Finding Unity

by Ripley Proserpina

  “Do you want to do more interviews?”

  No. She definitely didn’t. Lucy’s had been stressful enough, but— “I might have to. If my name gets dragged through the mud, I’ll stand up for myself.” Seok took a step away from her and sighed.

  She walked to the counter, reached underneath, and pulled out the comic she’d been saving for him. “Look.”

  Lifting one corner of his mouth with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes, he approached her. “Thanks.” He thumbed through it.

  “There’s something else.” This was something she’d seen in the back room when Frank was taking her through the new inventory. She’d put it aside, excited to see what Seok would say when he saw it.

  She held out the comic, face up, displaying the angsty visage of his favorite green female superhero. Seok glanced down, read the title, and choked. “Where—what?” Laughing loud, he picked it up and thumbed through the pages. “Is this for real?”

  “She-Hulk goes on a rampage against the Avengers in Bone, Idaho. So it’s called, Back to Bone.” Giggles burst out of her. She’d snickered most of the day because of that title. The story was pretty good, but the title. That was amazing. “Frank gave me an employee discount and an advance on my paycheck, so it’s mine. And I’m giving it to you.”

  Seok stacked the comic on top of the one he ordered and rubbed his hands through his hair. “You didn’t need to do this.”

  “I wanted to.” The look on his face was perfect, and he’d laughed the way she’d hoped he would.

  He stared at the stack for a long moment before meeting her eyes again. “Thank you.”

  Placing her hands on the counter, she stood on her tiptoes and leaned forward. He bent and kissed her, placing his hands over the top of hers.

  “You’re right, you know,” he whispered, gaze flicking to the curtain and then to her. “We can’t be anxious all the time. I’m surprised they know about me, though.”

  “If they spoke to anyone associated with Dr. Murray, the first thing they would have done is try to embarrass me.” She stayed on tiptoe and kissed him on his cheek again. “But I’m not embarrassed, so they can go fuck themselves. It only bothers me if it bothers you.” Because wasn’t that the caveat? It always hurt worse when the people she loved were upset. She could put her head down and charge forward, but what did she have to lose?

  Seok—on the other hand…

  “I’m not embarrassed at all. They can try to make it something wrong, but we all know it’s not. It’s our family.”

  She let out a breath. “I hate having the counter between us.” Coming around to his side, she hugged him tight. When she finally let go, she stepped back and put her hands on her hips. “Now. I have some stuff to do before closing. Do you want to stay, or come back?”

  “I’ll stay,” he replied. “Browse.”

  “Fine with me.” Going to the door to flip the sign to “closed,” she watched him from the corner of her eye. He went straight to a rack of comics, tucked the ones she’d given him under his arm, and flipped through the titles.

  She went about closing, following the list she’d made as Frank had reviewed everything. It didn’t take her long, but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving with her boss still in the back. Rather than hover over Seok, she went through the list one more time, double-checking her receipts. It was thirty more minutes before Serena and Frank came back, and she studied them for any sign that she should be worried.

  But Frank was smiling and so was Serena, who knocked her knuckles on the counter as she passed. “I hope to hear from you soon! Thanks, Frank!” And with that, she left.

  Nora wanted nothing more than to ask him exactly what they’d talked about, but it didn’t matter. His words would be twisted—taken out of context or not—to match whatever angle they took.

  “I finished with the closing list. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon?”

  Frank opened the drawer to the register and found the tidy pile she’d made. When he opened the app he needed on his iPad, he smiled. “Worth your weight in gold, Nora. Thank you so much.”

  Smiling back, she grabbed her coat and went to Seok.

  “Bye, guys!” Frank called out.

  Seok waved, and they left. She leaned into him as he snuck his arm around her waist. The wind had picked up, but the sun was still warm. Coming up the road, hands deep in his jeans pocket, was Matisse. When he saw them, he waved, his smile turning his long, pale face into something breathtaking.

