Counterfactual

27 | lost in translation

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

LOST IN TRANSLATION

( — some of the content of a statement is not getting across or has been forgotten, or is not being focused on. )

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

          SOMETHING WARM SLIPS INTO ROWAN'S HAND. It startles the living hell out of him and he jumps to the side, banging his shoulder against a shelf, and a plastic water bottle falls down. It rolls under the shelf on the other side of the aisle and, as he follows it with his eyes, he quickly discovers the source of his restlessness.

          Natalia is holding his hand, seemingly oblivious to what just happened. She scans the shelves around them, as if she was actually searching for something other than answers from KJ Fowler, and Rowan thinks this might all be a little bit too much, especially with Micah and Isla sitting right outside, but Natalia's plans tend to be well thought-out.

          Thus, he decides to play along.

          She's either ignoring the remnants of his ambivalence or she simply didn't even notice it, but Rowan suspects the former option is more likely than the latter. She stands on her toes to risk a glance at the counter, where KJ stands, and he doesn't acknowledge their presence. The small bell by the door chimed when they entered the convenience store and he must have heard it, but it's late and he might just not care until they walk up to him.

          If they do at all.

          "Come on, honey," Natalia says, a lot louder than it would be necessary, and Rowan cringes. This is something she notices, unsurprisingly, and she throws him a warning look, complete with a scowl. "We're on a schedule."

          "Sure thing, sweetheart," he replies, raising his voice as well, and she steps on his foot. She's wearing combat boots, much like him, but she stomps him so hard with her heel it actually hurts, bringing tears to his eyes. "What the hell?"

          "You're going to blow our cover, you idiot," she hisses.

          "It would have been nice of you to let me know this is what we were going for in advance. You know, just so I knew I had to pretend to be your boyfriend when my girlfriend and your actual boyfriend are literally sitting outside."

          Her eyes narrow. "I came up with it on the spot. It's not easy to be this smart."

          "I can tell. How haven't your remaining brain cells fried yet?"

          "If you don't shut up, I'm pretty sure my brain is going to explode." She suddenly straightens herself, discreetly clearing her throat to tell him they need to get back to their roles, and sets an elbow on his shoulder. "Did you bring the list? You know"—she raises her voice once more as footsteps echo behind them—"the one with all the stuff we need to buy?"

          "I don't have to." He pokes his temple with his index finger. "I memorized it."

          She gently rubs his shoulder as the footsteps get closer. "You're so smart."

          "Good evening," a male voice greets, and Rowan stiffens under Natalia's touch. "Can I help—oh, hey, Nat." Rowan turns around to face him and is taken aback by all the similarities between KJ and Chase. They're both tall, sharing the same brown skin tone and those mesmerizing green days, so light they almost look like they're seeing through you. However, KJ's dark hair falls down his shoulders in dreadlocks, whereas Chase wears his in a buzz cut. "Do you need help finding anything?"