#Chapter 72: Reappraisal

Ardal "How do I attract these people?" It’s late and the kids are tucked away in bed while I try to get some chores done. Hot water trickles down my arms while I rinse the dirty dishes that have piled up in the sink. I’ve got Julia on speaker, phone perched on the countertop. She snickers on the other end of the line. "I'm serious,” I say, slamming the silverware into the bin of the dishwasher one by one, “It’s unbelievable. I can’t get rid of these… creatures that follow me everywhere. Ever since we got here, it's been nothing short of a disaster! That hypnotist freak on the plane…” My fingers clench tightly around the bottle of dish soap as I attempt to squeeze out the last sudsy droplets. With an accompanying sneer, I imagine I’m gripping the neck of that pig, Mateo, instead. The viscous blue liquid coils out from the little spout, bubbling ever so sweetly. “And just when I finally let my guard down, thinking I found some amazing doctor,” I say as I heave