You Had Me at Halo

Her stepmother didn’t move from her chair as she studied the envelope before deftly slitting it open. Then her eyes widened. “It’s a birthday card, but that’s not for another month and Holly hardly ever remembered it.”

“I guess she did this year.” Holly gave a casual shrug. “Anyway, I just thought I should bring it over.”

“Thank you.” Her stepmother’s voice sounded choked with tears and again Holly felt so odd at this complete turn around. Though she was starting to wonder if it really was a turnaround at all.

It seemed that Holly had spent most of her time grossly misjudging people: Vince, Todd, her stepmother…

Her life was all a bit of a mess really. No wonder heaven wanted to wipe her memories and start again. It was probably for the best. She didn’t even mind so much about not sorting out her issues. Though it would’ve been nice to find out how the pills got there, just so people like Gemma and her stepmother didn’t have to live with the stigma of the rumors. And as for her dad, well…

Holly noticed her stepmother’s hands were shaking as she studied the card. She didn’t read it aloud, but then she didn’t have to since Holly already knew the contents.

Dear Jill,

I bet this is a surprise getting a birthday card from me. I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye since my dad died, but I just wanted you to know that I hope you have a wonderful day.

Love Holly

Actually, the way Holly had been feeling she could’ve gone a bit soppier than that, but then again, she wanted her stepmother to actually believe it was true and as Holly recalled their past relationship, she doubted an overflow of sentiment would be very convincing.

Her stepmother finally glanced up from the card with unshed tears in her eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I can’t tell you what this means to me.”

“I’m glad I could help.” Holly croaked. She was finding it increasingly hard to remember she was Vince. In a way she would be glad when this whole thing was over.

“And I have to thank you for something else,” her stepmother said.

“You do?” Holly blinked. Especially since it wasn’t like she’d even forked out for a present.

“My neighbor’s son works in the Pool Palace. He told me you had a fight with Todd last night.”

“Oh.” Holly gulped as she automatically covered up her swollen knuckles. Boy, news sure traveled fast. “I’m sorry about that,” she mumbled.

“Well, I’m not,” her stepmother said in a staunch voice before coughing. “Of course I’m not saying I approve of violence, but from what I heard, Todd was saying some fairly dreadful things about Holly. I really appreciate you standing up for her.”

“Yeah.” Holly crossed her fingers. “Well, the dead can’t speak for themselves, can they?”

“That’s right. Which is why it’s up to us to protect the memory of the people we loved,” her stepmother said and for a moment Holly thought Vince was going to say something about love as well, but in the end he just made a grunting noise in the back of his throat.

It was no more than Holly deserved, but still, she couldn’t help but wish things had worked out differently.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

It was after twelve by the time Holly waved goodbye to her stepmother. She probably hadn’t said as much as she would’ve liked. But she had said enough.

“That was a really nice thing to do.” Vince thrust his hands into his pockets as they walked back toward his apartment. Holly knew he meant it. In fact that’s probably why he had been so helpful, because he’d lost his mother and might not have had the chance to say everything that needed to be said.

“Thanks. I guess I just wanted to let her know somehow that I didn’t hate her. Well, up until yesterday I did, but things have changed since then.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she croaked as she willed away the tears. She couldn’t even bite down on her lip or else Vince would know she wanted to cry.

They went the rest of the way to his apartment in silence.

He turned the key and they stepped inside. As she looked at the bathroom, she wondered if she had time for a shower before…it happened. Then she vetoed the idea since she had a tendency to die in water.

She pushed open the bedroom door and was just about to take her jacket off when she realized there was a lump in the bed. Holly frowned. She was sure she’d made it before they left this morning. Then she heard a shuffling noise.

“What the—”

“Hi, Vince,” Amy Jenkins drawled, as she poked her head out from under the blanket and revealed a pair of bare shoulders.

Oh. My. God.

Was she naked under there?

Holly felt her knees start to go weak. Was this earth life really so unrelenting? Holly had no recollection of things moving at such a roller coaster pace down here. Where was the peace? Where was the quiet? Suddenly the no-talking-during-a-funeral policy on Level One was starting to make complete and utter sense.

At least the one consolation of knowing she was going to lose her memory was that she would never again be subjected to images of this revolting situation.

Vince, she hollered at the top of her mental voice. This one’s for you.

There was no answer and for a minute Holly thought he was going to bail on her again, like he did the first time Amy turned up, but after taking a deep breath, he finally spoke.

“How did you get in?”

“I climbed up onto your window. Pretty handy there’s a porch roof just below.”

Holly almost made a snorting noise but Vince ignored her as he stared at Amy in confusion. “But why?” he said. His voice was low and cool and his eyes didn’t flicker as he stared directly at the other girl.

“We have unfinished business, Vince and since everyone was talking about what happened and that you’d taken the rest of the day off, I thought I’d try here.”

In his bed?

“You shouldn’t have just turned up,” Vince said.

“Oh come on Vince, don’t be like that. We can have some fun together.” Amy leered.

Gross.

Holly glanced at the alarm clock. There was never really a good time to find a naked girl in your bed when you were in fact a girl yourself masquerading in a boy’s body. But could she just say that when she was about to get sent back to a life of torment on Level One…oh like any minute…the timing was particularly lousy.

Especially since there were things she wanted to say to Vince. Not that he necessarily would want to hear them, but still…

“I’m afraid it’s not going to happen.” Vince crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Go Vince. You tell her.

“What do you mean it’s not going to happen?” Amy sat up and dragged the sheet around her unclothed body.

“Like I said, I’m not interested.”

A dark look crossed Amy’s pale face and she got to her feet, still wrapped in the sheet. “You’re still lusting after that stupid cow, Holly Evans, aren’t you?”

“What?” Holly didn’t mean to yell out loud. But seriously, what?

“Oh please, Vince. I’m not an idiot. I saw how you used to moon over that stuck up bitch.”