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Zack?”
    “He’s taken on another job this weekend, so now he won’t be back for ten days.” Sadie
     spat the words out and was surprised at the fury she felt.
    “Huh. Are you pissed because you just miss him so desperately, or is it because you
     feel like he’s avoiding being with you?”
    Sadie hated it when her friend nailed it with the first try. Sometimes having a psychic
     for a friend sucked—even an on-maternity-leave psychic. Sadie didn’t reply except
     to get off the couch and bring their dirty plates to the kitchen, where she spent
     an inordinate amount of time washing the dishes and feeding Hairy some kibble. When
     she returned to the living room, Maeva had Osbert against her shoulder and was gently
     rubbing his back to produce a belch. Sadie sat down on the sofa and began transferring
     odds and ends from her current purse to the new one from Maeva.
    “Zack and I haven’t had sex since he got out of Whispering Groves,” Sadie announced.
    Maeva’s eyes grew huge. “Really?”
    Sadie nodded. “Before he left rehab he announced that he was going to get his own
     place and that we’d start over as a proper couple. Dating and stuff. It was part of
     his new life program to keep him on the straight and narrow.”
    “Well, that sounds kind of sweet,” Maeva said, nodding thoughtfully. “I mean, you
     met because he was your employee at Scene-2-Clean and you kind of fell into this idea
     of being a couple. The idea of starting off slowly by dating is very romantic. When
     does he plan to move out so you can get going on this then?”
    “That’s just it. When he got back home he caught sight of my stack of unpaid bills
     and said he’d stay until business picked up so that he can help chip in toward costs.
     I figured, in the meantime, we’d be back to being . . . us. But we’re not us. We’re
     not even the way we were before we became romantically involved. No hugs or kisses.
     Brief glances at each other, and he clings to his side of the bed like he’s afraid
     I might touch him. It’s just really awkward.” Sadie’s shoulders slumped. “Do you think
     he’s really just waiting until I can afford my own expenses again before he breaks
     up, or is he serious about starting this whole dating idea? Because when we talk on
     the phone he’s all sexy and flirty but when he’s here we’re back to being horrible
     roommates again.” Sadie threw up her hands.
    “First of all, you should be having this conversation with him, not me.”
    “Yeah, well, I’ve tried. Every conversation ends with me feeling like I’ve pushed
     him farther away. I also feel like I don’t want to rock the boat.”
    “Well, Zack’s a complicated guy. First he was a cop who took a bullet for his partner,
     then got hooked on pain pills and had to leave the force. Then he got hurt working
     for you and the addiction started up again. He’s fighting his own demons, right? He’s
     done his time at rehab and he’s back on track. I think, if you want him, you’re going
     to have to let this happen in his own time.”
    Sadie picked up her beer and took a sip. She really hoped that everything could be
     solved in time.
    “I hope you’re right.”
    “I am. In the meantime, you should keep yourself busy by coming out with me tonight.”
    Sadie laughed. “Fine. I’ll go. I’ll even pick you up. What time should I get you?”
    “Ten.” Maeva got to her feet, looking exceptionally pleased. Sadie was uncertain if
     that was because of her decision to go to the séance tonight, or because of the loud
     burp produced by the baby.
    “Isn’t ten a little late to just be getting started?”
    “Ten is Osbert’s best time,” Maeva explained. “He has a feeding right before and,
     if we hustle, I can be out of the house without him for three glorious hours before
     old Bessy has to be back in the barn for milking time,” she stated with a chuckle.
    When Sadie said good-bye to her friend and godson at the