Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune
“Did he? That’s … odd. Why would he—it doesn’t matter. What do youwant, Hugo?”“He was a client of mine. But he was also my friend. I’m sorry for yourloss. I know it must have been difficult.”“Thank you,” Naomi said stiffly, and Wallace knew she was wracking herbrain, trying to figure out what angle Hugo was working. “If you knew him,I’m sure you’re aware we divorced.”“I know,” Hugo said.She was growing irritated. “Is there a point to this conversation? Or wasthat it? Look, I appreciate you calling, but I—”“He loved you. Quite a bit. And I know it got rough, and you went yourseparate ways for good reason, but he never regretted a single moment hespent with you. He wanted you to know that. He hoped you found happinessagain. That you would have a full life, and that he was so sorry for whathappened.”Naomi didn’t speak. Wallace would have thought she disconnected, but hecould still hear her breathing.“Say it,” he whispered. “Please.”Hugo said, “He told me about your wedding day. He said there had neverbeen anyone more beautiful than you were at that moment. He was happy.And even though things changed, he never forgot the way you smiled at him inthat little church.” He laughed quietly. “He said he panicked right before theceremony. You had to talk to him through a door to try to get him to calmdown.”Silence. Then, “He … he said he couldn’t get his tie to work. That wemight as well call the whole thing off.”“But you didn’t.”Naomi sniffled. “No. We didn’t, because it was just something so Wallacethat I … Christ. You had to call and ruin my makeup, didn’t you?”Hugo chuckled. “I don’t mean to.”“No, I don’t expect you do. Why are you calling me now with this?”“Because he thought you deserved to hear it. I know you hadn’t spoken ina long while before he passed, but the man I know—knew, was different thanthe man you remember. He learned kindness.”“That doesn’t sound like Wallace at all.”“I know,” Hugo said. “But people can change when faced with eternity.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”“It is what it is.”She sounded uncertain when she said, “You knew him.”“Yes.”“Really knew him.”“Yes.”“And he told you what happened with us.”“He did.”“So you just decided to call me out of the blue, out of the goodness of yourheart.”“Yes.”“Look. Hugo, was it? I don’t know what you’re gunning for here, but Idon’t—”“Nothing. I want nothing. All I wanted to do was tell you that you matteredto him. Even when all was said and done, you mattered.”She didn’t respond.“That’s it,” Hugo said. “That’s all I needed to say. I apologize forinterrupting your evening. Thank you for—”“You cared for him.”Hugo startled. He glanced at Wallace before looking away. “I do.”“Friends,” she said, almost amused. “Just friends?”“Hang up!” Wallace said frantically. “Oh my god, hang up the phone!” Hetried to swipe at it, but Hugo was quicker, plucking it off the counter andholding it out of reach.“Just friends,” Hugo said, hurrying around the counter to keep Wallacefrom the phone. Wallace snarled at him, prepared to do what he had to inorder to make this fresh hell end as quickly as possible.“Are you sure? Because—and I can’t believe I know this—you sound likethe kind of guy he’d go for. He didn’t think I noticed, but he would swoonwhenever—”“I don’t swoon!” Wallace bellowed.“Really?” Hugo said into the phone. “Swoon, you say?”“Yes. It was embarrassing. There was this one friend of mine—kind oftalked like you, the same cadence—who Wallace would fawn over. Hewould deny it, of course, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case withyou.”
