Page 115 of While You Were Trending

I do too, but I don’t see anyone coming.

Everyone else is up ahead.

She stops.

I stop.

My pulse breaks into a sprint. “Yeah?”

“You write nice notes.”

Rare heat gathers in my face. Doesn’t surprise me that Mabel would’ve seen it. “Thank you.”

“Did you mean it?”

“Every word.”

She studies me, silence stretching between us like a verbal game of chicken.

I keep my mouth clamped shut, and eventually, she nods.

“Okay then,” she says. “Thank you.”

She resumes walking again.

I follow. “Thank you? What does that mean?”

“I appreciate sincerity.”

Fuck me.

I want to ask what Ginny thought of the note, but I know Mabel won’t tell me.

But if Mabel’s the kind of friend that I think she is—that I hope she is—then I’ll take it as a good sign that she’s not kicking me out.

That she’s willing to tell me so much asyou write nice notes.

And believe me when I say I mean it.

Shade’s gone ahead of all of us to get his lights and mics set up, so it’s just Mabel and me and all of the questions I’ve promised myself and Ginny that I won’t ask.

“For your awareness, we have a new resident,” Mabel says. “Her name is Adelaide, and she’s in a post-viral haze right now.”

“The pecan pie lady?”

“Yes. Please don’t call her that to her face if you see her.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” The sun casts its first light on the wooden barn and fermentation building, and I suppress the urge to pull out my phone and livestream the sunrise. Or even film it for later. I’ll get another chance tomorrow.

I hope.

I don’t know if I’ll get another convenient opportunity to talk to Mabel alone.

“How long have you been taking in people who’ve gone viral?” I ask.

“Since shortly after I moved here around five years ago.”

“You came to help Pip?”