by E. L. Todd
“It’s your birthday. We’re supposed to talk about you.”
“True,” she said. “But I’m boring. So how was your day?”
Absolutely and completely horrendous. “Fine.” I downed my water so I had something to do.
“Just fine?” she asked. “Normally when I ask you a question, you won’t shut up.”
The drawback to having a best friend was how well they knew you. Harper could read me better than I could read myself. This was dangerous because I didn’t want to ruin her birthday with my bullshit. I could wait until tomorrow to drop my problems on her shoulders. “Well, I got a new plant for my office. It really lightens up the place.” I kept a straight face and pretended to be normal.
Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Goddammit. “For lunch, I ate a salad. I don’t know what I was thinking. I hate salads for a reason, and the leafy lettuce and low-fat dressing was disgusting. I should have gotten a burger instead. What was I thinking?”
Harper still wasn’t buying it. “Aspen, what happened?”
Why did she have to know me so damn well? “It’s fine, really. I just had a long day.”
She leaned closer over the table and examined my face like I was a painting on display. “Have you been crying?”
“No!”
“Aspen, you better tell me right now or I’m going to drag it out of you.”
“It can wait until tomorrow.”
She rolled her eyes. “Aspen, I don’t care about my birthday and you know that. The only reason I celebrate it is because you force me to. If I had it my way, I’d be drinking in my apartment alone until midnight.” She got that fiery look in her eyes like she wanted to rip me apart. “Now spill it, chicka.”
“Honestly, it can wait,” I said. “We’re having a good time.”
She gave me a pissed look, the one she gave before she threw a tantrum. “Don’t make me cause a scene. I’ll do it.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes at the same time. “Fine.”
She leaned forward and prepared to listen to my story.
I told her everything, from bumping into that witch Isabella to the argument I had with my father. I released the air from my lungs when I was finished.
“Ohmygod!” Harper slammed her fists on the table. “Talk about a day from hell.”
“Hell is an understatement.”
“You should have broken that pretty nose of hers.”
I was more of a lover than a fighter. “Not worth my time. I don’t think it would make me feel better either.”
“What does he see in her? She’s a total skank.”
She mentioned he said I was terrible in bed. I admit I wasn’t the adventurous type. John was my first so I didn’t have much experience. I was shocked he would hold that against me. It really hurt my feelings, even though it shouldn’t, so I kept it from Harper. I was embarrassed because I knew John was right. “Well, you like what you like, right?”
“But I’m more pissed off at your father. I’ve never heard of such a cold tyrant in my life.”
I shrugged, unsure what to say.
“All he cares about is how it affects him. Has he ever asked how you felt?” She was practically yelling. “His daughter was dumped for some other girl and all he cares about is his image. It wasn’t even your fault. John was the jackass, not you.”
“Dad doesn’t see it that way.”
“And it has nothing to do with your work ethic. It’s not fair!” She slammed her hand on the table again. She was more upset about it than I was.
“He’s never been an emotional guy. All he cares about is money, and apparently, me being humiliated publicly hurts his bank account in some way.”
“I’ll take him out,” she said seriously. “I’ll smack him right in front of the media and see how that affects his bank account.”
A laugh escaped my lips involuntarily. The idea of Harper, a hundred pound woman at five feet in height, smacking my father around was extremely amusing. “I’d pay good money to see that.”
“Teach that tyrant a lesson…” She shook her head while the anger bubbled in her eyes.
The waiter brought the dishes. “Extra greasy, just as you asked.”
“You did good,” I said. “Expect a good tip.”
Harper looked at her plate. “There’s so much cheese. I’m going to be constipated for a month but I don’t even care.”
I tried not to laugh at her bluntness.
The waiter seemed amused, with a slight smirk on his lips. “Maybe we can get breakfast tomorrow with lots of coffee and fiber to help you out.”
I liked this guy. He was playful and not stuck up, but he wasn’t trashy either.
“I like your thinking,” Harper said with a flirty look.
“I get off at ten,” he said. “Do you have plans?”
“Well, I was supposed to head to space in my rocket shuttle but I could reschedule it,” Harper said.
“That’s generous of you,” he said affectionately.
“Oh wait!” She smacked her forehead. “I can’t. I’m with my girl tonight. She needs me. Tomorrow?”
“No.” I waved her words away. “It’s fine, really. Go out with him.”
“But—”
“She’ll be ready at ten,” I said to the waiter.
He smiled. “I look forward to it, Harper.” Then he walked away.
She gave me that look I’d known for years. “I can go out with him tomorrow.”
“No.” I wouldn’t budge on this. “There’s nothing you can do anyway. My life isn’t fabulous right now but that’s no one’s fault.”
“It’s John’s fault, actually,” she said with anger.
“Whatever,” I said, brushing it off. “Honestly, I want you to go out with him. He’s got a nice ass and all. Consider him my final present.”
Her lips stretched into a slow smile. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely,” I said firmly.
“Okay.” She let the topic drop. “Back to me bitching about all of this, why don’t you just quit? You have an MBA. You could work somewhere else.”
