I Knew You Were Trouble: Accidents Happen

by Potter, M. X.

  "I'm sorry, he can't come to the..oh..phone right now," Adeline said. The 'oh' sounded sensual. She smiled at my confused look while listening to Jessica's response. "No, he's...ah.. just fine. Oh...oh.. why don't you..ah...call back in about an hour. Oh, God!...make that two." She hung up, sounding like she was on the verge of an orgasm. I started laughing.

  "She'll know it's bullshit," I said between chuckles.

  "Doesn't matter," Adeline said, overly proud of herself, "she's a woman. Just knowing there's another woman here willing to bullshit her is enough." I laughed again. She was right, Jessica would be envious. It was small of me to like the idea, but I liked it nonetheless.

  "Your insurance company called her thinking it was still your number," Adeline said, "she was calling to make sure the accident wasn't serious." Knowing Jessica, she was more likely hoping it was very serious.

  "Well, you were wonderful," I said, tipping my wine glass toward her, "and the meal was wonderful." That smile again. I walked around the counter and started collecting the dishes. It took us only a moment before we were in a cleaning sync. I washed and Adeline dried. We had a tendency to touch each other more than necessary. I enjoyed being close to someone again.

  My mind wandered to the fact I had known Adeline for less than a day. Most of it was more nasty than nice. She started humming as she dried, seemly comfortable being next to me. I wondered if my thinking was skewed. I hadn't been with a woman in a while, and Adeline was cute -- well beautiful. Jessica came to mind; she was beautiful to me once and didn't come with a host of problems.

  We finished the dishes and Adeline pulled the full garbage bag out of the can and tied it off. "In the garage?" she asked, holding up the full bag.

  "Let me take it," I said, "it's pick-up day tomorrow so I have to haul the can out to the curb anyway."

  "I'll take it out," Adeline smiled, "it's the least I can do." I shrugged my shoulders and allowed her the labor.

  "Thanks."

  Adeline hummed her way to the garage and pushed the opener button. There was a loud snap, followed by an even louder crash that echoed through the house. I stood, surprised for a second, until Adeline's cry brought me to reality. I rushed toward the garage.

  The washer and dryer unit was leaning forward in the utility room. A large metal spring was protruding through the wall and had put a large dent in the upper dryer. Adeline was kneeling on the floor of the garage crying. A thin layer of dust was in the air. The garage door was a foot high on one side and off the guides and down to the ground on the other. The old spring mechanism on the right side had failed and snapped off its support violently and driven itself into the far wall.

  "I'm sorry," Adeline cried, her head in her hands,"I'm sorry." She was rocking strangely back and forth.

  "Are you okay?" I asked as I knelt down to her. The damn spring could have killed her.

  "I'll leave," Adeline continued, "I don't want to wreck anything else." She was still rocking, which really disturbed me. I wrapped my arm around her and tried to pull her close. She fought me so I let go.

  "You didn't do anything. The damn thing just gave out." I struggled to get her to her feet. She was shaking terribly. There was blood on the right side of her forehead.

  "You're bleeding. Come inside and let me look at it." She looked up at me, her eyes tearing like rivers. I could see the defeat on her face and I hated it. It bothered me more than my fucking car, my jeans or my damn phone. I desperately wanted it off her face. I was at a loss, so I cradled her face with my hands and I kissed her.

  Her lips were yielding, and I could feel her despair. I don't know what I intended, but to linger wasn't planned. My hands slowly entwined into her hair as my lips refused to release her. I felt her surrender and tasted her tears as she tilted her head to better meet my lips. Her lips became stronger, her hand found the back of my neck. I wanted to live there, in my broken garage.

  "I..I broke your house," Adeline whispered into my mouth.

  "My house almost broke you. I would have burnt it down if it had." Adeline pulled herself closer, more tightly.

  "I don't want to sleep in the extra room," Adeline breathed into my ear. I felt her body heat mine. To hell with the stupid garage. I brought her inside and closed the door. I looked at the large spring poking through the wall. It wasn't going anywhere.

  I sat Adeline on the couch. My kiss had stopped her tears, though she was still shaken. I retrieved a washcloth and some antiseptic spray. I filled a glass with water and sat down next to her. I had her lie down, her head in my lap. She obeyed without question. She had become completely submissive.

  I dipped the cloth in water and began to lightly dab the wound. It wasn't deep, and there wasn't any foreign material in it. Some piece must have just flown off when the spring snapped. Adeline turned her head slightly to give me better access. I dipped the cloth again and made sure all the blood was gone. The wound looked clean, so I shielded her eyes and sprayed the antiseptic. She didn't even flinch. I lightly blew on it; I don't know why. It was something my mother used to do.

  "Stuff like that happens to me a lot," Adeline said quietly. I caressed her hair and made no move to have her sit up. I liked taking care of her. Silly, since I had no desire to take care of anyone else. She turned on her side, looking away from me, and tucked her knees toward her chest making herself more comfortable. It caused me to smile.

  "I don't care," I responded softly. I combed my fingers through her hair, and she wrapped her arm over my knees. We sat that way for a while. Just being there. It was comfortable. I hadn't been comfortable like that in a long time.

