With the extra rooms she’d added on, Fallen’s day ended too late for the library, especially since she was due at Adelaide’s again, so checking her email for word from Ellen would have to wait until tomorrow.
···
Adelaide answered her door with a smile, and she followed Fallen around the house as she did her neatening and checking all at once. When Fallen was done putting the cleaning supplies away in the closet, Adelaide offered her a cup of tea. Fenn wouldn’t be home for a bit, so she didn’t see the harm. Plus, assessing how the woman moved around the kitchen was probably a good idea. She was no elder expert, but making sure Adelaide could operate the stove and turn off the burners seemed like a good place to start.
Adelaide was adorable company. She loved to talk about flowers and the music she’d liked when she was younger. She repeated herself a bit, but other than that, she was delightful. Fallen shared a few heavily edited versions of her Thursday dreams with Thomas. The older woman was an active listener and smiled a lot when Fallen said the word boyfriend. Saying it made Fallen smile too. It was nice to talk to someone and confide in a safe place about her out-of-the-ordinary love life.
After a nice cup of tea, Fallen helped carry the teacups to the sink and took over the washing. Adelaide fussed but eventually allowed her to do it. Fallen commented about how delicate the cups were as she dried them, and the older woman launched into a description of her antique collection.
Fallen excused herself and left soon after. Fenn’s ride was just pulling up as she stuck her key in the door at home. He looked exhausted. They had cereal for dinner and watched their favorite competition show before going to bed.
···
Wednesday was another day without Desta, and Fallen talked to 8 and 9 about it. They decided to take Desta a meal. Fallen had to do math in her head to make sure she could swing it. Friday would be payday, for both the hotel and her new job with Adelaide, assuming she got to her email in the afternoon, so she could make it work. She passed 8 all the cash she had, and 9 promised they’d stop by the store and then deliver the food after work.
Fallen went in and out of 514 two times more than necessary, pretending to leave something behind, but the mirror wasn’t doing anything peculiar. By the end of the day, she doubted she’d ever seen anything at all. Still, she began to feel butterflies on the eve of seeing Thomas.
When she got there after work, the library was crowded with seniors taking a computer class, so she had to wait for something to open up—giving her only a half hour to check her email before closing.
She started with the money, because it was the most pressing, though she hated to put off anything that had to do with Thomas. Fallen set up her Moneypal fairly quickly and had an account ready to go when she logged into her email. There was a message from Ellen. It had no salutation, just a tidbit of information:
Choose somewhere you can barely remember. It might be harder for him to find you that way.
The him had to be Lad. Fallen read the words twice before the lights flashing overhead sped her along. She emailed Marquette and gave her the Moneypal account information, thanking her again for the job and privilege of spending time with her mother.
She hit send as the librarian gave her a warm smile.
“Thank you! This is great that you have computers. It really helps.”
The lady nodded and waited as Fallen made her way out the side door. She didn’t get time to research, but tonight, she got to have the fluttering in her stomach and a heart pounding with expectation.
Too bad she also felt a spike of worry as she considered the possibility that Desta might still be sick. And then a stab of guilt that she seemed more concerned about Desta being at work than the woman’s health. But if anyone knew how desperate she felt about her weekly encounters, it was Desta.
Fallen calmed herself with the knowledge that the woman would likely do everything she could to get to work tomorrow. And that meant tomorrow she would see Thomas.
Chapter 16
Blackout
Fallen wore makeup to work on Thursday, and she’d brushed her hair until it shone before carefully winding it into a bun. When she saw Desta across the morning meeting, a wave of relief flowed through her, followed by a chaser of concern because Desta looked awful. Fallen traded worried looks with 8 and 9. After getting the normal business from Melanny, the three followed Desta as she went to retrieve her cart.
“Thank you for the food, but you girls need not fret about me. I’m an old battle ax. Just want to use up all my sick time.” Desta stopped to cough and needed the wall to stay upright. “And don’t you be cleaning my rooms either! None of you get it right.”
