by Dawn Kirby
According to a detective friend of my mother’s the detectives at the time filed a report alleging that his ex-wife was distraught over their recent divorce and couldn’t face a new life without Mr. Logan in it. When her dad tried to get the gun, she shot him and then turned it on herself.
Most people I’d heard talk about the incident didn’t buy it though. Even seasoned officers had to admit it would be hard to shoot yourself in the back of the head.
A few years after that tragedy his second wife, Athena, had supposedly run off with a big chunk of his money. Mr. Logan claimed she’d been having an affair with a younger man and decided her son –Mark would be better of staying with Logan. The people that knew her back then swore Mr. Logan had done something to her. They couldn’t see her ever cheating on him or leaving her only child behind without so much as an explanation as to why.
Thinking about the death of one woman and the disappearance of another brought Mom to mind. As far as I could tell Mr. Logan had never been fazed by the misfortune that plagued him. Mom however had yet to move past losing my father. Sure she’s moved on, but she’ll never let herself love again. At least not the way she loves my dad.
I thought about her determination to help me move up in life and began to wonder why she wanted me to move away so bad. She’s a mother. Feeling the need to see me succeed was a given. But I was fine right here. I love working around normal, everyday people. The office environment just isn’t for me. There are too many rules and expectations. Most people get so bogged down with work they forget how to live. Why she wants me to be one of those people is beyond me.
Would her resolve to push me out change if she had someone else in her life? Did it really come from being a single parent all these years? Or did it stem from the threat of the big, bad boogieman she’d warned me about earlier?
She made it clear she didn’t want me to tell people who I am. Maybe getting me out of the store would lessen the chances of me slipping up again. After all, I’d done it twice before I’d finally managed to catch myself the third time. Once by calling her ‘mom’ and again when I let her know Drew had arrived. If I worked somewhere else she wouldn’t have to worry.
I slipped out of the chair to question her when the front door opened. Distracted by my thoughts, I hadn’t even heard the car pull in. When I glanced up towards the closing door I didn’t see the man I thought I would. Mom’s accountant was gorgeous. Seeing him for the first time, I now knew why she wanted to look flawless for their meetings. I was silently checking myself too. Hair’s good, shirt’s tucked in. Maybe I should have put on a little makeup myself.
Mr. James stood no less than six foot seven. Obviously he worked out, a lot. I could clearly see a mass of firm muscles underneath his dark gray silk suit. Honestly, the man fit every woman’s fantasy. There wasn’t a thing about him that wasn’t perfect.
His dark green eyes were striking, but seemed painfully sad. Wavy, dark brown hair brushed the nape of his neck, exaggerating his pale completion. The placid tone of his skin may have looked out of place, but it certainly didn’t take away from his overall appearance.
He carried the look of a hardworking businessman well. Even with the open jacket and no tie. Mr. James may have been a professional, but he chose to do his job comfortably. I smiled when I noticed the blue shirt he had on matched Mom’s dress perfectly. A pleasant coincidence I doubt she’ll even notice.
“Hi there! I’m Leah,” I said smiling at him. “You must be Mr. James. Mom’s in the back.” The minute I spoke his eyes lit up. “I can let her know you’re here if you’d like.”
“Please, call me David, Leah,” he said. His voice was as deep as it was soothing. “I’m really not one for formalities. If I wasn’t working tonight, I’d be standing here in an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt.” He walked over to the counter and extended his hand to me. “And don’t worry, Mia already knows I’m waiting.”
David took my hand in his. His grip was both firm and gentle at the same time. When I tried to shake hands, he brought my hand to his lips instead. The unusual gesture surprised me, but a gentle kiss was a heck of a lot better than having my arm ripped off. With the strength I felt flowing from his huge, cool hand that would have been easy for him to do.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Leah,” he said, still holding my hand. “I’ve waited a long time.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you, too,” I said. “I hope Mia didn’t twist your arm to come up here. I’m afraid she has an ulterior motive.”