  "I was fired today," Adeline added to her troubles, "I called this afternoon and they told me I failed to show up for my shift." I continued playing with her hair. "The tips sucked, but it was a job."

  "You'll find another one," I said. She curled into me more. I was like a support blanket. I was Oliver, just a lot quieter and with a lot more touching.

  "I tried to call my friend Rose on your phone." Adeline was dumping everything. "She hung up on me. What little I have is at her place. I guess the SUV was the last straw."

  "The last straw?" I asked stupidly. Curiosity worked faster than my compassion. Adeline turned in my lap and looked up at me.

  "Is it okay if I don't tell you right now?" Adeline asked sadly. I felt shitty for asking.

  "Give me her number tomorrow," I said, instead of answering, "I'll see if I can't pick up your stuff." Adeline gave me a weak smile. Homeless, jobless and seems to think herself a bad omen. I should be running, but even her weak smile held me there. So unlike Jessica. That was part of the attraction. I couldn't put my finger on the other part. She rolled her head forward, sideways once again. She reached back and took my hand and pulled it over her shoulder and tucked it in with hers. I was truly a blanket.

  "Thank you," Adeline whispered. I held her because she needed it. I held her because I needed it. I didn't want to be anywhere else. I fell asleep there.

  Chapter Six

  "Damon." I was startled by Adeline's voice. I opened my eyes to her wonderful smile. She was still in my lap though she was now completely on her back. She reached up and wiped the side of my mouth. Shit, I was drooling. I lifted my head groggily.

  "Sorry," I said and wiped my lips with the back of my hand. I couldn't feel my legs, they were sound asleep. "What time is it?" Adeline lifted her head and looked over to the clock above the fish tank.

  "A little after two. Let's move to your bed." I nodded. I tried to stand, failed and just straightened my legs to let the blood back in. My brain was still not fully awake. She stood and held out her hand. I took it and stood slowly, then moved my head around, stretching the kink out of my neck. She moved behind me, her hands kneading my neck. I leaned into it.

  "Our bed is over here," I said walking slowly, trying not to separate from her hands. I heard a small giggle. I shut off the lights and walked by memory into my bedroom, Adeline following closely behind, her heavenly
fingers working my muscles. I stopped by the bed and yawned. There was a dim glow from a street lamp coming through the translucent curtains. I turned, trying to think if I had pajamas -- I hadn't worn any in a long time.

  Adeline's hands went to my collar and began unbuttoning my shirt. I smiled tiredly and stood there as she removed it. I was too exhausted to be surprised when she undid my belt and loosened my pants. She had me sit on the bed as she removed my shoes and socks, then pulled my pants off, leaving me in my boxers. She pulled back the sheets, and had me climb in under them. She walked to the other side. I heard her rustle around, then climb in the bed. She scooted close and put her arm over me. I felt a naked breast on my side and my mind began to waken.

  "Shh," Adeline whispered, "let's just sleep." She spooned into me, her breasts pressed into my back. Her hand wrapped around me, lightly caressing my chest. I drifted off, again.

  ***

  My alarm, as always, was an asshole. I was in the middle of some strange dream, not unpleasant, that faded quickly to the incessant, ever louder tone. Nails on a chalkboard. I reached over and slapped the clock a few times until my hand found the snooze. I rolled onto my back, my eyes still closed, and the rich aroma of coffee teased my nose. Adeline.

  I sat up and fully turned off the alarm. I didn't remember setting it last night. I spent a few minutes in my closet searching for my robe, the one I hadn't worn in years. When you don't have guests, your modesty wanes. I gave up after failing a cursory search and put on last night's pants and pulled on a t-shirt. The mirror told me my hair was in serious need of a brush. I ignored it and followed the scented trail of java.

  I leaned against the corner of the entrance to the great room. Adeline was busy cooking something in the kitchen. My robe looked a lot better on her than it ever did on me. I liked watching her work; she was so intent on her tasks. I could hear her humming to herself which caused me to smile. She somehow sensed it.

  "Good morning," Adeline said brightly, "coffee and pancakes?" I didn't usually eat breakfast, but the coffee sounded like an excellent idea.

  "Please," I responded and took a seat at the counter. "You set my alarm." I stated. Adeline nodded as she filled a cup with coffee.

  "Cream, sugar?"

  "Black," I responded, shaking my head. Adeline moved the cup to me with a smile. It all seemed so practiced. I remembered her saying the tips sucked; I guessed she had been waitressing. "Thank you." The coffee was good. Thick enough to ward off sleep, but not overly bitter.

  "I'm sorry for last night," Adeline said. I put the coffee down and looked up to her. Her face was sincere, but luckily didn't have the despair I saw yesterday.

  "I'm not," I said. I guess it caught Adeline off guard. She didn't know where to put her hands all of a sudden. "I liked you in my arms," I admitted as much to myself as to her. She turned back to the stove and flipped four mini pancakes. She turned back to me, and I could tell she had found some strength.

  "I don't do well in relationships. They end badly, and I don't know if I can take you not liking me." I raised my eyebrows at her. I saw something starting between us, and she was already looking at the end. She turned back to the pancakes on the stove.

