by Naomi Niles
“Yeah, I’ve been staying with my dad. I just spent last night at my own place.”
“Okay, good. What have they got you on for pain?”
“I was taking OxyContin for a couple of weeks, but I haven’t taken them for over a month now.”
“Wow, tough guy, huh? Okay, I’ll prescribe you some Vicodin to take as needed.” I probably wouldn’t take them. I hated that doped up feeling pain meds gave me, but I didn’t argue with him. I was tired now and I just wanted to go home.
“You know if we don’t call your sister she’s going to be pissed when she sees those stitches?” Greg said when the doctor had left the room.
He was right, but it was kind of pissing me off that he was suddenly so close to my sister. “I’ve already got one sister, Greg. You’ll have to apply to be someone else’s.”
“Ha ha, you’re hilarious. Should I call her…or will you?”
“Fuck, hand me my phone.” He handed it to me and the first thing I looked for was a missed text or call from Amber. There was nothing. I pressed Sarah’s number and took a deep breath while I waited for her to answer.
“Kyle?” she said in a sleepy voice. “What’s wrong?”
“Sorry to wake you up-”
“I’m up,” she interrupted sounding instantly more alert. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m fine. I had a little fall-”
“You fell? Where? Was Dad there?”
“Take a breath please, Sis. I was at the loft; I stayed there last night-”
“What? You’re kidding, right? You’re not strong enough to be on your own yet.”
“Sarah, if you’re not going to let me talk, I may as well hang up now.”
“Fine…talk.”
“I had a date last night. I stayed at the loft. I slipped and fell and banged my head on the floor. Greg came and took me to the hospital.”
“Greg? You called Greg instead of me?” Jesus Christ, this woman!
“I thought one was the next best thing to the other since the two of you seem to talk all the time about everything…”
“Don’t be a smart mouth, Kyle. Who did you have a date with?”
“Never mind. I’m gonna go now. The doctor just came back in.”
“Wait…Kyle…”
“Bye, Sis!” I rolled my eyes, and Greg grinned. I think it’s time for another ass beating…as soon as I can stand on my own two feet.
After the doctor really did come back and the nurse had me sign all of the discharge papers Greg said, “Breakfast?” I started to say no out of habit, but then I figured what the hell. I never got to have my coffee.
“The Waffle House?”
“IHOP.”
“I’m the guy with the gash in his head.”
“I’m driving.”
“Fine, IHOP.” He grinned again. He definitely needed an ass whooping.
When we got to the restaurant, we were shown to a table and we ordered right away. The server was around our age and really cute. Greg didn’t waste any time turning on his charms. After she left he said, “So, who was the date with?”
“Why do you ask? So you can run and tell my sister?”
He laughed. Every fucking thing was funny to this guy. “Nah, she’s the one with all of the good information.”
“So tell me, how did that happen?”
“How did what happen?”
“You and Sarah becoming bestest buddies?”
Laughing again, he said, “I ran into her in the grocery store one day. We got to talking and one thing led to the other…”
“Ew, you can stop there if this goes any further than gossiping like two old ladies.”
“Not that I don’t find your sister kind of hot for an older lady…”
“Knock it off!”
He was having way too much fun. “I’m sorry. It’s not like that and you know it. I miss you, man. It helps to have Sarah to talk to. I didn’t know what to do with myself when you cut me off.”
“You slept with my girl.”
“I know, and if it were the other way around, I would have reacted the same way. But do I get a life sentence for it? I’ve done my penance, man. For six years now I’ve lived without my best friend. Can we get past this at some point?”
The waitress saved me. She brought our food and while we ate, I changed the subject to work. I found out he was running his dad’s business and that his parents had both retired and moved to Florida. Just as we were finishing our meal he said, “So…two questions you never answered, who was your date with?”
“Amber.”
He grinned. “Nice, man.” My face must have given me away because then he said, “Not nice?”
“It was great. Probably the best date I ever had.”
“Hmm, I guess that’s why you look ecstatic…”
“It didn’t end well. She had to run off in the middle of the night because her ex-boyfriend was calling.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Ex? What did he want?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea. Maybe I’m cursed.”
“Or maybe you have a lot of issues because of what your mom did to you.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Carpenter by day, psychologist at breakfast.”
“Listen, I know what Lisa and I did to you was fucked up. I was drunk and high and stupid. I would have stuck it pretty much anywhere at that point and if I were you, I might have cut it off. But it’s been six years and you still act like it was yesterday. You already had issues with trust. Lisa and I just made it worse…and now, Amber.”
“So, what are you saying? I should trust blindly?”
“No. I’m saying I understand your issues with trust, but in Amber’s case, I can see you really like her. Maybe you should give her a chance to explain before you just write her off.”
The waitress laid the check down on the table and I picked it up. “I’ll get that,” he said.
“Nah, I’ve got it. We can call it payment for the session, Dr. Freud.”
“I think you very much want to sleep wit yur mudder!”