He laughed a loud, deep laugh that filled the entire room. “Your mother would. You shouldn’t fault her for it though; she’s only concerned about your future. I know your father would be too, which is why I have no problem helping out if you need it,” he said, smiling brightly. “But you can put your mind at ease. I have no intention of sticking you in an office. And at the moment I can’t think of one company anywhere in the vicinity that needs help.” “Thanks,” I said gratefully, smiling back at him. “But don’t let her hear you say that.”
“It’s our little secret,” he said quietly, leaning towards me for a little privacy.
As he moved closer, the scent of sandalwood filled the air between us. David was a romantic man. That’s the impression his warm scent gave me anyway. It also told me, at that moment, he felt a sense of balance and harmony. Anybody who came into contact with him would find themselves feeling like they were standing in the middle of a utopia without ever knowing why.
“You don’t mind if I stay out here and get to know you a little better, do you?” he asked.
“I don’t mind at all, but it’ll have to wait.” He looked back at me like I’d slapped him in the face. “Someone is in the parking lot,” I explained quickly. “Mom’s creed has always been customers over friends.”
“Ah, I know that philosophy well,” he chuckled. “Your dad and I heard that lecture more times than I care to count when she opened the doors to this place.” He turned to glance at the windows and looked back at me skeptically. “How do you know there’s anyone out there, the blinds are closed?”
“Headlights,” I answered.
It was a bold faced lie, but it was dark outside and headlights are a necessity a night. I simply used the trivial fact to my advantage. Not many people know about the light-reflective shades. If I’m lucky, he won’t be one of the few who do.
As the door swung open David wandered over to the bath soap. Not giving him a second glance, she made her way straight to the counter. The fingers of the little boy trailing along beside her were already twitching, prepared to touch the first thing they could. Luckily, I had a very simple solution to keep him and his curious hands busy.
We keep a little candy dish on the counter for customers, so I loaded it up and put the dish where he could reach it. He grinned brightly the minute he spied the handful of candy. I gave him a little wink and he dug right in. The sweet stuff would keep him occupied while I helped his mom. I sat a fresh bottle of water from under the counter next to the candy dish, just in case.
“Thank you,” she said wearily. “You have no idea what a handful he can be.”
“What can I help you find?” I asked.
“My mom swears by this place. I’ve already been to the doctor twice, but this cold just won’t go away,” she explained. “Neither one of us has had a good night’s sleep in days. My head is killing me from staying up with him. And his nose—”
“Say no more,” I said cutting her off. Thanks to Mom I knew exactly what to give her. “I’ll be right back.”
Two sets of eyes looked on as I ran around the store gathering her goodies. One curious to see what I brought her. The other simply observing. I walked around the store picking up two small jars, a big bottle of bubble bath, and some lotion and returned to the counter.
“Just burn one of these in his room and one in the living room. The tea-tree oil will help get rid of the germs. Then give him a long warm bath in the eucalyptus to open up his no
se. It will run, but at least it he’ll be able to breathe. Before bed rub some of this on,” I said holding up the lotion. “It’s lavender and chamomile. It will calm him down and he’ll sleep like a baby. Use some on yourself once he’s down and you’ll be able to get some sleep, too.” “Will it work?” she asked. Her tired eyes pleading with me to tell her it would. “So far nothing else has.”
“Mia diffuses tea-tree oil here every flu season,” I said. “I haven’t caught it yet.”
“Fantastic! How much do I owe you?” she asked, relief ringing in her voice.
“Do you think it will help?” David asked as the door closed behind the young woman. He stepped in beside me, looking towards the storeroom.
“I know the lavender will. I’ve used it myself to calm down after a week’s worth of finals. But the rest you’d have to ask Mom about,” I confessed. “I’ve never had a chance to find out.”
His eyes widened as he leaned back against the counter. “You’ve never been sick?” he asked curiously. I simply shook my head. “Not even a stomach bug?”
