Chapter 13
Dell woke with her head on Cole’s chest. Though woke was not the proper word because she hadn’t ever fallen asleep. They’d stayed up all night talking, watching the stars silently
rotate above them, playing a brief game of truth or dare, which led to Dell momentarily dangling her feet over the tower’s
edge until Cole dove on her to pull her back. And then more kissing, because she’d landed on top of him.
She’d told him everything about herself: her childhood, how she met Jason, how she’d secretly placed a bet on which of her brothers would get married first and “won.” Cole had told her things he thought might be true about himself: how he was positive he loved dogs and was pretty sure he’d rather read a book than go to a party.
How he was risk averse, but he didn’t need to tell her that after the day they’d spent together.
She longed to know about his childhood, where he’d grown up, his family.
Seeing as he couldn’t tell her, they crafted a story together about him having a mischievous younger brother with the complete opposite personality as him, loving parents, holidays spent together, basically a mirror to Dell’s life, and the warm thoughts had settled her into a state of calm relaxation.
It had felt like her body was ready for sleep but didn’t fully tip over into unconsciousness.
She got the sense Cole was in the same state, and they settled together on the tower, his arm looped around her and her head on his chest, and stayed that way until the sun rose over Oakland.
Now, Dell sat up and blinked at the soft orange glow. The rising orb looked similar to a sunset but with different energy.
A sizzling expectancy for what the day could bring, versus a soft melt into the horizon from another day put to rest. She
watched it fully rise in a tranquil silence. Once the sky was fully lit, the day uncharacteristically clear and crisp, Cole
sat up beside her.
“Good morning,” he said. The gentle light bathed his face in a warm glow. He didn’t look tired; he didn’t look unkempt, other
than his normal rumpled clothes. He looked preserved exactly how he had been the day before, which made Dell realize she must
have looked that way too.
She checked her breath against her palm before smiling at him. It smelled like nothing but morning air. “Well, this is one
part of death I could get used to: no hygiene upkeep.”
Cole softly laughed. “Yes, that is one perk.”
He’d hardly finished talking before she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him into a kiss with no concern for needing to brush
her teeth first. He kissed back with the same enthusiasm, and it took most of her strength to pull away and not lose the day
to making out on top of the bridge.
“So, are we ready to put this plan in motion?” she asked.
Cole’s face was dreamy and dazed. He looked a little drunk.
Dell laughed and pinched his nose like she was honking it. “Thank you for bringing me up here, even though you were afraid.”
This seemed to bring him back online. He cleared his throat and smoothed his tie, back to business. “Thank you for bringing me up here. It’s really beautiful. And yes, I think we should carry on with the plan.”
“Great,” Dell said, and climbed to stand. She brushed her palms together and gazed out at the land and seascape before her.
“When we make it out of this, I should float the idea of bridge-top apartments to my brothers, because you can’t beat this
view.”
The clear day had the water sparkling, the buildings shining. She could see to the horizon in every direction.
“Sure, but the commute would be killer,” Cole said, and stood up beside her.
“Not if you could teleport.” She hooked her hand into his. “Step one is find Robbie, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, with any luck, he’ll be—” Dell cut off with a surprised gasp. Even from atop the bridge, she could make out a familiar
dark shape sitting on a familiar bench in the stretch of green park beside the water. “Dang, we got this kid wrong at every
turn. I assumed he’d be asleep for a few more hours, not watching the sunrise from the park.”
Cole shielded his eyes from the sun and squinted. “Are you sure that’s him?”
“Only one way to find out.”
He pulled her to his side, and with a tug and a wobble, they left the bridge and landed in the park.
“Easier every time,” Dell said, and fought the wave of nausea she was almost used to.
“You’re basically a professional now,” Cole said.
“Never thought I’d need expertise in teleportation, but happy to have it,” Dell said. She began striding across the dewy lawn
to where Robbie sat on his bench.
“What exactly is your plan here?” Cole asked, and hurried to keep up. “We don’t have Jason to ease the process this time.”
“Yes, I realize that, but I think we’ve done this enough times now we don’t need him. I hope.” She muttered the last part
because she knew they’d be waiting hours for Jason to wake up and assist them, even if she showed up haunting his front door,
and they didn’t have the time.