- Page 225 and 226: He hated how much he focused on it,
- Page 227 and 228: “He does,” Hugo said. He looked
- Page 229 and 230: “Or I know my limits,” Wallace
- Page 231 and 232: age. He was coldly handsome, though
- Page 233 and 234: were here in February. Speaking of,
- Page 235 and 236: him. He turned to see Alan stepping
- Page 237 and 238: Alan rose slowly to his feet, point
- Page 239 and 240: CHAPTER17It was bigger than any sta
- Page 241 and 242: The boy nodded at Wallace before lo
- Page 243 and 244: instead of solid. “In fact, an ar
- Page 245 and 246: full well he wasn’t in his right
- Page 247 and 248: dies. Death is cleansing. The pain
- Page 249 and 250: Sure, the bureaucracy of it all can
- Page 251 and 252: “He’s not gone,” Wallace said
- Page 253 and 254: He didn’t know.He’d never felt
- Page 255 and 256: “Then do it. I don’t know what
- Page 257 and 258: Hugo shook his head. Muttering unde
- Page 259 and 260: The sadness receded, though it didn
- Page 261 and 262: On the third evening, Hugo switched
- Page 263 and 264: Nancy did as asked, clutching her p
- Page 265 and 266: Mei cocked her head as if confused,
- Page 267 and 268: I KNOW. BUT I HOPE IN HEARING FROM
- Page 269 and 270: For a moment, Wallace thought it’
- Page 271 and 272: CHAPTER19Acceptance.It was easier t
- Page 273 and 274: then another and then another. And
- Page 275: didn’t know if anyone would answe
- Page 279 and 280: “I’m not trying to,” Wallace
- Page 281 and 282: He laughed wildly. “If not now, w
- Page 283 and 284: Wallace felt the pull the moment th
- Page 285 and 286: As the sun set, they stood side by
- Page 287 and 288: He failed.His eyes rolled up in his
- Page 289 and 290: They said, “Cameron, let’s go o
- Page 291 and 292: grit his teeth together. Tears floo
- Page 293 and 294: CHAPTER21The next day, Charon’s C
- Page 295 and 296: He hung his head. “I’m scared,
- Page 297 and 298: Nelson rose from his chair, tugging
- Page 299 and 300: on forever. He wondered if there we
- Page 301 and 302: Nelson standing in front of the tea
- Page 303 and 304: Hugo lowered his hand back to the b
- Page 305 and 306: “Hugo?”“Yeah?”“Don’t fo
- Page 307 and 308: Wallace couldn’t. Everything was
- Page 309 and 310: They drank tea as if it were any ot
- Page 311 and 312: impressed.”“Frankly, I don’t
- Page 313 and 314: “Don’t I?” the boy asked. He
- Page 315 and 316: discriminate. It’s there for ever
- Page 317 and 318: “You swear?” Wallace insisted.
- Page 319 and 320: “Not afraid,” the Manager repea
- Page 321 and 322: Someone crouched next to him. “Wa
- Page 323 and 324: The Manager nodded. “The job will
- Page 325 and 326: “I’m leaving now,” the Manage
“Did he? That’s … odd. Why would he—it doesn’t matter. What do you
want, Hugo?”
“He was a client of mine. But he was also my friend. I’m sorry for your
loss. I know it must have been difficult.”
“Thank you,” Naomi said stiffly, and Wallace knew she was wracking her
brain, trying to figure out what angle Hugo was working. “If you knew him,
I’m sure you’re aware we divorced.”
“I know,” Hugo said.
She was growing irritated. “Is there a point to this conversation? Or was
that it? Look, I appreciate you calling, but I—”
“He loved you. Quite a bit. And I know it got rough, and you went your
separate ways for good reason, but he never regretted a single moment he
spent with you. He wanted you to know that. He hoped you found happiness
again. That you would have a full life, and that he was so sorry for what
happened.”
Naomi didn’t speak. Wallace would have thought she disconnected, but he
could still hear her breathing.
“Say it,” he whispered. “Please.”
Hugo said, “He told me about your wedding day. He said there had never
been anyone more beautiful than you were at that moment. He was happy.
And even though things changed, he never forgot the way you smiled at him in
that little church.” He laughed quietly. “He said he panicked right before the
ceremony. You had to talk to him through a door to try to get him to calm
down.”
Silence. Then, “He … he said he couldn’t get his tie to work. That we
might as well call the whole thing off.”
“But you didn’t.”
Naomi sniffled. “No. We didn’t, because it was just something so Wallace
that I … Christ. You had to call and ruin my makeup, didn’t you?”
Hugo chuckled. “I don’t mean to.”
“No, I don’t expect you do. Why are you calling me now with this?”
“Because he thought you deserved to hear it. I know you hadn’t spoken in
a long while before he passed, but the man I know—knew, was different than
the man you remember. He learned kindness.”
“That doesn’t sound like Wallace at all.”
“I know,” Hugo said. “But people can change when faced with eternity.”
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