by Tilty Edin
He lifted a forkful of strawberry and dipped it into the chocolate, then brought it to her lips. "How did the finals go?" he asked after she chewed.
She nodded. "Good," she said quickly. "Easier than I expected."
"You’re sharp," he said, taking a cake piece. "I always could tell.”
She smiled, but something in her eyes said something different.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I'm great,” she said. “Why?”
He gave her a skeptical look.
“It was just,” she said quietly. "Earlier. With my father and his apologies.”
"For what?"
"Well, he told me the doctor said he thinks my mother has dementia."
He nodded. “Don’t mind me saying this,” he said. “But maybe the time away from them might help clear your mind.”
She dipped a banana bit into the chocolate. “Maybe it’s best,” she agreed. “For now.”
"Tuck and Jean seem like good people though," he said, taking a sip of the chardonnay. "And there's nothing wrong with taking on the family business for a while. It doesn’t necessarily mean your parents have to be involved. It seems like they aren’t much anyway."
“They are good people, but to be honest,” she said. “Sometimes I wish the model agent would call me back. I’ve tried calling her twice already. No answer. And I won’t call anymore.”
He kissed her cheek. “That would be an exciting industry to get into,” he said. “I can certainly see you in it, Leanne.”
She smiled, taking a bite of cake. “This is so delicious,” she said. “I may not be able to model after tonight.”
He laughed. "You haven't even had dinner yet."
"Are you going to tell me what we're having?" she asked. "Or is that a special surprise too?"
He wiped a smirk. "You'll see."
She nudged him. "You know, I think it would be fun to help set up the shop if they can get the rental space.”
"If the business really gets going in town, I'm sure they'll make more than enough to pay employees a decent wage."
She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked.
"For mentioning it.”
He smirked. "I'm glad they’re happy about taking it," he said, twisting his fork and glancing to the fire. "It's going to need a lot of work though. Charlie Isn't the cleanest guy, and there's probably a reason why the price is so low, but I'll help you with whatever you need to fix it up."
"You mean it?" she asked.
He kissed her neck. "I'm always thinking about you Leanne," he whispered. "In a lot of things I do."
Her eyes flickered, falling back into the sofa as his body shadowed over top of hers. He glided his hand up her bare leg before lifting himself back up and reached for her trailing arm.
She stood with him, interlocking her eyes with his.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, twisted her around and leaned her back towards the floor without faltering.
She rubbed her hands at his sides, tickling him. He didn't laugh, but quickly retaliated, reaching over to grab and tickle her too. She laughed and dashed in front of the fire. "Can't get me," she said, and glanced at the mantle. “Is that your mom?” she asked, looking at the framed picture of the woman with curly blonde hair and the same wild green eyes he had.
“That’s her,” he said walking up to her slowly before grabbing and pulling her down to the floor, tickling her. She laughed so hard she almost lost her breath. Once he was done, he took a sigh of relief and turned his head towards the flames dancing in his eyes.
She watched the way he gazed. His smile slowly faded.
Noticing his blank stare, she lifted herself up towards him and took his hands.
She watched the reflecting flames in his eyes like wildfires. The words flowed from her mouth, effortlessly. "I love you," she said.
He looked at her, with a passion deep enough to fill the void clearly there.
He kissed her hand. “I love you too.”
23
12:35pm
Under cigarette ashes, bold black and white ink titled the word MISSING.
Tuck traced his callused finger towards the picture of a 23 year old woman with the name Nancy Tills captioning it.
Jean's voice called from the back door. "I thought you went to the store?"
"Not yet." Tuck mumbled. "Waiting for Leanne to get here." .
Jean shrugged and walked over to the counter he leaned against, eyeing the paper curiously.
"What is this?" she asked playfully, grabbing the paper from him and read one of the head stories in the Seattle Times.
Forensic team is just starting to look into the case of five young women missing around the same time frame; the latest missing is 23 year old Nancy Tills, who was last seen at a downtown Seattle bar she regularly attended too. Claims say she left with a white man about 6 foot, athletic build. If anyone has any information, please call the police who are urgently looking for dates and times.
She sighed, handing it back to him. “Why don’t I miss city life again?”
The bells on the door jingled. The two peaked over to see Leanne in worn shorts and a t shirt.
"Hey darlin'!" Jean called. "I just needed someone to help me water. That sun is bright today."
Leanne wiped sweat from forehead. She walked past the counter over to them. "Too bright," she agreed.
“I better tell you the news, Lee,” Tuck said. “Our closest neighbors 14 year old son said he really needs a job around the area. You'll like him. He's a good kid."
"He's in school right now,” Jean chimed in. “But he'll be out for the summer this coming Tuesday. He’ll help while you’re on vacation."
Leanne nodded. "Great!"
"Oh and please thank Tod again," Tuck mentioned. "We got a call from his boss, Charlie. He said he’s for sure in about the offer. The guy who wanted it first just isn't complying.”
Leanne grinned, "That’s great news.”
"Well, let's make sure those products don't shrivel up on us," Jean mentioned. “We’ll be needing them for the shop.”
