Unfinished Business

CHAPTER 22: THIS IS A GREAT USE OF OUR TIME

Once I was back on Earth, unalive once again, with the sense of fresh air all around me and dead, yellowed grass under my feet, I pushed my way through to the back of the house.

Everyone was in the backyard-- everyone important, anyway, living and dead alike. Sandy was gone, having been sent home in the time I was back at the DMV. That much was obvious (and that much was explained to me as soon as I walked in, like it was some sort of greeting). Willa and Ethan were there, though, in different parts of the backyard.

Willa was by the fence, holding a glass of iced lemonade, chatting happily with Rosie. I couldn't hear or pick up on their conversation, but I could see the way that Rosie smiled when Piper clung to her leg, and the way she smiled at Willa-- like she was welcome here by some odd virtue I had never heard of.

Ethan, along a similar vein, was talking to Jasper about some monster from his book. His voice was louder than it had any business being. If I didn't know him, I would have thought it was endearing. But, no, I still knew him, and I was still annoyed to the point where hearing his voice was about to set me off, but I could appreciate how excited he was.

All in all, Willa seemed unnerved, but happy with this impromptu get-together, and Ethan seemed more than delighted to participate.

Ever the party pooper, I called to the both of them, "How come you didn't go home?" I said it like that was any sort of greeting.

Willa gave me the same look she had been giving me over the course of this whole debacle. "Come on, Eve. Do you need to keep asking?"

I hesitated before answering, "Yes?"

She shook her head in a joking-disappointed way. "Stop giving me a way out, Eve. I'm not going to take it. Anyway, I told my parents I was staying at MJ's house, and MJ said she would cover for me."

"What about you, Ethan? Didn't you want to... leave?"

He shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"Does it?" It didn't, actually. I would have liked it if he left.

"My parents wouldn't really notice if I was gone, so it doesn't really matter."

That made Mama coo and, with a plate of ham and sandwiches in one hand, she hugged him with the other. He seemed stiff and ready to snuggle into her all at once. Despite her apparent sympathy for him, I couldn't help but think, Yeah, I bet they don't. Little bitch. Nobody likes Ethan, and that's on purpose. Is that a horrible thing to think about another person? Yes. Would I ever say that to his face? I have no clue. Did I mean it? Absolutely, yes.

It was impossible to escape the good times. Rosie braided my hair; Piper did cartwheels in the grass with Willa; we smiled, like this was some sort of normal get-together. Still, the reality of our situation was like a stone in my stomach that I kept regurgitating. Eventually, it was impossible to ignore.

"Well. Uh. On that note. I need to talk to you three. Alone." I gestured to the side with my head, trying to get Ethan, Willa, and Blanche to come with me to the side of the house, where the wall was painted metallic colors and slightly caved in, exposing wood and the cracked tiles of the floor. Hoping that they would catch my drift, I walked over with my fists in my pockets, and waited for everyone to come with and over to me.

Willa was the first to arrive, raising her pristine eyebrows. A pimple was forming in one of them; I could see its little white head rearing and I can't help but feel as though it was my fault. It was such a small, silly thing for me to feel guilty for, but I did.

Ethan followed, dragging Blanche's chair behind him, obeying her orders like she had him under her thumb. I tried not to think about the implications of that.