“Nope, not a thing,” I said happily. “After watching other people suffer the way they do, I don’t want anything.”
“Trust me, it’s no fun,” he said wholeheartedly. “Colds of any kind are hell.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” After hearing the candor in his voice, I decided his pale complexion could more than likely be attributed to an active cold of his own.
David’s eyes looked in my direction, but he wasn’t seeing me. Physically, he was there. Mentally, he was a hundred miles away. Several different emotions flashed across his face at once. His sandalwood scent strengthened, saturating the air around us.
Taking a second to try and figure out where his emotions were, I noticed I couldn’t hear his heartbeat. Okay, a little weird, but not unheard of. There have been a few people like that I’ve run into over the years in a crowded movie theater or at the mall. Some people I just can’t hear.
“Sorry I took so long, David. I had to finish up a few things,” Mom hollered from the storeroom.
“No problem, it gave me a chance to get acquainted with Leah,” he called back to her.
When she finally appeared in the doorway, a white haze surrounded her. The bright light hovering around her coupled with the serene glint shining in her sapphire eyes made her look angelic. Happiness maybe? Two scents, sandalwood and roses mingled together, making the store smell like a lush garden.
David smiled at her. His eyes shone like emeralds the minute she walked into the room. All the pain I’d seen there before was gone. As she stepped closer to him, a gorgeous smile spread across her plump lips. Watching them silently interact with one another made me wonder if their rare meetings had a little more to do with personal matters than with business. Clearly there was a history between them.
“Don’t worry, Leah, I got them all labeled and they’re on the shelf. Thanks for the subtle hint by the way.”
“You always make me label the stuff I package up,” I said defensively. “It’s only fair you do the same.”
“That’s called being the boss, baby,” she said sarcastically. “I can do whatever I want to.”
When they finally touched I swear I saw sparks. The passion raging in his eyes wasn’t there because of some physical attraction. It was there because he loves her. When I looked into her eyes I knew she felt the same way about him. Their mutual feelings for one another were what drove their scents to such a high level. As the feelings grew so did the scents.
I finally understood my gift. Seeing Mom and David together put it all in perspective. The smells were not only a window into a person’s character, they were also a reflection of how they felt about the things going on around them and the people they interact with. Mom loves me, but that kind of love has never smelled this strong. Whatever she felt for him was different.
David took her hand gently, placed it in the crook of his arm and then put his other hand possessively on top of hers. Neither one could stop smiling. Maybe, she would finally let my dad go and try to move on with David. All she had to do was let him in.
“Are you ready?” he asked softly.
“Whenever you are,” she told him. He let her go long enough for her to give me a quick hug. “Leah, you remember what I told you. Don’t tell a soul,” she warned. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you too, Mom. I promise I’ll use my head.”
David held on tightly when she wound her arm back through his. She wouldn’t get away again. I couldn’t stop my own smile. Watching them was like watching a couple of teenagers.
“Listen to her, Leah,” David said firmly. “Tell no one who you are.”
And just like that they were gone. Leaving me stunned. David knew, too?
Over the next hour a few more customers came and went. Not surprisingly, nobody asked who I was and no monsters showed up either. Extreme paranoia on Mom’s part eventually came to mind. A few minutes after the last customer left, a car turned into the parking lot, radio blasting. Drew, thank goodness.
She’d been gone for over an hour. My stomach rumbling, I’d started to worry. The relief didn’t last long though, it wasn’t Drew. The car was too loud. Listening closer, I thought the vehicle sounded like an older car or truck of some kind. The sound of that motor a far cry from the soft hum of her little blue Ford Focus. Two strong heartbeats pumped furiously from inside the cab, one much faster than the other.
Seconds later a young couple walked in. The man’s clothes were dirty and stained with grease, as if he’d just gotten off of work. The uniform he was wearing was from same company our neighbor across the street worked for. Those guys usually work hard, twelve-hour shifts. What he was doing here was anybody’s guess.
