Read Online In The Absence Of Light by Adrienne Wilder - Free Book Online Page A

back. “Please, go sit down.”
    And just like you’d expect drunk people to act, none of them listened.
    “Take him to the office. It’s behind the kitchen.” Jessie pushed Morgan toward me.
    I tried to guide Morgan with a hand on his back, and he twirled to the side. His chest pumped with every breath, and saliva made white flecks on his lips.
    “You’ll have to make him,” Jessie said.
    The truck driver yelled at his girlfriend to call his lawyer.
    “He won’t hurt you, Grant.” Jessie nodded at the kitchen. “Go.”
    I touched Morgan’s shoulders, and he yanked away.
    “Fine, you stay with him.” Jessie nodded at the truck driver.
    “Wait.” I waved him back. “I’ll do it.” But I had no idea why I wanted to.  I got a firm hold on Morgan’s arms and pushed him. He pulled, but when I didn’t let go, he gave up and I steered him into the kitchen.
    An older black man met me just beyond the racks of pots and pans. “This way.”
    I followed.
    He turned on the light in the office. “See if you can get him to calm down, I’ll call Jenny.”
    We both jumped when Morgan barked out, “No.” He opened and closed his one fist while the other tossed thoughts in rapid succession. “Don’t, Tony… don’t call her.” His shoulder seized up for a second. “It’s late.” It did it again. “I’ll be okay.” He nodded and didn’t seem able to stop. “I’ll be okay.”
    Tony looked at me.
    “Don’t, Tony. Don’t…” Another cry ticked out from behind Morgan’s clenched teeth. He worked his jaw as if to free it from some unseen vice. “Don’t… call. Please.”
    “You know she won’t mind.”
    “No. I know. Don’t.”
    Tony nodded. “Okay, but if you change your mind…” He shut the door, sealing Morgan and me inside the office.
    I grabbed the chair sitting next to the wall. “Here, sit.”
    Morgan jerked his arms and braced his chin to his chest.
    “Please sit before you fall.” It occurred to me that maybe he couldn’t. I lowered him into the chair.
    His arms continued to jump and the cords in his neck stood out. I took him by the wrists and forced his hands into his lap. I held them there and massaged his pulse with my thumbs. The grimace on his face eased, and the pause between each breath grew longer.  With every exhale, the strength in his jerking limbs waned.
    “You okay?”
    He nodded. His wayward hand opened and closed, and his fingers tapped off against the heel of his palm.
    “You sure?”
    He shook his head.
    “You want me to tell Tony to call Jenny?”
    His face reddened with the effort to force out the word. “No.”
    I continued to rub my thumbs over his wrists, and he sank against the back of the chair. Eventually the tension left his body, but for some reason, I still didn’t let go.
    “Is he going to be okay?” Morgan raised his head but dropped it before I could catch his gaze.
    “Who? The truck driver?”
    He nodded.
    “I hope not.”
    He made a sad sound. “I can’t lose this job.”
    “Why would you? He assaulted you.”
    “Because Jessie can’t afford to get sued.” He made two fists, but it lacked the abruptness of a tic. “I can’t believe I did that.”
    “Me either.”
    Morgan winced.
    “No, I mean, that was pretty impressive. And here I thought you said Jenny made up that story about you beating up the football team?”
    “Not funny.” Yet he laughed, and I smiled.
    “You won’t lose your job.” Again he almost looked at me. And damn it, I wanted him to look at me. I cupped his face and tipped his chin up. A tear escaped down his cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb. “Did you learn to fight like that the same place you learned to count toothpicks?”
    He tried to drop his gaze, but I shook him a little because I wasn’t done staring at him yet.
    “Self-defense class.”
    “Why did you take a self-defense class?” There was a pale white scar over one of his eyes and another one across the slight dip at the bridge of his