“Maybe.”
Fiona pulled her into a hug. Jill’s guilt was crushing, and tiny tears sprang to Fiona’s eyes. Of all of them, she would never have expected Jill to take it the hardest. It made sense, though. She and Roz had each other as distractions, as sounding boards for their worries, as did Carol and Sarah. Jill had only herself these last weeks.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
Jill moved back, shaking her head. “I didn’t want to bother you. I know you’ve been busy.”
They grinned at each other, knowing what she meant.
“Is she good?” Jill asked. “I bet she is. Your skin looks amazing.”
“We’re not talking about my sex life, Jill. And hey, will you call me next time, please? Any time, day or night. And let’s get together soon, just you and me.”
“I’d like that.”
“There you are!” Roz called from the doorway. “I wondered what was taking so long. I think that woman just proposed to me. I came to ask your permission.”
Jill wiped her face one more time and spun toward her, arms wide. “There she is—the woman of the hour.”
They hugged, then Jill excused herself again, moving back into the crowds now spilling off her patio into the sun-bleached yard.
Roz came closer, one eyebrow raised. “You guys okay? Jill looked upset, and you seem worried.”
“It’s Jill. I think she’s really messed up right now. I should have been there for her these last few weeks.”
Roz threw an arm around her shoulder and led her back to the doorway onto the patio. The two of them watched as Jill flitted from group to group, kissing and hugging just about everyone but never pausing for more than a moment or two. Roz kissed the top of her head.
“She’ll be okay. We’re all going to be okay. I promise.”
Fiona didn’t respond. Her eyes, following Jill, had come back to a strange woman standing apart from the crowd. She didn’t recognize her, exactly, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything today with all these strangers around. No, something else was drawing her gaze to her, some dim recognition. She was slight, short, her dark hair lank and greasy. She didn’t seem to be with anyone, as far as Fiona could see, but that didn’t necessarily mean she was here by herself. Still, somehow Fiona doubted she’d come with friends. She seemed alone, separate, and stood out somehow. Fiona thought it might be partly her expression, which was dour and almost angry, or her terrible clothing, which looked like the worst kind of thrift-store bargains. How did she know her?
It came to her then, like a clap of thunder.
“Oh my God! It’s her! It the woman from the woods!”
“Where?” Roz said, staring around wildly.
Fiona pointed right as a group of people blocked their view. She grabbed Roz’s hand, dragging her forward and around the group, but by the time they moved past them, she was gone.
“She was right here! I swear to God, she was standing right here!”
She spun around, pushing people out of her way, Roz trailing her. People stopped talking, staring at her, several faces around her appearing frightened and surprised.
Finally, Roz pulled her into a rough hug. “It’s okay, hon. You’re going to be okay. Talking to Jill made you—”
“I’m not hallucinating. She was here, goddamn it.”
She cried into Roz’s shirt, Roz’s soothing sounds coming to her vaguely over the pounding of her heart. Her eyes were pinched closed, her body tight, and she stayed that way, worried who and what she would see if she opened her eyes.
About the Author
Charlotte was born in a tiny mountain town and spent most of her childhood and young adulthood in a small city in Northern Colorado. While she is usually what one might generously call “indoorsy,” early exposure to the Rocky Mountains led to a lifelong love of nature, hiking, and camping.
After a lengthy education in Denver, New Orleans, Washington, DC, and New York, she earned a doctorate in literature and women and gender studies. She currently lives with her wife, son, and their cat in a small city in Wisconsin.
Charlotte is a two-time Golden Crown Literary Society “Goldie” Winner for Gnarled Hollow and Legacy and a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award for Gnarled Hollow .
Other Charlotte Greene Titles Available Via Amazon
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From the Woods Page 26
