When the Rain Cleared, So Did My Love

When the car flipped onto its side, the crumpled door pinned my leg and wouldn't let go.

It took nineteen tries before Richard Farley finally picked up the video call.

On the screen, he let out a put-upon sigh.

"Rosamond Winfield, you've already used up your mystery box draws for the month."

"There's thunder outside tonight, and it's got Delilah Swanson's chest all tight and panicky. I know you're jealous, but do you really have to pull a stunt like this to scare people?"

He frowned, and his voice took on the tone of someone handing out charity.

"I'll give you one last chance. If you draw 'Come immediately,' I'll head over right away."

With shaking hands, I reached into the wish mystery box machine and pulled out a folded slip of paper.

I opened it in front of the camera. Written across it, plain as day: 'Emotional Company.'

Delilah, nestled against Richard's shoulder, covered her mouth and giggled.

"Rosamond, this AI thunderstorm-crash background of yours is pretty convincing. Even the blood effects look real. You must have put a lot of work into it, huh?"

Disgust flickered in Richard's eyes as he snapped at me.

"Drawing 'Emotional Company' means it's enough for me to be with you in spirit right now."

"You agreed to play the mystery box game yourself. You bet, you lost. I don't have time for your nonsense."

The call cut off without mercy. Bracing myself, I forced my body up and pried open the machine.

Slips of paper covered the floor. Not one of them said 'Come immediately.'

So it turned out that in this relationship, Richard would never come running to me.

A bitter laugh escaped me, and I dialed a number I hadn't touched in three years.

"That promise you made as a boy, to marry me. Does it still stand?"

...

Two seconds of silence on the other end, then a rush of a voice, thick with feeling.

"It stands, it stands!"

"Two days at the most. I'll finish up what's on my desk and fly home to get you right away."

I hung up, dragged myself out of the wreck, and called 911.

The doctor studied the CT scan, brow furrowed.

"Severe fracture of the right shinbone. The gash on your forehead is too deep. It needs stitches immediately."

"Anesthesia requires a family member's signature. Where's your family?"

Richard didn't answer his phone. Probably busy comforting Delilah.

I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, my voice even.

"I don't have any family here. Skip the anesthetic. Just stitch it."

The curved needle went through skin and flesh, and the pain spread through my whole body.

But next to the wound inside me, it wasn't even a fraction of it.

Once the cast was on, I leaned on a single crutch and limped back to the Farley house.

Before my parents died, they entrusted me to Uncle Farley.

My parents' keepsakes were still there, and I meant to take them back myself.

I pushed open the front doors. The living room blazed with light.

My eyes went straight to Delilah.

The cashmere coat draped over her shoulders was the anniversary gift my father had given my mother.

Hearing me come in, she whipped her head around.

Then she pressed a hand over her nose and burrowed desperately into Richard's arms.

"Richard, the smell of blood is so strong. It's making me sick..."

At that, Richard turned too.

He didn't look at my casted leg. He just frowned and stepped in front of Delilah, shielding her.

"Aren't you done playing this car-crash game yet? Smearing yourself with red paint, what do you think you look like?"

He pointed at the rug beneath my feet.

"That rug is new, Delilah just bought it. Stop throwing your tantrum and go back to your room and change!"

The pain was so bad I could barely stand, and the world kept flickering black.

I looked over at the private doctor who'd been taking Delilah's blood pressure.

"Could I trouble you for a painkiller..."

The doctor started to reach for one, but Richard cut in, his voice cold.

"Leave her. Get Delilah some sedatives first."

"She's already been frightened twice. She can't take any more shocks."