Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Keeping that head on her shoulder, she widened her eyes. “Then, we should make more sandwiches.”
I stared at her. “Don’t take over my body anymore. I’m trying to create a real life and you’re constantly fucking it up—”
“You put out the stress call.” She straightened her head. “I came. Super powered. Ready for justice.”
“What the fuck do you mean by that?” I looked over at the little girl. “What is she saying?”
She smiled at us. “You both are funny.”
Lunita placed her hands on her hips. “We are a team. And when one of us is in trouble, the other comes to the rescue. Superhero style.”
“I didn’t ask for a rescue. I was handling it myself.”
“You were tired and stressed.”
“Because I just had Emilio and wasn’t sure if I would be a good mother—”
“But, you are a good mother.” Lunita curved her mouth into that odd smile. “A very good mother. Much better than. . .you know.”
I lifted my view up to the sky, that vast canvas of varying shades of grey, intertwining and weaving into each other, ranging from the lightest silver hue to the deepest charcoal.
All blending seamlessly into one another.
I took it in. “How can I be a good mother, if you’re inside of me.”
“I’m not inside of you.”
I put my view back on her. “You are in my head.”
“I am on a roof.”
I let out an exasperated breath. “Emilio and Paolo can’t grow up with this shit, and Kaz. . .he deserves better.”
Lunita beamed. “The Lion loves us.”
“He shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re crazy.”
“He’s crazy too.”
I swallowed. “Why did you have sex with the gardener?”
“He put flowers in my hair.”
“You hurt Kaz.”
“I thought he understood that I was me and you are you.”
“He doesn’t. You are his. I am his.” I pointed to the little girl. “I’m sure he’s going to say that she is his too.”
The little girl giggled.
“Oh.” Lunita turned around and did this awkward walk away. Each step came out uncoordinated and with a slight limp.
“Oh? That’s all you have to say?” I frowned. “You fucking killed and killed and then fucked a stranger and it’s Oh?!”
She whipped around. “I protected us! Just cause you’re in charge doesn’t mean you get to be high and mighty.”
I screamed, “I’m not in charge!”
The little girl gave me a sad smile. “You’re the Boss.”
“Exactly.” Lunita sighed.
“So then. . .wait. . .” I gazed at my hands. “Then, maybe I am the original.”
“Oh my God.” Lunita loudly exhaled. “The original of what?”
“Us.”
Lunita laughed. “You’re not.”
“I-I might be—”
“You’re not—”
“Then, why am I in charge?”
“Because you’re the best of us. Because. . .” Lunita turned to the little girl. “Because. . .”
“Don’t do it.” The little girl shook her head. “Don’t. We promised, M.”
“What’s going on?” My pulse picked up some more. “What are you two hiding from me? Just say it. Tell me.”
Lunita sighed and headed to the edge of the roof. “M wants to tell you.”
“Oh no. M? The other one. . .Hell no.” I waved my hands. “I don’t want to talk to anymore versions of me. This is all I can do—”
Lunita stepped onto the fire escape and began climbing down. “Come on. You might as well meet him before you wake up.”
“Him?!” I screamed and backed away. “Him?! No. No. No.”
Chapter sixteen
M
Emily
We made our way down the fire escape, with Lunita leading the way. She glided through the shadows, her movements slick and seamless like a phantom.
I followed, my heart pounding in my ears. The silence was broken only by the occasional groan of the fire escape. I kept my mind clear, not wanting to hear any echoes.
Shit was already creepy enough.
The little girl trailed behind us and clutched the lion under her arm.
When we made it to the apartment, Lunita twisted her face in disgust. “I hate this place.”
“Why?”
Lunita climbed inside the apartment. “It smells like her.”
I followed. “Smells like who?”
Coming inside with us, the little girl answered behind me, “It smells like our mom.”
Lunita sucked her teeth and hurried through the apartment as if a monster were about to jump out and eat her.
My heart ached. “I don’t remember our mom at all.”
“Lucky for you.” Lunita opened the door and walked through it.
I got out into the hallway. “She hurt us?”
“A lot.” Lunita sneered and headed down the hallway.
I called after her. “What did she do?”
The little girl got to my side. “Don’t ask. She doesn’t like to talk about it.”
I pursed my lips.
The little girl whispered, “I miss Mom.”
There was an odd longing in her eyes, a misunderstood sadness that made me want to pull her into an embrace.
But I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
To touch her would be to agree to all of this, and there was still part of me that was hoping it was all a fucked-up dream.
Yet, sadness washed over me. I looked at the little girl. “I’m sorry.”