Her mind flitted to her body lying still and lifeless in the hospital, hooked up to monitors. She hoped her parents had gone
home to sleep in the comfort of their own bed but knew they hadn’t. The whole Rodgers clan had likely set up camp in her room.
She and Cole had to get to the bottom of this. They had to, if not for herself, then at least for the sake of everyone who cared about her living in limbo with no answers.
Dell took a breath and calmly approached Robbie’s bench. He sat alone quietly watching the day come to life around him. He
wasn’t staring at his phone or otherwise putting his attention elsewhere. He seemed fully present, and Dell wondered if he
was meditating.
“Be careful,” Cole said when she sat down next to Robbie. Cole remained standing in front of the bench, a cautious bend in
his brow.
“I will,” she said, and meant it honestly because she didn’t want to disrupt whatever state Robbie was in by giving him a
scare.
Slowly, she scooted close to him. Even with the sun shining in the middle of summer, she had to imagine the morning was cool, but still, Robbie’s arm broke out in goose bumps when she got close. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans, like always.
Robbie didn’t jerk or slide away. He kept sitting calmly, leaving Dell the opportunity to slide in sideways until they were
joined.
After a brief moment of surprise—Dell felt him startle the slightest—Robbie let out a deep exhale like he really had been
meditating. She found the inside of his head to be void of any panic or discomfort. He was simply at peace.
“Hey, Dell,” he said inside his head.
This time, Dell jerked in surprise. “Hey, you remembered my name!”
“Well, you’re pretty memorable. I didn’t expect to see you without your friend, but I could tell you were nearby. I know the
feeling now.”
Dell considered. “What does it feel like?”
Robbie shrugged his shoulders. “Like what they say in movies: Hairs on the back of your neck stand up; it gets cold. You just know there’s a presence nearby, even if you can’t see it.”
“Interesting. I guess some writer along the way either experienced it themselves, or took a lucky guess, and it became lore.”
“Who knows. So, how much longer are you going to keep showing up like this?”
“Hopefully not much more. I need another favor.”
“I figured as much. What is it this time?”
“Before we get to that, I want to tell you something. We got a message back from your mom.”
At this, Robbie sat straight up. He turned his head like he meant to look at her, but he didn’t know where to look. “You did? What did she say?” The excitement in his voice was one part nerves and three parts hope. It squeezed Dell’s dead heart.
Dell thought back to what she’d seen on Cole’s tablet last night. “She said she misses you and Grandpa Charlie too, and she’s glad you have each other. And she’s very proud of you.”
Robbie’s throat tightened; Dell felt it like it was her own. A warm rush of tears filled his eyes, but the burn felt sweet,
almost. A special kind of longing that ached for a memory but cherished it even more because it was all that was left. Dell
realized what she was feeling was grief.
She sat with it in silence, feeling it with Robbie like a set of waves that kept coming but had the ability to change in size.
At that moment, they were gentle. Not big enough to knock anyone down or drown them, but strong enough to feel the tug of
the tide. She waited until he was ready to keep talking.
“Thank you for that,” he said with a sniffle. “I like to watch the sunrise because it reminds me of her. She used to say, every day is a new chance for something good to happen.”
Dell smiled to herself, realizing she woke with the same mentality. “I think I would have liked your mom.”
“Everyone liked my mom,” he said warmly. “It was impossible not to.”
“I’m sorry you lost her, Robbie. And I’m sorry Jason and I were ever rude to you.”
He snorted. “I was the rude one. I should be apologizing to you. I am sorry for all the mean things I’ve said. My therapist says it’s a defense
mechanism to keep people from getting close.”
“You’re forgiven,” Dell said. “And I accept on behalf of Jason.”
“Also forgiven,” Robbie said with a nod. “So, what can I help you with this time?”
“Well, I actually need to look up some information that might be hard to find.”
He perked up again. “Hey, now we’re talking. You’ve come to the right place.”
“What exactly is your job?”
“That’s classified, but I can find anything you want online. Follow me.” He stood from the bench.
“Robbie, I’m in you, remember?”
“Don’t make this weird, Dell. Do you want my help or not?”
She felt his fingers twitching like he couldn’t wait to get to a keyboard. “I mean, I think we’re well past weird, but yes, I do want your help. Where are we going?”
“Back to my place, where do you think?”
“Right. I’m going to pop out and meet you there. I have to talk to someone else for a minute and explain what we are doing.”