Page 70 of Rue

Chapter 36

Mig shoved her to a couch, then left her there as he went further into the house.

Sailor sat back on the couch, feeling despondent and lost. She didn’t even really care that she was dying here, not anymore. At least the guilt would go away.

“You look like hell, Rue.”

Sailor sat up and turned to the side door, staring at Geo in shock. He stood there like he wasn’t hurt, not a mark on him anywhere!

“You ain’t been sleepin’ huh?” he went on, coming into the room to stand in front of her, his eyes glittering dangerously.

“You… you’re…”

“I’m what?” he asked, leaning over her and putting his hands on the back of the couch. “What am I, Rue?”

“Alive?” she asked, stunned as she reached to touch him.

He snorted a laugh. “Yeah. I am,” he agreed, smirking. “You tried, though, didn’t ya? You ain’t fuckin’ weak.”

Sailor blinked at him, not understanding.

“You happy ta see me, Rue?” he asked, cocking his head.

“I am…” she answered honestly, surprised.

“Yeah… I kin see that,” he grinned, canting his head slightly. “You’s relieved ‘n shit. That shit tore you up, didn’t it? Figured it was. That’s why I let you just sit ‘n think on it.”

“You knew where I was?”

He chuckled then. “You think I didn’t see you put that bag in the office on day 2? I know you had plans. Didn’t know you was gonna try’n kill me,” he chuckled. “Thought you’d run. Got one ‘a them trackers on that bag. Saw you all holed up ‘n waitin’. The facility called, like I fuckin tol’ ‘m to. Soon as you called ta see about gettin’ them out. They give you a line, didn’t they? Not till next week or some shit. Like I tol’ ‘m. I was gonna let you sit the weekend, but I thought on it. Knew you was fucked up about it. Figured I didn’t want you thinkin’ what you was thinkin’, tearin’ yourself up over nothin’. You good?”

“You… aren’t dead?”

He chuckled again, then sat down next to her on the couch, still facing her and cupping her face in his hand. “Nah. I ain’t dead, Rue. You killed the fuckin’ fridge, though,” he teased. “I was on the ground before you got a shot off, you telegraphed that shit, then shut your eyes. I need ta teach you how ta shoot! You kin fuckin’ run, though, can’t ya? You took off outta there before I could even holler at you ta stop. Didn’t fuckin’ wait around for shit,” he laughed.

“Why… why aren’t you mad at me? Why aren’t you punishing me?”

“Oh, you think I ain’t fixin’ to?” he asked with a smirk. “Mig thinks I oughta make ‘n example ‘n shit… but he don’t get it. You ain’t fuckin’ weak.”

She understood it suddenly. His mother had been weak, she hadn’t saved herself or her kids from his abusive dad. He wasn’t mad because she had proved she wasn’t like his mom. She wasn’t weak.

“I got som’in’ for you, Rue,'' he smiled, leaning in and kissing her lips softly. “This time no tryna shoot me while I give it to ya.”

“K,” she whispered in stunned silence as he reached under the coffee table to the little shelf and picked up a long, slenderbox. The same box.

Opening it for her, she looked down at the wrist lanyard in confusion, blinking at the key on the end of it.

“What is it?” she asked, still confused.

“Key to this house,” he grinned. “Got you a house, Rue. Out here with all the fuckin’ squirrels you could think on feedin’.”

Sailor felt herself grin, but she shook her head. “This place is ridiculous! It’s too big, what’s the point? And too far from your work!”

“I figure I might retire,” he shrugged. “Since I got me a girl who knows how ta make money fall out the fuckin’ internet ‘n shit. Least once she decides to actually start doin’ it and not just makin’ little pictures that look like she’s doin’ it. I figure she’s about fuckin’ ready. That right, Rue? You ready?”

“Yeah,” she whispered, squeezing her backpack, then trying to stifle another smile.

He was okay! She’d missed completely! AND he wasn’t mad! AND he’d gotten her a house? Out in the country? A HUGE house that was just kind of stupidly ridiculous?

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