Chapter 22

With my heart and plans carefully concealed, I walked into the room to set my bag next to their things by the door.

Morgan and Chadwick sat together on the couch, the contents of Morgan's leather bag spread out on the table in some pattern I couldn't fathom. As soon as the other door shut, Morgan hunched into a painful looking ball, rocking swiftly back and forth with Chadwick desperately trying to still her.

"Morgan?" I called out, concerned as I knelt across the table from the couple. I couldn't see her face, but his was even paler that usual. I watched his lips move, heard their buzz but couldn't understand what was being said. Then Morgan pitched forward, wrapping her arms tightly about him.

"Tricia," I heard her whisper, her eyes vacant, then her words came too fast for me.

I sat down on the chair that Chadwick had pulled in front of the television and watched the weatherman cheerfully declare that the skies would remain cloudy until late tonight. I saw my cell phone lying beside theirs atop Morgan's discarded bag and casually leaned over and snatched it, moving carefully.

They finally pushed back from each other and I stood, walking slowly over to join them on the couch.

"What happened?" I asked them, my voice carefully dull.

"A choice has been made but I couldn't see the outcome yet." She shook her head slowly as she carefully replaced her things in her bag, then stood to stretch. "Do you need to eat before we go?"

I glanced at the clock: 6:04 am.

"No, I'll eat when we get to the airport." I sensed that they wanted to be alone so I casually walked back into the other room under the pretense of using the bathroom before we left. I finished my business and was just wondering what to do now when Morgan came in.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Almost." I pulled on my shoes, carefully tucking the laces inside, slipped on the shirt and finished the contents of the bottle and followed them out.