Page 138 of A Fae in Finance
“Ah,” I said. I dropped my hands. Waiting had not made it easier to tell her.
She stared at me. I stared at her.
“I’ve been stuck in Faerie,” I said.
“Youwhat?” she said.
“I got stuck in Faerie. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to come back,” I said, enunciating.
She gaped at me, startled out of tears. “Did you eat their food?”
“If one more person asks about my terrible life choices,” I muttered, and she flung herself around me so hard we fell back into the couch cushions. I couldn’t tell if she was punching my arms or squeezing any flesh she could to make sure I was really there.
“You were trapped in Faerie and didn’t tell me?” She pulled away.
“I didn’t tell you,” I repeated. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, Miri,” she said. Her eyes were rimmed red. “Don’t be sorry. I’m so sorry I didn’t notice something was wrong.”
“What?” I grabbed her hand. “No, Thea, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
We apologized mutually for nearly a half hour before her computer pinged and she remembered she was supposed to be working.
“I’m going to call out sick,” she said. I watched from the couch while she went to her computer, scrubbing her hair until it fell in matted tangles around her shoulder. She sat down and hunched forward in her chair, and then called her boss.
Her boss answered and Thea did the most pathetic little half cough I’d ever heard in my entire life.
“Hey, Katie,” she said. “I’m not feeling great.” She listed to one side, as though unable to hold herself upright.
“Oh my god, please sign off and get some soup,” Katie said, sounding worried.
“Okay,” Thea said, clearly attempting reluctance and instead sounding gleeful. “Thanks, Katie.” She hung up and turned back to me with a wide grin. “Great, my afternoon is clear.”
I snorted. “But now you’ll get me sick.”
She ignored this absolutely hilarious joke.
Thea had her phone in hand. “I’m texting Jordan to come over,” she said. “And then you can apologize tohimfor a half hour about not telling him you got stuck in Faerie.”
I winced.
“No,” she gasped.
“I’m so sorry,” I said again.
“Youtold Jordan?”
“Just two days ago!” I said, though my voice was muffled by Thea’s entire body because she’d flung herself upon me and seemed to be attempting murder by smothering. “I needed advice about going on a quest.”
Good lord—had it only been two days?
“A quest?” Thea sat back, though her hands found mine, and her eyes went wide. “Okay, I think you’d better tell me from the beginning.” She squeezed my fingers. It was evident from the pressure that she hadn’t decided whether to berate me or welcome me home like the prodigal son.
I sighed and then bit back a smile, thinking of Sahir.
“Wait, is that acrush smile?” Thea shrieked. She threw her hands up. “What ishappening, Miri?”
“Let’s just wait till Jordan gets here,” I said, “because I don’t think I can explain all of this twice.”
