Page 121 of The Last Session

I’d encountered an actual cult.

And I’d met someone.

48

The dinner bell chimed, slicing through the nothingness of sleep. I pushed my face into the pillow. Jonah shifted behind me.

“Should we go?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I sat up, reluctant to leave our cozy cot. I definitely felt better with a few hours’ sleep. My head, while still sore, didn’t feel like a wide-open wound.

Jonah gazed up at me, his expression serious.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He smiled slightly. “You’re cute.”

“So are you.” I leaned down, hesitated. He pulled me in and kissed me. The world slowed down, until…

Clang!

“We’d better go.” He sat up. “Steven should be back by now. You all packed?”

“I am. Except for my diary.” The words made me suddenly sad. I was going to have to leave that part of myself behind here, apparently.

“I’m sorry.”

“It is what it is.” I sighed. “Are you bringing your stuff to the lobby?”

“I’ll wait. Don’t want to piss them off by seeming too eager.” He rolled his eyes, then pulled me in for one more kiss.

“Welcome!” Sol cried as Jonah and I entered the dining room. “Grace made her famous lasagna. It’s incredible. Good for hangovers too.”

I glanced at the others: Moon, smiling and animated. Catherine, staring down at her plate. Grace, calmly cutting clean stripes into the huge, steaming pan. Several bottles of red wine waited in the middle of the table; the sight made my stomach turn.

“Where’s Steven?” I asked.

“Oh, I’m sure he’ll be back soon.” Sol shrugged.

“He’s still not back?” I exchanged a glance with Jonah.

Sol straightened. “I didn’t want to say anything, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped to see Talia.”

Moon, Grace, and Catherine all whipped their heads to look at him.

“Didn’t you say she was traveling?” I asked when no one said anything.

“No.” Sol stood to grab a wine bottle. “She left, to tell you the truth. Lives in a nearby town.”

Moon’s expression was suddenly thunderous. “Babe, please shut the fuck up.”

“Sorry, babe.” He shrugged, unbothered. “It’s the truth. Steven misses her, you know.”

“So when is he getting here?” My body was on high alert. It struck me that I really had expected Steven to come back, to show up at the appointed time. The fact that he was still gone made my anxiety skyrocket. Where was he? Was he okay?

“I’m sure he’ll be back any minute.” Sol took a plate from Grace. “Right?”

“Right.” Moon smiled softly, suddenly back to her baseline equanimity. “We can count on him, Thea. Don’t you worry.”

---