Driver

Part 19

For the next month Idyn drove Taki to and from his house and her work and anywhere else she needed to go. He wanted to spend as much time as he could with her knowing that their time together was finite.

It was one evening early in the second month as they lay in his bed that he asked her a question that inadvertently brought up the subject of her accident again. He was watching his fingers playing with her hair and as ever his mind was on her impending departure. Even though they hadn’t talked about it, it was all he could think about. For his own sanity he needed to find a solution to them being separated for months at a time. He asked “hey have you always worked as a consultant?”

“No, not always” she said.

“So how long has it been?”

“Two years” she said.

He lifted his gaze and met hers “ever since the accident?” he guessed.

“Yes” she said, her eyes slipping away from his.

“Why?” he said.

She shrugged “the constant change helped occupy my mind. It was easier to lose myself in a different city every couple of weeks than sit at home and relive it.”

Thoughtful for a minute he said “you need to forgive yourself Taki. It was an accident. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Taki frowned “are you saying I shouldn’t feel guilty?”

“No” he said “anyone in your position would feel guilty but you have to allot some of the blame to the victim. She made a bad decision.”

“So she’s dead but I should blame her? Is that what you’re saying” she asked in an angry tone.

“No” Idyn said wishing he had not brought this up.

“I’m sorry, but you don’t know the first damn thing about it Idyn” she said and rolling away from him, she got out of bed and stalked into the bathroom.

“Taki…” he said but she just slammed the door shut.