Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Sage
Eight years ago
“Well, here you go. Just need your John Hancock and the apartment is all yours. So to speak, of course.” Mr. Galdur holds out his pen to Danika, who is smiling like a creeper.
It’s fine because I can feel that same smile on my own face.
“And just so we’re clear, the partying is to be kept to a reasonable decibel. ”
“Don’t you worry, Mr. G, this place is sacred to us. No more than fifty people at a time.” It’s only because I’m watching him that I see his eyes widen at Danika’s quip. I don’t miss the way he pulls the pen back just a tiny bit, as if he’s having second thoughts about renting out the place to us.
I swear to fuck, Danika firmly believes that everyone gets her humor. Spoiler alert: they don’t.
“She’s kidding, Mr. Galdur. I promise we do not party. We may have a few friends over, I won’t lie, but nothing to worry about.” I narrow my eyes at Danika before turning back to Mr. Galdur, who now has a smirk planted on his face.
“Ah, sometimes I forget the attitude on this one.” Pointing his index at Danika, he shakes it up and down in the universal gesture of “I’ve got my eye on you.”
“Aw c’mon, Mr. G, I’m as sweet as pie.” Danika places her hands under her chin and smiles, batting her eyelashes like a proper good girl. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a devil’s tail tucked under that skirt.
“Yeah, well, we’ll see about that.” When he hands the pen to me, I don’t waste time, plucking it from his fingers and signing the lease before he changes his mind.
Once Danika has done the same, we return the stack of papers like it’s the holy grail and wait for him to scribble on the dotted line under his name.
We do this for both copies, his and ours.
Mrs. Galdur has already signed, I’d recognize her signature anywhere by the delicate slant of the print and the curling, old-timey loops.
Which, considering her age, makes total sense.
“Well, it’s official.” Mr. Galdur looks around the unfurnished living room and there’s no missing the nostalgia swimming in his eyes.
“If you girls need anything like furniture or supplies, just let us know. This was our first place, you know? Had our baby girl, Amber, here and she moved in when we bought our forever home instead of living on campus.” The sadness in his eyes hits me like a knife to the heart, twisting my insides.
We’ve heard very little about their daughter, just that she passed a few years ago, and watching him now feels like he’s reliving the precious moments he had with her.
I’m not sure what comes over me at this moment, but I’m overwhelmed with a slew of emotions.
Empathy being at the forefront of it all, not to mention the stress of our last months before college graduation and the fact we’re signing our first lease for a real apartment.
All I know is that I launch myself at Mr. Galdur, my arms wrapping around his neck just as I trip over my own feet.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us.” Mr. Galdur pats my shoulder in an awkward attempt at a “there, there” before taking a small step back, but I catch the glint of unshed tears in his dark blue eyes.
“Well, that’s a bit much, isn’t it, Sage?” Except Danika follows my lead and hugs Mr. Galdur like he’s just saved our lives.
The older man doesn’t miss a beat, patting her shoulder and smiling, all traces of heavy nostalgia gone.
“I guess we’ll be seeing you on Monday then. Get settled in and make sure to holler if you need any help. I bet we can find someone to help you move the big boxes up the flight of stairs.”
“Yes, sir,” Danika and I both chant at the same time, our excitement ringing like an echo in the empty space. Well, except for the scattered boxes, that is.
Mr. Galdur grins, rounding the banister to take his first step down, but stops before his left foot hits the stair.
“You know…” He clears his throat, fiddling with the contract in his hand before raising his head, his gaze bouncing from me to Danika.
“Trinket and me see a lot of Amber in you both and it makes us mighty happy to have you here.”
My hand goes to my heart as I swallow down a wave of emotions, but all of that is replaced by utter glee when I hear Trina’s sing-song voice.
“Georgie, are you getting all emotional on our girls?” Mr. Galdur grins at his wife, taking a step back into our living room as she reaches the top of the stairs, kisses him on the lips, and pats his cheek with enough love to warm the entire apartment.
“I’ve got my ‘be back in fifteen minutes’ sign up at the door. Didn’t want to miss the big moment.”
Trina looks around, no doubt taking in the unopened moving boxes lining the back wall, before putting her fists on her hips and straightening her spine. “This calls for a dance party!”