Besides having a frustrated orange haze vibrating around him, his appearance screamed nasty. And not just physically. Something about the way he carried himself scared me. I didn’t even want to attempt to smell him. I might not like what I found under all the sweat and grime.
His black, beady eyes held the look of a predator waiting to pounce on its prey. His shaggy black hair hung limply from his head. It was greasy and unkempt. Something told me he wasn’t the type of guy who believed in daily showers. Though he was as stocky as he was tall, Drew could have met his gaze eye to eye. He stomped towards the counter in his heavy steel-toed work boots. The woman with him was content to wander around the store. After shooting her a glance that clearly said, stay out of my way he rapped his knuckles on the counter and looked me right in the eye. Minding the color around him, I decided to tread lightly. “Can I help you?” I asked smiling cheerfully.
“I – we are looking for someone,” he said gruffly. He leaned across the counter until we were about two feet apart. I could feel the intense heat radiating off his body. “The girl’s name escapes me, but I’ve been told her mother may run this store.”
“My boss has a daughter, but you’re not gonna find her here,” I said politely. Despite the fact that every last bit of air had gone out of me, I did my best to stay calm. “I think Mia said she lives in Houston. You’d have to ask her for sure though.”
He narrowed his eyes at me and leaned in a little further. I watched in confusion as his nostrils flared. Then it hit me. I couldn’t believe it, he actually sniffed me. After that I wanted so bad to tuck tail and run, but I didn’t. Instead I stayed calm and acted as if he wasn’t bothering me in the least. Satisfied with my scent-or lack thereof, I’m really not sure which, he backed off.
“Do you happen to know the young lady’s name?”
“I think its Katie or Kyla. Something silly like that. I’ve never met her.”
All of the sudden his eyes began to glow. He was angry and he didn’t care whether I knew it or not. A red, yellow and orange haze pulsated around him. That was a new one for me. Never before have I seen more than one color at a time hovering around a person. Panic stirred inside me.
“If you are lying to me, young lad
y, you will be very sorry,” he said, through tightly clenched teeth. I believed him. “I’ll ask again; what is the girl’s name and where can I find her? I know for a fact she lives close to her mother.”
“I honestly don’t know, sir. I just work here,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. Hopefully he’d buy my clueless act and disappear. “It’s possible she lives here, I guess. My boss doesn’t tell me everything. She pays me to work, not be nosy.”
Finally, his girlfriend came to my rescue. With one touch of her hand his anger lessened a little. Well, his eyes quit glowing, though that was probably because he was in a whole other frame of mind.
As I turned my attention toward her, I realized not everybody has enjoyed the same kind of life Drew and I have. The woman couldn’t have been any older than me, but she looked quite a bit older. Her stringy red hair looked as though it hadn’t been washed in days. Her small hazel eyes were dim, almost lifeless. Her skin, though fair and freckled, lacked the radiance I’ve seen in so many other redheads before. Good health was definitely not one of her priorities. Too much food and a little exercise would’ve ruined her skeleton-like figure.
“Come on JD. You’re scaring the poor girl,” she whispered in his ear. “It’s pretty clear she don’t know anything.” Her long, bony fingers made slow circles on his stout, barreled chest. She tore her eyes off him and smiled sweetly. “I’m sorry sugar, he just got off work. He’s just a little tired.”
“It’s alright,” I assured her. “If you want to leave your information, I can have Mia give you a call in the morning.”
“Oh, that won’t be necessary. We’ll just come back another time,” she said, tugging on JD’s arm. He wasn’t moving no matter how hard she pulled. He knew I was lying and he was damn well ready to prove it. “Come on babe, let’s get out of here. She’s already said she doesn’t know her.”
“This little bitch is lying,” he told her. His hard eyes stayed fixed on me. “He wants the girl now. We don’t have time to play games.”