by Harper Steen
***
“Don’t bother arguing,” Gray said four days later. “It’s already been decided, and besides, our boss has given his blessing for you to stay at my house for at least three weeks.” Gray looked grimly from one woman to the other. “Maybe even longer. It depends on how quickly you recover.”
“I’m not going. You can get that idea out of your head right now. I can rest just as easily in my own apartment.” Liz crossed her arms over her chest and stared obstinately at an imaginary spot on the wall behind Gray so that she wouldn’t have to look him in the eye.
“Yeah, sure.” His reply dripped with sarcasm. “And tomorrow you’ll be speeding around on your motorcycle again. Forget it!” He relished the feeling of the last two words in his mouth. Finally, he was able to give her a taste of his own stubbornness. “Why don’t you call Townsend so he can confirm what I’ve told you? Maybe you’ll believe him, since you don’t believe me.”
“And what about my cat? He’s probably starving to death by now.” Liz finally looked at him. Of course she wasn’t about to tell him that a nice older woman was taking care of him during her absence.
“He’s being very well taken care of.”
“If he is in an animal shelter, get ready for a beating, Gray.” She leaned forward threateningly from her position on the bed.
“Don’t worry. Furball is doing great.”
“How do you know his name?”
“Because I picked up him when I picked up your things from your apartment. Just like Chris picked up Brutus and Jennifer’s things from her place.”
“You broke into our apartments?” the two women said at nearly the same time.
“No, we had your keys. I don’t think that you can call it breaking and entering if the person has the keys. Now, from now on, I don’t want to hear anything but: thank you Gray and Chris, for taking such good care of us, so we can recover in peace.”
The two women looked obstinately at the blankets that were spread out over their legs.
“Have it your way. You can thank Chris and me later. Now put on the fresh clothes we brought so we can leave.” The men left the room and waited in the hallway. Apparently Liz really did call her boss, because they could clearly hear her angry voice through the closed door.
“We don’t need a babysitter and we can take care of ourselves, Sir. This isn’t the first time that we’ve been injured. And we didn’t get hurt all that badly anyway.”
There was a short pause while she listened to the voice on the other end. Then Liz hissed furiously, “You’ll have to explain it to me sometime: total strangers get our apartments keys without our consent and rummage through our personal things. You don’t really want to be responsible for that! Ms. Langer and I aren’t in comas; we’re completely responsive, and our wishes are being overruled while we’re in the hospital. Rescind your childish and reckless decision this very minute!” Before her supervisor could possibly respond, Liz slammed the receiver down. Then she called out so that Chris and Gray could hear her through the closed door, “Gentlemen, we’re staying here! And now if you’ll excuse us, we’re tired and need our rest. I think the doctor in charge will back up our temporary need for rest.”
***
Chris looked in disbelief at Gray, who was staring at the closed hospital room door through narrowed eyes. “Did she really just bitch out Townsend?”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
“So now what do we do? Get their things and the animals from your house and take them back to their apartments?” Chris sounded disappointed.
“No. I’m getting some coffee.” Gray turned his gaze from the door and to his friend’s face. “I’ll bet you a hundred dollars that Townsend is here within an hour. No one, and I mean no one, talks to the boss like that.”
A wide grin spread across Chris’s face. When Gray was right, he was right! Townsend wouldn’t stand for a tongue lashing like that. Happily he followed Gray. They got two large cups of coffee from the hospital vending machine and then took up positions on two chairs in the hallway outside the women’s room.
***
Forty minutes later a sullen Lt. General Townsend headed down the hallway and straight for them. With a terse nod he greeted Gray and Chris, who jumped up immediately. Then he knocked once curtly on the door and walked right into Liz’s and Jennifer’s hospital room.
The two men outside the door didn’t have any problems overhearing the “conversation” taking place inside the room. Townsend’s thundering voice was as easy to understand as if he were standing right in front of them. He was yelling so loudly, Gray imagined Townsend could have saved himself the walk and made himself heard from his parking place five stories down. Gray had never seen him so furious.
“Let me make myself clear, Gibson and Langner,” Townsend said. “Until further notice, you answer to Blackwood and Robbins! That is an express order that you will follow! I will not tolerate any dissention in the ranks. I never have and I never will. Do you understand me?”
“But Sir, you can’t—” Liz began.
“I can and I do! And I’ll prove it!”
Despite their desperate situation, Liz and Jennifer crossed their arms and listened to Townsend’s rant without saying a word.
“Have you both forgotten what happened a year ago? Even though my order specified that you should convalesce until you were fully recovered, you reported for duty before you were ready. And what was the result? The mission almost had to be aborted, because your leg, Langner, wasn’t completely rehabbed after its fracture. And you, Gibson, were barely able to get your partner out of danger because your broken ribs hadn’t yet healed. I will not tolerate such inappropriate behavior again! This is why you’ll have a babysitter this time—two very competent babysitters, in fact. That’s the only way to make sure you two will actually follow my orders this time.”
