I pulled open the back seat and threw my suitcase in, then opened the front door.
“I can sit here, right?” I asked, eyeing the dog wearily. “Or have I been demoted to the back?”
“Get in. It’s past Sammy’s bedtime. We need to get home.”
I sat down and pulled the door shut. Sammy immediately jumped onto my legs and tried to lick my face. I patted her head then gently pushed her down into a sitting position.
“How you holding up?” Rick asked softly.
“I’m okay for now. I don’t ever think I’ve felt this heartbroken.”
“He sounds like an amazing man. You said he’s coming out for Christmas, right? I can’t wait to meet him.”
“You’ll love him, Rick. He’s so down to earth. He’d love this little mutt, too.”
Rick glanced at me as he made the turn that put up on the north side of the airport, heading toward the 202. “I’m surprised you’re letting her on your lap, Marty. You never wanted to touch her before.”
“She’s okay,” I replied, looking into her brown doggie eyes.
“Hmm,” he said.
The road turned into the 202 and the lights of downtown Tempe and the Mill Avenue Bridge seemed so foreign. In another month, the whole place would be decked out in Christmas decorations and be ten times brighter. Colten would like to see it, I bet.
“You will come over on Saturday?” Rick asked as he exited Rural. “Everyone’s missed you.”
“Yeah, it’ll be good to see them. Where’s Tony, by the way? I thought he’d be along to pick me up.”
“He had to grade papers. The workload is overwhelming at midterm. Forty poorly written essays to grade. Can you imagine?”
“Sounds pretty terrible.”
“But he said to send his love.”
My apartment was a block south of Arizona State University, but it was expensive, which meant it kept out most of the college kids. I hadn’t had to worry about rent since they withdrew it every month directly from my bank account. All my other bills I’d kept track of online. Now it was back to the grindstone, back to life like normal.
Rick pulled the car into the parking garage—which I paid an extra hundred dollars a month for a spot—and put it into park beside the elevator.
“You want me to come up?” he asked.
“No, I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay.”
“You know, it’s so weird. I was depressed thinking I had to stay for two months back home, and now I’m depressed thinking I have to stay for two months here.”
“You don’t have to stay here, Marty.”
I shook my head and handed Sammy back to him. “Yes, I do. Thanks for the ride. I’ll treat you and Tony to dinner soon as a thank you.”
“It’s no problem. See you on Saturday.”
I got from the car and retrieved my bag from the back seat. Rick waited until I was in the elevator to pull away. I waved until the doors cut him off from my sight.
Sighing, I hit the button for the fifth floor.
My key slid easily into the lock and I rotated it clockwise. It made a loud click and I pushed the door in. The place was dark, but worse, it was empty and cold. Colten’s house had felt similar, the first time I went there. It hadn’t any of the other times, though. I shivered and flipped on a light switch. It didn’t help.
I adjusted the thermostat to a more moderate temperature, then moved my suitcase into the bedroom. I tossed it into the corner, unwilling to even look at it, a reminder of all I’d lost today.
Keeping my promises, I called Dad first—I figured I’d get the conversation done quicker with him. They’d made it home okay, and Dad was going to try and drive himself tomorrow. After he swore to be careful, we said our goodbyes.
When I hung up, I couldn’t shake how weird he’d sounded, digital and far away. It hurt to be away from him now, too.
My fingers shook as I selected Colten’s picture from my contacts list.
“Marty,” he said after the first ring. “You get in okay?”
“Yeah, just got home.”
“How was the flight?”
“A bit bumpy, but made it all in one piece.”
“Good to hear. Your dad and I almost got pulled over by a cop on the way home.”
“You did? Dad didn’t mention it.”
Colten laughed. “Of course he wouldn’t. It was all his fault. After we passed Little Washington, a plastic bag flew up and got caught in the windshield wiper. I couldn’t get it off. So Jim decided to stick his crutch out the window and hit it.”
“Oh God.”
