Fair Youth by M. Dalto

Author:M. Dalto [Bynum, M. Dalto and Laynie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA+, lesbian, trans, writer, Hollywood, wealthy, retelling
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Published: 2021-06-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

“To weep is to make less the depth of grief.”

A pounding on the door woke me before the sunlight had a chance.

Throwing on one of Kit’s hoodies I had become so accustomed to wearing, along with a pair of basketball shorts, I padded through the condo that was now my home and opened the door cautiously.

A large man in a police uniform stood in the middle of the doorway, flanked by two middle-aged people who looked oddly familiar.

“Good morning, miss,” the officer greeted with a voice that was deep and commanding. “I am Officer Bower. We are looking for a Christina Marlowe. Would she happen to be in?”

“I’m sorry, who?” The name meant nothing to me—was this someone Kit knew?

The woman stepped forward with a picture in her hand. It was of a young girl, blond with long pigtails, no makeup, but those eyes…

There were universes playing behind those eyes.

“This is our daughter. Christina. She moved to Los Angeles quite some time ago, and this was her last-known address.”

“Kit. You mean Kit.” The realization that these were her parents pounded me like a ton of bricks. I pulled my arms tightly around myself. “I’m sorry, she isn’t here. Is something wrong?”

The middle-aged man and woman shared a concerned glance across the massive width of the officer’s chest, but he didn’t take his eyes away from me.

“May we come in, Miss—?”

“Shakespeare. Wilhelmina Shakespeare. And yes, please come in, but excuse the mess.” I struggled to come up with an excuse. You see I just have the worst luck, so, of course, this is what happens to me. “I was—uh—rearranging.”

I stepped aside, and the officer ushered Kit’s parents into the condo. I led them toward the living room, where I flipped the couch back upright and sat down. No one else seemed to want to sit, however. I couldn’t blame them. It looked like I lived in a disaster area.

“Can you let me know what this is about?” I asked, looking between each of them.

“Mr. and Mrs. Marlowe have received some rather troubling calls in the past few days,” Officer Bower said as he studied the chaotic apartment. “Since the calls mentioned Christina, they asked we do a welfare check.”

“What kind of troubling calls?” I tightened my knees to my chest on the sofa.

“It was a man’s deep voice saying he knew where we lived and if Kit was here, it was in our best interest to have her contact him. He didn’t give any more information.” Kit’s father was a stoic man. While short, he was broad and commanding. He held himself tall as he spoke.

The officer picked up a fallen picture frame from in front of the bookcase. Kit’s shining eyes stared back at him, flanked by Burbage and Rhett on one of their many college nights. “How long has it been since you last saw Christina?”

“She left about two weeks ago.” Saying it out loud hurt more than I cared to admit.

“Two weeks?” Mrs. Marlowe’s voice was a shrill shriek in the respective silence.

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