Page 41 of Bad Seed
“What’s banana sauce?” she asks.
“Oh, it’s so good. Sweet and tangy, like a fruity barbecue sauce, but not.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I had it at Aubry’s. He made—”
Lucy lunges for the jar. “Really?”
“Yeah… He added it to his spaghetti, which was something from a fast food place in the Philippines. I think his island was called—”
“Oh my god. You have to take a picture of it and send it to him.”
“I do?”
“Yes! Come on, you’re thinking of him and you find that sauce right now. It’s kismet.”
I turn the jar around. Sure, it was weird that it was here behind the peanut butter and not in the Asian section. But it’s not like I found it in a bank. And I’m often thinking about Aubry.
Always. I’m always thinking about him.
Then again, it’s a way in without being clingy.
“Okay,” I say and stretch my arm out to get the jar in focus.
“No, no.” Lucy takes my phone. “You’ve got to be in it. Hold it to your cheek. Closer. Closer. Scrunch down.”
I’m obeying without a second thought. “Okay.”
“And…smile!”
She snaps three quick pictures before I can blink. “How was it?” I ask.
“Hang on.” Lucy’s messing with my phone. “I’m editing it. Doing a little facetune. Fixing the lighting.”
The seconds pass into minutes, and I get worried. Her fingers are flying a lot for simple edits.
“Okay, now. Let me see.”
With a dramatic flourish, Lucy presses a button on my phone just as I get my hand on it. As I stare at the screen I see myself and my breasts so close it looks like I’m shirtless. The picture isn’t in my photo app. It’s been sent to Aubry.
Along with the text, “You can banana my sauce any day.”
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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AUBRY
He waltzes through the door without a care in the world. The air is still, the whole house silent. He won’t realize why until it’s too late.
Right at the kitchen threshold, he pauses. A glint of passing light catches on his face, but I don’t need the confirmation. I’ve been watching him for hours. With a bag of food in one hand, he reaches for the switch and flips it.
Nothing happens.
“Son of a bitch. Are you fu—”
