When the Dead Come a Knockin'

by B. L. Brunnemer

  “Did you get it?”

  “Yes, thank you,” I said in my sweet voice. “Did Zeke really want me to skip shopping?”

  “Not that I heard.” Asher sounded certain. I grinned.

  “Can you hand the phone to him, please?” I asked still using my sweet voice.

  “You got it.” Asher was talking away from the phone as the phone switched hands.

  “What?” Zeke’s gravelly voice shot through the speaker.

  “Did you tell Isaac to tell me to skip shopping to get food for you guys?” I didn’t bother with my sweet voice, it never worked on Zeke anyway.

  “No, I fucking didn’t,” Zeke growled. His voice sounded further away. “You told Lexie that I said to skip getting clothes? You fuck shit.” I snickered. Isaac was in deep shit now. Zeke’s voice came back, and it was his nice tone that he used with me every once in a while. “I’ll take care of this, Lexie.”

  “Thank you, Zeke.”

  “No problem, go do that girly shit.” He ordered. I heard Isaac yelling he was sorry in the background, begging me not to let Zeke handle it.

  “No killing, no maiming.” I reminded him.

  “Fine, take all my fun away.” He grunted back. I snorted as he hung up. I put the phone in my pocket. Dylan pulled me to his side, hugging me.

  “Oh, that just made my week.” Dylan kissed my temple still laughing.

  “Why is it Zeke’s fault you have to go shopping?” Jake asked an eyebrow raised. I sighed.

  “I have a rare seizure disorder, Zeke got on my ass about my diet.” I lifted the shoulder of my shirt to show how big it was now. “With all my hobbies, I lost too much weight, and now my clothes don’t fit,” I said absently as I checked the time. Shit. I was going to be late.

  “I’ve got to go.” I went on my toes and kissed Dylan’s cheek then headed for the door.

  “Drive safe,” Dylan called to me. I turned and answered while I walked backward.

  “No, I’m going to drive dangerously and against traffic.” I shot back with my shit-eating grin.

  “There’s my smart ass,” Dylan said smiling. I winked at him before turning around to open the door. I waved at Dylan’s friends.

  “Nice meeting you guys.” Then I was out the door. Before the door closed, I heard one of the guys ask for my phone number. I snorted as I hurried to my Blazer. I needed to get shopping done fast. In the end, I ended up having more fun than I thought I would, without Rory I didn’t feel so awkward. He gave me a limit, and I stuck way below that. Besides, I was planning on gaining some weight back, so I didn’t buy much. By the time, I was done I didn’t have time to go home, I was supposed to meet the guys at Miles’ house. And I really wanted a good soak. I was climbing into my Blazer when I texted the guys asking if they still wanted me to pick up burgers. They sent their orders. They still hadn’t gone out for food, the lazy shits.

  I was soaking in the jacuzzi tub at Miles’ house, enjoying my girly time. The guys had already started a game when I showed up with the burgers from the Frosty Freeze in town. I had eaten fast so I could have time in the tub. This tub was magic. I enjoyed the water jets between my shoulder blades the most, the ones for my feet weren’t bad either. Though the hot water to my neck was always a huge bonus. There I was soaking when my phone rang. I picked it up off the side of the tub and smiled. It was Dylan. I shut off the jets then answered it.

  “Hey you, aren’t you supposed to still be at work?”

  “I’m still here.” His husky voice groused. “I’m trying to teach these idiots how to do everything as fast as possible. It’s not going great.” He sighed. “I needed to hear a voice of reason to tell me not to kill them.” I burst out laughing.

  “And… and... you called me?” I managed through the laughing. Dylan started chuckling too. When we both calmed down, he answered.

  “Okay, maybe I needed a reminder why I shouldn’t kill them.” I smiled as warmth filled my chest.

  “Because if you kill them, you won’t get to see me much.” I reminded him. Dylan groaned.

  “You’re right, no killing tonight. A beating?”

  “No beating anyone up.” I countered. He chuckled.

  “Fine. I’ll just... repeat myself till I’m insane.” He grumbled. Poor guy. “How’s the game going? Is Miles cleaning up?” I snickered.

  “Yeah, I think so.” Before he could ask, I changed the subject. “So, did your friends think I was nuts?” Dylan snorted.

