CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Zoey

Sunday sucked as bad as Saturday had. Later I looked back and realized that when Erin and Shaunee split was when the whole thing started to unravel. It was weird what the two of them not speaking did to the rest of us. It was like them being pissed at each other unbalanced everyone.

"I don't know about you, but the brain-sharers are driving me crazy."

Aphrodite plopped down beside me where I was sitting on the curb that edged the old circle driveway entrance to the depot. I sighed and thought so much for taking a second and trying to be by myself. I scooted over to give her more room.

"Yeah, I know. It's weird them not always being together, and now Shaunee looks like she's ready to burst into tears all the time and Erin's all silent and pouting. It's super crazy down there."

"Fire and ice," Aphrodite mumbled.

My brows shot up. "You know, you may be right."

"I do not know when you're going to get a f**king clue and realize that I'm right mostly all the time. " Aphrodite pulled a little jeweled emery board from her Coach purse and started to file her nails. "I don't know what else that damn stupid poem means, but part of it is definitely about the brain-sharers."

"Why are you filing your nails?"

She shot me a WTF look. "Because this stupid town doesn't have enough all-night spas. Well, except for the scary ones and I just want my nails done, not my vagina. I don't want the HIV either, for that matter."

"Aphrodite, you make no sense at all sometimes."

"You are welcome for broadening your horizons. Anyway, as I was saying, what are you going to do about Tweedledee and Tweedledumber?"

"Uh, nothing. They're girlfriends. Sometimes girlfriends get mad at each other. They're gonna have to figure out a way to make up by themselves."

"Seriously? That's all you have?"

"Well, Aphrodite, what the hell do you expect me to do?"

"Did you just curse? Isn't 'hell '"-she air quoted-"a curse word?"

"How 'bout you go straight there and see?" I narrowed my eyes at her. "And for the zill ionth time- there's nothing wrong with not having a potty mouth! "

"Yelling and cursing. Next thing I know snowballs will be flying through H E double toothpicks."

"You. Are. Hateful," I said.

"Thank you. But seriously. What are you going to do about the Twins?"

"Give them space!" I didn't mean to shout but the echo off the stone building told me otherwise. I took a deep breath and tried to stop feeling like I wanted to smother Aphrodite. "I can't be responsible every time one of my friends has issues with another of my friends. That doesn't even make sense."

"It's in a stupid but prophetic poem," she said, filing her nails.

"I still don't see how that makes me-"

I shut up as a big black Lincoln Town Car pulled through the circle entrance and stopped in front of Aphrodite and me. While we watched with unattractively open mouths, a Son of Erebus Warrior got out of the driver's seat, ignored us completely, and opened the back door of the car.

Long and lean and dressed in dark blue velvet, Thanatos took the Warrior's hand and gracefully emerged. She smiled at us and nodded acknowledgment when we bowed to her, but her attention was clearly on the depot building.

"What a lovely example of 1930s Art Deco workmanship," she said, her gaze taking in the scope of the front of the depot. "I mourned the passing of rail travel. When it finally matured it was a wonderfully relaxing way to move across this great country. Actually, it still is today. Sad that there are so few modern rail routes from which to choose. You should have visited a depot in the forties-tragedy, hope, despair, and courage all concentrated into one vibrant, living space." She continued to gaze lovingly at the old building. "Not like the horrid airports of today. They've been bleached of all romance and soul and life, especially since the tragedy of nine-eleven. So sad ... so sad..."

"Uh, Thanatos, can I help you with something?" I finally asked after it became obvious that she was going to stand like, forever, and just stare at the depot.

She motioned for the Warrior to get back in the car. "Wait for me across the street in the parking garage. I will be along shortly." He bowed to her and drove away. She faced Aphrodite and me. "Ladies, I believe it is time for a change."

"A change of what?" I asked.

"Apparently a change of our entrance," Aphrodite said dryly. "Kalona came up here. Thanatos is up here. We need to put out some kind of welcome mat 'cause the whole enter-through-the-nappy basement thing is not working for us."