Page 13 of Forever King

Guilt fills me for lying to him for yet another day, but I don’t know if he’d understand why I’m not ready to go back into the city right now. Or worse, he’d insist on driving me himself every morning. I don’t need a safer drive. I just need a little break.

That’s all.

I hurry to get ready, hoping Ronan goes back to sleep so I don’t have to lie to his face anymore today. Thankfully, he doesn’t get out of bed, so he doesn’t notice that I barely slap some makeup on, something I’d never do if I was actually going to work.

It only takes me less than thirty minutes before I can leave. I’ve mentally plotted out how I’ll get to my sister’s apartment, which is nearly two miles away. It’s a gorgeous, sunny spring day, so I don’t mind walking. I just need to make sure nobody sees me making my way there. I’ll be traveling back roads and cutting through the woods halfway there. It’s daytime, so I should be fine. I’ve walked through there many times before, and it’s as safe as walking around our neighborhood.

I see the little girl from last week as I hurry down the road. She waves to me from her bedroom, so I wave back and smile. It seems I’ve made a new friend. She looks to be in first or second grade, and I love teaching children that age.

My heart pinches with the knowledge that my students are likely wondering where I disappeared to because I haven’t seen them since early last week. To myself, I mumble, “Just a little more time, kids. I’ll be back soon.”

I smile as I add, “Treat the sub nicely. Don’t give them a hard time, please.”

Although the temperature may only be around fifty or fifty-five, the sun on my face as I walk toward my sister’s makes it feel much warmer. My bag containing my work shoes and an outfit I would wear to work weighs heavily on my shoulder, so I hike it up a little higher and keep moving.

The woods block out the sun while I walk under the tree canopy, but the coolness is refreshing. A woman walking her dog comes toward me, and I give her a neighborly smile as I wonder if she lives in my building. Her Irish Setter looks a bit big for an apartment, even one as big as the one Ronan and I share, soshe probably doesn’t. She and I say hi and exchange a few words about how nice the weather is for April and continue on our separate ways. A few minutes later, I exit the woods, happy to be close to my sister’s.

When I finally get there, I’m thrilled to see her car is nowhere to be found. My sister Kelly is nothing if not reliable. I fish around in my purse for her apartment key and open the front door of her ground floor apartment in one of the nicer complexes in the area. She says she decided to pay a little extra for a better place, but I suspect our parents are helping her now that she’s back in medical school. My father’s so happy to have her possibly following in his footsteps and becoming a plastic surgeon that I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s footing the entire bill for it.

The thick scent of fresh brewed coffee fills my nose as I close the door, telling me my timing is perfect. She must have just left, so the coffee will still be hot.

I toss my bag onto her sofa and head into the kitchen to get the drink that will start my day. I had to skip it at home, but Kelly’s coffee pot is waiting for me. I pour myself a cup and search through her cabinets for sugar since she only drinks it black.

The first sip hits my tongue and then the caffeine hits my bloodstream a minute later. My walk here woke me up, but nothing feels like the first cup of coffee in the morning. I’m going to need what it offers since I have to call off work again today, but I’ll have to actually talk to Maria this time.

I take another drink of coffee and inhale a deep breath to prepare for lying to my boss. I need to sound sick, so I cough a full times to make my voice sound bad. Knowing I can’t put it off, I call her and hope I don’t seem like I’m lying to her. I’d hate her to think that. She’s always been great to me. I wouldn’t want her to believe I don’t respect her enough to tell her the truth.

“Maria, it’s Kate. I’m going to have to take off again. I’m just not feeling okay.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Kate. I hate that I have to say this, but your contract requires a doctor’s excuse after three consecutive days. I’ll need to see it when you come back. Will you be returning to school tomorrow?”

Although I should have anticipated that question, it catches me off guard. I stumble over my words, and finally say, “I’m not sure.”

That’s yet another lie because I know I won’t be going back to the city yet. Tomorrow is too soon.

“Okay. I hope you feel better,” she says, but I can tell she’s not as sympathetic as she was last week.

“Thanks.”

The call ends, leaving me wishing I could explain what’s really wrong with me. The problem is I don’t know.

I settle in with a fresh cup of coffee on my sister’s couch and start watching some talk show featuring a host I’ve never heard of. Today’s topic seems to be how to cook using an air fryer. I don’t own one, but I’ve heard great things about them and how easy they are to make healthy food, so I sit back and listen.

The show is so interesting that I don’t hear my sister walk in until she drops her backpack on the floor next to the sofa and says, “Well, well. What do we have here, Kate?”

While I shouldn’t be shocked, I am, spilling coffee all down the front of my shirt when I jump up from the couch. “What are you doing home?”

Her question was valid. Mine is just avoiding telling her the truth.

5

Kate

Ever since we were little,my older sister Kelly has had a way of figuring out the heart of a matter without knowing many details of a situation. Maybe she knows me well. Maybe she’s insightful. I don’t know. I just accept that she’s a good person to talk to about whatever’s bothering me.

At least she usually is. This problem I’m dealing with, however, isn’t one I want to talk to her about or anyone else, for that matter. I’m not even sure I have a problem.

Kelly walks across the room into the kitchen without saying a word. She does that on purpose because she knows I hate when people insert forced silence into a conversation. We may not have been in the middle of a heated discussion, but it still irks me.