Chapter Three
The illness may have been over, but this, whatever this was, had just begun.
I sat in the passenger seat of my little Honda Civic, staring at my healthy boyfriend wondering who the fuck he was. I had just helped Jake sneak out of the hospital like a criminal, although he made it into a game—laughing every time we got past a nurse's desk and kissing me every time we had to hide in an empty room. It was fun and Jake seemed like the old him. But that had changed once we got to the car.
Jake took my keys and insisted on driving. About five minutes away from the hospital, I realized he was heading for the interstate. That's when I told him I had to go to work. He, of course, told me to call in sick. I would have agreed to that—I mean, my dying boyfriend had just been healed—but then Jake went on, talking about how he wanted me to meet Silas. Silas was evidently the name God went by when he was slumming it on Earth.
I started worrying that Jake might get sucked into a cult. Sure, he'd been healed, and I understood how that could convince him of this man's divinity, but I wasn't convinced. Healers all over the world have mystified medical people for centuries by curing all sorts of diseases. It was rare for one of those healers to declare themselves God, though. That was scary suicide cult territory.
So, I asked Jake if we could stop for some breakfast and talk it over.
Jake's response was to take my cell phone and toss it out the window.
The expense of the phone notwithstanding, that was a bit extreme. And it scared me even more. When I tried to get him to pull over again, he swung his head and pinned me with a stare that didn't belong to the man I loved. I wasn't sure who was looking at me through Jake's eyes, but it wasn't him. It didn't even sound like him when he told me we were going on a little road trip, and I should just relax and enjoy myself.
That had been an hour ago. Now, looking at him, odd things raced through my mind. I felt as if I'd gone from a tear-jerker drama to a fairy tale only to get dropped in the middle of a horror movie. What if Jake had died? What if this man Jackie brought to the hospital was evil? Maybe a witch doctor or a warlock? Something like that. Maybe he performed a spell that killed Jake and summoned a demon into Jake's body. Bringing someone back to life never worked out well in the movies. I kept seeing the scene in Practical Magic where they brought that bastard back to life, and he nearly strangled Nicole Kidman.
Was Jake going to strangle me while he shouted about how much he wanted me to be his wife?
Get it together, Indie! I mentally hissed at myself. Jake is not a demon wearing a Jake-suit. Oh, fuck. Now, I'm thinking about “Men in Black.” Edgar-suit. Gross.
“Um, I really am hungry,” I said. With perfect timing, my stomach rumbled. “I haven't eaten today.”
Jake looked over at me, and that other person vanished. “Oh, fuck, Indie. I'm sorry. I'm losing my shit, aren't I?”
“Thank God,” I whispered and let out a half-hysterical laugh. “For a second there, I thought you'd been possessed.”
“Possessed?” he asked sharply.
“Yeah, by a demon.” I rolled my eyes. “Jake, you threw my phone out the window. You know I can't afford a new phone. And who does that? Only crazy people and abductors.”
He winced. “Sorry about that. I'll buy you a new one.”
“All of my contacts were in there.” I grimaced. “I don't think I actually know anyone's number off the top of my head.”
“Forget them.” He grabbed my hand. “I want a fresh start, Indie. Look, I know you don't believe that this guy is God, and that's fine. I probably seem like some whacko cultist with a thirst for Kool-Aid. But just give him a chance. He's got this awesome property in Montana, and I—”
“Montana?” I nearly shrieked. “ Montana ? I don't want to go to Montana.”
“Why not? I heard it's beautiful.”
“Yeah, and fucking cold. It's going to be winter soon. It snows there.”
“It snows in Washington too.”
“Not like in Montana. Compared to Montana, what we get in Spokane is like rain. Most times, it is rain.”
He chuckled. “Come on. Give it a try. If you don't like it, we can leave.”
“I have to go to work, Jake. I have a good job. I was lucky to get that internship.”
“You can call them tomorrow and ask for some time off. Just a week. That's all I need. Please.”
“I don't know.” I chewed at my lower lip.
“Indie, I just left my fucking deathbed and all I'm asking for is a week.”
I sighed. “Unfair. I've given it over a year, Jake. I've been with you every step of the way.”
Jake's expression immediately softened and filled with love. He lifted my hand and kissed it. “I know, baby. And I'll love you forever for it. You don't know how hard it was for me to lie there, losing my strength and health—everything that made me feel like me—all while you watched. But if you hadn't been there, it would have been worse. I hated myself for wanting you with me, then hated you for coming every fucking day. It was insane.”
“I understand. I hated you too.” I snorted a laugh.
Jake laughed with me. “Fucking cancer.” He stared out the windshield and swallowed roughly. “I was going to die. It had me.”
“I know. I still can't believe that I'm sitting here, with you driving my car. This feels surreal.”
“Look. There's a diner. Let's get some breakfast and we can talk some more.”
“Okay.” I relaxed. Maybe my boyfriend wasn't a demon after all.