Page 98 of The Voices are Back

Folsom: You could at least let me try.

Morrigan: I could, but I’m tired of dealing with anything related to my father. We’re going to let it go. We’re done allowing him to ruin our life.

Folsom: Fine. But if you ever change your mind…let me know immediately.

Folsom: Also, I set your alarm. Why do you always leave it unarmed?

Morrigan: because we just had pizza delivered. Night. Love you.

“Your friend?” Bowie asked, his eyes on the television.

I smiled. “My friend.”

“She sounds intense when Mom talks about her,” he said. “What’s her story?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know it. I know that she’s a really impressive hacker. I know that she can do things, and get things, that shouldn’t be possible. I know that she’s sweet, and has a three-year-old daughter that’s a genius. But as for her backstory? That I don’t know. She’s never shared it with me and I’ve never pushed her on her unwillingness to share.”

He looked at me again.

“You’re a surprise.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I guess when I heard about you, I expected you to be an asshole or something. I mean, you’re the person that used to love my dad, and he left. I thought you would take that out on him or something. But you didn’t. And you’ve been incredibly nice. I feel bad that I jumped to conclusions where you’re concerned.” He grimaced. “And that I allowed myself to think poorly of you when you didn’t do anything to give me the indication that you were a bad person.”

I patted his thigh, then got up and cleaned up the pizza boxes.

A wave of dizziness overtook me, and I immediately sat back down.

He looked at me curiously.

“Dizzy,” I admitted. “I’m fine.”

He shook his head, then got up and cleaned up the mess that I couldn’t clean up. Then he checked all the windows and the doors, then turned out all the lights.

“Can you get to the bedroom by yourself?” he asked. “Or do you need to hang out and watch some more shows with me?”

I pointed at the couch. “I’ll move up there in an hour or so. I just need to give my body time to regulate.”

He nodded. “I got a job.”

I blinked. “What?”

“I can’t officially have one yet, since I’m not old enough, but I got one anyway. Don’t tell my mom. I’m gonna help pay this back.” He tapped his backpack at his feet. “I’m gonna work while you watch this. That okay?”

I shook my head.

“You’re terrible,” I admitted. “But that’s fine.”

I’d also be bringing it up with both of his parents tomorrow.

Which he likely knew I would.

Hours later, I was finally able to get upstairs to take a load off. I all but collapsed into the bed, and didn’t realize it until the next morning, but I’d slept so well.

I hadn’t realized that I slept bad without Aodhan until Aodhan wasn’t here, but his son was.

Ever since my attack, the thought of being alone was abhorrent to me. Not that I would be telling Aodhan that or anything. Then he’d feel bad, and there would be nothing we could do about it.

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