The thought crossed my mind many, many times. “I can’t. That company is important to me.”
“Why?”
“It has all the resources to research clean and sustainable energy. We could find something better than solar power that could be used in all sorts of machines, whether it’s nuclear plants or buses. Climate change is a serious problem, and my father’s company has the ability to make a huge change. If we find something better, other companies could follow in our footsteps—all over the world. It’s not about money or power. It’s about the future.”
She smiled. “When your eyes glow and your cheeks redden, I know you’re particularly passionate.”
I was slightly embarrassed I was so easily readable but I let it go. “I can’t just leave. The only reason there’s any research at all is because of me. If I walk out, my dad will shut it down and drill for more oil. Since his life is almost over, he only cares about immediate returns. The future generations mean nothing to him. I can’t walk out. It’s not an option.”
She grabbed her glass and clanked it against mine. “It’s people like you that make me believe in humanity. I’m proud of you.”
Her touching words made me blush. “I’m just doing what I think is right. I want to have kids someday. This affects them. And my grandchildren…and my great grandchildren…and the whales, polar bears, and Oregon birds. It affects us all.”
She released a sigh. “This conversation just got extremely depressing.”
I laughed even though it wasn’t funny. “I’m sorry. I have a way of doing that…”
“Well, what are you going to do?” she asked. “How are you going to change his mind?”
I’d been thinking about it all day. “I’m going to have to get a perfect boyfriend to make up for what John did. When he sees I can have a stable relationship with a successful man, his image of me will improve and he
’ll reconsider.”
She nodded. “That makes sense. Where are you going to find a boyfriend? Online dating?”
I’d lost faith in the institution of relationships. Perhaps I hadn’t moved on from what John did to me and I was still a little bitter about it, but regardless, I wasn’t ready for a relationship. “I don’t know. I’m not in the right place for a relationship right now and I don’t want to waste some guy’s time. That wouldn’t be fair.”
She took a bite of her lasagna and spent a whole minute chewing it because it was so big. When she finally swallowed it, her eyes widened. “I have a perfect idea!”
“What?” I asked eagerly.
“Hire an escort.”
All the energy I had disappeared. “A male prostitute? Harper, you’ve had some crazy ideas but this has to be—”
“No.” She held up her hand. “My friend hired this guy to take to her friend’s wedding because her ex would be there. She just paid him to act as her date. There’s no sex or anything like that at all. They don’t even offer sex. They are super professional. And apparently, the guy was smoking hot.”
I’d never heard of that before.
“Hire a guy to act as your boyfriend for a while. When your dad gets off his high horse and stops acting like a smelly douchebag—”
“Smelly douchebag?”
Harper ignored the interruption. “Then you can stop paying for his services. Once the company is legally yours, then your dad can’t do anything about it. The guy doesn’t get hurt because it’s just business, and you don’t have to deal with a real boyfriend since you aren’t ready for one. Dude, it’s perfect.”
“Dude?”
“Did you listen to a word I said?” she demanded.
“I did.”
“What do you think?” she asked.
I ate a few bites of my lasagna while I considered her proposal. “I don’t know…paying some guy to be my boyfriend is a little…pathetic.”
“You aren’t making him be your boyfriend,” she argued. “He’s just a figurehead. It doesn’t make you pathetic. It’s not like you actually have feelings for the guy and pay him to make you feel good. It’s not like that all. People do this all the time.”
“I don’t know…”
She pulled out her phone and started texting someone. “I’ll ask her what the company was called.”
“Don’t tell her it’s for me!”
“I won’t,” she hissed. “If she asks, I’ll say it’s for me.” She put her phone down then returned to eating.
I picked at my food, unable to believe I was actually considering this.
Her phone vibrated on the table and she snatched it like a snake. Her eyes narrowed as she read the message.
“What did she say?”
“It’s called Beautiful Entourage.” Her eyes were glued to her screen. “She said the guy was worth every penny and he was a total sweetheart. She would do it again in a heartbeat. And she thinks her ex was jealous.” She looked up at me. “Dude, do it.”
“Since when did you start calling me dude?”
“Aspen, do it. How much fun would it be to have eye candy everywhere you go?”
“A little weird, actually.”
“I bet his ass looks amazing.”
I felt guilty when I wondered how amazing it looked.
“I’m making you do this,” she said. “This is going to happen.”
“You just want to see how hot he is.”
“Do not!” She feigned innocence.
I gave her a look that said, “Bullshit.”
“Okay, fine. Maybe…”
“You got a date tonight with a guy with a great ass. Don’t get greedy on me.”
She twirled her hair playfully. “True…”
“I’ll think about it, okay?”
“You better think about it,” she said. “And if your answer is no, I’m just going to change it. So save us both some time by just saying yes.”
I pushed the Mai Tai closer to her. “Drink up and finish your greasy lasagna.”
She gave me an affectionate look. “You know me so well, bestie.”
“Better than you know yourself.”