  “Nuts? No. You... left an impression.” The way he said it made me want to know more.

  “And that impression was?” I asked. He chuckled the eagerness in my voice.

  “A couple of them instantly liked you, one of them called dibs on your phone number if we break up, and one of them thinks you’re a bit scary.” I burst out laughing.

  “I’m like half everyone’s size.” I pointed out. He chuckled.

  “That’s why it’s funny as hell.” I could hear the smile in Dylan’s voice. There was another voice in the background. “Hold on a sec, Sunshine.” I heard that other voice talking. “Yeah, I’m talking to her.” The other voice was talking again. “I’m not giving her your number Thomas, fuck off and go stock shit.” I burst out laughing, I was going to have to keep an eye on Thomas when I hung out with Dylan’s friends. “I’m back.”

  “Thomas is badgering you, huh?” I couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

  “Yeah, the shit,” Dylan grumbled. “If he asks for your number again I’m going to clock him.”

  “Nah, let me do it.” He chuckled.

  “No, he’d probably love it.” Dylan sounded serious. I snorted. “Is something wrong with your phone, babe? I keep hearing an echo.” I bit the corner of my lower lip as I heard him tell someone else how to restock the nails. I shouldn’t tell him, he was surrounded by his friends. But my twisted side was saying, he’s surrounded by his friends, torture him a little. Yeah, my twisted side usually won.

  “Remember that first text I sent you on game day?” I asked sweetly. There was silence for a few heartbeats. I heard someone else talking next to him.

  “Yeah. I remember.” His voice was careful, and a little rougher. I had to stop myself from giggling wickedly.

  “You kind of caught me soaking in the tub again,” I admitted smiling.

  “Lexie…” His voice sounded pained. “Damn it…” I snickered. “You’re...” There was another voice in the background. “No… I’ll... just.... hang on guys.” I started chuckling silently. “You don’t need to fucking know why my face is red, Derrick.” I burst out laughing not even hiding it now. “Yeah, laugh it up Sunshine.” I heard voices asking questions.

  “Lexie! What did you say to him?” Jake shouted from the background. I couldn’t stop laughing.

  “None of your fucking business!” Dylan shot at the guys. I heard hoots and hollers coming from the guys. I just kept laughing.

  “Keep laughing Lexie, and I’ll tell them why I’m red.” He threatened. My laughing didn’t stop. He was so bluffing.

  “Go ahead, tell your friends that your girlfriend is in the tub on the phone. I dare ya.” I snickered back to him. “I’m sure Thomas will love it.” He growled in my ear sending me off on another round of laughing.

  “Don’t tempt me.” He grumbled. I couldn’t stop smiling. I kept hearing other voices in the background. “I’m not telling you guys shit. Fuck off.” I burst out laughing again. The sound of voices was getting quieter. He must be walking away. “You know what I’m going to ask Sunshine.”

  “No bubbles,” I answered, I just embarrassed him in front of his friends I could give him that. “But there are these water jets that are cool, it’s like my own private hot tub.”

  “Lexie....” He groaned.

  “Well, if you hear an echo don’t ask.” I pointed out. He snickered.

  “Now at even a hint of an echo, I’m asking.” He assured me. I chuckled.

  “Then you can’t blame me for telling the truth.” I countered
. He growled.

  “Okay, I need to focus on something other than my naked girlfriend, in the tub, on the phone with me.” He grumbled. There was silence for a few heartbeats. “Fuck, I’m drawing a blank here.” I burst out laughing again. “Wait. Schedules. I need to see when I have days off coming up.”

  “Sounds like a good diversion.” I waited a couple beats. “Or we could just get off the phone and talk later tonight.”

  “Nope, I wanna talk now.” He said adamantly.

  “So, you don’t want to talk later?” I teased him.

  “Yeah, I want to talk later, but I really want to talk now too.” I burst out laughing again when I calmed down I answered him.

  “Okay.” I decided to give him a break. He grumbled under his breath. “What’s wrong?” He sighed.

  “I’m trying to remember what we talked about last night, but I just keep thinking about you in the tub.” I snickered.

  “We both agreed to get our shit done in the morning on the weekends, and to keep Friday night open too,” I said patiently, me being in the tub messed with him more than I thought it would.

