#FreakshowFriday

Chapter 30: Enough

October 18, 2023

Jamie isn't proud of this, but she's about to attempt some sneaking.

Showering did her good; she feels human again, no longer at risk of going hypothermic, and her thoughts are no more of a jumbled mess than they are in her natural state of being.

She's ready to return to her own room and talk to Nathan, smooth things over like they said they should. Go back to their comfortable status quo that's been keeping her going when life gets rough. She'd just like to avoid the Classic Stella Scolding before she does.

With some luck, her sister will be so engrossed in her novel she'll be able to slip away unnoticed. It's worth a try.

Jamie takes a deep breath, leaves the bathroom with her wet clothes in her arms, and slinks for the door like a mouse hoping to bypass the housecat.

It goes surprisingly well at first; not a peep from Stella. But, seconds before Jamie can grab the door handle, a book is slammed shut on the other side of the room.

Task failed successfully.

"Forgive me, but you're being so incredibly hard to take right now." Stella's tone freezes Jamie's blood all over again. "Sneaking off as if I'd be too stupid to notice... Sometimes I feel like I don't know who you are anymore. Is this your way of handling things these days? You drop in with all your chaos and then leave without ever bringing it up again?"

As if Stella hasn't been concealing what happened to the damn rent money for years. Jamie would throw that in her face if she had the energy for it, but she's too drained. "Kindly list everything you'd like me to apologize for today, Stel. Then I can get it over with and be on my way."

"I don't want your apologies. I just want you to talk." Stella discards her book, rising from her bed and approaching. "Because one minute you're assuring me I shouldn't be worried about you, the next you show up like... like this. You're switching between boundless enthusiasm and miserable recalcitrance so fast it's concerning. And as much as I'd like to be able to see inside your head and understand you somehow, I can't. So please stop being so obstinately cagey for one moment and tell me what happened today."

How is it Stella always picks the worst possible time to let loose?

"A canal happened. We've been over this."

"I'm going to need a little more than that." Stella crosses her arms. "Did something happen to Gino's boat on your date with Nathan? Is that it?"

Date? Jamie's first instinct is to raise her eyebrows in surprised confusion, but she prevents this movement in time. Gino's boat. So that's how Nathan convinced him to lend it. By claiming he'd take her out on a date.

It's a good ploy. A really good one. Jamie can admire that, even if some despicably selfish part of her wishes it wouldn't have been a lie.

But a lie it is. And it's better that way.

No uncertainty necessary.

"There wasn't any date." Telling Stella there was would be the easiest way out of their current predicament, but it would be a hassle in the long run.

Jamie's web of lies is already too intricate for comfort.

"...The jacket felt like a dead giveaway. You aren't lying to me, are you?"

This is getting so ridiculous. Jamie laughs. "A jacket is a jacket. Why the fuck would I be lying about a date?"

"Maybe because I was rather negative about Nathan when we talked on the ferry to Murano, so you're apprehensive telling me you guys went on a date?" Stella's foot taps an impatient rhythm on the floor. "But you don't have to hide it. I changed my mind. I gave him a chance like you asked me to, paid attention over the past few days, and I think he's good for you. Very good, even."