8 and 9 gave her hell and said they were each doing two rooms and that was that. Fallen waited while they left, and was about to tell Desta she’d do two rooms too when the woman stopped her.
“I had to be here for that blackout? Right?”
Fallen smiled. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that you’d even think of that. But if you need to be at home, getting better, that’s okay. I’ll still find a way there, and I’ll keep looking for Burt.”
Desta frowned. “Baby, between you and me, there’s no getting better.”
Fallen stepped into one of the empty, messy hotel rooms, pulling Desta gently in with her. “What do you mean?”
“It’s cancer.” Desta shrugged.
“Oh, Desta, I’m so very sorry.” Fallen hugged her.
“No, don’t you worry. I knew what I was doing. All these years. After I stopped seeing him, it was a means to an end.” Desta patted the pack of cigarettes in her pocket.
“What about Burt? What if I can find him? You have to try to get better, right?” Fallen knew a lot about alcoholism, but nothing about the disease Desta was facing.
“Let’s get you into 514 today, nice and safe. We’ll worry about the rest later.” Desta gave Fallen a soft smile.
They coordinated a time, and Desta handed Fallen a contraption to stow in her cart. She’d attached the room picture to posterboard and inserted tiny lights for the smoke detector and TV connections. They connected to a battery pack on the back. Desta also handed her some sticky utility hooks.
“You gone high tech on me!” Fallen inspected the apparatus.
“I improved it a little. Hopefully this will work for a while. I’ve got a dollhouse collection, so I just needed to be a little creative. Plug the battery in and pop these command hooks up, and we’ll have rigged a government-level sabotage here.”
Fallen hugged Desta again. “Thank you.”
The day was a dragging thing, and Fallen felt like her heart was beating in her throat as she rushed through her rooms. Just before lunch, she had a nice distraction by way of a left-behind plush llama in room 510. Fallen brought it downstairs just as Melanny sent her an urgent message. The llama’s owner was rather distraught about its absence. Fallen helped Melanny text pictures of the llama enjoying his wait for the little girl near the gym and the candy machine. Assured that a tearful reunion was coming—the family hadn’t gotten far—Fallen went back upstairs.
At the appointed time, Desta came through, popping the breaker again. Fallen took a bit longer than she’d intended getting the hooks in place, even though she’d pre-peeled everything. When the picture was finally hanging and the room lights came back up, it looked a little askew, but the miniature lights were on. Fallen looked at the time. 5pm. Seven hours with Thomas.
She lay on the bed to wait for the heaviness. Like a cloying drug entering her bloodstream, Fallen welcomed the false sleep with her lips curved into a smile.
The rush was next, and then she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was her hand, and the sparkling diamond Lad had put there last time. She noticed the music next. A peppy, timeless dance beat came from the stage. As she raised her head, Lad’s gaze was unfaltering on her from across the room. His attention was a jolt to her nervous system. He had a smile for her, but his eyes were angr
y.
Her blood ran cold for a moment, but she urged herself not to panic. So far she seemed to have some semblance of control during the dreams, despite Lad’s attempts at manipulation. They’d always outwitted him, but it was unnerving that he managed to be everywhere, in all her worlds.
Why couldn’t she just be alone with Thomas, not playing these games? Not constantly afraid? The dancing people around her were far clearer than usual. Lad was still across the room, but seemed to be making his way over to her.
She looked around to find there were no windows and only two doors. The clapboard room had a shabby chic feel with blue decorations. A large chalkboard on an easel read Best Wishes Lad and Fallen in careful handwriting.
An engagement party.
Her engagement party.
Lad was a stubborn guy. She yanked on the ring, but it wouldn’t come off. She glared at him as he smiled over someone’s offer of congratulations.
