Page 149 of Texting Dr. Stalker

Somehow, he’d become important to me. Incredibly important and for him to just cease communication after what we’d done the other night?

It hurt even worse than being strangled.

Is he in the crowd?

Is he close by?

My fingers itched to message him, but I forced myself to focus and unwrapped Lily’s gift. A wooden plaque, meant to hang on a garden fence, appeared beneath the final layer of tissue paper. The hand carved angel wings in the corners added a cute border to the words in the centre.

First You Jump Off The Cliff And Then You Build Your Wings On The Way Down.

Ray Bradbury

“Oh wow…” Tears pricked my eyes. “Ah, Lils, it’s—”

“I know, isn’t it perfect!” She bounced toward me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “It’s exactly how I feel every time you smile and move on with your life.” Her hands landed on my shoulder blades as if groping for non-existent wings. “I’m so proud of you, Sailor Moon. So in awe of you that you never let him win. Seeing you renovate that house to become yours? Seeing you continue running your business? Seeing you smile again? Ahh!” She kissed my cheek and whirled me around, making a few customers waiting to be served laugh. “I love you, girl. You jumped off that fear-filled cliff by going back to the very same house he hurt you in and you’ve been rebuilding your wings ever since. You’re one feather away from soaring to the stars!”

I hugged her back. “It’s only because I have you that I can be so brave.”

And him.

Because of X, I’d healed far, far quicker than I would have, and as grateful as I was for my best-friend, my thriving business, and the freshly painted living room that I’d spent the past three days turning white, my heart panged with loss.

“Thank you so much, Lily. I absolutely love it. I’m going to hang it on the deck where I can see it out the kitchen window.”

Letting me go, she glanced at the short line that’d formed. “I know we have to get to work, and now isn’t the time to gossip, but…I really do want to know what’s been going on with you. And don’t say there isn’t something because we both know there is, and I’m going to get it out of you, one way or another.”

I sagged in mock defeat. “Fine. We’re overdue a catch-up, anyway. I’ll permit you to try to pry my secrets out of me.”

“That’s my girl.” Tying on her apron, she said, “Fancy a movie on Monday night? I have a few evening open homes tomorrow, but we could go for dinner on Monday. Perhaps a quick drink, then hit the moving pictures?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

With a wink, she turned to serve the young man bouncing a toddler on his hip. “What can I help you with today?”

I really ought to move beside her and take the next in line, but I hadn’t been able to settle all morning. Taking Lily’s amazing plaque to the back of the tent where we kept our personal items, I placed it carefully beside my petty change wallet and whipped my burner phone out.

Me:Are you watching me today, or are you busy with the life you refuse to tell me about?

I pursed my lips and stared at my message. I didn’t like my tone. It almost sounded passive-aggressive and that wasn’t me. I’d been on the receiving end of that nonsense with Milton and never wanted to dish it out to others.

Me:Ignore that. I didn’t mean it. I’m just. In the rules of staying honest, I guess I’m a little sad that I’ve barely heard from you these past few days. I hate that you’re the one who’s completely in charge of this relationship. I have no way to stop you from fading away, just like I had no way of stopping you from barging into my life. I want to be mad about that, but…you taught me how to claim my life back, so I can’t be. Not really. I’m glad you let me take care of you the other night. You always warned me this was temporary. I just didn’t think it would hurt so much to say goodbye to someone who I never knew his name.

Sending the message, rubbing my cheeks to make sure Lily wouldn’t see my tears, I turned off the phone and went back to work.

* * * * *

I sat in my pop’s old car on my driveway, staring at the house that was slowly becoming mine. I’d made another online order for renovation supplies, and thanks to Pinterest, I’d found a few images of bright and airy living rooms that blended modern farm with cosy chic.

I’d already had the Salvation Army collect the furniture from the living room, so now Peng and I spent our evenings on cushions on the floor. Once I’d finished painting, I’d rip up the carpet and polish the floorboards.

The late afternoon sun promised a perfect balmy evening to spend reading in the garden or going for a swim in the local lake, but all I wanted was for a masked villain with a hero complex to appear uninvited in my house and kiss me.

Sighing heavily, I unbuckled and went to climb out of my car, but my phone finally pinged.

The chime I’d been waiting for all day.

My cheeks heated with how fast I launched myself at the passenger seat and snatched my handbag. Ripping my phone out, I pulled up the message thread.

---