  He jogged to them, whisked her away from Seok, and kissed her deeply. His tongue swept into her mouth, and she tasted coffee on him. “Ready for ice cream?” he asked when he finished stealing her breath.

  It took her a few seconds to answer. Ice cream. Right.

  Chuckling, Matisse hooked his arm around hers while Seok took her hand. They made their way to the waterfront like that, Nora buffeted on either side by the men who loved her.

  Chapter 25

  Apollo

  The back of Apollo’s neck prickled, and he turned to find Nora staring, open-mouthed, at him as he accepted his order of chocolate soft serve covered in rainbow sprinkles. “Apollo?”

  Using his arm to push up his sunglasses, he grinned and glanced back at the college-age girl at the window. “Do you mind if my friends place their orders, too?”

  Her skin blushed pink and she glanced down before nodding. “No problem.”

  He waved at them, noticing the way Nora’s gaze peeked at the person behind him before she approached.

  “Go ahead,” the man said, “I’m in no hurry.”

  “Thanks,” she replied before sidling next to him and telling the girl her order. In minutes, all of them had their treats and were scoping out the circular picnic benches for a spot. “What are you doing here?” she asked and then licked the side of her cone before the melted bits could touch her skin.

  His gaze was riveted on the sight of her tongue sweeping across the cone and then her lips. What had she asked?

  He shook himself back to the present. “Matisse told me.”

  “Yes.” She said the word slowly. “But you have an ice cream.” Lifting her eyebrows, she waited for his explanation.

  “I’m trying to lighten up,” he said, and her nose wrinkled in confusion. “I mean—I’ve been too strict with myself. Following all these rules I made for myself about food and exercise. I want to find a balance.” But just in case she thought he was going to give it all up, he went on, “I’m still making super smoothies with kale, so don’t think—”

  “Oh!” She held her hands up, one holding the ice cream and the other palm out. “I would never imagine we’d see the end of the green smoothies.”

  Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him, but he loved it. He’d noticed this about her—in the months they’d been together, as they’d all become more comfortable with each other, and personal crises were overcome—Nora had let her firecracker nature shine through. He fucking loved it. Loved that she gave as good as she got and didn’t hold back from prodding them.

  It was like… he struggled to put a name to this feeling, but watching her laugh and listening to the easy conversation flow between her and Seok and Matisse, it came to him. Friendship. She hadn’t just become the woman he loved, she’d become his best friend. And he could see, from the way she decoded things for Matisse or placed her hand on Seok’s back from time to time, that she was their best friend as well.

  Fucking amazing.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked. His question was out-of-the-blue, so he expected her confusion.

  “Fine.”

  “You walked down to the comic shop, then you worked all day, then you walked to the waterfront.” It was a big deal, and the most “old Nora” thing she’d done since her accident. Lately, they’d been venturing on longer walks, but that had really been weather-dependent. In Vermont, March and April went from snow to rain to t-shirts and shorts in a week. He’d been tracking how far they’d been walking, and while Nora had certain
ly gone this distance before, she’d never sandwiched an entire day of work in between.

  When she realized what he was hinting at, her eyes widened, and she grinned. “Yeah. And I worked with Frank all day long, and it wasn’t just sitting. I was stocking and walking around. Talking to customers and other people who showed up…” She trailed off and glanced at Seok.

  Hmm. A quick study of his friend showed a glowering, steely-eyed Seok. “Who showed up?” he asked.

  Seok opened his. mouth to answer, but Nora cut in with, “I met a celebrity.”

  That made him even more suspicious. A celebrity sighting wouldn’t make Seok frown like that. That left one thing— “What news program?” he asked Seok.

  Nora’s mouth dropped open, then she snapped it shut. “How did you know?”

  “So I’m not the only one adept at reading faces,” Matisse joked.

  Casting a quick grin in his direction, she faced Apollo again. “Seriously. How did you know? I mean—never mind—Seok probably texted you.”

