Chapter 4

4: 4

From that day on, Mabel moved into my brother's place in the open.

Before, even with the twin-sister excuse, the two of them had kept their dates half-hidden. I'd barely run into them a handful of times.

Now they came and went through the complex all the time, and photos of their dates started flooding Caspar's messaging feed.

People at the company were surprised by how close Caspar and Mabel had gotten.

He only smiled and never explained that this was Mabel's twin sister.

When neighbors asked, he introduced her freely.

"This is my fiancée. We're getting our marriage license soon."

I figured my brother had actually taken my advice to heart.

Getting the license really would put his mind at ease.

And thanks to the way he was dragging Mabel around on dates out of spite, she'd lived across the hall from me for a month and still hadn't noticed that I'd already quit my job and started slowly moving out.

The day my Germany visa came through, it started pouring again.

When I got home, I happened, for once, to find Mabel waiting outside my door.

A man's coat hung over her arm as she leaned against the wall, the toe of her shoe tapping the floor out of boredom.

It was the same thing she used to do back when she waited for me before a date.

Seeing me, she straightened up, as if to cover for herself.

The next second she caught sight of my soaked clothes and frowned.

"Take a hot shower when you get in, and remember to drink some ginger tea before bed."

Then it seemed to register with her, and she rubbed her nose and added a line.

"Joanna told me to say that."

"She said you've got a weak constitution, that getting caught in the rain easily gives you a fever, and once it starts it spikes past a hundred and four. She told me to keep an eye on you."

I didn't answer. I keyed in the code and opened the door.

"Mabel's the one who always made the ginger tea. I don't know how."

"If there's anything, she can tell me herself when she's back."

Behind me, a long silence.

When the door was knocked on again, there was a takeout order of ginger tea sitting on the floor.

Mabel's message came through too.

【Babe, I heard you got caught in the rain. I'm not there with you, but remember to drink some ginger tea before you sleep, okay?】

I stood there a long time.

Then I lifted my hand and dropped the ginger tea into the trash.

Before I knew it, it was the end of July, the day I flew to Germany.

My flight was booked for two in the morning, which put me there right at dawn, easy for someone to meet me.

In the middle of the night, I followed the map to find the driver's car, which he'd stopped at the wrong intersection.

In the empty, out-of-the-way alley, the streetlight stretched my shadow out long, so long.

Then a dark figure bore down on me.

My heart jumped, and I couldn't stop myself from walking faster.

But the figure only kept closing in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the flash of a blade, and a wave of liquor breath.

Cold sweat slid down, drop by drop.

My hand shaking, I sent Mabel a message on reflex.

【The alley by the south gate of the complex. Someone's following me!】

Just before I left, I'd seen Caspar's latest post.

They were having a late-night bite at the complex's gate. Three minutes and they could be here.

Mabel wrote back quickly.

Hope had just risen in me.

The next second, it was like being slapped hard across the face.

【Babe, don't panic, I'll call the police for you right now.】

【Try to head toward somewhere with lights, and if you see a shop, duck inside.】

【If only I weren't away on this trip. I could come to you right this second.】

Here I was in real danger, and she was still playing out that twin-sister act of hers.

Looking at those few lines, I had never felt so utterly hopeless, so completely done.

The smell of liquor behind me grew heavier.

And my heart sank lower and lower.

Just as that figure was about to swallow up the last of my shadow, a beam of light suddenly cut in from the mouth of the alley.

"Who are you! What do you think you're doing!"

The figure froze for a moment, then turned and ran.

It was the driver I'd called earlier.

I hadn't shown up, so he'd tracked my location to come find me.

He hurried out of the car and over to me, glancing back warily.

"Some drunk."

"Son, you want to call the police now or not?"

My suitcase propped up my weak legs.

When I opened my phone, Caspar had just put up a new post.

【A hundred things to do while in love. Number 88, late-night barbecue, done!

Next stop, a private midnight horror movie.】

In the photo, the two of them held movie tickets, fingers laced together.

The location tag was already a theater two miles away.

It was a long moment before I raised my head.

"No need."

"Would you mind taking me to the airport?"