Five Shadows

Chapter Thirty-Three

Tim was an early riser, if I remembered correctly. I sent him a quick text, thanking him again for dinner. Immediately my phone chimed. "It was great to see you, Nora. I don't see you enough." A row of hearts followed. I smiled at the screen. Why did I remember him as such a gadfly? He was warm and wonderful and had treated my mom like a queen. What more could I ask for?

The rest of the day was spent online shopping, Facetiming with Eric (ohmygosh, he went home with Megan for Thanksgiving! The world really was topsy-turvy.), texting Ryan and Marnie, and playing with Barbara. And, of course, stressing about the visit to my dad tomorrow.

Really stressing. And when I'm really stressed? I cook. Or, old Nora did anyway. And old Nora was making quite the comeback these days. So I had a cookathan while I did all of the above. "Are you... cooking?" Eric asked.

"Sort of. I mean. Yeah."

"Dude. When did you start cooking again?"

"I guess when I decided to visit Dad."

"You do some of your best cooking when you're stressed! Man! I wish I was there!"

I pretended to flick some pico de gallo at him. "Come visit and I'll cook for you."

"Your famous tenderloin?"

"My famous tenderloin," I confirmed. I didn't look at the phone, but pretended to concentrate hard on my pico. "Maybe you could bring Megan." I chanced a glance at my brother. He was grinning like... well, like a guy smitten with a hot attorney.

"Maybe," he answered. "May for Christmas."

The second we hung up I texted Ryan and Marnie. "Bro is bringing new gf home for Xmas! What do I cook? What do I give her? Why does this stress me?!"

Marnie replied: "EEEEE! Let's take her out for drinks!! Does she want a puppy?!?!"

Ryan was much more thoughtful: "Bake something for her present? Truffles? Everyone loves truffles, right? She is going to be way more stressed than you!" Good point. I was so happy for Eric. My little brother was growing up! It gave me something to think about besides my trip to prison the following day.

When it was finally time to go to bed, I was in the opposite position from the previous night. Instead of the best sleep of my life, I tossed and turned and had nightmares about my father all night long.