  “And, I’d take shifts during the week, it’s coming back.” He chuckled as I heard typing.

  “What are you doing?” I asked suspiciously.

  “I’m scheduling my shifts for the next couple months before anyone else can.” He admitted. I snorted.

  “You sneaky bastard.”

  “You know it.”

  “How about that science project of yours?” I reminded him. I didn’t really understand what it was, except that it was for a scholarship. Dylan tried to explain it to me once, but there was so much technical jargon that I couldn’t follow.

  “I’ll check on it tomorrow morning, it doesn’t really need anything else right now.” His voice was warm and soft sending those shivers down my spine. “I’m making sure I have a lot more time now-” There was the sound of a crash in the background. He groaned. “That is if my friends don’t destroy the store first.” I chuckled. “I have to go Sunshine.”

  “Alright, I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Before you go…. hair, up or down?” His voice sounded like he was smiling. I rolled my eyes smiling.

  “Up.” He groaned.

  “Thanks, babe.”

  “Bye.” I hung up the phone smiling. I finished up my bath and dried off. I pulled on my now too big jeans, my grommet belt, a black long sleeved shirt and my usual boots. The guys were cleaning up the board game when I came in humming a song stuck in my head.

  “Red, there’s ice cream in the kitchen for sundaes,” Isaac told me before taking a bite out of his bowl.

  “Hell yeah, now that’s what I’m talking about,” I said in my happy voice, Zeke grinned as I headed for the kitchen. That song was really in my head now, I was singing quietly as I pulled down a bowl. I was signing the chorus when I opened the fridge and found three different kinds of ice cream. I grabbed the chocolate and strawberry. I wasn’t paying attention as I kept singing, I scooped up my ice cream, adding some whip cream on top. I hit the chorus again as I was putting away the ice cream. When I shut the door, Ethan was just there. I jumped. “Make some noise Snoopy!” I shouted as my heart rate started to come back to normal. Ethan had a big grin on his face.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you can sing?” He asked suspiciously. I snorted at him as I went back to pick up my ice cream.

  “Everyone can sing, not everyone can do it well.” I pointed out before taking a bite of sugary deliciousness. Ethan’s grin turned into a smile.

  “But you can.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Not really.” I countered before heading toward the living room. There was hurrying footsteps, then my ice cream was out of my hand. “Snoopy! Give me back my ice cream.” Ethan stepped back from me his mischievous smile on his face.

  “Sing one song for me, and I’ll give it back.”

  “Asher! Ethan took my ice cream!” I shouted looking for back up. I couldn’t hurt Ethan, not with his back the way it was. Ethan shot me a smug look. Asher walked into the hallway.

  “Give her back her ice cream,” Asher told him plainly. Ethan held up a finger.

  “I will if she sings one song for me, you’ve heard her voice,” Ethan said seriously. “You know she’s good.” I scoffed at him. The guy was nuts. Asher looked over at me, a small smile on his face.

  “You are good.” Asher betrayed me. I glared at him. Asher gave me a big smile. “It’s not going to kill you, Ally.” I sighed. I didn’t think I sounded that great, fuck it, I’d do it for my ice cream. And it might be fun. I shot a look at a beaming Ethan.

  “Fine, but I’m not singing in front of everyone,” I grumbled.

  “We’ll use the music room,” Ethan said smugly before he turned and headed down the hallway. There was a music room? I grumbled as I followed. Asher went back into the living room, not that he wouldn’t hear me anyway. Ethan led me to the doors across from the dining room.

  The room was practically lined with books, making it look more like a library than a music room. Only instead of comfy chairs, there was a piano, a guitar, cello and a violin case. Miles didn’t play an instrument. Did he? Ethan set the bowl on top of the piano and picked up an acoustic guitar. “Take the piano bench, Beautiful,” I grumbled the whole time I walked across the room. Ethan pulled up a stool and got situated. He checked the tuning on the acoustic guitar before looking back at me. “You were singing I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin, right?” I eyed him.

  “Yes.” Ethan’s eyes were lit up, and his smile was killer. Don’t let him sucker you, Lexie.