“Now we’re talking, Mrs. G, and I’ve got the perfect song!” I laugh at Danika’s excitement, knowing damn well she’s about to pull up Bruno Mars’s 24K on her music app and connect her phone to the small speaker she always carries around in her purse.
“Come on, Georgie. We’re celebrating the rebirth of this apartment.”
Mr. Galdur doesn’t even hesitate, he just walks up to his wife and hugs her from behind, whispering something private in her ear that makes a pretty little blush appear on her cheeks.
Gah, I want that one day. Just pure, unconditional love.
I’ve never had it, at least not that I can remember.
My mother died giving birth to me and my father couldn’t handle the responsibility of taking care of a kid.
I was then taken in by a foster family for a while, but as luck would have it, they were killed in a car accident.
After that, it was just foster home after foster home.
They were all nice enough but I was a temporary fixture, not a beloved child. So this? This is my standard for love.
As this elderly couple shakes their hips and shuffles from one foot to another with only love in their eyes and kind words on their lips, I learn what it looks like when someone gives their whole heart to their soulmate.
My eyes catch on a dark shadow on the window sill and I’m no longer surprised by the sight of the raven that seems to be following me throughout my life.
The birthmark on my hip, shaped like a bird in flight, feels like it’s the raven on my skin, making us kindred spirits, in a way.
It’s weird, I know, but after all of these years, it’s also comforting.
“C’mon, Sagey baby, let’s dance!” Danika breaks me from the spell by grabbing my hands and jumping up and down to the sound of guitars and pianos. It’s loud and it’s fun and it’s the perfect beginning to the next chapter in our lives.
All thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Galdur and their amazing idea to lease the apartment above the witchy shop.
Present day
There’s a reason people hate hospitals, I’m learning.
It’s not just the sterile, cold, and harsh tones of disinfectants.
The mixture of sanitizers with the faint wafts of latex should feel comforting, like a sign that people are being taken care of, people are healing.
The constant sounds of hurried feet running up and down the linoleum floors and the sporadic alarms of patients needing immediate assistance aren’t even the worst part of the hospital experience.
The worst part of sitting on these strictly utilitarian, vinyl-covered chairs is the fear that has seeped into every surface of the waiting room. For as long as this hospital has existed, the people who have visited this room have contributed to the dread that coats the very walls around us.
Today, it’s our turn. Today, we add to the layers of distress as we wait, with zero patience, for news of George and his surgery.
Trina sits between us as we try our best to bring her solace.
The permanent smile on her face that we are so used to seeing is gone.
Somehow, her charming wrinkles on any other day, seem austere, making her age by at least ten years.
Her silver hair is rolled up in a half-hearted bun with pins barely holding it up. She’s a mess and her pain is our pain.
Danika is staring off into space, her left hand squeezing Trina’s age-worn fingers. Her gaze is fixed on a poster depicting green prairies and a bright rainbow emerging from the large river bend. The inspirational phrase about hope being the most powerful medicine is somehow meant to reassure us.
To my right, Trina is holding my hand with her free one as though she’s drawing strength from me as she mumbles what I’m guessing are prayers for her husband.
Meanwhile, I’m acutely aware of how uncomfortable these chairs are.
Of how bright the fluorescent lights are as they shine down from above.
I’m wondering why the fuck someone would choose lifeless colors to promote hope and belief that our loved ones will come through and everything will be just fine.
Every single person in this room is on the precipice of desperation and the smell of it is pungent. I feel almost suffocated by it. So much so that the urge to stand and run as far away from this place as I can is real and it’s about to take hold of me.
That’s when Trina squeezes my hand even harder and brings it to her mumbling lips. Then, all I feel is soothing calmness and I’m ready to wait all over again until the overbearing sensation of these four walls closing in on me comes back.
“Did I ever tell you girls about Amber?” Trina’s words are surprising to say the least. Over her head, Danika and I share a look of confusion, but also curiosity. It’s like she knew exactly what would distract us from the painful wait for news.
“Um, bits and pieces, I guess?” Danika is quicker than me to answer and I’m grateful for it.
“Well, let me tell you all about her.”
And just like that, my best friend and I fall into the rabbit hole of distraction.