Page 47 of Beyond Oblivion

“They do have the same hair and freckles.”

“And eyes,” Jim added, taking a sip.

“Well,” I perched my hands on my hips. “I have to get to work. Need anything else before I head out?”

“Nope,” Jim said, rocking back in his chair. “You’re a good egg, Cami.”

I kissed his cheek. “Call if you think of something.”

“Give Trent a hard time for me,” he said with a wink.

“Always do.”

“Now that’s just not true,” he said.

“See you tonight!”

I drove to Skin Deep, mulling over my conversation with Liis just a few nights before. We had to return to my house after that, to my husband, acting as if I didn’t know any of us could die at any moment. Trenton saw right through me, but we had the storyline of my awkward relationship with Liis to let him assume was the reason. Taylor and Tyler, and Falyn and Ellison had no idea how good they had it being so far removed from the mess Thomas and Travis had made, free of the constant façade, the lies, the worry. But they didn’t get to see Jim every day. I exhaled. That alone made it worth it.

“I’m here!” I called to the back, switching on the neon Open sign before heading to the kiosks to boot them up.

“We’ve got fuckin’ tea!” Hazel said as she appeared from the hall. Her hair was in tight Dutch boxer braids, her round, blue sunglasses somehow not impeding her lash extensions.

“Those things could be an extreme sport,” I said, pointing at her eyes.

“My sister is learning to do lashes and I’m letting her practice, ya hateful ass. Listen to this…”

“Not yet!” Trenton said, jogging from the back, with Beck and Sylvie trailing behind. He held several stapled papers in front of my face. “It’s done. Our Stalking No Contact Order was approved.”

“SNCO is what they called it. You know, if you want to sound official,” Hazel said, pointing to the front sheet.

I read over page one, bristling at the sight of our names being listed so close to Madison’s. When I got to the bottom, I gently eased the stack out of Trenton’s hand to scan over the rest.

“Say it,” Hazel said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

“Say what?” I asked.

“What we all know you’re thinking,” Sylvie answered.

I handed the papers back to Trenton. “That it’s a relief.”

Hazel wrinkled her nose. “Bishhh, that’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Please, Hazel,” I deadpanned, “tell me what I’m thinking.”

“That crazy people don’t follow rules. That girl is Full Mental Jacket. A piece of paper is not going to stop her.”

Trenton made a face. “She’s not even in town anymore. I’m trying to make Cami feel better, so quit shittin’ all over it.”

Hazel was unfazed, but this time Sylvie spoke up, “Better she shit on it than you get complacent. Maddie hasn’t yoo’d her last hoo, believe that.”

Hazel pointed at Sylvie and nodded in agreement. “She’s probably stabbing her Cami doll with pins as we speak.”

“What the hell, Hazel. Who left crumbs in your panties this morning?” Trenton said with a frown.

Hazel pulled her glasses down an inch to glare at him. “It’s not a question of who, it’s when. And you know what I’d be when it happened? Prepared for it.”

“Holy fucking yellow penguin, you’re on one today,” Trenton said, still frowning.

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