36. Zola

Chapter 36

Zola

T he day I would give my testimony in court was still some time away, and already I found myself becoming even more jittery than usual. I realized there was not much I could do about it. This was what I had chosen against Dante’s wishes and warnings.

“Can I fix up my room? I’ll be sleeping here for a while longer, won't I?”

Sarah looked confused. “Fix up your room?”

“Yeah. With paint … maybe change up the furniture a bit. Get rid of that hideous ceiling fan or at least clean it?”

She considered my words and then frowned, and I could see that I must sound like an idiot to her. I didn’t know how to explain to her that the house had a strange effect on me. Perhaps it was from the old wood, but I constantly felt like I was surrounded by death and I couldn’t take it.

It was going to drive me over the edge.

“Please,” I said when I saw that her contemplation was taking longer. “Maybe I can give you a list of what I need and some money so you can buy it for me?”

She smiled. “Okay.”

I smiled back and went to sit on the veranda in the backyard. I wished I could reach out to Dante. I missed him terribly. I had thought I would forget him, but as the days passed the longing for him became more and more intense.

Those two nights in London replayed endlessly in my head.