Chapter 29
Ophelia. Now.
Phantom comes home bearing gifts. He enters with a large, rectangular box in hand. “Is there anyone in this house that likes donuts?” he asks.
Squeaky and Kira dance around him, hands up, ready to accept their offerings.
We’ve already taken over the kitchen. Eggs are scrambled, the coffee pot is going, and the table is covered with red, white, and black cardboard paper.
Phantom nudges aside the paper to make space for the donuts. He open the box, revealing a dozen pink and colorful Valentine’s Day themed donuts.
“You two can split one,” Aleena chides her kids, who make a grab for them.
I step beside Phantom. “Coffee?” I ask.
His eyes meet mine. They look pleased to see me. “Yes.”
I fix him a mug. His kitchen is huge—bigger than Aleena’s or mine—and we’ve had fun making a mess of it. Phantom takes a seat at the table and thanks me when I set his mug down in front of him.
“Princess put the kids to work,” I tell him when I see him inspecting the mess on the table.
Princess glances up from her scissors. “They’re for the party.”
“Mm.” Phantom takes a sip from his mug before glancing up at me. “Perfect.”
I can’t help it. Like a dog, my heart flips for praise.
He’s barely settled in before Kira is shoving her craft in his lap. “I made a heart chain.”
“No kidding. Show me.” He takes her paper chain and inspects it carefully. “Cohesive chain work. All the loops are the same length, none too big or too small. Aleena, I’m afraid you’ve got a genius on your hands.” He hands it back. “Good work.”
Kira beams. Aleena just looks amused. “We’ll be out of your hair soon.”
“Stay as long as you want.” He slants a look towards Princess. “Princess could use the child labor.”
Princess takes in a tight, defensive breath. “They volunteered. No one is forcing them.”
“What exactly is this party?” Aleena says. “Speed dating?”
“Something like that…”
Phantom attempts to explain the Valentine’s Day event in family-friendly language, but his voice fades as my attention drifts.
I can’t stop staring at him. The stubble that’s grown over his jaw over the course of his shift.
The way he wraps his hand around his coffee mug.
I want to be here when he gets home from work.
I want to shave the stubble from his cheeks. I want…
I want the terrible, awful reason we’re here to not exist. I want this to be normal.
“Ruby.”
“What?” I come back to earth. Everyone is staring at me.
Aleena repeats her question, “Are you going to the party?”
Phantom is watching me expectantly. He, too, wants an answer.
I shrug. “Oh…I haven’t decided yet.”
I shove a donut in my mouth before anyone can ask follow up questions. The pink glaze crumbles in my mouth and sprinkles get caught between my teeth.
Phantom’s jaw flexes. He doesn’t like my noncommittal answer, but he doesn’t push it.