Page 46 of Illuminated

One evening three weeks later, I sat down at the kitchen counter next to him. “So, what’s next?” I asked. “We can’t stay here forever. They might send more people after us.”

“No, we cannot stay here. What’s next depends on what you want to do.”

I didn’t have to think very long or hard about that. “I want to be with you.”

“That’s what I want too.” He grinned at me. “I meant, where do you want to live, what do you want to do about your photography, your family.”

“Those people, the clerics, know who I am, right?”

“Yes. And I do believe that they would approach you again, given the chance.”

“You mean assault me again.”

“It’s possible. I can’t know for certain yet what conclusions they come to in regard to you. My point is, a photographer who goes to events and meets clients in his studio is easy pickings.”

I looked up to him. Sunset always gave his eyes a crystalline shimmer. “You really did research me, didn’t you? But I get the point. It feels like you have a plan in your head you like best.”

He sighed. “I do. But I’m sure I can adapt that to what you want, and I’d like to hear what that is first.”

I stopped, hugged him. “I want you to tell me what your ideal path forward is, and then I’ll tell you what I can and can’t live with.”

Another sigh, ringing deep within his chest. “You can be frustrating, do you know that, my sweet? I would like to leave the country as soon as possible, which can be very soon. Think hours. I have a system and a network in place to basically pack up a place and lock it down until I need it, just like this beach house and all the people in town I know. I’d do the same for your place, your studio.

“Don’t get me wrong, you can still work. I’m sure something can be arranged with your manager. Tell her you’re going a different way. Nomadic artists are not unheard of, and photographers travel a lot. Say the pandemic made you long to travel. If that doesn’t work with your manager, I know enough people who will handle it. In fact, I would prefer it if you switched managers, but that’s a different discussion.

“You can tell your friends you’ll be traveling a bit, which will be the truth. And you’d be able to visit home. I don’t see why not, so long as it’s planned well. The same goes for your father and his fiancé.”

“Okay, that’s a lot. You really thought about it.”

He shrugged. “You wanted to hear.”

I nodded, got up, and walked around the counter to get the fixings for a PB&J out of the fridge.

“I do want to travel. I’ve been thinking about an app. Abandoned places all over the globe, something like that.”

Auris nodded. “I can add more to your list. The cottage isn’t the only place I know that might interest you.”

“I want to go back to that at some point,” I said and spread the peanut butter.

“That can be arranged.”

“And the Seafront Bar. Date night at the Seafront Bar on a balmy summer’s eve.”

He chuckled. “Demanding as always, but yes. I’ll make it so.”

“And where would we go?” I asked, spreading the strawberry jam, one of Gloria’s homemade ones.

“Prague, for now. You remember the priests telling us they killed someone there? I’d like to find out who, and if they left someone behind.”

That made sense. I nodded. “I don’t speak Czech.”

“Great. You’ll pass for a tourist. It’ll explain why you always carry a camera around.”

“I want you to go to the wedding with me. My dad’s, I mean. I want you in a super nice suit and on your best behavior, and I want my dad to fall in love with you. Platonically. In a very platonic in-law way.”

“One platonically lovable wedding vampire, check,” he said. “I’ll be charm personified. In return, I only demand that you do not dance with anyone other than a cousin. Or the grooms, of course.”

“That’s reasonable. You have yourself a deal.” I slapped the two sandwich halves together. “Why do you want me to change managers?” I walked back around the counter with my plate, sat next to him again.

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