by Naomi Niles
“Hi, buddy,” I said, leaning in and patting his head. “Sorry to wake you up, but we’re here. We’re in Fort Collins…at last.”
Apollo blinked his sleepy eyes at me. “I know,” I nodded. “It’s really late, but the drive took longer than I expected. I’m going to have to call the landlord now.”
After I replenished my nearly empty gas tank, I got some cold sandwiches from the twenty-four-hour deli store that adjoined the gas station and dialed the number for Mr. Wilkins and prayed that he was still awake.
“Hello?” The voice on the other end was groggy with sleep.
“Mr. Wilkins,” I said apologetically. “I’m Madison Wright. We spoke on the phone yesterday.”
“Ah, yes, yes…”
“I’m so sorry for calling so late, Mr. Wilkins, but I just got into town,” I said. “And, I’m sort of stranded in my car without the keys to the house.”
“Right,” he replied. “I’ll send you a location for the house and I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes.”
“Great. Thanks so much, Mr. Wilkins,” I said emphatically.
“Don’t mention it,” he replied good-naturedly. “And please, call me Andy.”
I hung up and started driving the moment I received the location. Ten minutes later, I drove down a long stretch of road that led to an old-fashioned house with a huge bunch of lumber sitting right outside. For a moment, I didn’t recognize it, and then I realized why: I was parked outside the wrong one. I drove up a little further and the house that I was renting was right next-door; it was much smaller and it had the air of neglect about it.
The front door itself looked like a safety hazard waiting to happen. It was obviously old – there was rust forming at the sides and it looked positively sinister in the darkness. “Well, what did you expect?” I asked, looking down around at Polo. “This is the only thing I can afford on my budget. Don’t worry, it’ll be better on the inside.”
I parked and let Apollo out of the passenger seat. Together, we walked up to the house. “This is it, Polo,” I whispered. “This is our new home. What do you think?”
Apollo butted his head against my legs, and I smiled down at him. “I think we’ll be happy here, too. It’s no mansion, but it’ll do just fine. No one knows us here, so at least we’ll be safe.”
A few seconds later, light hit the gravel path and I heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. A little blue Chevy pulled up right behind my SUV and a middle-aged man with graying hair and dark eyes got out.
“I’m so sorry for getting you out of bed at this time,” I said, as he approached me.
He smiled. “Oh, I don’t mind,” he said.
“You’re very kind,” I said. “I’d probably be annoyed if someone woke me up in the middle of the night.”
“Some things can’t be helped,” Andy said. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to arrive so late.”
“True,” I nodded.
“You have a dog,” he said, bending down to pet Apollo. “He’s a shy one, isn’t he?” Apollo was hiding out behind my legs, trying to avoid being touched, but Andy was persistent. He had didn’t quit until he’d managed to stroke the top of Apollo’s head. “What’s his name?”
“Apollo,” I replied. “But I like to call him Polo for short.”
“Nice name,” Andy said appreciatively as he opened the front door for me and gestured me through.
He turned on the lights and I blinked, adjusting to the burst of color. The house was small and bare. There was no furniture, but at least there was electricity and a little security.
It took me a only minute to cover the entire space. The main room served as the living room; there was a bedroom with an adjoining bathroom and a small kitchen with running water. I had been right about one thing: it was a lot better on the inside than it was on the outside.
“You’ve cleaned in here recently,” I pointed out.
“Kind of you to notice,” Andy smiled. “I came over this… I mean yesterday morning and did a few repairs around the house in anticipation of your arrival.”
“You did it all by yourself?”
“Oh, I had some help,” I said. “I lived in this house for over twenty-five years and got to know the neighbors pretty well.”
“The house next door?”
He nodded. “One of the boys came over to help me. I’m sure you’ll meet him one of these days. He’s a good neighbor to have.”
“Good to know,” I smiled, as I circled the small living room again. Apollo trotted along behind me, as though he were scared to be alone in this new space. Andy kept trying to make friends with him, but Polo would have none of it. He just kept cringing away and running to take cover behind me.
“Don’t mind him,” I said. “He can be a little skittish at times.”
“I always wanted a dog,” Andy sighed.
“You never got one?”
“Well, I live alone and I work all day,” he said. “It never seemed like the best idea. Maybe one day I will.” He made another attempt to make friends with Polo, but again, no luck. “Do you need help with your things?”
“My things?” I repeated.
“Don’t you have furniture?”
“Oh,” I said. “Actually, I don’t.”
“You don’t?” he repeated. “But I mentioned that the house was bare.”
“You did mention that,” I nodded. “And it doesn’t matter. I plan on buying new furniture soon anyway.”
“But tonight…”
“I’ll make do,” I assured him. “I was always pretty good at roughing it.”
“If you’d only told me, I could have brought you a blanket, maybe even some pillows.”
“That’s so sweet of you, but really, I’m fine,” I told him. “I really am. Thank you, though.”
