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Violet got to her feet, worried over the weariness she saw on his face and recalling the warning fro him rest "You look tired"
He shook his head slowly "No Don’t go Stay" But his words were slower now "Just a little longer"
Violet hesitated, then settled down again She looked at her hand, so close to his on the sheet She iertips across the top of his battered knuckles, covering his hand with hers
She could; it wouldn’tThey were just friends, she and Rafe, and she orried for him Friends could touch each other Friends could hold hands
Her heart ha And then she drew her hand away, dropping it into her lap, and balled her fingers into a deter as his eyelids drooped He blinked, struggling against their weight and finally succuht he was probably sleeping again, and wondered how long she should sit there How long until it eird that she was staring at him while he slept
His eyes didn’t even flutter when the nurse paced soundlessly to the other side of the bed, lifting his wrist and deftly finding his pulse as her gaze dropped to her watch Violet turned in her seat, surprised that she hadn’t even heard the ninjalike nurse conored Violet as she counted, and Violet watched her, wondering if she felt the sa Violet did when she touched him If she felt that spark, that prickly connection, whenever their skinher, Violet doubted that was the case She was sure the nurse felt nothing except for the flickering of his pulse when she touched him
When she set his hand down, the nurse scribbled on his chart and shoved her pen into the front pocket of her lollipop- emblazoned scrubs She punched a couple of buttons on the IV pu froain, leaving Violet alone with Rafe in the dark
Violet got up now, slowly, quietly
Rafe didn’t open his eyes, but she heard his voice, whisper-soft "Will you come visit me tomorrow?"
"I don’t knohere you live," Violet answered just as softly
"My sis--" He stopped himself, but not in time, and it was all the confired at last, refor into sleep
Violet squinted as she stood in front of the strip mall It wasn’t exactly what she’d expected;cards than tarot cards Even the neon sign--The Crystal Palace--led from their rearview mirrors, the ones that sent out dappled rays of ht hit them just so
Inside the store, however, was an entirely different story
The first thing Violet noticed was the burning s--and the soft sounds of a sitar stirring lyrically in the background She reached out to part the curtain of brightly colored plastic beads that was suspended just beyond the doorway The beads were fashioned after ether as she slipped between thelanced up to see Krystal sitting behind an old wooden cash register that looked as if it belonged in an antique store Krystal came around to the front of the counter, vivid strips of blue hair sticking out fro from surprise to worry in a heartbeat "I heard what happened to Rafe Geree with Krystal’s blunt assesse it The truth was, his bike probably was totaled "Yeah, I guess so He’s gonna be okay, though He gets to go hoht" She held up the business card, the one she’d taken from Krystal’s car "I hope it’s okay that I just showed up like this I don’t want to get you in trouble or anything"
"Yeah, we’re super busy today," Krystal drawled sarcastically, glancing around at the e in shelf upon shelf filled with bottles of lotions and candles and incense, the odd assortment of books and tarot cards, and thewith all manner of stones and crystals and feathers In one corner, there were silk cushions scattered about on an intricately woven rug surrounding a short, round table
"That’s where we do readings," Krystal said, her gaze following Violet’s
"Do you do theht you just talked to ghosts"
"I do" She grinned, reaching for a stack of cards on the counter behind her The deck looked old, its edges worn, but the intricate designs on the backs of the cards looked hand-painted, each bearing the depiction of a wo a butterfly crown There were swans at her feet "Anyone can learn to read the cards, Violet Sos are just a little ht about that and shook her head "Nah, I don’t think so I’m not sure I wanna knohat happens next I think I’d rather be surprised"
"Suit yourself" Krystal set the cards back down "So what did you come for?"