“Sir?” said Jennifer. “Lt. General, we really don’t need any—”
“Have you not been listening to me, Langner?” Townsend roared. “No arguments! You will stay at Blackwood’s until you’re fully recovered. That is my final word on the matter!”
The door flew open, and Townsend stepped out into the hall and looked at Gray and Chris. The men looked back at him expectantly as he closed the door behind him.
“I hope I haven’t done you a disservice,” Townsend said.
“Don’t worry about that, Sir. We’re fully capable of reining in the ladies so they actually recover. Your team will be complete again soon.” Gray spoke with complete conviction.
A grin spread across the older man’s face and he nodded in agreement. “If anyone can do it, it’ll be the two of you. Watch out for them, Blackwood. You too, Robbins, and good luck!” Townsend saluted and then walked down the hallway and disappeared around a corner.
“Now what?” said Chris.
“What do you think? Now we follow the plan. As soon as they pack up their bags, we can go.” Gray walked to the door and knocked.
“If you’re not the pizza delivery man or the stripper we hired, then get lost!” Liz called out in an irritated voice.
Shaking his head, Gray opened the door and planted himself at the foot of the bed. His penetrating gaze shifted back and forth between Liz and Jennifer. “You heard the order. So, for once you’ll do what you’re told. Specifically, you’ll do what Chris and I tell you to do. Now pack your bags. We want to go!”
“You know what you can do, Blackwood?” Liz asked.
“I have a pretty good idea what you have in mind.” Gray gave her a small smile. “Nevertheless, you’ll pack your things. We’ll leave in ten minutes.” He turned around and joined Chris who was waiting in the hallway.
The sounds of closet doors slamming repeatedly and voices murmuring softly came from behind the closed door. After several minutes, Liz and Jennifer walked out of their hospital room. Gray and Chris divested them of their backpacks, and then walked ahead of them, out of the hospital and over to the spot where Gr
ay had parked his SUV. With reluctance, Liz and Jennifer climbed into the back seat and stared defiantly out of the side windows.
Chris turned toward the women, but his friendly look was met with vulgar gestures, followed by a verbal attack by both women. Chris and Gray chuckled. Note: Took it for now!
Gray watched Liz in his rearview mirror. It gave him perverse pleasure to know that this time at least, she wouldn’t get the last word. There would undoubtedly be numerous altercations between them while the women stayed at his house, but he was prepared for that and would react accordingly. He didn’t plan to let her walk all over him, the way she did with everyone else. She would leave his house with more manners than she’d had when she arrived—he would see to that! Whatever would happen between them was a different matter, and he was only too happy to wait and let himself be pleasantly surprised by whatever developed.
About halfway to his house, Liz and Jennifer fell asleep in the back seat. Chris turned around to look at them briefly and then turned back to Gray, asking softly, “Do you think you’ll be able to cope with both of them at the same time?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Or are you saying that you’d like to invite yourself to stay with me as long as they’re with me? Or should I say, as long as Jennifer is with me?” He smirked at his friend.
“Well, since you asked so nicely. Of course I’ll graciously accept your invitation.”
“Invitation?” Gray laughed softly without taking his eyes from the highway and focused his attention back on the drive.
***
“Wake up, you sleepyheads! We’re here!”
Dazed with sleep, Liz and Jennifer took in their surroundings first and then looked at Gray and Chris, who were grinning mischievously at them from the front seat.
Liz looked gloomily at the large, two-story house built out of solid stone; next to it was a three-car garage. These stood in the center of an enormous green space surrounded by forest on three sides. Liz couldn’t see any other houses in the area. As far as she could see, there were only woods, lush green meadows and colorful blooming bushes. She concluded that the entire property belonged to Gray, and her first impression was that it must be about the size of a Texas ranch. Except, she wasn’t in Texas, but in Florida.
Great! In the coming weeks she and Jennifer would have to live completely cut off from the rest of civilization. It seemed that Gray had plenty of money. Just what her father was waiting for! It was a miracle that he hadn’t yet tried to put her in a wedding dress and serve her up to Gray a silver platter.
It wasn’t Gray’s money, itself, that would influence her father, but his unavoidable conclusion that if she was with Gray, she would be taken care of. Plenty of times he’d made it clear that he didn’t see her as being able to take care of herself, so he would make it his business to find someone who would. Her father would be beside himself for joy if he knew where Liz was at this very moment. He would never learn about it from Liz. She hoped with all her heart that Gray would keep quiet too.
“Where did we end up? In Timbuktu?”
“Quit griping, Liz. This is your home for the next few weeks, so you might as well get used to it.” Gray gave a chuckle.
“Great. We won’t even be able to slip away now and then,” she grumbled.
“Of course you can. You can go for a walk, read, swim, or just do what you came here to do: rest!”
“I was talking about going out to a nightclub or a bar.” Liz glared at him, apparently for being so slow-witted.
“That’s not an option at this time.”
“Fantastic!” Jennifer chimed in. “I’ve always wanted to vegetate in solitude.” The women looked around briefly before climbing out of the car. They slammed the car doors shut behind them, stomped to the house and stood waiting at the front door. Gray raised his eyebrows at Chris. “You still want to stay here?”