Andy looked around the living room as though he hated to leave me alone without any amenities. He had a completely ordinary, completely forgettable face, but his kindness shone through despite that and made him seem much more attractive than he really was.
I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about me,” I said. “I’m tougher than I look.”
He smiled. “Oh, I have no doubt,” he said, as he moved towards the door. “If you need anything, let me know.”
“Actually, I do have a question for you.”
“Shoot.”
“I’d like to start working as soon as I can, and I was wondering if you knew any vacancies that you think might be suitable?”
Andy cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment. “Anything particular you’re looking for?”
“Well, I’m uniquely qualified for hair dressing,” I said. “I worked part time in a hair salon for four years. But I’m happy to do anything – waitressing, desk work, cleaning…anything really.”
“Hmm… You know what, there’s actually a new hair salon that opened up in town recently,” Andy said. “I’m sure they’re still looking for people. You could try there.”
“I will, thanks,” I nodded. “Do you happen to know the name of the salon?”
Andy smiled. “Umm…I think it was a girl’s name,” he said. “The same name as that famous female singer with the powerhouse voice.”
“Umm, Celine?” I ventured.
“I don’t think so…”
“Mariah?” I guessed. “Adele?”
“The one that died.”
“Whitney!”
“That’s the one!” Andy said enthusiastically. “Whitney’s Beauty Salon, or something like that.”
“Great,” I nodded. “Thank you, Andy. It was a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.” He smiled and bowed his head to me in an old-fashioned gesture.
I walked out with him and waved him off. The moment his vehicle had disappeared from sight, I went over to my SUV and pulled out the sleeping bag and the small, second-hand suitcase I had stuffed with all my things. I dragged them both inside with Polo following
at my heels.
I walked into the bedroom and unrolled the sleeping bag out into a cozy corner that faced away from the window. Then, I dipped into my suitcase and pulled out the blanket that I’d had the foresight to pack and turned to my makeshift bed. I stopped short as I saw Polo spread out on it, with his hind legs thrown into the air.
I shook my head at him. “You little rascal,” I laughed. “That’s my bed, too.”
I gently pushed him aside so that I could spread the blanket out on top of the sleeping bag. I changed into my pajamas and got into the sleeping bag as Polo cozied up to my side.
I connected to the Internet with the adapter I’d bought that morning and typed in Whitney’s Beauty Salon. I searched for one that was based in Fort Collins and then clicked on the link.
“Yes!” I said triumphantly. “They are hiring. Did you hear that, Polo? This job could be perfect for me.”
He looked up at me as though he were excited, too. “I actually did it,” I sighed. “I can’t believe I actually left him. I didn’t think I had it in me.”
Polo butted his nose against my leg and I felt a sense of relief fill me up. It was so overwhelming that I forgot for a moment to be scared and uncertain. Yes, I was on my own here and yes; I had probably left behind a shit storm that would at some point catch up to me.
But for now, I didn’t let myself think about that. I wanted to enjoy this feeling. I wanted to savor it – especially considering I didn’t know how long it would last.
I leaned in and kissed Polo on the top of his chocolate-brown head. “I’m going to do this, Polo. I’m going to get that job tomorrow. I’m going to save up and make this house a home. And when things settle down, I’m going to finish up those classes and graduate. I’m going to do better for myself than my parents did. I’m going to do better for myself than my brother. And you know why?”
Polo looked at me questioningly.
“Because I’m going to start making good choices,” I said confidently. “I’m going to get my act together and stop being so afraid. I’m going to pull myself out of this hole, and I’m going to make something of myself. Just you watch!”
My little speech was cut short at the sound of my cell phone going off next to me. I reached for it and stared at the name on the screen. It was Kameron.
I froze in place, staring at the name and all the feelings it conjured up for me. All I could do was stare. When the ringing finally stopped, I realized I’d been holding my breath the whole time.
Five seconds passed and then the ringing started again. I looked at Polo and he looked back at me with confusion and concern. I bit my lip and cut the line. My heart was beating fast and breathing didn’t seem to help. A moment later, there was a little beep that alerted me to the fact that I’d just received a text message.
“It’s him, Polo,” I whispered. “Should I just delete it?”
In the end, I had to open it.
“Okay,” he had written. “I warned you not to leave me. I was clear. But you didn’t listen. But don’t worry, my darling. I’m going to find you. And, when I do…I’m going to make you suffer.”
And just like that, the fear was back.
Chapter Five
Peter
“Come on, Pete!” John’s voice was unnecessarily loud. “Get your lazy ass out of bed!”
I sat up and groaned. The door opened and John stuck his head in. “You up yet?”
“Barely,” I complained. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“I took a day off.”
“You took a day off?” I asked incredulously.
“That’s what I said,” he nodded. “I thought I’d stay here today and help you start on the new addition.”
“Oh,” I said in surprise. “Okay…”
“Are you always this slow in the morning?” John he.
