concedes.

I nod and turn back to the mirrored bar, dismissing her from my side.

Her heels click against the stone floor. “What a dick!”

I laugh to myself. She wasn’t even trying to hide her sentiment. My girl giggles and the surrounding air lightens with her amusement.

“Strike out?” she asks.

“He said you should go thank him.” Her friend bites out and throws back the rest of her free drink before slamming the mug down on the wooden table.

I quickly throw a couple of bills down on the bar and head for the door before she can get to me.

Another time. Another place.

But not yet.

No, not yet.

TEN

KEIRA

Can You Hold Me – NF, Britt Nicole

“Hey mom.” I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and laying my head back onto her headstone. The cemetery’s empty on this side of the park. Not that there’s usually too many people wandering about on a Tuesday afternoon.

“So, I know you never wanted me to know about her, but I do, and now you’re both gone. Today’s the anniversary of their accident, and I know I have no right, but I can’t help but want to march over to his apartment and shove my way inside to comfort him.” I pull in a deep breath and my chest heaves against the many layers of clothes I had to put on to make sure I could sit out here and not die of hypothermia.

“He’s all alone and never has people over. He rarely goes home. The guy barely leaves the house, at least not when I’m home. Which I guess could mean he leaves while I’m at work… sorry; I’m rambling.” A raven flies high above my head, circling as if it’s sensing death throughout the area. Even if it’s decomposing six feet below.

“But I can’t do that, can I? He doesn’t know who I am, other than some rando from a cab ride.” Sighing, my mind wanders as I take in the surrounding graves. They’re all the same. Nothing much ever changes here.

“It’s just not fair that she got him. She got everything. The big house, the luxurious life, two parents that are still alive and loved her until the day she died. She got the full high school experience with lots of friends and a social life.” Just thinking about all the ways her life was picture perfect has my blood boiling. I’m fuming, my fists clench, knuckles turning white as the blood circulation cuts off.

“I love you, Mom, but why did I get the struggling single parent? Why did you have to be a hero and die that day? Why did I have to get shoved into that malicious group home?” Wetness coats my icy cheeks as my voice cracks, my despair bleeding out in thick droplets.

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