It's kind of nice not being alone anymore, though.
She rolls onto her belly, her side along my leg, and tucks her hands on her chin. “When I saw you in Santa Fe, saw what you were … It was not at all like I expected. You were so … vulnerable … but deadly. I spent my life imaging you, yet it was more amazing than I ever thought it could be.” She goes silent for a moment and then adds, “Maybe it's for all the wrong reasons, but I love you too.”
She pushes up to her hands and knees, and kisses me hard, pressing me into the headboard. Her arms slip around my neck as she straddles my lap. My hands grab her waist, pulling her closer. Her back arches up, her body grinding into me.
I pull her shirt over her head, and her mouth comes right back to mine. Her teeth nip at my bottom lip as I unfasten her pants. I can't undress her fast enough. I want to touch her, claim her as mine.
She pulls away to squirm out of the rest of her clothes. Then she's at me again, yanking back the covers and biting her way down my neck, my chest. Something tells me Syd needs this just as bad as I do.
I move forward, laying her back against the mattress and crawling over her. She's different this time. The way her body moves under me, pressing against me, the way her legs tighten around my waist as I slide inside—I know she meant what she said. She loves the jinn.
Even if the jinn turned out to be human.
Her teeth sink into my shoulder in a way that just makes me want her more. And when she comes, she bites down harder, muffling her cries. I push deeper, wanting the release and this to last forever at the same time. She kisses me, long and hungrily, until the end. Then we curl up together and, at long last, sleep.
***
In the morning, we hit the road. We have clean clothes, cold water, and plenty of food. All the things we will never take for granted again. Zoe talks nearly non-stop to Syd, blatantly ignoring me. I deserve that. Syd gives me a reassuring smile. I grin and turn to watch out the window.
We drive straight through New Mexico and don't stop until we reach Houston. Syd has booked us a one-way flight, routed through Greensboro as I requested.
During our eight-hour layover, we rent a car and drive to Dansville, Virginia.
I knock on Patricia Kerr's door, Syd and Zoe right behind me.
Patricia answers, and her face is a Rubik's cube of emotions.
“Still sane.” I tap my temple. “Can we come in for a minute?”
She blinks, then says, “Yes, yes, of course.”
She unlocks the screen door and invites us in. I glance back at the other two, who are standing close to each other, before stepping inside.
Patricia's eyes are fixed on me. “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thanks. We can't stay for long.” I pause, but there's no tactful way to approach this. “Karl is dead. Silvia is dead. I'm leaving the country.”
I shift weight, hoping she will say something. Anything. But it's her turn to stare dumbly. I know how she feels.
I rub the back of my neck. “I guess I just wanted to let you know that it's … over. No one's coming for you. Especially not me.”
Her shoulders drop like she's Atlas relieved of the world. “Are you sure?”
“Very sure. They're very dead.”
She looks me up and down. “And you—are you ever coming back?”
“If I do, you won't see me.” I shrug and pull my jacket tighter. “I have no reason to be here.”
She nods. “Can I … Can I write a book about you?”
“Probably not,” I say without missing a beat.
She smiles, and then she touches my cheek. It's a small, quick motion, but I understand now. Like Syd, everything Patricia has been through no longer matters. Even if no one back on the farm will believe them, they have met the Wizard of Oz. Their entire existence has been validated.
“Be safe, Dimitri,” she says, her voice soft.
I nod, and then head out the door. Syd and Zoe follow right behind me.
***
From Greensboro, we fly to JFK Airport and connect with our international flight. It's coach. I don't care. Syd sits next to me, and Zoe sits on the other side of her.
We doze in our seats. We play hangman. We flip through Sky Mall.
And fourteen hours later, we land in Naples, Italy.
Naples feels like a giant resort. I can't imagine a better place for us to grieve and then find happiness again. Or for the first time.
Syd's grandmother is worthy of all the acclaim. She knows who I am, but she's neither afraid nor impressed. I like that most about her. She's spunky, and I can see Syd becoming just like that over the years. The best part is, I will know if she does.
During the afternoon, Syd and I go down to the beach. Zoe comes with us, but she's happy to wander on her own. She's a surprisingly resilient little kid. It must run in the women in this family.