Strange Arithmetic by Kerrin Willis

Author:Kerrin Willis [Kerrin Willis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kerrin Willis
Published: 2023-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

Niamh — 2016

By the time Christine came home from the office most nights, Niamh had dinner started and was sitting at the kitchen island either grading papers or working on tomorrow’s lesson. That night, however, Niamh didn’t bother with practicalities, choosing instead to sit on the wraparound couch in the living room, cocoon herself in an enormous blanket, and stare blankly at an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV. She heard Christine’s car in the driveway and briefly considered getting up to greet her wife, but the siren song of her nest on the couch was simply too strong to resist.

“Oh no, you’re watching Buffy.” Christine tossed her keys onto the granite countertop with a clack before turning on the light in the darkened hallway and stepping into Niamh’s line of sight. “What’s the matter?”

“How do you know something is the matter?” Niamh replied without taking her eyes off the screen. “I might just really like this episode.”

“Baby, this is season five. No one watches season five of Buffy unless they’ve got some demons of their own to exorcise.” Christine sat down on the couch, moving Niamh’s blanket-wrapped feet onto her lap. “Plus, you didn’t make me dinner, woman.”

Niamh sighed, a deep exhalation of ennui. “You’ve got a law degree, Chris. I think you can manage takeout.” She grabbed her phone off the coffee table and unlocked it before turning the screen to face Christine. The email was curt and succinct enough to fit entirely onto the tiny cell phone screen: I have blocked your email. Do not contact me again. Dwight Thompson. Christine took the phone from Niamh’s outstretched hand and stared at it long enough to read the email at least ten times over before sighing and placing it gently back on the coffee table.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Other than to say I told you so, not really.” Niamh sniffed, willing back the tears that rose stinging into her eyes, but it was no use. The traitorous tears spilled down her cheeks, blurring her vision before finally convincing her to let go and cry.

“Come here,” she heard Christine croon softly before she felt her snuggle down behind her on the couch. Niamh tucked herself back against her wife, the little spoon, and allowed herself a sardonic laugh through her tears.

“The crazy thing is that I never wanted to do this in the first place,” she said into Christine’s shoulder. “I knew it would go wrong, and now it’s like being abandoned by my father all over again. I’m their dirty little secret.” She hiccuped and tried to focus on the feeling of Christine’s fingers combing gently through her hair.

“I think we can agree that your father is an asshat, and that his son is probably no different,” Christine murmured. “But they can’t be the only family you have out there.”

“So, I’m 50% asshat?” Niamh asked.

“Yes, but you’re 100% my asshat.”

Niamh pulled back to grimace at her wife. “That has to be the worst

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