Page 111 of Unbound
It’s only been a couple months since the night she found out the truth had been in front of her all along, and Sybil needs time to come to terms with what happened. On some level, it was like losing her dad all over again, and I don’t want to be insensitive to that.
Maybe I should ask for Bert’s advice. He’s a wealth of information when it comes to navigating emotions and dealing with their fallout. He’s always ready and willing to help me work my way through any and all of my feelings.
He should be. I’m pretty sure my family is bankrolling his life at this point.
We reach the house I share with Sybil and her mom, and I park in the garage. After pulling Heidi’s luggage from the back seat, I head inside with her silently following behind me. Sybil was so distracted when I left, she barely looked up from her computer as I told her I needed to run an errand.
It’s the same thing she does now as I walk into the office she’s all but taken over.
At least she hasn’t tried to set it on fire again.
It does look a little different now than it did then, though.
Biscuit is stretched across the chair in front of the window, her tail lazily flicking as she purrs loud enough I can hear it from ten feet away. A collection of photographs from my childhood have joined the single picture that was in here when Sybil first arrived. Some of them Sybil has brought up on her own, but most of them were my doing. Each one added as I make my way through the process of unpacking the pain of my past.
“Still working?” I round the desk to peek at what Sybil’s into today. From the look of it, she’s cataloguing some of the information collected during the investigation into the trafficking ring Tom started all those years ago.
“I just thought it would be helpful if I got everything a little more organized.” She spares me a glance, giving me a bright smile. “How was your errand?”
“Fruitful.” I look toward the open office door.
Sybil’s eyes follow my gaze and we both stare.
At nothing.
I clear my throat, trying to get Heidi’s attention.
Still nothing.
“For fuck’s sake.” I stride out into the hall, throwing both arms out, confused about why she’s still standing here. “What are you doing?”
Heidi jumps, nearly dropping the phone in her hand. “Oh my God. Why are you so loud?” She shoves the cell into her pocket. “I was trying to see what the altitude is here.”
She was trying to… what? “Why?”
Heidi scowls at me. “Because I wondered. And once I wonder, I have to know.”
I might not survive having the two of them here for a whole weekend. If I do, I’m gonna be filled with more fun facts than I ever wanted to possess.
“Heidi?” Sybil’s voice is shrill as her bare feet slap against the floor. She skids out of the office, eyes wide. “Oh my God, you’re here,” she squeals, racing at her friend.
The women embrace, talking excitedly as they do some sort of weird rocking side to side hug.
And then they ditch me to go into the office.
It was the plan of course for them to do what they love in person together, but I thought they’d at least entertain my presence for five or ten minutes.
I should’ve known better.
Peering around the corner, I find them both already parked behind my desk, Heidi setting up her computer as Sybil explains what she’s been working on.
Thank God they have an important task to focus on, because I can’t imagine what they would get into otherwise.
After quietly closing the French doors so they can work without being disturbed, I send my Aunt DeeDee a text, letting her know I’m back. In under fifteen minutes, she and Paula are pulling into my driveway with a UTV full of snacks and alcoholic beverages. They were more than happy to offer up their culinary services to make sure Sybil and Heidi are well fed and appropriately inebriated during their girls’ weekend.
Together, the three of us put everything away in my fridge, lining charcuterie trays and individually packed meals along the shelves. At least four dozen cookies are piled on my counter, along with a full tray of frosted brownies.
Once everything is done, Deidre turns to go.
