Five Shadows

Chapter Two

My apartment still smelled like this morning's eggs when I walked it. I took the pan off the stove and threw it in the sink with some soapy water. That would need to soak for a bit. I made a Nutella sandwich and opened my wine. "I think Nutella pairs well with a full-bodied red," I said to nobody in my snobbiest accent. My phone buzzed beside me. I took a bite of my sandwich. Not answering. It buzzed insistently. I flipped it over. Red Cross. They'd been sending me weekly emails about the blood shortage. There's always a blood shortage. "Fine! I'll make an appointment!" I yelled at the phone. A chunk of chocolately bread landed on then end table beside my phone. Gross. I sipped my wine and leaned back. This sandwich wasn't cutting it. What I could really go for was pork tenderloin with a berry salsa. It used to be my specialty. I sipped my wine. It was good at least. For a discount bottle.

It was only three o'clock on the west coast. Gwen was still at work. I texted, "Hey! Long time, no talk. Miss you! How's life?" I already knew how life was for her thanks to Instagram. Awesome. Her life was falling into place exactly how she'd hoped. She worked her butt off and got promoted, then relocated. She was taking up surfing, hiking, and honest to goodness, she even took a glass-blowing class. "I sucked at it, but it was something different!" she told me. "Come visit! We can make ugly glass blobs together!" But I didn't have the money (she knew that!) and I don't like large groups of people. And she always seemed to be in a large group of people these days.

I tapped my phone. Already talked to Abby today. Mom wasn't back from her cruise. I poked my brother's phone number. "Yo yo yo," he answered.

"Seriously? Yo yo yo?"

"Sorry. I don't have the professional phone skills you get to hone every day." Jerk.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting ready for my date." Eric dated more than anybody I'd ever known. I don't think he even wanted a girlfriend, he just really loved dating.

"Is this a repeat date? You must have gone through every girl in the greater Chicago area by now."

"Ha ha. No. She is a lawyer, however. Very accomplished. Very fancy."

"Does she know you're a DJ?"

"She knows I'm in the music industry."

"Ah. Well good luck with that."

"I heard David dumped you."

"Good thing I'm not looking for empathy." Eric didn't respond, so I continued, "He didn't like my hair."

"Your hair, huh?"

"It's a little darker than when I last saw you." Which was a year ago, now that I thought about it. He only lived a five-hour drive away, but it felt like there were entire continents between us.

"Screw him."

"Thank you! That's what I said!" Abby should take a page from his book.

"Dude, I just saw her pull up. Nice car! Wish me luck."

"Luck. Talk to you later." The phone was dead. I missed that little twerp. I really should just take a long weekend and visit him. It might be fun. Maybe Abby would want to go with me. It could be a siblings' weekend. I downed my last swallow of wine, sad to see it go. It made it so much easier to lie to myself. As it turned out, it was much harder to lie to the shadows.