why there are several versions of the same story. People copy them and change them to fit their beliefs.”
A strong sense of distress worked its way through my body until I was sure it shown on my face. “If this is the genuine version, then you can’t kill him.”
“Yes, I can,” he said matter-of-factly.
“But he’ll just come back.”
“Then I’ll kill him again.” He pulled me to my feet and reached down to kiss my lips. “All we have to do is stay together, Cleo.”
My weak smile felt like a frown. “So I just need to find a way to stay out of prison now and we’ll be able to live miserably ever after?”
Calvin clutched his heart. “You think you’ll be miserable with me?”
I covered my mouth and muffled a laugh. “There I go saying stupid things again. We’re still going to try to break this, right? We’re not giving up, are we?”
“No, we’re not giving up. Go take a shower, relax, and I’ll jump on the computer and find out where the tablet is.”
I didn’t argue. It was two in the morning and I needed some kind of boost to get me through the day, especially if I was going to quit drinking. I cringed internally at the thought before I distracted myself with Calvin’s image in the shower. He would make a great substitute for alcohol once the curse was broken. After a long, hot shower, I changed into fresh jeans and a light pink top.
Calvin stood by the door, one hand on the knob. “Let’s go. It’s in New York and our plane leaves soon.”
My eyes widened. “No! Tell me you didn’t give them my name.” When he nodded, I threw myself down on the sofa and buried my head in my hands. “I can’t get on a plane. I’m sure Detective Cade has me flagged by now!”
“So we’ll drive. No big deal.”
“It is a big deal! Now he knows I’m leaving!”
“You don’t know that.”
“You don’t know Mr. Cade. His whole purpose in life is to put me away.”
Calvin took my hand and helped me to my feet. “Why don’t you just tell him the truth?”
“The truth?” I asked as though it were a foreign term.
“Yes. The truth shall set you free.”
“Or get me locked up in a loony-bin!”
“Hey, do you get conjugal visits in a place like that?”
I stared at him, wishing I could find humor at such a serious time. Of course, he wasn’t about to break the law again . That was all me. Cade wouldn’t understand, but I did have to go. And not just for me, I had to go for Calvin as well. Any chance either of us had at happiness rested on breaking the curse. I’d never broken the law before and this would be twice in two weeks. What other choice did I have? “Can we go now?” I grumbled.
In response, he chuckled all the way to the car. He drove to the end of the block, but just before he turned the corner, I saw a police car pull up to my apartment. No doubt they’d already heard about the plane tickets. I ducked and told Calvin to speed up.
I slept most of the way but when I wasn’t sleeping, I thought about how perfect life would be for us without the curse. We would be able to do so many things. We could have careers, lives, maybe even children. We could have all the things most people took for granted. I would be able to run my own store and meet people, shake their hands without having to worry about spreading my bad luck to them. The impossible dream finally seemed within our reach.
At four in the afternoon, we parked in front of a small museum which was open for another three hours. The sun shone optimistically and two busloads of people filed out the door like they were making room for us. I combed through my hair and anxiously ran inside, dragging Calvin by the arm for a change. He hadn’t said much on the drive. I had assumed he was having the same hopeful thoughts as me, but now he seemed almost apprehensive to enter the building.
With a smile plastered on my face, I floated toward the brown tablet. Three foot tall and rounded at the top, it sat up in a
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