DISCONTINUED

Chapter 16

As they were setting the table for dinner that night Garreth accidentally bumped lightly into Luna's shoulder.

"Ouch!"

"Um... sorry?"

Luna rubbed her shoulder. "My arm's still sore from getting that stupid shot. I've got a huge bruise from it. Don't you?"

Garreth hesitated, caught totally off guard. "Yeaaa... Oh yea. It's brutal. I know. That thing hurt like cra-zy!" He winced as he rubbed his shoulder, giving it a few exaggerated rotations for good measure. He wasn't even sure if he'd flexed the same shoulder that he'd rubbed.

Honey, you're really such a bad liar. I always did love that about you.

He sure wasn't ready to tell Luna what he'd done, or in this case, what he hadn't done. He didn't want to worry her. At this point his plan was to first get some answers and then get the shot.

They'd barely just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang. The two of them exchanged a silent, knowing glance, both thinking the same thing. Ignore it.

While it had slowed down significantly over the past week or so, the days immediately following Julia's passing and memorial service had seen a pretty steady parade of well-meaning people delivering prepared meals to their house. It was of course a wonderful and very practical gesture, and the food had been much appreciated, but along with the meals those people had also delivered sadness. It wasn't their fault and clearly it wasn't their intention, but each awkward delivery brought with it a renewed wave of sadness. A fresh reminder of what they'd lost. Plus, it required saying something, and really, what was left to say?

Maybe they'd leave this casserole on the front step.

The doorbell rang again. And then again.

Garreth slid his chair back from the table and wiped his mouth. He got up and walked as slowly as he could, hoping that maybe whoever was there would go away before he could answer. But just as he reached the door the bell rang yet again. Apparently he was going to have to deal with this, so he gathered himself and opened the door.

To his surprise, instead of a sad casserole delivery person he found a wild-eyed Kenzie standing there with some anxious looking guy he'd never seen before.

"Hey Mr. Timmons, I'm glad you're home." She jerked her thumb in her friend's direction. "This is my friend Pieter. Can we come in for a minute? I need to talk to you." She glanced nervously up and down the street and back out in the direction of their car while she waited for Garreth to invite them in.

"Yea, yea... sure. Come in. Luna and I are just having supper. Can I get you guys something?"

Kenzie and Pieter stepped in and closed the door behind them. "No. Thanks though. We only have a few minutes."

"OK. So... what's up?"

He realized it was an odd thing to say when so much was "up", but he figured something else must be on Kenzie's mind to cause her to stop by his house at suppertime. After all, they could have simply spoken at work tomorrow.

"I'm really sorry for just barging in like this, interrupting you. I would have called instead but calling isn't safe anymore... they're monitoring everything now." Her friend Pieter nodded his agreement.

Oh boy thought Garreth. Here we go. Yes, he agreed that there were some as of yet unexplained events, but he wasn't quite ready to jump on board the conspiracy train with these two. And honestly, he was starting to wonder if Kenzie's anti-establishment thoughts were simply proving contagious to him in his current state of mind. There had to be a logical explanation for all of this.