A long silence followed Prairie’s last word. It stretched, infinite. Gwen felt it like taffy, strands of it pulling between her friends as they slanted glances at each other.
Dan very quietly closed his book and placed his pencil on top of it. It was a testament to the silence that the quiet sound of that closing was clear to the ear. Abe shifted forward, crouching in front of the couch and planting their elbows on the coffee table. From this lowered perspective, they gave Gia a look that was equal parts sweet and determined.
“We’ll find him.”
Gia drew a ragged breath and held Abe’s gaze until her face crumpled, her lips trembled, and she let out a piteous whimper.
“Oh, honey.” Siobhan moved for the first time, shuffling down the couch so she could lay a hand on Gia’s arm.
Gia’s features melted more and she threw herself at Siobhan who met the onward rush with opened arms that immediately closed around the young woman as she pressed her face to Siobhan’s shoulder and let out a sob that wavered on the air. She curled the fingers of one hand in Siobhan’s sweater, the grip seeming to be the only thing, along with Siobhan’s encompassing arms, holding her upright.
Siobhan touched the chain around Gia’s neck. “Is this the necklace Erik gave you?”
Gia nodded against Siobhan’s collarbone.
“It’s pretty. I like flowers.”
Gia nodded again but didn’t say anything. Just clung to Siobhan and cried.
After a mero or so while the group looked on, largely unable to do more than stare and think but otherwise nothing that was going to affect Gia’s state of mind, though Gwen was pulling from the young woman like she was a rowboat filling rapidly with water and Gwen’s bailing might get her to shore, Gia pulled back from Siobhan’s shoulder with a sniff. She bit her lip and then carefully extricated herself from Siobhan’s arms.
“Is there a bathroom here? I’d like to freshen up a little. If that’s okay?”
“Of course it’s okay.” Patti took two steps back and made a sweeping gesture in the basic direction of the bathrooms. “Passed the main bar and along the wall then down the hall to the right.”
Gia swept the group with her watery gaze. “Thank you. I’ll only be a moment. I hate to keep you.”
“Keep us,” Ivan stepped up and placed a gentle hand on Gia’s shoulder. “It is no problem.”
She turned and looked up at Ivan then turned and headed in the direction Patti pointed. The group watched her go then Patti turned back and asked, “She’ll be okay. Right?”
“No.” Siobhan’s answer was short and her tone was full of unspoken emotion. “Not right away. Not until we get Erik back. And even then–”
She trailed off and stared intently into the fire that was a flaming chihuahua. Kim walked over to the fireplace and leaned against the stone, staring into the flames. “We’ll get him back.”
“Of course we will,” Dempsey said with enough conviction to convince just about anyone. Too bad their group wasn’t just anyone.
Still it was good to keep a positive outlook. They hadn’t failed up to now. What were the chances they’d do so this time.
Not to tempt fate or anything. But, positivity and all that, right? Negativity got you noting but ulcers and regret. So, happy face it was!
Happy, happy face.
Enter The Woods 