Real Bad Things(93)

Georgia Lee stared absently at her wine. She’d barely touched it. “Are you okay?” Jane asked.

Georgia Lee raised her eyes to the ceiling and crossed her hands on the table. “I lost my election. I no longer have a job. At least not that I’m aware of. Bollinger has never been great at communication.” The words rolled off Georgia Lee’s tongue so easily, so casually. Shock, maybe. Resignation. “I have two teenage sons who hate me. That was before all this, mind you. A husband whose heart I absolutely broke. So no, not really okay. But I will be.” She continued, “Let’s see. What else? I’m a murderer. Maybe?”

Jane shrugged. “Let’s go with yes.”

As quick as a thunderstorm, emotions roiled across Georgia Lee’s face. “I’ll be okay.” The words seemed like a mantra more than anything. Soon, Georgia Lee covered her face with her hands and began to sob.

Jane scooted her chair over. Georgia Lee collapsed into her lap. Slowly, Jane reached out and let her hand rest on Georgia Lee’s head. She ran her hand in slow circles along her hair until the room grew dark and Georgia Lee’s breathing regulated. They stayed like that for a while longer until finally Georgia Lee lifted her head, her face inches from Jane’s. Jane rested her hands along Georgia Lee’s cheeks.

“Georgia Lee. Georgia Lee.” Jane sighed. “What are we gonna do with this mess we’ve made?”

The catch in her own voice startled her, so she looked away. She might lose her nerve to ask and receive comfort from the one person who could understand her better than anyone. Georgia Lee might see doubt in Jane’s face. After all these years, she didn’t want her to see that. Even if she felt that. But those were ancient emotions. Fears she no longer had to carry. They didn’t need them anymore. They didn’t need to put their fists up to the world.

Georgia Lee gripped Jane’s hands with hers, leaned into Jane’s palm and kissed it. An accident, perhaps.

“We could run away,” Georgia Lee said, her mouth inches from Jane’s. “If your offer stands.”





Thirty-Six

GEORGIA LEE

Georgia Lee stepped out of the bathroom after her shower, fully spent and intending to collapse into the bedsheets she’d just untangled herself from and get some sleep. Jane sat at the table in a T-shirt and boxer briefs, checking her phone. An innocuous activity, but one that stirred Georgia Lee in its normalcy. No matter that Jane had already exhausted her body in ways she hadn’t felt in years. She wanted more of her. She’d always wanted more. Now that they were older, it was a different kind of want. Deeper than what they’d had before. They had new secrets to keep.

Jane must’ve sensed Georgia Lee staring at her because she looked up and smiled.

Georgia Lee unwrapped her wet towel and flung it onto the carpet. She straddled Jane and slung her arms around her neck. Jane ran her palms along her back and kissed her ear. Then she went back to her phone.

Georgia Lee tugged at Jane’s briefs. “Why’d you even put these back on?”

Jane laughed, distracted, and swatted at Georgia Lee’s hands.

“I need to go get my things,” Jane said.

“What things?” Georgia Lee positioned herself along Jane’s thigh and then slid her hand inside Jane’s briefs.

“The things at Diane’s.”

“That’s insane.” She nuzzled in the crack of Jane’s neck, held the back of her head close with her free hand, the other working on Jane.

“I have no clothes. I need my laptop,” Jane said, her inhales and exhales intensifying before she gently pulled Georgia Lee’s hand away.

“Don’t go,” Georgia Lee whined. She didn’t want to leave this cocoon. The dream world of only them. Her husband. Her kids. The untangling of all that. Another day. “Your mommy’s mean.”

Jane laughed and leaned back in her chair. “I have to.”

“Is this about Jason? Do you think he’s there? Do you think that she’ll give you some insight into why the brother you love so much and protected doesn’t want to speak to you?”

Jane ran her finger down Georgia Lee’s bare shoulder and twisted her hair between her fingers.

“She can’t give you anything but pain,” Georgia Lee said.

“I know.”

“Fine.” Georgia Lee extricated herself from Jane’s lap and bent over to unlock her stiff hip joints. “We’ll go together.”

“You don’t have to punish yourself anymore.”

“You need a ride.”

“That’s not necessary. I can get a cab.”

“You can’t get a cab in Maud. Don’t be silly. That would take hours. And she tried to stab you. I’m coming with you in case she tries again.”

Jane considered the offer. “Okay. But only if you stay in the car.”

“We’ll see.” Georgia Lee grabbed her dirty clothes off the floor. She also needed to make a trip home at some point. Rusty hadn’t packed her anything but socks and underwear. Maybe she could borrow some clothing from Susannah and Christlyn. Susannah would take clothing from the house for her if necessary.

Jane leaned over to reach for her hand. “You really don’t have to do this.”

“I’ve already helped you get rid of a body.”