I had to laugh at his terrible impression, if not the sickness of the statement. “Fuck you, Freud.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
AMBER
I was almost in tears as I raced out of Kyle’s loft and down to my car. My hands were shaking so badly that I could barely get the key into the lock. When I finally got into the car, I just sat there for a few seconds trying to prepare myself for the battle that was about to come. I sucked in enough air to settle myself down slightly and then I started the engine and drove towards Marlene’s house. The drive was about thirty minutes long, and I cussed everyone on the road in between. The anxiety was building up with each minute that passed.
When I got close to the house, I was relieved to see there was at least no smoke and flames, but as I rounded the corner my stomach fell when I saw Dylan and two policemen in the front yard. I thought about just driving on by, but Dylan saw me. His dark eyes stayed on me until I parked the car and got out.
“Here she is now,” he said. His speech sounded clear, for Dylan at three a.m.
“What’s going on?”
“Are you Amber Reed?” one of the officers asked me.
“Yes sir.”
“Is this man your boyfriend?”
I looked at Dylan and hoped the disgust I was feeling wasn’t readily evident on my face. “He’s my ex-boyfriend.” I heard the front door open behind me. My poor sister looked frazzled. I reached my hand out to her and she took it. “Can someone tell me what’s going on?”
“I called the police because he was beating on the door and saying he was going to burn the house down.”
“I didn’t say that, you stupid-”
“Watch it,” the cop warned him.
“Sorry…Sir. I was looking for Amber and this one,” he said, looking at Marlene with disdain, “she wouldn’t tell me where she was. I was…worried.”
“He wasn’t worried, he was jealous,” Marlene
said. “And he did say he was going to burn my house down. I have a six-year-old daughter. He woke her up and scared her to death.”
“Lying cunt,” Dylan mumbled under his breath.
I’d come over here with the idea that I would calm him down, even go home with him if that’s what it took. That word always sets me off, however, and without regard to how long they would keep him or what he would do to me when he was out I said, “I have proof that he said it.” Dylan and Marlene both looked at me with shock on their faces. I hate that I’ve become the woman that everyone thinks is comfortable being the victim. “Can I play the message for you, sir?”
“Sure,” the cop said. The look he was giving Dylan told me this cop would love nothing more than to see him cuffed and in the back of his car.
“Amber…” Dylan began.
“Shut up,” the second cop interrupted him. I pulled up the voicemail and pressed play. Dylan’s voice wafted out. “Where the fuck are you, Amber? If you’re out whoring around, I suggest you get your ass back to your sister’s house now before I burn this mother-fucker down with her and whoever else is in there inside.”
When the message finished playing the cop said, “Can you show me who the message is from?” I showed him where it said Dylan’s name and number. He looked over at my former boyfriend and said, “That sounded an awful lot like a terrorist threat to me, Mr. Lane.”
“I was mad. You can check me and my truck man; I don’t even have a light.”
“He carries his handgun in the compartment underneath the floorboard of his pick-up. There are also matches and other emergency supplies in there. I think if you check the back end of his pick-up, you’ll find a five gallon container of gas.” I heard myself, but still couldn’t believe I was saying these things right in front of him. If the look on his face was any indication, I was going to be in a world of hurt when he got out of jail.
“You little bitch!”
“Mr. Lane, turn around and put your hands behind your back.”
“What the fuck for?”
“You’re under arrest sir for making terrorist threats-”
“You’re going to be sorry, bitch!” he said as the cop slammed him forward into the wall of the house and pulled his beefy arms behind his back. “You fucking little-”
“I’d shut up now if I were you,” the cop said. “You have the right to remain silent…” While they read Dylan his rights, Marlene gripped my hand so tightly that it hurt. Dylan quieted down, but the after the cop cuffed him and led him over to the car, the look he gave me sent a surge of fear ripping through my body.
The second cop was searching the truck. He found the gun that I knew for a fact wasn’t registered. Dylan had bought it off of one of his rodeo buddies and the serial numbers were filed off. He also found the matches I knew Dylan carried for those nights on the road when he had to camp out and the gasoline he always carried in back for those long stretches on the country roads in between gas stations. All I could hope at this point was that they’d keep him at least for a while.
Once he was in the car, the first cop came back and explained to Marlene and me how to file for a restraining order for when he did get out. He said one of the terms if he did get bail would be to stay away from those that he had threatened. That didn’t make me feel a lot better. Dylan does what Dylan wants and ninety percent of the time, he doesn’t consider the consequences. He was currently staring daggers at me from the backseat of the police cruiser. I wouldn’t be surprised if I suddenly burst into flames.
“Let’s go in out of the cold,” Marlene told me as the cop was driving away. We went inside and she put on a pot of coffee. There was no way that either of us was getting any sleep now, anyways.
“I’m so sorry.”
She made her face that I call, “Mom face.” She looks just like our mother when she does it. “What are you sorry for? You didn’t do anything. As a matter of fact, I’m really proud of you for standing up the way that you did.”
