Chapter 31 #3
After what feels like an eternity sitting in the woods against a tree trunk, I get into my car and drive back home, doing it slowly for the first few minutes so I can scan the terrain for my phone, which I don’t find.
***
I’m thirty minutes late for the meeting in my parents’ sunroom. And it wasn’t entirely on purpose. It also wasn’t entirely an accident.
I’m broken. Sad. Beyond sad.
The only ones here are Erica, Vivi, and Dani.
“Sorry I’m late,” I fib. “Everyone left?”
“Yeah,” Erica says. “Are you okay?”
“No,” I whisper.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Vivi asks.
I shake my head. “What was decided?”
“Jase didn’t show,” Dani tells me.
“What does that mean?” I ask, blindly reaching around me for a chair, because now I’ve got a touch of vertigo.
“We’ve rescheduled it for tomorrow,” Erica says. “Same time, same place.”
“What about the spell?” I ask.
Am I fair game? Does he even care?
“I’ve extended,” Dani says. “I can’t go much farther based on the spell I cast and the contingencies that were made. If he’s not around by the day after tomorrow, we’ll have to assess.” She gives me an apologetic smile.
“Do you think he’s just waiting it out?” Erica asks Vivi.
Vivi shrugs. “This generation’s council has had very little exposure to witches. I’m not sure he’d know that might be an option.”
“Shit. That’s an option? He did consider waiting it out when he kidnapped me, but we had words and I no longer think he’s doing that,” I say.
“Kidnapped you?” Dani asks.
And now all three of them are waiting for me to elaborate.
“I think he’s given up,” I say. “Maybe he’d be happy if it were severed.”
All three of them look worried. And this speaks volumes to me. It tells me they figured Jase would prove himself to me within this past seventy-two hours, that I’d forgive him.
I guess they underestimated how stubborn I can be. Too stubborn to give up for all those years on my Jase and Bailey dream. Too stubborn to relent even a little bit now on wishing that he’d have wanted me on any other terms beyond these ones.
“Thanks for trying to help, you guys. I’m… I’m very appreciative.” I rise but immediately feel lightheaded. They must sense it because they surround me and engulf me in a group hug.
“It’ll be okay,” Vivi promises.
And I don’t know if that’s a premonition or just a hope and I have neither the heart nor the guts to ask.
Instead, I ask, “Did you guys hear from Lucinda?”
“She said she’s been calling you.”
“He threw my phone out the window,” I mutter.
They all react the way I would if I was told this. Dani looks outraged. Erica gasps. Vivi makes a Marge Simpson sound.
“Should I call her?” I ask.
Erica says, “No. She said she was going to tell you she’s got no news.
She’s getting an impact read on how a mate identification reversal would affect you guys as well as beyond.
Council alpha bond severance isn’t as cut and dried as a typical mate bond severance.
Not that any of them are typical because it so rarely happens.
We’re all okay to delay things by a few days.
Let’s not worry about that right now. I’ll message her and let her know where things are at.
What can we do right now to help, Bailey? ”
“I think I just want to be alone,” I say. “I want to take a hot bath and a nap.”
“Okay,” Erica says, rubbing my arm. “Let us know if you need anything. We’ll be here tomorrow. Riley will make sure Jase knows about the rescheduling.”
***
I spend the evening between my room and the bathroom, where I’ve had a long bubble bath. I’m overtired and overstressed and it takes until well after two in the morning for me to fall asleep.
My mom came in and asked what happened. And she tried to get me to eat, telling me she’s worried I’ve eaten next to nothing these past few days. In truth, I didn’t have to suck my belly in to do up my favorite jeans this morning, which hasn’t been the case for at least a year.
I held myself together enough to give a short and succinct explanation. She wanted to know if I wanted to talk. I didn’t. I asked if she wanted to talk about her and Dad.
She did. And her talking about it gave my brain a break from my own troubles. She doesn’t blame Dad. She’s just trying to get through it. She’s in emotional pain, but not because she’s angry with him, because she misses him and hates that he’s reliving so much of the pain of his first mating.
She admitted they’ve fought about it but mostly because he’s being so angry and stubborn about the whole thing, including how much blame he’s been putting on the coven.
When I shared he told me he’s going to try to be more open about the coven, she seemed happy and repeated that it’d work out.
That it’d be okay for all of us. Then we hugged for a solid two minutes before she hung out with me while we watched Pretty in Pink.
