Page 6 of Priceless
Alright. Now I’m in the little park. The grasses are bronze and tan, soft and whispery in the breeze. And the prairie dogs—they keep popping in and out of their burrows like nosey neighbors.
And the trees—oh wow. The cottonwoods are glowing. That buttery gold that looks like it’s lit from inside. And a few maples are already turning red. It’s like the whole place is just quietly, beautifully slipping into fall.
She sent her last thought and waited. She’d started feeling like she was talking to herself, and she hated that.
Castle Rock sounds like a lovely place to live.
Yes. It was…
Thanks for the walk. I’m out.
Jacob staredat the lifeless dots and cursed. If only he’d said something clever, she might have continued.
He started typing, throwing just one last message toward Colorado, to tempt her to open that door again sometime.
I’ll be right here when you need me.
My phone vibrated.A text from my friend.
Whitney
Hey there! Let’s go to lunch. It’s about time, don’t you think?
I sighed like a woman twice my… No. Like a woman exactly my age, dammit.
The thing was, I had been on this lunch before. A dozen times. I knew what restaurant we’d end up at. I knew exactly what both of us would order. I knew the stories she’d tell me, or at least a close rendition of it, and I knew exactly how I’d respond. I’d try to give her hope, to lure her back to the cheerful mood she always started with but nearly always lost the longer she talked.
Inevitably, she would bring up the subject of Paul. She’d remind me of some fun moment she remembered about him—she had three on her playlist. Then she’d make me promise I was taking care of myself. She’d ask if I was ready to start looking at dating apps for the “over fifty,” and I would joke that I would if she would. The minor fact that she was married didn’t matter. Considering her husband, she was probably more lonely than I was.
Well…maybe not. As far as I knew, she hadn’t stooped to asking an AI bot to be her friend.
In any case, we’d both leave the restaurant wondering what the point had been.
Since there was every chance she could tell, somehow, that I’d seen her message, I answered back.
At the dentist. Won’t be in any shape for eating or chatting today. Maybe next time.
Dancing dots.
Laira!
What?
You need to keep track of your excuses. You’ve already used that one on me. Twice! Have you got any teeth left?
Something heavy landed in my gut. I wouldn’t have hurt sweet Whitney’s feelings for the world.
Sorry. So sorry. I’m just too sad today to face anyone. I just needed a good cry without anyone else feeling sorry for me. You know?
I get it. Don’t worry. I’ll call you next week. Reach out if you need me.
You’re the best.
And she really was. If I needed her, night or day, no matter the reason, Whitney would be there for me.
As I headed for home, I realized just how completely I had lied to her. Not about the dentist, but about needing a good cry. I wasn’t sad at all! I didn’t need a good cry or a pedicure, or private evening with a box of chocolates. I felt pretty good, considering.
Jocko had been right. A little walk had been just what I’d needed.
