A Tale of Two Carnies

41 - The Whole World is a Carnival

Cozbi didn't answer when I asked what she meant by going home or why she was behaving so strangely. She directed the driver to take us to the hotel.

"I'm confused, Cozbi, I thought you wanted to go home, you know, back to your apartment?"

She sighed. "That's not what I meant. Nobody knows I booked that room for you. It'll be private. Nobody will be able to find me."

If she was trying to manipulate me so I'd let her move back in with me, I needed to put a stop to it. Right now. "I don't know what you have in mind, but I told you I'm in a committed relationship—"

"—Relax, Jacey. I'm not asking you to have sex with me."

When we arrived at the hotel, she plucked a small overnight bag from the floor and got out with me. I raised an eyebrow at the bag.

"A change of clothes," she said in response to my unasked question. "I need to get out of this gown. I can't breathe with it on."

Neither of us spoke as we traversed the lobby and rode the elevator. I knew her well enough that she'd open up to me only when she was good and ready.

Cozbi's phone buzzed as soon as we entered the suite. "Hello, Markie."

She listened to whatever Tolliver had to say and then she responded, "No, I'm not coming back to the gallery. I don't care how upset Henri is."

She listened some more, rolled her eyes, and ended the call. She powered off her phone.

"Cozbi, you're not doing anything that will hurt your career, are you?"

She met my gaze. "Icarus dreamed of flying high, and when he did so, the sun melted his wings of wax and feathers. He crashed."

I studied her eyes. "Are you high?"

"Quite the opposite. I'm low. Melted like Icarus."

"I'm familiar with the myth, but what does that have to do with you?"

She turned her back. "Unzip me."

I did as she asked and unhooked the clasp at the top. She disappeared into the bathroom and returned a few minutes later barefoot and wearing only a tracksuit. She sat on the high bed. "Could you please pour me a glass of wine?"

I went to the bar and looked over the cache of bottles. "What kind?"

"Something sweet."

I knew nothing about wine and selected one that looked pink. The label said it was a rosé. I grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler for myself. I handed her the wine glass and sat beside her on the bed.

She took a sip, shuddered, and held a hand to her forehead as if in pain.

"What's wrong?"

She squeezed shut her eyes and set the wine glass on the end table. "Nothing, it'll soon pass."

"Are you sure?"

"Never mind. Listen, I need to tell you something." She sounded urgent now.

"Okay."

"My feelings for you transcend that of girlfriend and boyfriend or wife and husband. You're my family, Jacey. When my father passed on, only you remained. I had you, and you had me. You're my only living family. Never doubt how much I love you for sticking by my side, and I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you."

I scoffed. "We've been over this many times. There's no need to dredge it back up."

"It's important that I remind you, so you'll always remember me fondly. Family members sometimes fight and disappoint one another, like I did to you during that unfortunate Bailey Dunne incident, but no matter how disappointed family becomes, they always continue to love each other. Do you understand?"