I woke up at least twenty times through the night. I tossed and turned so much I decided to get out of bed at four thirty and go to the library early, not opening it at the scheduled opening time, keeping the blinds shut, which allows me to blissfully avoid everyone.
Though, I make the mistake of going into my group chat and read more comments with the same tone as yesterday.
And I’m beating myself up, because maybe I am guilty of being unreasonable about all of this. Jason’s little speech about forgiveness keeps playing on a loop in my brain, particularly the part where he said maybe Fate was wrong about us belonging together.
Halfway into my morning, a new post pops up from Cindy, a girl I was close to in summer camp who I haven’t seen in ten years.
Her message says she wanted to send her love and support and offer to be an ear if I need it.
Another friend name Darlene commented on Cindy’s post that my silence should make other members realize how unsupported I must feel and how much it must hurt considering how supportive I’ve been to everyone whenever they have something going on.
I respond with a thank you to both of them, my reply saying I’m working things out and will be taking a breather from the group. I turn notifications off and close the app.
I’ve gotten five more signatures on my petition, including Cindy’s.
I don’t want to deal with anyone today, so I’m about to go next door to ask Misty if she’d like to look after the library for me when I see the light is on in the conference room and catch a variety of scents.
I peek in and see several Moonshine Springs females including Addy, Misty, and Caroline.
Dani, and Erica are here, too. Erica waves me in.
Caroline, with obvious signs she’s been crying, rises.
“Bailey? I want to apologize,” she says quickly as soon as I’ve got the door opened. “I was drunk and it was out of line and… I’m sorry. I’m dealing with a lot of emotions, which isn’t a great excuse, but I guess it made me make poor decisions yesterday.”
I say, “I’m sorry, too. I should never have put my hands on you.”
“I deserved worse,” she says softly.
“Let’s put it behind us,” I suggest, adding, “Sorry to interrupt, guys.”
“It’s okay,” Dani says. “You’re welcome to stay, if you like. We’re having a little counselling sesh here for abuse survivors.”
“I… no, thanks. I was going to leave, actually. I wanted to ask Misty if she was interested in holding the fort down in the library for me for the rest of the day. I’m late opening, but I don’t think I can face anyone. That’s not fair to everyone, so I thought I’d ask before calling Audrey.”
“Sure,” Misty says brightly. “I can see from here if anyone comes in, but we’ll be done soon.”
I’ve been showing her the ropes and she’s been super-eager.
“I’d say if you have any problems, call me, but I’m without a phone at the moment. Audrey’s-”
“I have Audrey’s number,” Misty assures. “Go do what you need to do. This’ll be good practice for me. Thanks for asking.”
I wave my hand, “No, thank you. Take care everyone. Sorry to interrupt.”
“See you at your folks’ place this afternoon?” Erica asks.
I nod, blowing out a breath. “See you then.”
***
As I’m leaving, my brother is pulling into the parking lot.
“Bailey!” he calls from his car.
I turn my car off and he gets out and approaches.
“Where are you goin’?”
“Why, what’s up?”
“Why don’t you tell me?” he asks.
“I’m not in the right headspace for whatever this is, Greyson.”
“Neither of you showed yesterday and now he’s gone.
He didn’t show up for our morning run and Dad said he didn’t come back to the house last night.
He’s not at his place and hasn’t been there in a couple days by the scent of the place.
His phone is going right to voicemail and our council connection is fuzzy. What’s up?”
“I did show up to yesterday’s meeting, but I was late, which isn’t entirely my fault. He kidnapped me, we had an argument, and he left.”
“Left where?”
“No idea. Haven’t seen him since he left me in my car in the woods over an hour away after kidnapping me. Did you hear what I said, Grey? He kidnapped me.”
“Can hardly blame him,” he mutters. “Maybe you two should be locked up like Rye and his mate to figure your shit out.”
I say nothing. I should be seething. But instead, I’m numb.
“You’re not okay, Bailey. We’re all worried about you. I’ve been trying to stay out of this since it’s you and my best friend, but it can’t go on like this. What can I do to help?”
“I can’t think of a single thing you can do to help, Greyson. But thank you for the offer.”
“Come here.” He crooks his finger. His eyes are gentle.
I take my seatbelt off and he’s opening my door, helping me out.
He puts his big, strong arms around me and hugs me.
I don’t want to cry anymore. But I also don’t want to pull away, because this hug feels really good.
I lean into my brother and let it feel good that he’s stroking my back.
“You’re too stubborn for your own good, Squirt.”
“Maybe,” I mutter.
“I think you should give him a shot.”
“I know you do,” I say.