“The cop got behind us and flashed his lights. Jim moved the crutch back inside, and the cop sped off. My heart was beating so fast.”
“Why is it he acts more childish than I do?”
“Just his nature. I miss you already.”
“I miss you, too. Christmas can’t come quick enough.”
“You’ll make it though. Keep busy, it’ll pass before you know it.”
“I hope. Well, I’ll let you get to sleep. You have an early day tomorrow.”
“Okay. Have a good night, Marty.”
“I’ll call you tomorrow when I get up. Will that be all right?”
“You can call me anytime. I never have anything pressing.”
“I love you, Colten.”
“Love you, Marty. Good night.”
I hung up then headed to the bathroom for a shower. It was business like usual tomorrow.
Chapter 24
I rang Rick and Tony’s doorbell. Their condo was in the fashionable Kierland Commons complex, ritzy houses settled right atop shops—a mini New York City in the middle of Scottsdale.
Surprisingly, Lisa opened the door. I stepped forward and hugged her.
“The hosts are getting something out of the oven,” she explained. “How are you, Marty?”
“Good. How about you?”
“No complains. We’ve all been dying to hear how your dad’s doing.”
“It was quite an ordeal at first, but by the end we were doing great. He’s quirkier in large doses, so it was a lot different than our usual visits.”
She pushed her long, auburn hair around her ear, and her grin revealed dimples in her dark cheeks. “Sounds like you were able to reconnect, though.”
“Yeah, we did. It was actually a good trip.”
Rick’s voice called out from deeper into the room, “And he came back with a boyfriend.”
Lisa’s smile stretched wider. “A boyfriend? How?”
“A guy I knew from high school. We ran into each other and hit it off.”
Rick appeared, Sammy in his arms. “Dinner’s all set. Stop hanging out in the doorway and come inside.”
In the formal dining room, the table was full. Food covered every available inch, and each chair had a person seated.
“There’s no room,” I accused.
“We have extra chairs in the bedroom,” Tony said, joining the group. He was wearing an apron over his shirt and slacks. “Rick, go grab them.”
“But I’ve got Sammy.”
“I’ll get them,” I offered. “How many more?”
“Probably five,” Tony said, giving me a grateful look. He turned to the other guest. “Everyone shuffle closer together so we can make the space.”
Lisa followed me back into the office and helped me collect the extra chairs. I hadn’t realized there would be so many gathered tonight. I’d spotted Rita, Jason, and Harper—the core members of our group—but hadn’t recognized anyone else. They could have been Tony’s coworkers, or members of Rick’s incredibly large family.
We managed the five chairs between the two of us, I wound up pushing one with my foot, and we joined the rest of the group. They’d cleared the end of the table so Lisa and I set our chairs down. I was glad Harper and Jason were seated down at this end. At least I’d have familiar faces.
I sat beside Harper.
She leaned over and gave me a peck on
my cheek. “We missed you, Marty. It hasn’t been the same without your snide comments during movies.”
I snorted softly. It was my biggest flaw, and I knew it. I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut when we watched films. I always had to point out something. Usually by the second beer, though, my friends didn’t mind so much.
“We’ll have to go soon, then,” I told her.
Tony stood at the head of the table and announced, “Dig in.”
I grabbed the nearest platter and piled heaps of rice onto my plate. Tony was an amazing chef, and I loved eating meals over here. Everyone else seemed to agree because all talking cut off as we ate.
Once we had our bellies slightly filled, conversation resumed.
Jason gripped my arm to draw my attention. He had to lean over Harper to do it, and she glared at him. “Now, I want to hear about Maryland.”
“It was fine. I honestly didn’t do much besides work and keep Dad company.”
“Tell us about this boyfriend,” Lisa added.
“Boyfriend?” Rita and Harper said in unison.
“His name is Colten Williams. He was a year behind me at school.”
“Sounds like a farmer’s name,” Harper said. “Colten. Is he cute?”