  “No,” he replied. “I put two-and-two together—and I’m zero percent surprised it was a reporter. That was bound to happen. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” she said, nodding slowly like she was weighing her answer. “You know, I really am. As long as it doesn’t lead to anything bad happening to you guys, I’m okay with what is printed. They’ll go into my past—I’m sure my mother will crawl out of whatever hole she’s been living in since October—and then it will be done.”

  Seok frowned. “This was a national program. Newsline.”

  Apollo was familiar with it, though true crime wasn’t his thing. Truth be told, he was afraid one day he’d hear about his mother and father on one. The world seemed obsessed with it suddenly, which he figured was because they’d never actually experienced something like his friends or Nora had. And that was a good thing. He wouldn’t wish what happened to him on anyone. So intellectually, he understood the interest, but damn.

  “They want to interview me. I said no, or I said maybe. I can’t remember if I was firm or not. My brain was kind of—” She stuck her tongue out and crossed her eyes and Apollo snorted.

  “What will you do?” Matisse asked. “I know you wanted Lucy’s to be the only interview you did.”

  “I did. The producer, Serena, told me they are interested in more backstory, and exploring my ‘character.’ ” She used finger quotes around the word. Ice cream dripped over the back of her hand, and she leaned down to lick it away. “I’ll think about it, I guess.” She shrugged, turned to face Lake Champlain, and squinted into the sun.

  Matisse stared at her a moment before sighing. “Whatever you want to do, we’ll support.”

  Pulling one leg onto the seat next to her, she nodded. “I know. I don’t know that I see the point of doing it again. What are they going to ask that Lucy didn’t? And I trusted her. These guys are just looking to exploit the latest tragedy. Unless there’s some greater purpose, which I doubt.”

  Probably not. Her confidence was infinitely sexy, so he leaned over and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

  “Good idea, chére. They’ll do what they do. You stay above it all. Like the creature of grace you are.”

  Damn. Tisse laid it on thick, but clearly their girl had his number because she only laughed, then took a bite out of the bottom of her cone and sucked the ice cream left through it. “Yep,” she said, chocolate all over her fingers. “I’m grace personified.”

  Chapter 26

  Nora

  After their ice cream silliness, they all seemed to crash at once. “Should I call an Uber?” Apollo asked as she flagged, trailing after them as they walked up the steep sidewalk.

  “Nah,” she replied, embarrassed by how out of breath she was.

  He stopped, pulled his phone from his pocket, and connected a call.

  “Apollo!”

  He only winked at her. “Ry? Can you pick us up? Corner of Bank and Cherry. Thanks, man.”

  “He was probably studying,” she reminded them all.

  “It’s a ten-minute trip.” Apollo wasn’t at all feeling guilty. “He’ll be fine.”

  They kept walking, but at a much slower pace, and by the time they reached the spot where they’d meet Ryan, Nora was glad that he’d called.

  It wasn’t so much that she was sore, or that once the hill leveled out that she was out of breath, she was just tired. Lifting her feet took effort, and every so often she would yawn. It would have been easy for her to get down on herself, but she was making a conscious effort to counter those negative thoughts with positive ones. So she mentally patted herself on the back for all the working and walking she’d done. Sure, she was tired, but it had been worth it.

  Ryan drove up minutes after they stopped. Seok opened the passenger side door for her, and she tumbled in. Laughing, Ryan reached across her body for the seatbelt. “Rough day?”

  “Not rough,” she replied, closing her eyes and resting her head against the seat. “Just long. I did a lot. But I feel good.” She undid all her bragging by yawning so big her jaw cracked.

  Once the three other guys were wedged into the backseat, Ryan pulled into traffic. “I have some news.”

  Nora’s eyes popped open. It had to be Serena. She must have contacted Ryan. Before she could ask, though, Seok popped the question. “Was it Newsline?”

  “What?” Glancing over his shoulder quickly and then back to the front, he squeezed the steering wheel. “Newsline? No. Shit.” He was quiet, then, “Oh well.”

  “If it wasn’t that, what is it?” Matisse asked.

