Contents ( 109)
- CONTENTS
- ONE
- Sylvie
- TWO
- Sylvie
- THREE
- Thomas
- FOUR
- Sylvie
- FIVE
- Thomas
- SIX
- Sylvie
- SEVEN
- Thomas
- EIGHT
- Sylvie
- NINE
- Thomas
- TEN
- Sylvie
- ELEVEN
- Thomas
- TWELVE
- Sylvie
- THIRTEEN
- Thomas
- FOURTEEN
- Sylvie
- FIFTEEN
- Thomas
- SIXTEEN
- Sylvie
- SEVENTEEN
- Thomas
- EIGHTEEN
- Sylvie
- NINETEEN
- Sylvie
- TWENTY
- Thomas
- TWENTY-ONE
- Sylvie
- TWENTY-TWO
- Thomas
- TWENTY-THREE
- Sylvie
- TWENTY-FOUR
- Thomas
- TWENTY-FIVE
- Sylvie
- TWENTY-SIX
- Thomas
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- Sylvie
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- Thomas
- TWENTY-NINE
- Sylvie
- THIRTY
- Thomas
- THIRTY-ONE
- Sylvie
- THIRTY-TWO
- Thomas
- THIRTY-THREE
- Sylvie
- THIRTY-FOUR
- Thomas
- THIRTY-FIVE
- Sylvie
- THIRTY-SIX
- Thomas
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- Sylvie
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- Sylvie
- THIRTY-NINE
- Thomas
- FORTY
- Sylvie
- FORTY-ONE
- Sylvie
- FORTY-TWO
- Thomas
- FORTY-THREE
- Sylvie
- FORTY-FOUR
- Sylvie
- FORTY-FIVE
- Thomas
- FORTY-SIX
- Sylvie
- FORTY-SEVEN
- Sylvie
- FORTY-EIGHT
- Sylvie
- FORTY-NINE
- Thomas
- FIFTY
- Sylvie
- FIFTY-ONE
- Thomas
- FIFTY-TWO
- Sylvie
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
- connect online
- What’s next on your reading list?
Sylvie pinches the bed’s comforter. “Shouldn’t we make an appointment?”
“It’s a lot easier to move things along in person. Maybe someone there will be a fan like Madison and you can do your thing to grease the wheels.” She picks up the remote and flicks on the large-screen TV across from the bed. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m purposefully trying to hurt her. “Sorry,” I say. Again. Sylvie doesn’t look at me, just scrolls through channels. When the hotel phone rings, I wait to see if she’ll answer it but she doesn’t move. After the fourth ring, I pick up. “Hello?”
“Please hand the phone to Sylvie,” a clipped male voice says.
“It’s for you.” I hold out the phone and Sylvie takes it from me, turns her back.
“Hello . . . Yes . . . Because I don’t have my phone anymore . . . Yes . . . Thomas took it and he’s right here . . . He already saw the package you sent . . . I . . .”
Sylvie glances at me then quickly looks away.
“Yes, I hear you . . . Lucas, listen to me . . . No . . . No, I didn’t . . . And I’m not going to . . . What? . . . But don’t you think it would . . . Lucas, please listen! . . . I can . . . Okay, okay . . . Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Sylvie slams the phone into its cradle.
“What did Lucas say?” I ask.
“It doesn’t matter. I need a shower. Then we can head over to ODHS.”
I itch the scruff along my jaw. “I’ll take a quick one when you’re done.”
She challenges, “You’re not afraid to leave me alone in the room with Lucas’s folder?”
“I’ll take it into the bathroom with me.”
Sylvie asks, “What about the telephone?”
“I’ll leave the door open when I shower.”
“Don’t worry,” she snaps. “I won’t look. Just don’t take too long. I want to get to ODHS before everyone is at lunch.”
“Look, apologies for coming on so strong.”
“But not for what you said.”
I turn away. We both know my answer.
TWENTY-FIVE
Sylvie
I’m quiet as we walk to the Oregon Department of Human Services, mulling over the information Lucas shared during our brief conversation. Thomas had an older brother, Deacan, who died along with his father. Why didn’t he tell me? When I read Thomas onstage, back when I didn’t have any idea who he really was, a young spirit with a journal came forward. Could that have been his brother? Regardless, telling me about his father’s death but omitting Deacan’s means Thomas has some related conflict or unresolved feelings. I can use that, though I’m not sure exactly how yet. The fact that I have another weapon should give me a sense of power, but it also makes me . . . sad. I always wanted a big brother, someone to look out for me, to care even when my parents didn’t. If Thomas and his brother were close, then Thomas lost a best friend, confidant, and protector. That’s a wound that never fully heals.