She looked for Thomas but couldn’t find him among the crowd. She looked down at the slice of cake in front of her. Vanilla with strawberry icing. She stood on her tiptoes to get a better look at the men dressed in shirts and ties sitting at round tables with pristine white tablecloths. Then she noticed the older man seated across from her.
She took a chance and called to him. “Burt?”
He searched her face. “How’d you know my name?”
“Desta told me.” Fallen reached her hand in his direction.
“My Desta?”
But that was as far as their conversation went. When Fallen looked up, Lad was still coming toward them.
“I’m sorry; I have to go.” Burt stood and melted into the crowd.
Fallen wondered why, but filed the encounter away to tell Desta about.
There was still no sign of Thomas. Would this be the time he didn’t make it?
Her stomach dropped.
Oh God, maybe he hadn’t made it through the week. He was at war, after all. She hated the thought of it, the word, and everything it made her feel.
Then a huge crack split the air. Everyone turned to see the source of the noise, and the door cracked and splintered. The band stopped playing, and the door flew open.
Thomas had anticipated the kick back and stopped the door from hitting him with an open palm. He wore his usual uniform, and his hair was messy. It almost covered one eye. He found her immediately like he’d known where she would be standing.
She put her hand over her heart as relief flooded her. He was alive. He was here. She smiled at him, so ready to see him, be near him.
He stalked across the room, the guests rushing out of his way like he might be dangerous. The determined look on his face would be scary to others.
But not to her. Not now. He knocked tables over to get to her—just flipped furniture out of his way. Silverware clattered, and strawberry icing splattered on dresses.
He showed no sign of caring.
Fallen stepped around the table so there would be nothing between them when he got to her. She could see Lad closing the last of the distance, but Thomas made sure he was in front of Fallen first.
She put her hands on Thomas’s back. The warmth she felt soothed her. Real.
“Step out of the way. That’s my fiancée.”
Lad was either very foolish or very brave to stand up to the man protecting her right now. Thomas was a warrior. The way he held his body was a warning. He reached behind his back to grasp Fallen’s hand and give it a comforting squeeze. She moved closer and rested her head on his back. She hated that their time together was being wasted.
“I’ll have you know she entered this contract of her own free will,” Lad said. “She does a lot of things of her own free will that you have no idea about.”
Fallen slipped underneath Thomas’ arm to see how far dream Lad was planning on taking his threat.
He reached into his pocket and held out a photo. She looked at her feet in shame. It was the picture from the bed, when he’d made her kneel on it.
Thomas threw the picture on the ground, where Fallen’s gaze was holding.
Before she could vocalize her apology, Thomas stepped away from her and punched Lad right in the face. The man went down like a he’d been turned off from the inside.
Gasps and shouts went up, and the crowd switched from watching to actively trying to participate in the fight.
Thomas seemed to be already ahead of them, an exit plan set up in his head. He pulled her with purpose toward the second door in the room. He tried the knob, and it was locked. The crowd seemed unsure what to do, and Burt was nowhere to be found as Thomas set Fallen to the side and began breaking down the second door.
Fallen used the time to pile toppled tables behind them to slow the mob. She heard the crack of the door giving way and turned to find Thomas’ hand. He wrapped his arm around her waist instead.
“Hop,” he commanded, and she did. He lifted her over the broken remnants of the door, and then they were off running. They’d gotten to the end of the parking lot when he whirled her close to him, wrapping her in a hug.
“Think of somewhere for us while he’s unconscious.” Thomas seemed almost frantic.
“Um… I don’t, I haven’t…” She wracked her brain for somewhere good. “I think if we go somewhere we just barely remember, it might be harder for him to find.”
Thomas nodded. “Plus I knocked him out, so that will give us a head start.” He kissed her.
She closed her eyes and moaned. “Don’t ask me to think when you do that.”
He kissed her forehead. “That’s my problem. All I can think about is your naked body, and that’s not helping us. You do it. Come on, baby. I know you can.”
She centered herself and forced everything else from her mind.
