Love, After Dark

Chapter 20

By the time we pulled into the driveway, the sky had gone dusky purple, the house lit warmly from within like it had been waiting for us. On the way home, we’d stopped at a little burger shack we passed earlier. It was nothing fancy, just neon lights, a walk-up window, and the smell of grilled onions drifting into the street. Burgers, fries, and shakes eaten at the kitchen island felt grounding in a way I didn’t realize I needed. Comfort food. Familiar food. Something solid after a day that had been anything but.

Dinner was quiet. The awkwardness from the bookstore still clung to the air, unspoken but heavy. Mom barely touched her food, sipping her shake absently while staring off toward the windows. “I’m pretty tired,” she finally said, standing and gathering her things. “I’m going to turn in early.” She paused, looking at us both. “Don’t stay up too late. You’ve got your first day at your new schools tomorrow.” The reminder made my stomach flip.

Once she disappeared upstairs, Sia leaned closer to me, lowering her voice. “Okay. What was that about?” I knew exactly what she meant. I shrugged, tearing the edge off my fry container. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s just worried. New city, strangers, us wandering off…” Sia frowned. “She was rude to the book guy. And it was weird how long it took her to come out after us.” I hesitated, then shrugged again. “She probably just wanted to give him a piece of her mind.” It sounded thin, even to me, but it was the best explanation I had. Sia leaned back in her chair. “Still. That bookstore was kind of amazing.” I smiled despite myself. “It was.

“I saw all kinds of stuff on the back wall,” she continued. “Like a jar labeled Fairy Wings. And another that said Widow’s Tears.” I laughed softly. “Yeah, but you know none of that stuff’s real.” She thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah. You’re probably right.”

We threw our wrappers away and rinsed our cups, the house eerily quiet around us. Upstairs, I changed into pajamas and climbed into bed, the room dark and unfamiliar despite how beautiful it was. Sleep didn’t come easily, again. My thoughts circled the day: the old man’s eyes, Mom’s reaction, the way the box had slammed shut. Eventually, exhaustion won out. I drifted into sleep, hoping just once, that my dreams would leave me alone.