Page 21 of Vile Emotion
“No, I came back because my mother died and then the town, this wicked, sick fucking town …” he stops talking and shakes his head. “ I don’t want to think about it.”
Before I can ask another question, the bus pulls up and Godric stands. “See you. I can’t make it tomorrow so make sure you’re not working super late. Got it?”
“Got it.” I nod and he smiles at me.
I don’t get the chance to get on the bus because a horn honks behind the bus. It’s Alaric’s car. I sigh and am too exhausted to explain this to Godric then fight with Alaric over it.
“Is that your someone that you ran from?” Godric asks from behind me.
“Yes.”
“Okay. Is he hurting you or is he of any harm to you?”
“Not in the way you are thinking, if anything, I’ve hurt him more than he’s hurt me. I need his forgiveness so I can move on with my life.” I look down at the ring and then back at the car. “I’ll go with him because I’m tired.”
“Okay.” Godric says after a moment of silence and hesitation. “I'm leaving this town as soon as I can so please, please, don’t take the bus late and change all your schedule time, okay? Orride with that man only. Because he’s not from here, I know he’s not here for these people. And when you get the chance to leave this town, leave.”
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“I can’t say 'cause if I do, you’ll want to come too.” He chuckles and it makes me smile. I want to tell him I’ll miss him but I don’t, I hate goodbyes.
I begin walking away and he calls my name. I face him and he smiles at me. “Maybe when you go back to the bigger city that you’re from, you’ll send me a postcard?”
I nod as tears form in my eyes. I don’t know why this feels like goodbye.
“And who should I address it to?” I ask.
“Godric Crowne with an e at the end.”
My mind blanks as Godric smiles and walks away. The bus and Alaric both honk at me. It jolts me out of my shock and I face the bus to tell the driver that I’m not getting on. He rolls his eyes and shuts the door, driving off.
Alaric further pulls up and without saying anything, I enter the passenger side of the car.
“Seatbelt.” He says but I’m too stunned to speak. He repeats it again but I just can’t move. How do I end up meeting a Crowne everywhere I go? Did Godric approach me on purpose?
“You’re annoying.” Alaric says as he leans over to my side and puts on the belt for me. When it clicks, my eyes snap to him.
He stares back at me. We watch each other for a moment, neither of us move as we’re so close that if we were lovers, we’d kiss. Breathing each other’s air is intimate no matter the situation and it confuses my heart because there’s a loud beat echoing in this quiet space. So loud that I fear Alaric heard it.
“Godric Crowne.” I blurt out and it pulls us out of whatever trance we were in.
“What?” He asks.
“Godric Crowne.”
Alaric watches me for a second. There’s a moment of sadness that passes on his face but he masks it. “Why are you bringing him up?”
“You know him?” I ask.
Alaric sits back in his seat and puts on his belt. He zips out from the bus stop. The car is quiet and I look out the window to see Godric walking. I stare at him wanting him to see me so I can know … something, anything.
“Can you answer my question?”
“Matter of fact, let me ask you, did you come here knowing that Godric was my brother?”
“Was?” I repeat. “I don’t understand.”
“If you did your research well, you’d know that my older brother Godric died when I was ten. 33 years ago so I don’t know what you would’ve gotten out of it. Bringing me back to this fucked up town that fucking murdered my brother. Fuck!”