Out in the gardens under the beating hot sun, Leanne and Jean watered with hoses. They couldn't stop talking about the new shop and all the possibilities on how could see the family name painted on a nice little sign, flowers of all kinds blooming from out and inside of the shop. people could coming and going buying or just admiring them.
"I really am just peachy about all this Leanne," Jean beamed, hosing some rose bushes beside her. “Really, I think this rental space a good idea.”
“Makes me even more glad I met Tod,” Leanne said.
"Aren’t you two going on a trip?" Jean asked, hand on one curved hip. "It’s tomorrow, isn't it?"
"The California coast,” she replied.
“Well what a lucky gal. And going with such a handsome fella, besides.”
"Jean, I think I really found Mr. Right.”
"Brag all you want sweetie," Jean laughed. "You have every right to. For all you know, you two could be soul mates."
Leanne laughed. “Like souls from past lives?” she asked.
"However it works," Jean smirked. "
"I didn't know you believed it that."
Jean wiped sweat off her forehead. "No. Not really,” she said. “I think when you're dead, you're dead."
"Thought you'd say that."
Jean scratched her head. "Well, now that I think about it,” she admitted. “I did once believed in something like that in high school." Her bouncy voice grew smooth. "I swear I was going to marry that boy. Shy, handsome. Had these sweet brown eyes. He promised me marriage after the war. And wrote me a letter everyday that boy did before a bullet took his life." She paused. “He had these eyes. I swear, I always knew. Outworldly kinda thing, really. Could make you believe there is such a thing. If so, I bet most people don't get to experience it. It’s like your uncle Tuck I suppose. I love him. He's a great man. I don't know what I would e
ver do without him, but let's get real here. I know I'll never be looked at like the way he looked at your Aunt Sophia."
Leanne lowered her eyes to the tone in Jean’s voice, unsure of sure what to say. Or if she should say anything at all.
Jean lifted her shoulders. “And I suppose all loves are never meant to be the same,” she said with a half smile.
Leanne stretched her back. "Suppose not," Leanne said.
Jean looked out to the mountains. "I know why he kept that land we didn’t need at the time and grew that sage field," she said, gently as she could. "And it wasn't because he had money to spare or was just plain bored.”
"No," Leanne said. "But it is beautiful out there."
“People come and go. Always remember that Leanne," Jean said. "Unfortunately, even the people we feel we were destined to be with all our lives. Life can take them away from us in a heartbeat for no reason at all."
Leanne looked towards the sage field.
"I don't know about Tod, but I'm very glad he makes you happy," Jean said. "And if you feel your soul being fulfilled around him, I couldn't tell you how lucky you are. Keep him, and God be damned. Cherish every moment you can."
24
11:10am
Tod’s hot back leaned up against his car in the parking lot under the sweltering sun, hands deep in his pockets. He was tempted to take out a cigarette, but he was too focused on the main apartment doors. The man he was when she was around him was nowhere near the same man he was when he was without her.
When he saw her, every aching bone in his body in soul, every brutal memory, and every violent part of him vanished.
She wore a pale yellow sundress with quite a few bags in her hands he tried to help her with, but she dropped them all and embraced him so tightly he almost felt the breath being taken right out of his lungs.
He wrapped his arms around her and they stood there holding each other, their hearts beating as one.
He whispered to her between soft lingering kisses. "You're going to have a good time," he said. "I promise."
25
3:40pm
The sunset motel in Monica Point, California had cracked walls and moss growing in the gutters, but it was nicely secluded for the most part, and sat on a sandy hill with patches of green above the ocean it overlooked.
They were surprised the place didn't appear to be packed despite its run down look the hotel had a great location. At the check in desk there was only one older woman working, chain smoking and watching M*A*S*H on a small T.V.
"Hello," Tod greeted her. "Reservation for Sandler's boating."
The desk attendant turned from the T.V, put on a pair of big magnifing glasses and took out a clipboard. She overlooked the sheet and pulled open a drawer. “ID please,” she asked.
Tod fished through his wallet and handed her the correct ID card.
She pulled out keys from the drawer and handed them to Tod. "271," she said.
Back outside in the dry heat and warm gentle breeze, Tod parked the car and opened the trunk, pulling out the bags.
He wiped a bit of sweat from his face. "I hope it’s not too shabby," he said.
Leanne grazed her back against his arm, "Just look at the view,” she pointed out. “We're right by the ocean. Who could complain?"
He smirked. “You’re a lot lower maintenice than I thought,” he teased.
She playfully pushed him.
"As long as you're happy with the view," he said. "The only one I'm interested in's right in front of me."
Her dark hair whisked around her chest and sun kissed face. "Let’s go see our room," she insisted, picking up her baggage. “Shall we?"
Their room was on the second floor, tucked behind a black balcony fence. The one with a door made of thick metal, sticky and greased over with chipped green paint. Tod unlocked it to a musty faint smell of old cigarette smoke against a heavy cleaning agent. A cracked mirror hung loosely on the wall next to a black and white painting of the ocean. The walls appeared to be once white, but stained a golden yellow, and the floor, worn berber. The bed looked no more promising, but it would have to do. In fact, Tod thought there was something almost authentic about the run down place.