Rhett
I just got home when my phone rang. It was Mrs. Robinson, the woman who lived across the hall from Chase. Anytime I saw her name on my phone, I dreaded taking the call. I forced myself to remain calm before I answered. “What’s he done now?”
“You really need to consider putting him in assisted living.”
That wasn’t an option. “What happened?”
“He’s in the laundry room, cowering in the corner and shaking uncontrollably. I can’t get him to move or do anything. You’ll need to come down here.”
I held back the irritation deep in my throat. “Thank you for calling me. I’ll be there in a second.” I hung up without waiting for her reply.
I put my shoes back on then left my apartment. He was just a few blocks from me, far enough away that I had some privacy but close enough for me to reach him quickly when the need arose.
When I entered the building, I headed to the basement where the laundry room was located. As soon as I walked inside, I found Chase sitting in the corner. His knees were pulled to this chest and he covered his head with his arms like boulders were crashing down on him.
Mrs. Robinson stood a few feet away. “He’s been like that for half an hour.”
“Is he hurt?” I asked.
“No.”
I saw the pile of his laundry on the washer. The clothes didn’t even make it inside before he freaked out. Chase had episodes often, and sometimes I didn’t know how to handle them. I did my best, but I knew it wasn’t enough.
“Rhett, is that you?” Chase called from under his arms.
“It’s me.” I came beside him then touched his arm. “Buddy, there’s nothing to be scared of.”
“The shadows, they’re here.” He trembled under my touch.
“Chase, they won’t hurt you.” My brother had sciophobia, the fear of shadows. Sometimes it was hilarious, but other times, like now, it was just sad. “They’re only the absence of light, not physical.”
“They still hurt me.”
“They don’t hurt you.” I kept my voice gentle.
“I was trying to do my laundry when someone turned on the light…and then they moved in.”
Mrs. Robinson gave him a sad look. “Your brother needs help, Rhett.”
“I’m not going to a hospital,” Chase said forcibly. “You can’t make me.”
“No one is taking you to a hospital, Chase.” He needed to hear that so he would stay calm. I stood up then turned off the light. “There are no more shadows, Chase. You can relax now.”
There was dim light through the small window near the ceiling. I could barely distinguish him and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.
“Are you sure?” he asked hesitantly.
“I can barely see two inches in front of my face.”
He removed his hands and looked around. He breathed a sigh of relief then turned to me. “I want to go back to the apartment.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
He grabbed his night vision goggles then put them on over his face.
Mrs. Robinson gave me that look she always gave me. It clearly said, “This is not normal.”
I ignored the look then grabbed his clothes and put them in the hamper.
Chase wrapped a blanket made out of foil around his body. “Okay, let’s go.” His head was covered and he held onto my arm so I could guide him. Together, we walked up the floors until we entered his apartment.
The place was covered in glow-in-the-dark lights. They marked the floor and the hallways. Various lights were on cabinets, giving enough light to see without casting any shadows. The windows were completely covered with black shutters, obscuring any light.
Chase threw off the blanket once he was inside. “I feel better now…”
I set the laundry basket on
the counter. “What happened, man?”
“I was doing my laundry in the dark when this lady turned on the light. I couldn’t reach my light-guarder and the room started to spin. The shadows were about to get me when you arrived.”
I’d tried telling him, on numerous occasions, that his fear was absurd and fake. But no amount of logic would change his mind. When I tried to admit him to a psychiatric ward, he tossed, turned and screamed for help. It was so painful to watch that I took him home and didn’t make the attempt again. He wasn’t a danger to himself or anyone else so I didn’t see what the harm was. “I’ll do your laundry at my place then bring it back.”
“Thanks.” He sat on the couch, and then acting like everything was totally normal, turned on the TV. “Want to watch the game?”
I held back any irritation I had, knowing his sickness was real. “Sure.”
“There’s beer in the refrigerator.”
I grabbed two then sat beside him. He had the hookups for a washer and dryer in the apartment but I purposely didn’t buy him the appliances so he would be forced to join the rest of society downstairs. I brought him groceries but made him do some errands on his own. After sunset, he went out, but it was always with an anxious heart. The times I could get him out in the daylight were times when I talked him into it and promised the shadows wouldn’t get him. I even lied and said I had a Shadow Sword that would defeat them instantly if they tried to harm us. That usually did the trick.
Chase was normal in every other way. He loved sports, movies, and music. He played guitar and loved women. Somehow, he got dates, usually finding them online. When they came to his apartment, they thought he was just extremely eccentric. He never mentioned his fear of shadows, and if he did, they would probably find it endearing because he was so charismatic. He was a good-looking guy and had a weight room in the apartment. I was always afraid he would get hurt lifting weights in limited light but it never happened.
“Seriously, where do they find these refs?” he asked. “On Craig’s list?”
I laughed then drank my beer.
My brother was a computer programmer and he was very gifted at it, so he didn’t have to leave the apartment. But he didn’t make much money because no one wanted to hire someone who refused to ever come into the office. So, I supported him. I didn’t resent him for it. It was better than us living together. I refused to let that happen. I couldn’t live in the dark.