Shadowed (Unbound, Book 2)

Chapter Forty Six

"Thank you for breakfast," I told Mrs. Renaldi a half hour later. I folded my napkin and stood to bring her my finished plate. "Another one like this and I'll need a wheelchair to get me to the car."

"Just leave the plates on the table," she said.

"And lose my manners?"

She narrowed her gaze. "You never clean up after breakfast, Nora."

I looked away, though my eyes were already hidden behind my glasses so that the swelling left from crying couldn't be seen. "I'm trying to be nice."

She continued to study me until Calin cleared his throat and handed her his plate. She smiled up at him and held out her hand. "It's very nice, Nora, but unnecessary." Mrs. Renaldi winked at Calin and then looked back at me. "Just concentrate on feeling better and I'll take care of the dishes, okay?"

Calin put his hands on my shoulders from behind, and I jumped. Without acknowledging it, he continued, cutting me off before I had a chance to reply, "She'll learn, Mrs. Renaldi. The breakfast was delicious. Thank you for having me again."

"Would you like more?" She gestured to the stove. "I can whip it up really quickly."

"Oh, no. I'm full." He nodded, using one hand to rub his stomach.

I rolled my eyes up and stepped out of his reach, and then looked at Mrs. Renaldi. "What he means to say is that this—the breakfast you feed him?—is already seconds." I smiled back at him and then angled my head towards Mrs. Renaldi. "His mother makes him eat a huge breakfast before he's allowed to leave the house, so now you can chastise him for being so nice to you."

They both stared at me, eyes wide and mouths open. My smile didn't falter. In truth, it was fun to be open and surprise someone. I shrugged and went back to the table to get my backpack. By the time I returned, their mouths had closed, but neither were able to stop following me with their eyes.

Slapping Calin on the arm with an open hand, I said, "Let's go. I want to stop at Celestial Java for coffee like you keep promising."

"You want coffee?" he asked.

"No, I need it," I said. "Blame my lack of sleep last night or Mrs. Renaldi for getting me addicted, but I need caffeine to function today."

Calin shared a look with Mrs. Renaldi I didn't understand, but then smiled at me. "Okay."

Mrs. Renaldi went back to the stove and pretended she wasn't watching us leave out of the corner of her eye. Calin must be as perceptive as I was since he waited until we were away from her before putting his hand around my waist to guide me out of the Manor.

"Is everything okay?"

I looked up and then to the floor, watching my feet. "What do you mean?"

"You're different this morning."

"Lack of sleep, remember? Let's just grab some coffee and I'll feel better, I promise."

"Right."

He opened the door and stood back so I could exit first, and then rushed ahead to open the passenger door for me to get in the car. He continued to look at me whenever he thought I wasn't paying attention, but never said a word as we drove to Celestial Java. The street was littered with cars but one of the stalls for parking in front of the doors vacated as we arrived.

Calin placed the car in park and unclasped his seatbelt, and then turned to me and asked, "Are you sure you want to go in there?" He glanced to the door and back to me. "It's packed. I could go and get it while you stay—"

"No."

He blinked. "What?"

"No. I will get my own coffee, Calin." I unclasped my seatbelt and rested my hand on the door handle. "I'm not an invalid."

"But..." He shook his head. "You hate crowds."

"I hate being stared at, actually, and that isn't going to stop until I face it." I pulled the handle and got out of the car. "Besides, I should meet the lady who's been supplying oh-so-yummy coffee for me through Mrs. Renaldi, right? I wouldn't want to be rude."

The door shut behind me. Calin rushed, getting out of the car and sprinting to reach my side. He stretched out, stopping me by putting his hands on my shoulders, and turned me to face him. "What. Is going on, Nora?"

I raised my arms and dropped them, and then stepped back, out of his grasp. "Nothing. I'm tired."

Calin crossed his arms. "It's more than that. You're different."

"Then what? Different than before I lost my memory, or after? Because really, it doesn't matter whether I've changed since before the accident or after, or even since one of my many relapses. It doesn't matter." I poked his chest and smiled, tilting my head to the side. "You know what's different, Calin?" I spread out my arms and started to step backwards. "I don't care anymore. Getting my memory back, worrying about the boy impersonating you and why he did it? My mom? I am through trying."

"But—"

"If it comes back, it will do so naturally, and I'll be grateful. But until then, let's just drop it."

Calin opened his mouth to speak, but I turned away and opened the door. Chimes jangled overhead as I entered. The chatter died and everyone turned to stare at me. I paused, my smile fading. My eyes drifted to the lunar cycle hanging from the ceiling as lamps and the paintings on the wall.

Everyone continued to stare at me.

Calin came up from behind me and put a hand on my back. I looked up, glaring, and he dropped his hand. He glanced around and then dropped his gaze back to mine, smiled, and nodded towards the back of the room. A woman stepped through the hanging beads and reached for a pot of coffee from its burner.

Her hand paused and, as though sensing a change inside the quiet, shook her white blonde hair out of her face and surveyed the room. I was the last she found. Her eyes lit and I smiled. I walked to the counter and ignored everyone watching.

The woman bent at the waist and brought to-go cups up from the shelf under the counter. She looked around the room again, making eye contact with a select few, and said, "Go back to chittering, people, or come get your refill to go."

Chairs scraped against the floor. Everyone turned back to what they were doing before I arrived, and conversations resumed. The few who were too stupid to comply received a to-go cup and a nudge towards the door. The woman finished her rounds and came back to the counter, but instead of going behind it, she came straight to me.

"Nora," she said, and embraced me in a tight hug. "How are you feeling, Honey?" She let go and looked at me with concern.

"This is Luna," Calin said, leaning over my shoulder to speak just loud enough for me to hear.

"Oh!" I smiled. "Thank you for the coffee Mrs. Renaldi gives me."

"Of course."

Luna walked around the counter and tied an apron around her waist over faded bell-bottoms and knitted orange tank top. She straightened it and grabbed the pot of coffee to fill two of the cups, placing lids on them before handing them to us.

"Your usual." She winked. Her eyes flitted to the clock. "Now, off to school." She waved her fingers, shooing us towards the door. "Don't be late."

"We won't," Calin said.

I stared at Luna, eager for the chance to talk openly with her. A free spirit, she must be someone who believed in only saying the truth and avoiding secrets. She looked like it, anyway, and I was sure we'd formed some sort of connection. But now wasn't the time, at least not when there was a roomful of customers and Calin pulling me back by the arm.

Luna waved. "I'll see you soon, Nora."