“Yeah,” I say quietly.
There’s a lull in the conversation before he adds: “When my mom calls, I’ll have to go again.”
“Okay, no problem,” I say quickly.
“But I promise to call back,” he says, a hint of playfulness in his voice.
“You’d better.”
Pause.
“So, I know you said you didn’t want to talk about it, but is everything okay with you?” Matt asks. “You guys randomly took off again, and now you’re in… Where are you again?”
“Texas.” I groan. “And yes, I’m fine. Everything’s okay. It’s some heavy stuff, but it’s all going to be sorted out soon. Thanks for asking.”
“Sure,” Matt says. I think I hear a little disappointment in his voice, like he wanted me to open up. Then he moves on. “So, what’s it like in Texas?”
“The lamest,” I say. “At least where we are.”
“I thought Texas was cool?” Matt asks.
“Parts of it, yes,” I say. “But Hayes? Hayes is the opposite of cool.”
“Hot,” Matt jokes. I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand.
“It is definitely hot!” I say with a laugh. “I’m sweating like a pig right now!”
Matt laughs, too, the laugh I love so much it hurts, and for the moment at least, the mood is lifted. We chat about whether pigs really sweat that much and it’s so easy and normal that I blurt out what I really want to say: “I want to be your girlfriend.”
“I want to be your boyfriend,” Matt replies easily, without hesitation.
“What do we do about that?” I ask.
Matt pauses, thinking a moment. “I guess what we just did? I mean, if we want to be together, then we are, even if you’re in Texas.”
“So we’re dating,” I say, trying it on for size.
“Honestly, I think we have been for a while,” Matt says. “At least since that first kiss.” My stomach turns somersaults and I smile a smile that makes my cheeks sore.
“I miss that kiss. And the other ones, too.”
“Me, too.”
“But, Matt?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad we didn’t… you know…”
“I know,” he says. “Not that it wouldn’t be awesome,” he adds quickly. “I’m just glad we didn’t do something so huge on a day that was so bad. The experience would always be a little bit… tainted.”
Matt’s words are exactly what I need to hear. I want to run to him, but I have no way to get there. Instead I settle for telling him I love him, because suddenly I need to say it out loud—so he can hear me this time.
The moment I open my mouth, Matt’s phone beeps.
“Hold on a sec,” he says. “I bet it’s my mom.”
“Okay,” I say. He switches over to the other line and I consider how I should say it—Matt, I love you, or I love you, Matt—while I move my feet to the beat of his hold song. A fly buzzes near my exposed ear and I brush it away lightly. Feeling airy, I sing quietly along with the song, wondering what he and his mom are talking about right now. It’s been a few seconds but I don’t mind. I’ll wait all day for him.
Just then my other line rings, too. I switch over excitedly, expecting Megan and wanting to update her on the good news with Matt before I have to flip back over.
“Hello?” I say enthusiastically.
“You should keep your room tidier, Daisy.”
I hear the lisp immediately; it sends chills down my spine.
“Who is this?” I say, feigning bravery despite the terror surging through me.
“Give it a think, Daisy,” the voice says. “I’m sure you know.”
“Is this…” I stop. “Is this God?”
He laughs a low, thin laugh. I suck in my breath.
At once I’m thankful for Mason’s keen instincts: He whisked us out of Omaha and hid us in Texas, away from everyone, even God. And he was right to do it: God’s clearly lost it if he’s rummaging through my bedroom right now.
I feel myself relax the tiniest bit… until he speaks again.
“I’ve just finished reading the heartfelt letter from your dead friend,” he says. “So sappy, and yet so touching.”
My safe little world comes crashing down.
“You’re in Texas?” I ask.
“Oh, no, no,” God says, laughing. “I don’t do heat. But I have eyes everywhere, Daisy.” His tone changes to an evil hiss. “Don’t for one second think that you’re alone.”
I stand abruptly, panicked. The fly buzzes my head again and I brush it away. I look up to the house and am horrified to see a silhouette in one of the windows. My window.
“Who is that?” I ask, staring.
“I guess you could say that it’s Jesus,” God says lightly.
“What’s happening?” I ask.
“Silly girl, I think you know,” God says. “Mason’s headed to D.C. to ruin my life, thanks in large part to you. We’re hitting the road, but first I thought I’d gather some supplies. And, of course, return the favor.”
I don’t want to know what he means by that, so I focus on something else: Mason’s not here to protect me, but Cassie will be back from the airport soon. All I have to do is stall him until she can get here.
“Where are you going?”
“Daisy, you’re not a stupid kid; why do you ask such stupid questions?” he says. “But you know, I could live anywhere. I could be anyone.”
“I know who you are,” I say, taking a huge chance.
“You’re lying,” God says. “You have no idea who I am.”
“Yes I do,” I say. “I talked to you at the Omaha Aquarium.”
The line is silent for so long that I start to shake with fear. He could tell Jesus to come right out here and kill me on the spot.
“Nice try,” the voice says.
I know he’s lying. He can wear all the disguises in the world, but he can’t shake the lisp. I can hear it crystal clear, just like that day. Still, I don’t provoke him. In fact, I don’t say anything for a moment. I cover the phone with my hand so I can take a few deep breaths and try to calm my racing heart. As I do, I watch the window for movement. Then I hastily look around the wide-open acreage, trying desperately to remember in which direction the closest house lies. I take a step to the right, considering running….
“Daisy?” the chilling voice addresses me again.
“Yes?” I ask hoarsely.
“Jesus is excellent at many things,” he says. “Sharpshooting is one of them.”
I freeze. There’s a pause: I think I hear the tap of a keyboard.
“There we go,” he says. “That’s better. Now sit back down on your pretty little blanket. I do want you to go in out of the sun and meet my friend, but not yet. Wait for my word, will you now, dear?”
“Yes,” I say, trapped.
“And stay on the phone with me,” God says. “I’m loving our little chat.”
I drop to my knees, then sit. I think of clicking over to Matt, screaming into the phone for help, but it’s been too long. There’s no way he’s still holding for me. He’s probably on his way to pick up his mom right now.
The fly that won’t go away buzzes close this time, and when I brush it away, the back of my hand makes contact. The fly is too big to be a fly.
I freeze again, for another reason.
I hear what I didn’t before: the hum in the background.
I look up, and there it is.
On a branch directly above me, I see it.
The hive.
“I have to move,” I say into the phone.
“What’s that?” God murmurs. It sounds like he’s preoccupied with something else.
“I said I can’t stay where I am,” I say. I’m not sure what he’s planning for me, but it might not be death. That’s more than I can say for the bees.
“Why not?” God asks curiously. “Just a moment.” I hear tapping, then nothing for a few seconds. I watch the silhouette appear in the window, then disappear again. A few seconds later, I hear two more taps, and then a small laugh.
“Oh my goodness,” God mutters to himself, amused. “That is too good. Ironic, if you think about it.”
“I’m moving, okay?” I say, standing slowly. “I’m walking toward the house. Tell your friend not to shoot me or anything.”