“I’m really sorry I wasn’t here to help when you needed it,” Eric said.
“I’m glad you were both well away,” Elisa said fervently. “And I’m also glad that I can finally be straight with you about everything. It bothered the hell out of me that I had to lie to you all the time. I hate being dishonest with a friend.”
“You were just trying to protect us,” Demi assured her. “Forget about it.”
“Good thing Nate was with you when that bastard finally found you,” Eric said.
“Oh hey, I’ve got something for you,” Demi said. “Eric? Show her.” Eric hoisted up a large planter with a luxuriant fern plant bursting out of it.
“It’s a housewarming present,” Demi told her. “I’m so excited that you’re my neighbor now, and right upstairs from Anton and Fi’s apartment, too. So excellent.”
“Yeah, it’s wonderful,” Elisa agreed. “If I have to be under a security umbrella, at least I have fabulous company there.”
“God, yes. Kimball knows that hurting you would hurt us. So we’ll be in each other’s pockets until we’ve sorted this out. And in my pocket is my favorite place for you to be. All the best people, right at my fingertips. It’s my dream come true.”
“Me, too,” Elisa admitted. “I’ve never felt so at home anyplace as I feel here.”
Eric turned away and gave them some space for tearful laughter and long hugs. They went on at some length. After they got the sniffling under control, Elisa turned to see Eric standing, transfixed, in front of her painting.
Demi joined him, and looked at it herself for several minutes before turning back to look at Elisa. “I should have known, from the chalk drawings,” she said.
“Known what?” Elisa asked.
“This is your thing.” Demi gestured at the painting, her tone matter-of-fact. “Your big thing. Your sacred thing. Your future does not include running a restaurant and a catering company with me. This is your work now.”
“I loved working with you,” Elisa told her. “It was a great experience.”
Demi’s eyes were wet again. “I loved it, too. But even if that part of it’s over, I’m just glad that you’ll be near me. I was so afraid you were going to want to go back to San Francisco now that Clemens is gone.”
Elisa shook her head with a smile. “Nope, Shaw’s Crossing is home for me now. I’m selling my interest in the gallery in San Francisco. Josh and I are selling all the houses. Or at least, we will once all the insurance stuff for the fire and all the property damage gets sorted out. We’re breaking with the past. Both of us.”
“Elisa,” Eric said. “Is this painting for sale?”
Elisa turned to him. Eric hadn’t heard a word of their conversation. He was still completely absorbed by the painting. “I don’t know,” she told him. “I’m still in the middle of it. I don’t even know what it’s going to be by the time I’m done.”
“I want it,” he said.
She just stared at him, openmouthed. “Ah….”
“I have a big empty wall in the central lobby of the Erebus flagship headquarters in San Francisco,” he said. “The decorator has been bugging me about it for a year and a half. She wanted to organize for a mural, but I’ve been putting her off. I was waiting to figure out what I really wanted on that wall. I’ve found it.”
“Oh,” she faltered. “Uh…wow.”
“But I’d need more of them,” Eric said. “It’s one big motherfucking wall. Could you do a series of these for us? Say, five more? Same size?”
She was dumbfounded. “Ah…you’d better wait until it’s done, and I’ve drafted some ideas for the others to commit to something like that.”
“I’m sure,” he said. “It’s exactly right. The way it makes me feel. Light prevailing over darkness. Love wins. That’s what I want people to see when they come to Erebus. That’s what I want Erebus to stand for.”
Elisa was speechless and flustered for a moment. “Ah…thanks, Eric, for the vote of confidence.”
“But of course, you don’t have to decide anything right now,” Demi said, giving Eric a stern look. “Think about it later. Right now, concentrate on healing, resting, taking care of yourself, painting your painting. The world can get all greedy and grabby for your special gifts and abilities later. When it’s appropriate.”
“Ouch,” Eric murmured, chastened. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Elisa assured him. “I don’t mind if—”
“Let’s put that aside for now,” Demi said brightly. “We have all the time in the world to discuss that. So what’s up with your little brother now? What’s he doing?”
“Nate went to Boston with him, and got him settled in with his security detail. He’s bitching and moaning about having a bodyguard follow him around. Tough. I just need him to stay safe.”
“Excellent,” Eric said. “I’m glad he’s covered. So he’s going back to school?”
“Getting ready for the spring semester at MIT,” she said. “We’re trying to find some sort of new normal, but it’s tough. It all feels so strange. Off-kilter.”
Demi nodded, her face somber. “I know. It was like that for us, too.”
“When is Nate getting back?” Eric asked.
Elisa felt her face get warm. “Soon, I think.”
“I’ll be relieved when he gets back,” Eric said. “I’m sure he will, too.”
“He might not even know what to do with me, now that he doesn’t have to save me from certain death anymore,” Elisa said.
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll think of something,” Eric said, under his breath.
“Eric!” Demi shot him a narrow look.
Eric blinked at his wife innocently. “Hey, he still has to protect her from Kimball, right?”
“Right,” Demi scoffed, and laid her hand on Elisa’s shoulder. “Come over for dinner tonight. It’ll be the last meal I cook at home for a while, since the restaurant opens again this weekend. Roast leg of lamb, cheesy potato pancakes and a delicious three-berry crumble with ice-cream. Please come. The gang’s all here.”
“I’ll be there,” she promised.
After the door closed behind her friends, Elisa stared down at the beautiful fern, wondering if she would be able to keep the thing alive. She moved it closer to the light that flooded in the big bay window overlooking Shaw Lake. She had no curtains, because she couldn’t be bothered, and besides, it was an awesome view. She needed to buy a plant hanger. Maybe ask her phone to remind her to water it.
The computer warbled. The ringtone of a video call.
Josh. She sank down onto the floor and placed the laptop on the seat of the single folding chair in the apartment before accepting the call.
Josh’s face filled the video screen. The sight of it made her happy. His bruises were gone, his color was better, he’d shaved, his hair was buzzed short again. Though still thin, his face had lost that taut, wasted look. His sunken cheeks had filled out.