“Of course! They’ll calm down pretty soon and then we can devote ourselves to living the good life.”
“You are an incurable optimist.”
***
They had barely stepped into the house when Liz and Jennifer were greeted wildly by their pets. Dumbfounded, the women watched as the two animals also welcomed Gray and Chris. When Gray picked up Furball and walked into the kitchen with him, Liz whispered, “You greedy little traitor!” and shot daggers at the cat. Brutus followed Chris into the kitchen as if he were connected to his shoes, causing Jennifer to mutter, “Ungrateful animal!”
When the men returned, they found the living room empty. The double doors leading out to the patio and into the carefully-tended garden, stood wide open. Gray and Chris watched Liz and Jennifer as they curiously explored their surroundings. They walked around the wide elongated pool, which was the centerpiece of this green oasis, and spoke quietly with one another.
“Think they’re looking for an escape route?” Chris asked.
“Quite possibly. Why don’t you talk to them while I get the steaks ready for grilling? See if you can soothe them a little.”
“You want me to deal with both of them? As if one weren’t hard enough! Thanks for throwing me into the snake pit.” Chris gave his friend a look of feigned resignation and rolled his eyes theatrically. Then he gave an impish smile and walked toward the women with an acquiescent sigh.
***
Throughout the evening the women maintained an icy silence, ignoring Gray and Chris as completely as possible, though occasional eye contact couldn’t be entirely avoided.
Gray didn’t let their hostile attitude get to him. After they’d finished eating, he stacked up the plates at the table and was just about to stand and clear things away when Liz suddenly jumped up and reached for the dishes. To his great surprise, she also gave him a dazzling smile.
“We’ll do that, won’t we Jenny?” Jennifer agreed and stood up to follow her friend. “After all, we have to show our gratitude for your hospitality somehow.” Liz tossed a mischievous smile over her shoulder and disappeared through the large glass door that led into the kitchen.
“What was that about? Was I hallucinating, or did they just smile nicely?” Chris asked. “During the meal they looked like they’d rather drown us in the pool than eat with us. What’s changed?”
“I have no idea. Maybe they realized that it won’t do any good to pout. That’s a possibility, isn’t it?” But somehow Gray didn’t believe his own words. He already understood these two better than that. His suspicions were confirmed when a loud clattering resounded from the kitchen. He jumped up and ran into the room.
Liz stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by shards of broken plates, while Jennifer stood at the sink, a look of exaggerated shock on her face. .
“Oh my goodness! They just slipped out of my hands.” Wearing an angelic air of innocence, Liz looked wide-eyed at Gray, who was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed calmly over his chest.
“Of course. Why don’t you just sweep up the pieces? It happens.” He gave her a friendly smile. Gray knew full well that Liz had dropped the plates on purpose, but he also knew he wasn’t going to let her beat him at this little game. He was going to put an end to this silliness. “It looks like you’re still really weak. I think it would be best if you went to bed. Good night, you two. We’ll see you in the morning.” Gray threw a smug smile in Liz’s direction, then turned around and joined Chris.
“It sounds like they just got themselves out of washing the dishes,” said Chris.
“That’s exactly what they did. From now on, we’re only using paper plates. If we don’t, I’m not going to have a single dish left.”
***
“He didn’t really just say that. I mean, he didn’t seriously mean it, did he?” Jennifer was shocked; surely she’d heard wrong. Had Gray just sent them to bed like little children?
“I think he did.” Liz stared thoughtfully at the door through which Gray had just disappeared. She had assumed that if she deliberately broke his plates, he would have bellowed like a wounded lion
and thrown them out. But no! He’d just laughed about it. Somehow, she had to get him to kick her out. She brooded as she swept up the shards and considered how they could goad him further, so that he would finally forget himself and lose his composure. As Liz dumped the shards in the garbage, she was struck by a brilliant idea. She put down the whisk broom and the dustpan, leaned against the fancy, white marbled work surface and turned to her friend.
“You know what I just thought of, Jenny?”
“What?”
“Our anticipated stay in this house is set for three or four weeks, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. So?”
“So if we’re going to be stuck here for so long, I’m going to need a few things that Gray definitely won’t have thought of. You too?”
“You want to write some sort of a shopping list for him?” Jenny gave her a look of confusion. Until now she’d assumed that Liz wanted exactly what she did: to get out of this place as quickly as possible. Had she somehow changed her mind? But when Liz gave her a devious smile, nodded and stroked the impressive polished countertop with the palm of her hand, it occurred to her what Liz might have in mind. Looking around, Jennifer opened and closed drawers until she found a pen, which she then pressed it into Liz’s hand. “Go ahead! Okay, I need…” Jennifer dictated her list as her friend diligently wrote everything down.
***
“Is it just me, or are you starting to get the feeling that something isn’t right?” Gray looked again toward the door that led into the kitchen. For some reason, an uneasy feeling had gripped him a few minutes earlier. He wanted to know why.