“I really need to get a lock on that door,” I sighed, as I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
I leaned against the sink for a moment and studied the bullet wound on my side. It had healed well, but I would always have the mark. I ran my fingers around the scar as my thoughts travelled to that night at the carnival. Talen and I had been talking when Maddow and his gang had shown up.
I had seen the fever in his eyes. Maddow was bored and looking for a fight. I had just presented him with the perfect opportunity. He had approached us, his moronic gang following suit. The moments surrounding the gunshot were steeped in confusion for me, but there were a few small things that stood out in my mind.
I knew that it was one of Maddow’s henchmen who had fired the shot, and it hadn’t been premeditated. They had just come over to stir up shit, and their little foray into fun had taken a darker turn when one of Maddow’s boys got overly excited and fired badly.
I knew that the crowd had burst into chaos the moment the gunshot exploded through the air. And, I could remember Talen holding me. He hadn’t loosened his grip until the paramedics had forced him to.
That moment had been months ago now, and I hadn’t heard from Talen for weeks. I’d called him every now and again when his visits became more and more scarce. And when he stopped responding, I resorted to poorly worded text messages. Sometimes he replied with one-word answers, but more often than not, he just didn’t reply.
I washed my face clean and stepped into the shower. After my morning ablutions were out of the way, I walked out to the kitchen where John was pouring orange juice into glasses.
“Are you making breakfast today?” I asked pointedly.
He laughed. “You’re funny. I took the bread and eggs out of the fridge for you.”
“What are you in the mood for?” I asked.
“I was thinking some savory French toast,” he suggested.
“All right,” I nodded, as I reached for a bowl to get the eggs whisked.
“Looks like the new neighbor moved in last night,” he pointed out, gesturing out the window to the beat-up SUV down the drive.
“Have you seen her yet?” I asked curiously.
“Not yet,” he replied. “We could go over and introduce ourselves later?”
“Umm…yeah, I don’t know about that,” I said uncertainly.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want to encourage too familiar a relationship,” I said. “I mean, going over to introduce ourselves implies that we want to have some sort of neighborly relationship with her.”
John frowned at me. “Why are you making that sound like a bad thing?”
“Because I like being out here on my own,” I said evasively.
“You mean you like living in a bubble,” John clarified with raised eyebrows.
I shrugged. “That depends on how you see it.”
I got on with breakfast as John descended into a thoughtful silence. He leaned against the sink, next to me, sipping his orange juice. I could tell he was in a strange mood today. I glanced over at him curiously.
“Anything you want to talk about?” I asked.
“What? No, no.”
“Sure?”
“One hundred percent,” he replied with confidence.
I nodded as though I believed him. “So, why’d you decide to take a day off work?”
He didn’t answer immediately. He took his time sipping his orange juice and then set it down on the counter he was leaning against. “I just…wasn’t feeling it today.”
“You weren’t feeling it today?” I repeated.
He shrugged. “Haven’t you had days when you just woke up and…didn’t want to do go to work?”
“Not really,” I admitted. “I love my job. And, I thought you did, too.”
“I did, I mean, I do,” John said quickly. “I do love my job,” he said again slowly, as though he were trying to convince himself. “I think I’m just…getting older and going through a transition.”
“A transition?” I repeated. “Is this you trying to tell me that you’re secretly a woman?”
John shot me a
look.
“That’s it, isn’t it?” I asked. “You want to have gender reassignment surgery and this is your way of telling me? Well don’t worry, buddy, I’ll accept you no matter what. We all will.”
He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, if that had been the case, I would have told you a long time ago.”
I laughed. “Okay, then what do you mean by ‘transition?’”
“What I meant was more of a…mid-life crisis.”
“A mid-life crisis?” I repeated incredulously. “Are you kidding?”
“Umm…”
“You realize you’re only thirty-two, right?” I asked. “You’re not old enough to have a mid-life crisis in the first place.”
“Well, I can’t think of any other way to explain it.”
“Try,” I challenged him.
He sighed. “I don’t know… Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about…”
“About?”
“Well…”
“Oh, just spit it out, John,” I sighed. “You’re thinking about Mom, aren’t you?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know how it started or even really when it started. All I know is that I find myself preoccupied with thoughts of her more often than not.”
“How often is often?” I asked.
“I don’t know… I can’t exactly quantify it for you.”
“Once a day?” I pressed.
John sighed. “I guess,” he said, throwing his hands up into the air.
“That’s a lot.”
“I know.”
I sighed. “Okay, what about her are you thinking about?”
“Lots of things,” he said. “But mostly, I’m curious about her. She was a mysterious woman.”
“She was an unhappy woman,” I clarified quickly. “Don’t mistake the two.”
“Sometimes I wonder…”
“What?”
“If the reason we enjoy being by ourselves so much is because of her,” John said, turning around so that he was facing the window above the sink. “We’re both getting older, Peter, and neither one of us are even close to settling down.”