A walk. A walk she’d taken so long ago—she was maybe ten? It had been fall, and the lush sunlight made the trees look like their colors had been dappled on with a paintbrush. Mostly golds, but some reds as well. It had been the most perfect fall day when she found the old church, or at least that’s what her young mind had dubbed the skeleton of the building, which was all that remained.
So marvelous. And now, as a grown woman, she had decorated it with white sheers over the openings where the windows once were. It had no roof, but plenty of nooks and crannies for little white candles. Maybe some late blooming ivy threaded through the beams where the roof used to be? And a bed. With Thomas, she always needed a bed so she could lay next to him and whisper secrets, feel his hot breath on her neck.
“Congratulations,” he told her as she opened her eyes.
She looked only at him at first, but then their setting came into focus. Perfection. The dream had reincarnated the crisp splendor of that day so long ago. The meadow surrounding the church had piles of the dry, colorful leaves as if a groundskeeper had been there to tidy up.
She wore a short white swing dress and thick thigh-high socks for warmth. Her brown boots ended just above her knees and she’d given him jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black leather jacket.
“I wish I could take a picture of you, with me, right now.” She touched his face and remembered the horrible picture Lad had showed him. She took her hand away, sure he would think less of her now.
He seemed to read her mind and put her hand back on his face. “Dream girl, I know what you look like when you want to do something. And I remember you telling me about the pictures he made you take. In that picture Lad showed me? You weren’t happy. Are you okay?”
“He’s persistent in my awake world, too. But dealing with him is worth getting to see you.” Fallen turned her head and kissed his palm. “Please don’t let him take any more of our time together. It’s precious.”
He nodded and hugged her closer, kissing the top of her head. “This is beautiful. Nice work.”
She pushed away from him and walked to the nearest leaf pile. “I’m sure I could do better, but this picture came when I asked for one, so it’ll do.”
She spread her a
rms, turned, and tipped backwards into the pile. The multicolored leaves fluffed into the air, trickling down around them as he dove in to lie on top of her.
“I love the smell of leaves.” He nuzzled her neck for a bit, and she cradled his head to her chest.
“I could hold you forever. Just like this. I’m so happy with you.” She threaded her fingers through his thick hair.
His voice rumbled against her chest. “As soon as I can, I’m going to take the pictures I draw of you to all the pairs of eyes I can find back home. I will find you, Fallen. You’ve got this unique name and perfect face. It shouldn’t be too hard.” He lifted his handsome face to look at her.
She wished she were able to sketch him too. “You broke down a door to get to me.”
“I’d break down every door in the world to get right here. With you. Right now.” He slipped underneath her, pulling her body on top of his.
He stopped for a moment, wiggled off the ring Lad had installed on her hand, and tossed it as far as it would go. She had leaves caught in her hair and started to pick them out. He grabbed her hands.
“No. Don’t. They look like a crown with the sun behind you like that. Just kiss me.” He hugged her closer, and she didn’t fight him.
Kissing him was exactly what she wanted for this moment. In the long week between this Thursday and the next, she would remember him just like this: her lips against his while his hands explored her body. He reached her ribs, and his touch tickled, so she sat up and giggled. Mischievousness glinted in his eyes, and he went for that same spot with more purpose.
Fallen grabbed two handfuls of leaves and tossed them at him, scurrying away from his determined hands.
He was behind her faster than she could run, scooping her up and tossing her over his shoulder in a maneuver that made her feel intensely feminine.
“Want to check out this church you built?” He spanked her bottom, and she kicked her feet.
“Yes. A lot.”
He tickled her again as he carried her up the old stairs before putting her down on her feet and pulling her back against his chest. She loved how it had turned out. The shabby, whitewashed wood was comfy and welcoming. The white sheers billowed, and the open roof allowed the leaves making their descent to enter, landing with gentle pats. The center roof beam supported the candlelit chandelier that hung above the bed.