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I didn’t realize David had a sister, and it didn’t come up in all of his shit that we’ve been sorting through. I’ll have to look into that later.
The second I step out my front door, I hear Rosie squeal with delight. Then, as I cross the street, she runs up to me.
“Mister Dominic! Are you ready?”
“Sure thing, squirt. Why don’t you grab your bike and helmet?”
She bobs her head in a nod before running into the garage.
Slowly, Jade stands from where she’s sitting on the front steps. As she gets to her feet, she winces, just like she did last night. And when she walks over to me, I can’t help but notice how exhausted she looks.
“Did Rosie wake up again?”
She shakes her head. “Just didn’t get a lot of sleep. I usually don’t on the days I work. Not in the summers, at least. It’s easier when Rosie’s in school. I can take naps if I need to.”
I frown. She’s usually gone at least three nights a week. “That’s not good.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m fine, grumpy. Worry about yourself.”
There she is.
From the moment I met Jade, she’s made it crystal clear that she’s perfectly capable of handling herself. It’s not that I don’t believe her. But she doesn’t seem like the type of person who lets people in. And for some reason, I don’t want her to be lonely.
Or you’re projecting.
“Were you able to sleep much?” she says, glancing at me. Her gaze flicks downward for a second, taking in the way my T-shirt hugs my body.
“Yeah. Slept kinda late, actually.”
“Good.”
She’s still watching me, and I let myself watch her back. There’s always been a determination in her eyes. It’s more visible today, shining through her tiredness and the hard exterior she puts on every day.I wonder why.
After a minute, it seems to click in Jade’s mind that we haven’t broken eye contact. She turns away, and with a quiet sigh, so do I.
Once David is dealt with, I can see if there’s any meaning behind the way she’s looking at me today. I’ve just got to find him first.
“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” she says.
“Just trying to figure out how to find someone who doesn’t want to be found,” I say as Rosie pushes her bike out of the garage. “Where do you think you would go? If you had to go into hiding.”
For a second, she’s quiet, and I wonder if I’ve said too much. It’s a weird thing to talk about with your neighbor. But then she says, “I’m not sure. Haven’t really thought about it.”
“Auntie Jade, I can’t get my helmet to buckle.”
“I’ve got it,” I tell her. “Go sit down.”
Jade cuts me a glare. “Don’t tell me what to do.”
I’m about to hit her with a snide remark, but to my surprise, she turns and heads back to the porch. Before she sees my smirk, I turn and buckle Rosie’s helmet, careful not to pinch her skin.
“Ready?”
“Just don’t let go this time. And I want to start in the grass, please.”
“Sure thing, squirt.”
Last week, Rosie was begging me to let go of the bike and just run alongside her. She was ready, so I did. And she would’ve been fine if she hadn’t gotten distracted by a bunny. After cleaning up her scraped knees and palms, she was fine, but I figured she’d be nervous. Falling is scary.