They abandoned their bags against the wall and listened to the silence, strong enough to hear the dust floating in the sunlight settling on the ground.
Tod's back, sore from the long drive, leaned towards the bed. Leanne sprawled out beside him. He eyed her intensely, straying towards her until his waist met hers. His lips lowered to her collarbone where they stayed for a while before he pushed her further onto her bed and took a tight grip of her hands.
She bit her lip in anticipation, hard enough to tear the skin. A small stream of blood trickled down her chin, past her neck and to the bed.
Tod moved his grazing lips from her shoulders and pressed them against the blood.
She winced as he held on tighter to her wrists until she couldn’t move. His heavy body had her trapped her completely.
She looked up at him and parted her lips, breathing heavily. He couldn't tell exactly what she was feeling, if it was pleasure or fear, or a genuine mix of both. He wouldn't know for sure until she lifted her lower body closer to his hardness.
He pulled off his pants in seconds and shoved himself in.
She turned over on her side. Her eyes wide and distraught.
He felt a part of himself go wild. It was not good. Not good at all. He retreated and touched her arm gently. She flinched.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered.
He rubbed his face nervously with his hands.
She lifted herself up, curling her legs toward her body, wincing in pain.
He had to think quick. He moved over to the edge of the bed, pressing his swollen eyes. "I'm sorry," he said.
She shook her head.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I've never felt you like that."
He lit a cigarette.
She took a deep breath and got up. "I'm sorry, but, I think I need to go for a walk.”
26
6:35pm
A big scrape marked Leanne's knee down to her ankle from climbing down big boulders spread down the steep hill that lead to the beach. She wiped the bit of blood away and continued down towards the sandy bottom.
Seagulls cried, gliding freely the sky. The salty breeze felt warm and soft against her skin as she walked along the water line, cool beneath her feet. She picked up a pebble and skipped it across the water. She wasn't very good at it, but it helped with trying to keep her mind steady.
It wasn't the pain that drove her a little mad. Not the way he cut off circulation from her wrists, the way he held her down, or even the way he licked off her own blood. It was his air in the look he gave her. The sudden look that he was no longer the Tod she knew. As if that mysteriousness about him was suddenly making itself known.
And now she was alone with that, miles away from home, and to make it all worse, she couldn't find it in her to do much about it except take a little walk and hope to forget it ever happened.
A female voice called from down the beach. "Hey!"
She turned to see a tall woman with long sandy blonde hair. Her smile had an adventurous feel. "Out here all by your lonesome?" she asked, tying up her hair.
Leanne picked up another rock. “Not exactly,” she said.
"Oh. A honeymoon?”
She looked at her peculiarly and smiled. “Just a vacation.”
The woman laughed, exhaling the dope on her breath. "Come on, you can tell me."
"I'm with my boyfriend."
The woman reached out her hand. "I'm Clara," she introduced.
"Leanne."
"I'm here with my fiancé,” Clara said. “He's around here somewhere. We were actually going to camp out on the beach down here if you want to join us with your lover. We do it all the time. Almost every summer."
Leanne pulled her blowing hair back. “Nifty," she said. “Sounds like a lot of fun.”
"Where is he, anyway?" she asked. "Your boyfriend?"
Leanne picked up a rock and threw it in the waves. "Back at the hotel," she said.
“Mad at him or something?"
“We just started dating, that's all," Leanne said. "You know how it is."
Clara laughed. "Hun, if you just started dating, it only gets worse," she said. "Trust me. My fiancé is a blast though. At least he makes things fun." She squint her eyes, looking off to the distance at a man climbing down the rocks. "Hey, that him?"
Leanne looked back to see Tod in this distance. She folded her arms. He was probably on his way to apologize. "Yeah,” she said. “That's him."
"Don't look so thrilled," Clara teased.
Her heart thumped. "I try not to be," she said.
Clara picked up a small rock by Leanne's feet and skipped it perfectly along the water.
"You live around here?" Leanne asked.
"Portland, mainly" Clara said. "But we come down here for the summers sometimes. We're travelers of the west coast you could say. I don't know if we'll ever settle."
“Sounds like an exciting life.”
"It has its moments," Clara admitted. “We love camping out on the beach. As I said, you can join us, with or without your boyfriend. We'll scare him off too, if he comes after you."
By then Tod was walking along the shore about 10 feet away.
Clara eyed him suspiciously. "Are you being a bad boyfriend?" she asked loud and clear above the waves.
Tod scratched his head. "Trying not be be," he said with a small smile. “Hopefuly I’ll be good again.”
"I’m Clara. I just invited Leanne to a bonfire on the beach tonight."
"Groovy," he said. "I take it I'm not invited?"
Leanne smirked. "Only if I allow it," she said.
Once he got to them, he suavely wrapped an arm around her. "Fine.”
"You guys seem over it already if you ask me," Clara mentioned. "Anyways, I'm going to head back and find Freddie. Please come down tonight. You're more than welcome to join."