Page 67 of Bad Words

What was I going to do tonight?

I supposed I’d take a leaf out of her book and do whatever I wanted.

Chapter SixteenSelina

I received Parker’s next email the day after Christmas, in the bath.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Sent: Dec 26, 10:36 PM

Re: Kavan Retrospective

This condescending review made me think of you, for obvious reasons.

[LINK: The Fire Beneath Her Feet, Gabrielle Martin—Review by Xavier de la Cruz]

Generally I didn’t take my phone into the bath, but I’d been reading a library book on Libby, and it had been building to its cheap and obvious climax. Now, naked, I felt oddly vulnerable as I read the email. I wondered what Parker was doing. 10:36 PM seemed late to be sending emails to people he hated.

I opened the linked review and read it.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Sent: Dec 26, 10:49 PM

Re: Kavan Retrospective

I suppose I’m living down to your expectations when I say that the above review is well-written, and I appreciate both its clarity and its succinctness.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Sent: Dec 26, 10:50 PM

Re: Kavan Retrospective

That email sounds like you wrote it using the predictive text feature.

I scoffed, put my phone on the sink, and hoisted myself out of the bath. As I dried myself off, the phone let out another chirp.

I picked it up quickly, grabbing my towel into place with my free hand.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Sent: Dec 26, 10:52 PM

Re: Kavan Retrospective

but he was right, that book is pretty bad.

To: [email protected]