Page 129 of The Tenth Muse

I laugh, the idea that Williams or my father would be taking calls from the universe seeming like a punchline on its own.

“Either way,” She continues, raking her fingers through my hair as she pulls me in for an embrace, “Like attracts like, witches attract other witches, or something of the sort.”

“Or something of the sort.” I lift an eyebrow, staring deeply into her eyes.

She bites her lip, “We have so much to do.”

I sigh, defeated, but knowing she’s right. I at least got a small nap in, she’s been packing all night long and then she drove. “Why don’t you rest for a little and I’ll start?”

She stares unblinking, a suspicious look on her face.

“I’ll start with the bathroom so you can take a bath? Where are the cleaning supplies? Let’s unload Chewie first and then we can figure out where to plant her after your bath.” I’m going a million miles an hour now.

I’m hit with a strong second wind, suddenly reenergized by the need to care for Runa. It surges through me like caffeine in an overwhelming desire to take the weight off her shoulders.

She’s barely unloaded three bags from the truck, sluggishly moving through her exhaustion while I’ve already bleached, dusted, wiped and restocked the entire bathroom.

I’m filling up the tub, sprinkling fresh lavender petals growing from a tree right outside the window into the hot water when she finally gives up. It feels like a small but mighty victory, getting her to relax and let me take over.

The cabin itself is not as bad as she made it out to be, nothing like in the movies where it’s some abandoned dusty shack covered in cobwebs. It just needed a good wipe, some sweeping and love. We’ll keep the windows open for the next day or so to air it out and it should be good as new.

It’s perfect and it’s going to be home.

With her.

I find clean blankets and towels packed away in a vacuum sealed bag under the bed, a delightful surprise when everything still has the remnants of dryer sheet smell to them.

She’s out of the tub by the time I’ve finished changing the bedding and lit some candles. A breeze blows in from the open window, the fragrance of fresh linen and wildflowers soothes my nervous system like welcome allies, attempting to dull the growing anxiety.

With my phone left behind it feels like I’m in the dark, waiting for a confrontation that may honestly never happen.

Will he come after me?

Her hair is still damp when it falls over my shoulders, her body pressing up against me from behind as she nuzzles into my neck. “Hmm,” She hums, giving me a squeeze. “This is perfect.”

I can’t help but agree, it hasn’t even been an hour, but just being here, with her… this is freedom.

I’m sure of it.

“Help me unload Chewie from the truck?” Runa’s already got gardening gloves on and she’s dressed in denim overalls.

I follow her lead, undeniably distracted by how good she looks in them.

“Are we planting her?”

“Yes!” She chirps, swinging open the tailgate. “I think the universe is asking for it, don’t you?”

Her smile is brilliant, it’s warm and so full of joy and hope that it eases every tightness still remaining in my chest. I’m enamored with the way she sees things as signs and how her interpretation of those very things determine her day to day actions.

She’s intoxicating to be around.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get enough.

“I do.” I whisper my reply, but she’s already on the other side of the truck bed, squatting to grab the edges of the pot.

Scrambling to catch up before she hurts herself by trying to do it alone, I climb the truck and help her. Chewie looks bigger than she did just a few days prior, there’s no way she’s grown in such a short time, but I don’t recall having to tilt my neck up so much to look at her before.

“It’s a good thing, probably.” I wheeze, stepping down little by little, the struggle on both our faces borderline amusing as we try to lift and move this plant. “If we waited any longer she was just gonna have to stay up there.

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