“Obviously,” Jason said. “You think Marty would be with someone unattractive?”
They laughed and I had a hard time not grinning myself. My reputation was a little earned. But with Colten, it went beyond physical beauty. His personality sparkled as much as his white teeth.
“He’s gorgeous,” I agreed. “He works on his dad’s farm, raising sheep and cows and stuff.”
“So interesting,” Jason said, rolling his eyes. “How did you stand listening to all the farm talk?”
“It wasn’t so bad,” I told him. After all, I thought it had been boring at first too. Colten’s passion had made it seem so much more engaging.
“Marty, you seem so smitten,” Lisa said.
“We got pretty serious,” I confessed. “He’s coming out for Christmas.”
“I can’t imagine being stuck in such a dull place,” Jason said. “It’ll do him good to visit out here.”
Harper nodded. “What did you guys do for fun?”
“Go cow tipping?” Jason asked with a laugh.
A sharp pang of anger shot through me. I didn’t like how they dismissed Colten so easily. Without even knowing anything about him, they pared him down to the stereotype of what they thought a country boy should be.
Two months ago, and I would have been the one making that joke, I realized. I hated everything about back home, thinking all the people were stupid and simple. But I’d been proved wrong. Beyond wrong. I had taken all my fears and worries—mostly of the curse—and reflected it on everyone back there. I was so afraid they’d judge me and my lifestyle when I’d already done it to them. How insensitive was I? How hypocritical?
“We mostly watched television,” I said, focusing on the here and now. I could do deep meditation later. “And I bought Dad Netflix, so we watched movies. I also took him to a Pirates game in Pittsburgh. It was amazing. They beat the Cubs easily.”
“Glad to see your baseball lust hasn’t diminished,” Jason said.
“Of course not. It was fantastic to see the stadium again.” I sighed, missing Colten and Dad and Maryland all over again. “What about here? Anything happen?”
They launched into stories about a shooter on the freeway, a new restaurant in downtown Tempe, the aquarium opening to the public. I listened, happy to be back with them, but the large part of my heart aching for Colten.
At the end of the night, I thanked Tony and Rick for the invitation, and gave everyone a hug. We promised to meet up again next weekend for teppanyaki, one thing I couldn’t get in Accident.
Chapter 25
The next week passed with little incident. Work like normal. Hanging out with friends like normal. Calling Colten every available second like normal.
When Friday rolled around, I was looking forward to a simple night in to relax. No plans at all.
I finally got around to unpacking. At first, it had been too heartbreaking to go through the clothes, thinking of how Colten had kissed my shoulder while I wore that striped sweater, or how his fingers had trailed up my leg of those jeans. Then, I had gotten too busy with work. My week of paid time off had left me with a lot of assignments to make up on my return. I was still scrambling to finish. I’d probably get stuck doing some on Saturday, too.
My suitcase lay abandoned in the corner of my bedroom. I wheeled it out and unzipped the top. Tipping it upside down, I deposited the contents onto the floor. A piece of paper wafted down gently, instead of crashing with all the clothes.
Curious, I reached for it, not sure what it was. I hadn’t packed any paper.
It turned out to be a note, written in my dad’s hand, with two photos pressed inside. I looked at one, the picture Dad had snapped of me and Colten that first night. Colten leaned on my shoulder and we both grinned like idiots. I felt my face take on a similar expression now. I had been a great night.
I flipped to the second photo and nearly dropped it in shock. It was Mom and Dad. The similarities to the first picture were uncanny. Mom sat where I sat. Dad leaned into her the way Colten had leaned into me. They both had goofy grins on their faces. The positioning in the kitchen was nearly identical too.
Lifting Dad’s note, I read what he wrote.
Went looking through the photo album and came across this beauty. Thought you might like to have it in your hallway at home.
My tears were flowing before I even realized it.
I grabbed my phone off the bedside table and dialed Dad’s number.
