I gazed into Grant’s eyes as her words descended onto my ears.
“When are you leaving for Boston?” Jane asked.
“I’m about to pack, then we’ll be on the road.”
“So, you know I’ll be coming to see you soon, right? And by soon, I mean all the damn time.”
“I know,” Grant said.
“Can he hear me?”
“The entire East Coast can probably hear you,” I said.
“Well damn. Aren’t you a sassy pants now?” she said.
“When are you coming back?” I asked.
“I’m still here for another couple of days. I mean, it’s paid leave, and I have a per diem stipend, but I’m ready for this boring ass conference to be over. I’m ready to write some shit.”
I shook my head as my eyes gazed up at my apartment. The crime scene tape was gone, and the door looked fixed, but I still felt my heart fluttering in my chest. I swallowed thickly as images of that night came crashing into my mind, and I felt my hand trembling in Grant’s.
“I gotta go pack,” I said.
“You call me as soon as you and Grant get into Boston, okay?”
“I will, Jane. I promise.”
“And Theresa?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m so happy for you, it’s sickening. We’re going out when I get to Boston to celebrate.”
“Looking forward to it,” I said with a smile.
I hung up the phone and looked over at Grant and found nothing but empathy in his eyes.
“You okay to do this?” he asked.
“Yep. It’ll be quick. I promise.”
“Then let’s go.”
We headed up to my apartment, and the door was unlocked. Everything had been cleaned up and the broken furniture had been hauled off. But having Grant next to me made the trip around the apartment less painful. I saw my set of keys sitting on the kitchen table with a note from my landlord, and I picked it up and took in
the words.
Theresa,
If you still want to stay, here are your keys. If you don’t, call me. We’ll work something out.
Short. Sweet. And to the point.
I showed the letter to Grant, and he immediately pulled out his phone. He dialed my landlord’s number at the corner of the page, and I made my way down the hall. My hands trembled, and my breaths came in short spurts. The sooner I could get out the better off I would be. Grant’s voice drifted down the hall as I pulled out a couple of bags, and I stopped to listen to what he was saying.
“Theresa?”
“Yeah?”