  "Are you trying to warn me off?" She nodded to the pan. I took another sip of coffee and watched as she slid the spatula under a pancake to check its color. "What if I ignore your warning?"

  "I will probably ruin your life," Adeline replied softly. I tried not to, but a small chuckle escaped my lips. She turned with a little anger in her. "The garage won't be the last of it, you know. Everything will be fine and then, wham, you'll wish you never knew me."

  "The thought of you doing a better job of ruining my life than my ex is what I find funny," I said with a smile. "I'd like to take the risk if you let me. You're just as likely to think me scum in time." I took another sip of coffee while she digested my thoughts. I saw steam coming off the pancakes and pointed my cup toward them. Adeline turned and deftly moved them to plates. She brought the plates to the counter, along with silverware.

  "It scared me when you called it 'our' bed last night," Adeline said as she retrieved the butter from the fridge.

  "What?"

  "Last night, you were pretty tired, but called it 'our' bed." I had to smile at my Freudian slip.

  "I think I drooled on you too," I laughed. I loved the smile Adeline returned to me. "I can't be held responsible for things I do when I'm half awake." I spread some butter on my pancakes. I wasn't really hungry, but she made them for me.

  "So, you didn't mean it?" Adeline half teased. I stalled for a moment, then thought, 'what the fuck.'

  "I loved that we slept together in our bed," I said confidently. I quickly filled my mouth with pancake, forgetting the syrup, to avoid having to speak further. Adeline was trying desperately to hold back a smile. I could tell she wanted to remain serious, thinking there were future ramifications we needed to discuss. Finally, she gave in.

  "It was nice, wasn't it?" Adeline's smile was beautiful. I nodded and grabbed the syrup. The pancakes were good, but I loved sugar. I made pancakes for dinner about once a month just to get a sugar fix. She stayed my hand when I started to pour, leaned over the counter, over my pancakes and kissed me. I couldn't swallow my mouth full of pancake fast enough to lengthen the kiss, and had to let her recede.

  "You want to try that again," I said brightly, once I swallowed. Adeline shook her head with a sly smile. I let her have her fun and doused my pancakes in syrup. I was hungrier than I thought.

  Chapter Seven

  "I'm going to need to take the next couple of days off, James," I said into the phone. James Thorgan was a sensible boss. I have had a few who were less than reasonable, but James knew I made him look good when I could. "The spring on my garage door snapped off and shot through the back wall. The door won't open and I have to fix the hole." I listened for a moment, watching Adeline squirm uncomfortably. I think she thought I was risking my job or something. "Sure, I can do that Monday, but I want Emily there. Last time she left me in the dark." More listening. "Okay, see you Monday." I hung up and smiled. "Four day weekend!"

  "They just let you leave like that? No notice." Adeline said, surprised.

  "Of course, shit happens that people have to deal with," I responded casually. Adeline must have had some really shitty jobs. "They'll just take it off my PTO hours. I'll get paid for the time off one way or the other." I opened the phone book and glanced through the yellow pages looking for a local garage door company.

  "Hanson's Overhead Door is really good," Adeline said. I glanced up and saw her cheeks redden. "I've had a few that needed fixing," she said sheepishly. I smiled to soften her supposed shame.

  "Hanson's it is then," I said as I found them in print and called. When I had described the problem, they knew instantly what the issue was and were quite familiar with it. I was told they would be out within the hour with a new torsion spring assembly to replace the old extension spring system. I passed this on to Adeline who still seemed to think it could only have happened to her.

  We spent the next hour working the spring out of the wall. It was an awfully greasy thing. We scooted the washer-dryer into the great room to create some room to work. It took only a second for the spring to find its way into the wall, but fifteen minutes to get it out without tearing half the wall down. It wanted to catch on the drywall every step of the way since it went in at an angle. It also weighed a lot more than I had expected. In the end, I had a nice one-foot gash in my drywall. I guess I should be happy it didn't take out a stud.

  Hanson's were very efficient. They disassembled the door, reset the guides, built a frame to hold the torsion spring assembly and rehung the door. In the middle of it all, I got my rental car out of the garage. The door was slightly misshapen in the lower left corner, but it was a garage door and you couldn't see the problem from the road, so I decided to live with it.

  "It's bent," Adeline said sadly as she looked at the door.

  "
You can only tell from up close, and it's not that bad," I said. "You almost have to know it happened." It was an old house and deserved to look lived in. Adeline shook her head slowly, then headed inside. I think she would have preferred if there was no sign of the incident ever having occurred. I looked at the door again and now the crease was all I could see. Women.

  I chased down Hanson's team before they pulled away. They told me someone from sales would call about replacing the door or just the panel if they could still get the same style, which they doubted. The panels were as old as the house. I suspected I needed a new door. Adeline was expensive to have around.

  "You were right," I told Adeline once I was inside, "I have them pricing a new door." She looked at me with a funny expression.

  "You did that for me?"

  "You thought it looked like crap," I said, "I looked again and agreed." I thought she would be happy about it. Why did I just ask for a new door? I could have lived with the dented one.