“Marty?” he asked when he picked up. “Everything okay?” It was only six back there, but earlier than I usually called. Or else he instinctively knew I needed his guidance.
“Dad,” I said through a sniffle. “I just found the picture you sent home with me. Thank you. I love it.”
“You’re welcome, kid. Are you all right? You sound upset.”
A sob escaped my throat. “I…I’m not all right. Dad, I’m so lonely. I miss you and Colten and home.”
I heard him sigh, and knew he was wrestling with how to console me. “Mart, I know you have your reasons for staying in Phoenix. I didn’t want to belittle your opinion, or have you think I was trying to sway you. But, I want to say something about this curse of yours. What if it’s not a curse in the way you’re thinking? What if it’s more a test?”
“How would it be a test?”
“I think God is capable of putting obstacles in front of us to make sure we’re on the right path. Nothin’ in life is easy, but when it gets hard and you keep goin’, you know what you’re doing is worth fighting for.”
“I’m so afraid.”
“Which is fine, Mart. It’s okay to be afraid. But you shouldn’t let fear decide for you. If you wanna stay in Phoenix, I support you. And I know Colten does too. But make sure it’s you deciding, and not your fear.”
I took a shaky breath. “You’re right, Dad. I’ve been running all this time, ever since I graduated high school. I don’t think I want to run anymore.”
“I’m proud of you, whatever you decide to do, kid. And you don’t need to rush this. Take your time.”
Even though he couldn’t see, I shook my head. “I have decided. I want to come back. I want to live there, in Accident.”
I knew he smiled when he said, “Then come on home.”
“The Western Maryland Expo is tomorrow. I’m going to get on the first plane out there and surprise Colten.”
“He’ll be surprised. Let me know when you’re landing and I’ll come pick you up.”
“Thanks, Dad. You’re an amazing father and a good friend.”
He wheezed with laughter. “You better start packing if you want to get here quick.”
“Love you, Dad. See you soon.”
“Love you, Mart.”
Chapter 26
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Twenty minutes later I climbed behind the wheel of my Accent and shoved the key into the ignition. I rotated it, and the engine refused to turn.
I called a taxi. It arrived in ten minutes.
“To the airport,” I told the driver, putting my freshly packed suitcase beside me.
We were off.
At the ticket counter, I bought a one-way ticket for Pittsburgh. It left in two hours. I had to hustle through security. I was flagged for a pat down, but I made it through with time to spare. I called Dad to let him know I’d be landing in Pittsburgh at five in the morning. He promised to be there.
The flight was delayed.
Once in the air, the internal heater broke and the plane was freezing. The woman beside me requested the last blanket and bought the last hot meal.
I tried to sleep but a child kept crying in the back.
Groggily, I followed the crowd to the exit after we taxied to the terminal. This time, I was ready to shove my way through to get off.
It’d only been a little over a week since I was here last, but apparently, they’d done some major construction. Several hallways were blocked off and I wandered around trying to find the way to the trolley to take me to the street. I followed several people, hoping they knew where they were going, but they all wound up at different restaurants. One guy kept turning around to stare at me, like I was a stalker.
When I finally found the trolley, it was full. Full at six o’clock in the morning. How was that even possible?
The luggage wasn’t even ready when I got to the baggage claim. I waited for twenty minutes. Some sort of label error caused them to almost be packed into a different, departing plane.
Dad honked the horn and I shuffled up to his Tundra. I put my suitcase in the back and climbed in beside him.
“God, Marty, you look rough.”
“Good to see you too, Dad.”
“What happened?”
“God’s making sure I really love Colten.”
He grinned and patted my back. “I know you do, kiddo. Let’s get you to the expo.”
Of course, it was almost seven now, and the 79 was closed to one lane. We were stuck at a standstill for nearly an hour. I gripped my hair by the roots and pulled. The fates were working to keep me away from Colten, but I wouldn’t allow it. I’d made my decision, and I was getting to the expo if it killed me.
The Accident Curse Page 13