The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)(102)

And now, Gloria must do what she fears most.

Leave.

This is the only escape.

The only way out is through, as Robert Frost says.

Gloria goes through, stepping into her apartment for what could be the last time. The door is still propped open, and Pazito is sitting with Frankie, who pays Rolando no mind as he enters with Gloria.

“Hi,” Gloria says. A more astute husband would know something is up already. Gloria and Frankie never greet each other. She sets down her bag on the small kitchen table, ready to slip out of her shoes when she remembers she won’t be staying long. She can track all the footprints around the apartment that she wants. It will be Frankie’s mess to clean for once. “How was your day?”

Frankie grunts. “I told you Death-Cast wasn’t the future,” he says to Rolando without looking at him. “You sure you weren’t fired?”

“I quit,” Rolando says.

Gloria can sense that Rolando wants to say more, to challenge Frankie, but all that will do is sour his mood even more. She nods at Rolando, who takes his cue and walks toward Pazito’s bedroom.

“Come show me your new train set,” Rolando says.

Pazito hops off the couch with the biggest smile and runs into his room. Rolando exchanges an I’m here for you glance with Gloria before closing the door behind him.

The fear continues to rise in Gloria, the way hot air does in this building. But soon enough Gloria will be back outside and able to breathe as a free woman. She doesn’t sit even though her feet are tired. She wants to appear tall where she is not, and strong like she’s always been.

“Frankie, we need to talk.”

“About what?”

“I’m unhappy. You are too.”

Frankie doesn’t look unhappy. There’s a fury in his eyes that Gloria has seen time and time again. She flinches off his stare alone, remembering how quickly he can go from being still to on top of her.

“Don’t speak for me,” Frankie says.

“You don’t speak for yourself,” Gloria says. “And I don’t ever speak for myself either.”

“Then get to the point. What are you saying?”

“I want a divorce.”

These are the words she has imagined herself saying for so long, but she cannot believe they’re coming out of her mouth now. She almost wishes she could suck them back in, but the words have taken flight and so must she if she’s to be free.

Frankie looks murderous before turning to the bedroom door, behind which the biggest parts of Gloria’s heart can be found.

“Is it because of him?”

“It’s because of me.”

The chair gets kicked out from under Frankie’s feet, spinning toward the TV set.

Gloria wishes Death-Cast was functioning as promised so she’d know who will make it out of this apartment alive.





Valentino


6:37 p.m.

Everything is going according to plan.

We arrive at my building safely, parking outside with Dayana’s car behind. Everyone steps out onto the curb, and we release this collective sigh of relief. Floyd keeps a watch on the block as people are partying across the street in the bar, as if someone might drunkenly stumble over here and pick a fight. Dahlia goes to the pizzeria and breathes it in, asking Dayana for a slice with pepperoni. Dalma seems nervous, and I’m tempted to invite her inside so she can see everything will be okay, but I really want some alone time with Orion.

“It’s loud,” Dalma says.

“I love it,” I say.

Orion has the pillows in his arms and I carry the bedding. “Should we go up?”

Dayana checks her phone. “Back down by seven, okay?”

“How long is that?” Orion asks.

“Twenty-one minutes.”

“That’s not enough time.”

She looks at her phone again. “Now it’s twenty minutes. Your time keeps going down, so you should hurry up.”

I reach for my keys, now sporting the pizza key chain Orion’s family gave me.

“We should buzz Frankie just to be dicks,” Orion says.

“Maybe on the way out.”

I unlock the lobby door, and it slams closed behind us. We begin shuffling up the steps.

“I’m sorry if that ride was weird,” Orion says from behind me.

“Not at all. Floyd was only trying to keep you alive.”

“Keeping you alive too.”

“I’m sorry for endangering everyone by existing.”

“Shut up, that’s not how I feel. I just wish I could’ve been sitting back there with you. I felt like we were being pushed away because of PDA or some shit like that.”

At the top of the first landing, I stop. “Like this?”

I kiss him, happy to have our lips reunited again like we are.

“Like that,” Orion says. “Can you hook me up with a kiss on each floor?”

“What a great incentive to stay alive.”

We continue up.

“I missed you while I was sitting up front, FYI,” Orion says.

“Same. Holding you calmed me down a bit.”

“What a coincidence, I also calmed down when you were holding me.”

Second landing, second kiss.