Think of the Devil

Forty

Three days passed. They didn't take their time nor did they move too quickly. They were just ordinary days, some hours passing faster than others, relatively uninteresting and calm. Jane found herself grateful for the reprieve.

After her night at the Presidential Hotel, Jane had gone home alone to pass out in utter exhaustion. She slept nearly eleven hours, not waking until late into the next morning. She was groggy, her body somehow aching just from resting too long. But she'd needed the sleep, and once she'd pulled herself from its haze she'd felt truly refreshed. In a quick decision, she called all of her regular clients and canceled their appointments for the week, telling them she'd resume their sessions the week following. She wanted the extra time to recuperate with her family.

That first day, she spent it at the hospital with Alberto and Angélica. Their relief had been palpable as soon as she'd come in, having heard about Fisk's arrest on the news. Admittedly, there was still a feeling of uncertainty as Alberto and Angélica wondered about how they were all going to move forward. For the first hour or so, their talks were somewhat tense and nervous. Jane did her best to reassure them, though, and after more apologies and a few more questions answered they started to believe her. By the end of the night, they were more at ease and chatting like they used to. Jane stayed until visiting hours were over, and even then a nurse had to remind her (twice) that she had to leave.

The second day, Alberto was approved to go home. His physical therapist emphasized that he should remain on bed rest for another two weeks before trying to become active again. The PT also scheduled to visit a couple times a week to help him get back on his feet. Getting Alberto up the stairs to his second floor apartment was a challenge, but halfway up they encountered a neighbor with a strong build who recognized the old man and offered to carry Alberto the rest of the way. Once the family was all settled inside, they laughed about the circumstance and ordered pizza: a sausage and extra onion on thin crust for Alberto, and a garlic and extra basil for the girls.

The third day, Jane awoke on the couch in her family's apartment. She'd returned to her average of five to six hours of sleep, though she'd felt a bit more restless than she ever remembered being. Taking a moment to stretch out her limbs, she took a deep breath as sunlight poured in through the window. Then she began to panic; her phone's alarm had never sounded. She scrambled to find her phone hidden in the couch cushions, and when she found it she realized it had died during the night. Looking towards the kitchen, the microwave's clock read it was just after eight.

It was everything she could do to be quiet as she scurried around the apartment to grab her shoes and her belongings. She wrote a note on top of one of the pizza boxes to explain where she was and when she'd be back before rushing off to her own apartment to get ready.

Once she was dressed in appropriate attire, Jane hurried towards Clinton Church. Father Lantom's funeral service started at nine, and if she all but ran she'd only be a few minutes behind. As she walked, though, she wrestled with the fact that not all of her anxiety was from being late. Today would be the first time she'd see Matt since Fisk's arrest.

They hadn't spoken over the last couple of days. It's not like they really could— Jane hadn't been home. But she still wondered about what those few days apart meant and what might happen as they moved forward. Their entire relationship had been a tumultuous whirlwind from the start, and their confession that they loved each other a few nights ago only made things more complicated. She wondered what would change now that calamity didn't follow them, both in her life and in his.

Jane knew she'd go back to counseling, and eventually Alberto would go back to the shop and Angélica would go back to school, and that one day everything might return to normal for her trio. For Matt, Foggy, and Karen, she knew that their friendship would bounce back. She couldn't help but hope that maybe they'd restart their firm and continue the good work they'd been doing. It seemed like that's what they all wanted. But when it came to Jane and Matt together, there was never any certainty in their relationship. There weren't guarantees that anything might return to a semblance of "normal." From the very start, their relationship had never been anything close to normal. She couldn't help but feel anxious.