Inevitable Ever After

Part 21

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Three months later ...

Charlie is an amazing father, but a horrible driver. He just overtakes another car when the highway exit comes up and we almost miss it. The van groans and I hiss, as we slide down the turn with screeching wheels. The road boundary comes too awfully close to feel comfortable. Especially because there are trees behind it.

"Slow down!" I snap. I just recovered from one car accident, I don't need another.

"Turn right. Your destination is on the left side of the road," the mechanical voice of the integrated navigation system says.

I glance out the window. There is still nothing but trees around. They sway in a soft breeze, casting thick darkness over the road. Up ahead is only one light blinking through the underwood. As the van closes in the light turns into multiple ones, becoming the hotel. Some sort of mansion in old victorian style. Red brick walls with white window frames and shutters.

Yeah, Sabrina chose an awesome place for our communications team retreat. Far off any other civilization without any distractions, forcing us to interact only with each other. The first thing she did after officially getting Mr. Schneider's job. Organizing a get-away, instead of tackling the real problems.

My team is apparently the last to arrive – thanks to Susan's hundred pee breaks – judging by all the company cars filling up the parking lot squeezed in between the building and the trees.

When I finally climb out of the van I stretch and groan. The cool, clean night air is a welcomed change to the stuffy van atmosphere we've been enduring for the past four hours or so. The scent of spring and nature is thick.

The forest surrounding the property still gives me the creeps. Maybe my curse can't hurt me anymore, but other dangerous things are still lurking out there. Wolves and sorcerer and Rumpelstilzkins. And they always will be.

I glance up to the moon. One of my new habits. It's a bit after eight now, what means it is already tomorrow morning where Jared is. The moon most likely already vanished from his sky. We can never look at it at the same time, that's how far away he is.

The familiar ache stirs in my heart. His absence is a gaping hole in my life.

He hasn't called even once, since he let the company know that his vacation isn't just a holiday. Hasn't even visited for Mr. Schneider's retirement party. No mails, no postcards. Nothing.

What is fine. He deserves to be happy. I bet he couldn't even remember anymore what silence sounds like with all my yammering over the years.

"Looking for the man in the moon?" I hear his voice.

"I don't think he exists," I say. For his sake, I hope he doesn't. It would probably be awfully lonely up there. Then again, it can't be much worse than I am feeling, and I have people around me all day. Just not the one I long for.

Jared chuckles. It's the soft sound that's always so soothing. It kept me company through the nights and days without him.

"What are you doing?" Susan yells from somewhere behind me. "Check-in's closing. Get going!"

I groan.

"Be there in a minute," Jared says.

Wait.