  “My band just happens to know that one. So…” He strummed the first notes. “Show me what you got.” He challenged. I narrowed my eyes at him. Oh, it was on. I watched as he started playing. When Ethan played, it was all I could focus on. Then I started singing the way the song always sounded to me. It wasn’t the same as the bands, after all, I’m a girl. But I sang the best I could. I wasn’t nervous or worried I was off key. I just sang, my eyes on Ethan’s hands playing the guitar. Then the song was over, and all the nerves came back. I sounded awful, I was probably off key the whole song, and I probably fucked up the lyrics too.

  “Okay, there happy?” I mumbled looking at the piano. I grabbed my ice cream and took a big bite.

  “Very, Lexie, you can sing.” Ethan’s voice sounded impressed. I looked at him like he was nuts.

  “Everyone can sing-”

  “Lexie, you sing great. Did you ever have any voice lessons?” He asked, resting his arm on the guitar. I snorted.

  “I was lucky to get a cupcake on my birthday, Snoopy,” I said matter-of-factly before taking a bite of ice cream. He was quiet for a couple heartbeats.

  “So, no one ever taught you how to stay in key? Or to read music?” He sounded like he didn’t believe me. I looked at him and shook my head. I swallowed my ice cream.

  “That bad, huh?” I asked mostly joking. His eyes went wide.

  “No, that good. You were in key the whole time.” He began, his eyes narrowed on me. “How do you know what key to stay in?”

  “I sing it the way it sounds to me.” I shrugged. I didn’t understand what he was getting so excited over. I took another bite of my ice cream. Ethan did something with his phone and set it down.

  “Sing one song with me, Beautiful,” Ethan asked, I looked at him like he was nuts. “Please, I’ll smuggle you some of Asher’s cookies tomorrow.” Okay, Ethan knew how to bribe me.

  “What song?” I asked resigned.

  “Do you know Broken by Seether?” I nodded. “My band has been practicing that for a few weeks.”

  “It’s a duet, Ethan.” I reminded him, he smirked at me.

  “I’ll take the guys part. Do you remember it that well?” He asked, his eyes running over my face. I narrowed my eyes at him.

  “Yeah, I do,” I admitted reluctantly.

  “Then it won’t be a problem.” He started strumming. Then he sang his part. H
is smoky voice rolled over my ears and down my spine. Again, I forgot about feeling nervous, I forgot about thinking I was going to suck. When it was time to join in, I did. Again, I sang the song the way it always sounded to me. I didn’t know if I was off key, or what but right now with Ethan I didn’t care. Ethan didn’t correct me, he just kept playing. Then he was joining in again. Then we sang together till the end. He was smiling at me as he finished the last notes. “Lexie, that was fucking awesome.” He met my eyes. “I need to borrow you.” I went still.

  “What?”

  “My band has been looking for a girl who has a voice that works with that song for the last few weeks.” Ethan began. I raised both my eyebrows. “It’s why we haven’t performed that song. I need you to sing this song with my band this Saturday.” My heart clenched.

  “Oh hell no,” I said emphatically as I picked up my ice cream and headed for the door.

  “Lexie, please.”

  “No, nope, nada, no way,” I told him on my way out the door and into the hall. “Get your girlfriend to do it!” Ethan footsteps were hurrying to catch up.

  “She doesn’t have the kind of voice we need, and she can’t hit the notes you can.” Ethan stepped up to my side as I headed down the hallway. “Lexie, this would help us so much.”

  “I don’t sing Ethan.” I pointed out.

  “You do, and you’re damn good at it. And with practice, you can be fucking amazing.” He countered as we stepped into the living room. The guys all looked up as I ignored Ethan. I sat down next to Isaac and focused on eating my ice cream. “Asher, you heard her, right?” Ethan asked animatedly. I ignored them.

  “Of course, I did,” Asher answered like it was obvious.

  “Then tell her how she sounded.” Ethan pleaded. I glared at Ethan. Asher looked over at me grinning.

  “You did sound pretty great,” Asher admitted. I glared at Asher.

  “What’s going on?” Isaac asked leaning back on the couch. My mouth was full, so I couldn’t stop Ethan.

  “I need Lexie to sing with us at Vegabond this weekend,” Ethan announced. I snorted and kept looking at my bowl.

  “That’s extremely short notice, Ethan.” Miles pointed out.