  “Professor Bismarck—Erik—called me an hour ago. Then Detective Vance. He tried to call you first, Nora.”

  “Prof—Erik? Or—”

  “Both, I think,” Ryan answered, “but Bismarck specifically. Murray was arrested this afternoon.”

  “What?” Nora turned as much as she could, studying Ryan’s profile. “He was arrested?”

  “He was,” Ryan replied. “Involuntary manslaughter in the case of Reid and Tilly.”

  “What about torture?” Seok asked, voice growing harder as he went on. “He tortured those people until they went mad. They would still be alive if it weren’t for him. Hell, they should be charging him with the deaths of those students and the teacher at the high school. And attempted murder of Nora. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for him. Shouldn’t his crime be something worse?”

  Clearing his throat, Ryan cut a quick glance toward her. “The federal government—the justice department—declined to prosecute that charge. I don’t know if that’s because they didn’t think they could make it stick, or because of whatever fucked up relationship they had with Murray, but the state is prosecuting. So that’s something.”

  “Not enough.” Seok’s words were like a whip. And Nora agreed. Murray’s actions had resulted in so much pain. She would bet that it hadn’t even ended yet. Every so often, when Cai and Nora volunteered at the community kitchen, she would run into the son of the teacher who’d been shot. That man had been an innocent bystander at Alexander Twilight High School. What direction would his son’s life take now? Murray’s experiment had been an earthquake, and months later, the world was still feeling its tremors and ripples.

  “Gino, Nils, and Jessica?” Nora asked. “Were they charged?”

  “Not yet.” Ryan ran his hand through his hair. “They probably want to see what happens with Murray. If they can get a guilty verdict, or hell, a guilty plea, then they might. For all we know, they cut a deal with the state to testify against him. All that stuff is locked down right now.”

  “Not even Erik knows.”

  “No,” Ryan said to her. “He expects you’ll be subpoenaed to testify about your experience though.”

  “He already told her that.” Matisse reminded them.

  “He wanted to tell her again,” he said quietly.

  “So he was really arrested, huh?” It didn’t put her in a good light, but she hoped he was uncomfor
table in a jail cell. Maybe he would have a tiny taste of what it felt like to be at the mercy of people with more power than him.

  “We’ll see what his lawyers ask for. If there is bail, he’ll probably get out. I’m sure he has the money.”

  Lucky him. Money and connections. She shook her head before the bitterness swallowed her whole. He was in jail. His reputation was trash. It was a start.

  When they arrived at home, the sun had dipped low behind them and a warm glow shone out of the windows. Cai was home. Knowing that gave her a little boost, and she pushed open the car door to hurry to the door.

  When it opened, he was standing right there, face bright and smile big. “There you are.” He wrapped her up tight, spun her away from the foyer, and kissed her.

  She didn’t care about being dizzy, she clung to him. Cai would never let anything happen to her. His lips were warm, and he tasted minty. She breathed him in. “You smell like outside.”

  He tipped his head back, laughing. “What the hell does that mean?”

  Widening her eyes, she stared at him in shock. “Like outside. Like fresh air and leaves or something.”

  Still smiling, he drew his brows together. “I’m sorry. I’ve never heard that before.”

  “It’s not a bad thing.” It was one of her favorite smells. She stood on her tiptoes and smelled him again. And again. They should bottle his scent up and call it, “Hot Guy Who Hikes” or something. “What did you do with your kids?”

  A laugh burst out of him again. “We rented bikes and rode down the bike path all the way to Colchester and back.” He laughed again. “We were outside a long time.”

  Lifting one eyebrow, she didn’t bother to reply. Her face would say enough. “It’s my night for dinner.” She changed the subject, taking his hand in hers. “Did you eat?”

  On nights where Cai worked into the evening, he usually made dinner with the kids at the youth center and they all ate together, so she wasn’t surprised when he nodded. “But… the kids wanted to do something for you. They saw your interview and had a whole plan. I was just the guy tasked with shipping.”