I shrugged. “I feel so bad for getting you and poor little Nona involved in all of this. Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. I told her Uncle Dylan was sick and the police were going to come and take him to see the doctor. She bought it, and she’s sleeping like an angel now. But you know what?”
“What?”
“Part of this craziness with that man is you taking responsibility for the things that he does. He did this tonight, and you are not to blame for it. I’m going to go and get that restraining order Monday morning…I hope you are, too.”
“I will, but you know that a piece of paper won’t make a difference to him when he’s drunk.”
“I do know that, but I want to make sure if he does show up and I call the police, he leaves here in handcuffs every time. Eventually, maybe he’ll get sick of it and stay away.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I just wish he’d find someone else…”
Marlene laughed. “You’re wishing him on some other poor woman?”
I laughed, too. “True, I guess that’s bad, huh? The thing about Dylan is none of this is about how he feels about me. This is about him thinking I’m his property and hating to be alone when he’s home.”
“You have to prove to him that you don’t belong to anyone but yourself. How did your date take your sudden departure?”
I gritted my teeth. “I may have ruined it. I was freaking out worrying about you and Nona. I told him I had to leave because you were sick, but he saw Dylan’s name pop up on my phone. He wasn’t happy with my sketchy explanation.”
“Maybe you should go see him today and give him a less than sketchy explanation.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m just getting to know Kyle, but I get the feeling that he would feel like he needs to ‘save me.’”
“That’s bad?”
“Well, yeah. First of all I’m a grown woman, I don’t want to be saved. Second of all, he’s recovering from a major illness and operation. He doesn’t need the stress of taking on something like this.”
“So if he walks away now, you just let him go?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’ll cross that bridge if and when I come to it. I’m more worried that this will screw up the determination he’s shown in therapy. He’s come a long way in a short time and I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable with me. This is why you shouldn’t date patients.”
“Then why did you?”
“I just can’t stop thinking about him.” It was more than that, but I had no idea how to explain it. When he was near me, it was a wonder that any rational thought could slip through. My mind was clouded with a completely overwhelming sense that this is the guy – the one I was meant to be with. It wouldn’t make any sense if I tried to put it in words, so I just left it at that.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
KYLE
Sarah came over to my dad’s house on Sunday with the specific intentions of lecturing me – and trying to find out who my date was with. She finally just came right out and said, “Was it Amber?”
Frustrated that she thought everything in my life was her business I said, “No.”
“Are you kidding? That girl is so sweet, and I think she really likes you. Are you just going to play around with the plastic ones forever? Are you never going to settle down with a nice girl and give me nieces and nephews?” I looked at my dad for help. He hid his face behind his Guns and Ammo magazine.
“Jesus, Sarah. It was Amber, okay?”
“Why didn’t you just say so?”
“Because I’m not fourteen and I have a right to some privacy in my life.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Do you need a ride to therapy tomorrow?” My stomach clenched at the thought of seeing Amber. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about her hasty departure.
“Greg said he can take me.”
“Oh, so you call him when you fall and now he’s taking you to therapy… Did you two make up?”
“Are you worried I’m stealing your bestie?”
/>
She laughed. “He’s a good guy who made a stupid mistake.” Dad grunted behind his magazine. Smiling, Sarah said, “Did you have something to say over there Chief Cloud?” She has called my dad “Chief” since we were little and she found out he’s half Cherokee.
He lowered the magazine. “Nope,” was all he said before he raised it and covered his face again. She just shook her head at him.
“So, what did the doctor say about your head? These stitches look gnarly.”
“Thanks.”
“You know what I mean. How many did you get?”
“Nine.”
“Shit! When you crack your head, you do it right.”
I grinned. “Everyone has to be good at something.”
“So, what did he say?”
“He said not to crack it on the floor anymore.”
“You’re such a little butt!”
“He didn’t say anything, Sarah. He stitched me up, gave me some drugs, and sent me on my way. That’s it…all good.”
“He didn’t say anything about you being alone?”
“No,” I lied. “We didn’t even talk about it. I think I’m going to take a nap.” I made my escape and left my poor dad to deal with her. In my room, I took out my phone and held my finger over Amber’s number. I sighed and set the phone down. I had no idea what to say. I didn’t want to sound like a jealous creep, but I also didn’t want her to think that I was the kind of guy who wanted a girl I had to share. I finally said screw it and took that nap. I’m sure that was the better choice.
******
I felt like a teenager in lust on my way to therapy Monday morning. Greg wasn’t in a talkative mood, thankfully, so I was alone with my thoughts. I had looked at this thing from so many angles since the other night and I settled on asking her if she was really done with the ex…and asking her out again if she said yes. The bottom line was that I wanted her and if and when we ever make a commitment to each other, then I would have a right to be upset about who she ran off in the middle of the night to see…and not before then.
Greg dropped me off and went to run some errands, so I was on my own when I went in. I didn’t see Amber behind the counter, so I signed in and went to wait in the lobby. A few minutes later, a pretty black lady called me back.