Chapter 32: The Space Between Words
The Dream House
Book One
Some people stop talking.
Others...
Learn how to speak without saying anything at all.
Apparently...
I was becoming very good at the second one.
Friday afternoon.
The rain had finally stopped.
Toronto still smelled like wet pavement and fresh air.
Luna and I walked side by side through Kensington Market.
Normally...
We would've spent an hour laughing over paintings, handmade jewelry and books we couldn't afford.
Today...
Everything felt different.
"You want bubble tea?"
Luna smiled.
"I'm okay."
"You always want bubble tea."
"Not today."
She looked at me.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
That was becoming my favorite lie.
Across the street...
A familiar black pickup truck slowed beside the curb.
My heart recognized it before my eyes did.
Sinnad.
He rolled down the passenger window.
"There you are."
His smile was exactly the same.
Warm.
Relaxed.
Honest.
It almost made me angry.
"Hey."
Luna smiled brightly.
"We were just—"
"I was heading to Miss Carmen's."
He looked at both of us.
"You two want a ride?"
Before Luna could answer...
I spoke.
"We're good."
The words came out colder than I intended.
For the first time...
His smile faded.
"Everything alright?"
"Yep."
A pause.
"You sure?"
"I'm fine."
I smiled politely.
Too politely.
He knew.
Something wasn't right.
He simply didn't know what.
Luna looked back and forth between us.
Confused.
Very confused.
Finally...
Sinnad nodded.
"Alright."
"If you change your mind..."
He pointed toward the coffee shop on the corner.
"...I'll be there for ten minutes."
"Okay."
He drove away.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Luna stared at me.
"What was that?"
"What?"
"You."
"What about me?"
"You've never talked to him like that."
"I talked."
"No."
She stopped walking.
"You answered."
I kept walking.
"Maya."
"I'm just tired."
"Again?"
She laughed nervously.
"You've been tired for almost a week."
I didn't answer.
Because if I did...
I was afraid I'd ask the question I wasn't ready to hear the answer to.
Inside the coffee shop...
Sinnad sat quietly near the window.
His untouched coffee slowly cooled beside him.
Ruth walked in a few minutes later carrying a paper bag.
"There you are."
She sat across from him.
"You look like somebody stole your clippers."
He laughed.
"Nothing that dramatic."
"What happened?"
He shrugged.
"I honestly don't know."
"You and Maya?"
"I think so."
"You think?"
"I don't remember upsetting her."
Ruth frowned.
"Did you ask?"
"I tried."
"And?"
"No answer."
Ruth leaned back.
"Girls are complicated."
"So I've heard."
She laughed.
"No."
She pointed at him.
"You boys just don't notice things."
"Like what?"
She thought for a second.
"If a girl suddenly changes..."
"...it's usually because something changed inside her first."
He quietly looked out the window.
Toward the street.
Toward the direction Maya had walked.
"I just wish she'd tell me."
That evening...
Selena arrived at Maya's apartment carrying takeout.
"I come in peace."
She held up the food.
"And dumplings."
That earned the smallest smile all week.
Progress.
They ate quietly.
Halfway through dinner...
Selena placed her chopsticks down.
"Maya."
"Hm?"
"I have a business question."
I looked up.
"What?"
"If one of my employees suddenly stopped answering my calls..."
"...without explanation..."
"What would you tell me to do?"
I frowned.
"I'd tell you to ask them why."
"I did."
"And?"
"They said nothing."
She nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
Silence.
Then...
She looked directly at me.
"So..."
"Who are you doing that to?"
The question landed like a stone.
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Neither of us blinked.
Finally...
I looked down at my plate.
"...Nobody."
Selena smiled.
A very small smile.
The kind that meant...
I'll wait.
Because unlike Luna...
Selena never chased answers.
She simply waited for people to become honest.
And somehow...
That made me feel even more guilty.
Across town...
My phone lit up one more time.
Sinnad
If I did something, I'd rather apologize than guess.
I read it.
Three times.
My thumb hovered over the keyboard.
Then...
The screen went dark.
Unanswered.
Again.