The Estranged

by JG Koratzanis

  “I am calm!

  “Hello? Hello!”

  Heather’s eyes went wide when she allowed the caller to continue.

  “Misa? What the hell does she have to do with this? They broke up long before—

  “I told you, I’m fucking calm,” Heather yelled. A light flickered on through a window as her eyes trailed up the fire escape.

  “Hello? Hello!”

  She yanked the phone away from her ear and stared at the bright screen. Obscured icons disfigured by the cracked glass didn’t register that the call disconnected. She returned the phone to her ear.

  “Hello?”

  A growl and spittle flew through gritted teeth as she hurled the phone against the brick wall. This time, she was sure it was more than just the screen that was broken.

  CHAPTER 4

  CRYSTAL SKY

  I

  The hardwood floors were littered with empty Solo Cups and discarded cans, begging the socialites to trip over. The sweat jackets and windbreakers strewn about the coat rack and chair backs were as vacant and listless as their owners.

  She considered the party-goers’ conversations like the red cups; empty and meaningless, without peculiarity, save for the weak inside jokes that nobody was in on. If not for Jackie inviting her to his friend Gary’s party, she just as well would have vegged out on the couch and watched Gray’s Anatomy instead. The playlist of the equally trivial music switched to classic Bon Jovi, much to Heather’s satisfaction.

  Maybe Jackie was right. Coming here wasn’t such a bad idea after all. And not knowing anyone, except for Jackie, and Rick who was late as usual, made it easy for her to play a little masquerade.

  Except, these people were boring. Even the few who seemed remotely interested were easily distracted by the sound of cans opening or their cell phones. When did society become so captivated by communicating with invisible friends instead of the warm bodies in front of them, she wondered, forgetting her own attention deficit as she slipped her phone out of her purse.

  “Put that thing away! You’re going to poke somebody’s eye out with that thing,” Jackie startled her.

  “It’s new. Well, sort of new. I dropped it a few weeks ago and— I’m still trying to get all my contacts in order. Lost most of them for some reason.”

  “I was just kidding, you know. Sheesh, your nerves are on hyper-drive. Where is your drink?” he said. She tipped her cup towards her and glanced down.

  “In my stomach, I guess.”

  Jackie snatched her cup and stepped backwards. “Let me fix you another. The usual? Rum and Diet?”

  Heather smiled. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a younger man, not by much, focused in her direction. She returned his delight and stepped towards him.

  Boyish charm reddened his cheeks before he dropped his gaze to his sneakers. His regard returned topside, and she chuckled to herself when his glance paused for a moment a little too long at her bosom, before making eye contact. Though modestly endowed, she smiled again when she realized it was about time someone noticed more of her than her personality.

  “Hey,” she said. “What do you think you’re staring at?”

  “I, uh—” he stammered.

  She smacked the side of his arm. “Relax, I’m just teasing. I’m Heather,” she said and held out her hand.

  “I’m—”

  Jackie returned and slipped a red cup into Heather’s waiting grip.

  “Hey, Douglas. When did you sneak in?” Jackie said. Douglas jerked back.

  “I didn’t sneak in. Gary invited me,” he said. Heather detected an apprehension in his voice. Jackie shot him a look which said, no-duh. Heather chuckled.

  “How do you guys know each other?” Douglas said. Heather sipped as Jackie answered.

  “Unfortunately, we met at the asylum. I was let out. She escaped and found me. Heather does make an adorable puppy, doesn’t she?”

  “Ha-ha, very funny. Make another dog reference and we’ll have to step outside,” she scoffed. Jackie grabbed Heather by the arm and pulled her in close.

  “I’m gonna go smoke a bowl. You should come,” he said.

  Jackie stared at her in a way she didn’t understand. Her stomach tightened and went cold. Something told her to go along. But Douglas was somewhat attractive. And his hazel eyes and fair complexion stirred a desire in her she hadn’t considered in months.

  “No. Not right now. Maybe after Rick shows up. I’m good.”

  Jackie remained fixed in his odd gaze. She winked at him, knowing he always looked out for her. Understanding that he was still friends with Chase, she feared what would happen if Chase found out if she did anything that might hurt him. Even though their closeness had waned over the last several months, Jackie had a knack for opening his mouth when he had too much to drink. Or smoke.

  “Are you sure?” he said. Heather nodded.

  “I’ll be out back if you need me,” he said and disappeared into the crowd.

  “So,” Douglas began. “Is it safe to say you are between boyfriends?”

  Heather jolted at the question. The shy boy alone in the corner suddenly self-assured and eager. Was it because of Jackie, she wondered.

  “That’s original,” she smiled. “Yeah, something like that. What about you,” she mocked. He smiled. It looked off to her.

  “I’m afraid I’m all yours,” he said.

  That same feeling in the pit of her stomach churned again. She examined his expression, frozen in what seemed like over anticipation.

  “Yeah, I really don’t think so,” she said. She didn’t like the taste of venom. But where else to try Seabrook’s little experiment than on someone that might get the point. His eyes gleamed as she waited for a response. The ding of her cell phone broke the thickened silence, and she reached into her purse.

  “You don’t have to get that. I thought we were having a good time,” he said, slowly reaching to her hand. Heather quickly withdrew from him.

  “Oh, hey. I didn’t mean it like that. Go ahead. Answer. Answer it,” his voice cracked.

  Jackie 1m ago

  Rick here. Come out back. Ditch Doug

  Douglas craned forward, too slow to glance at the message before Heather powered down. “Who was that? What did he want?”

  Heather turned sideways and scanned him up and down.

  “Nobody,” she said. “I have to make a call. Wait for me here. I’ll be right back.”

  “I can come—”

  “No,” Heather snapped. She watched his puppy dog eyes narrow in either confusion or frustration. And she didn’t care.

  Weaving through the party of zombies towards the back door, she shook her head in an attempt at clarity.

  “Needy, much? No wonder you’re fucking single.” The final words of her sentence nearly silenced in fear that Douglas might not have gotten the hint and followed her. She looked around and watched him return to his lonely corner by the stairs and sip from his red cup. She thought he was staring at her from the corner of his eye.

  Stepping outside, the music drifted away underneath the current of lighthearted conversations in the shoebox of a yard. The small slab of patio met an even smaller swath of sod, surrounded by the adjacent brick apartment walls. Gary was lucky, she thought. Not many two-story apartments on Henry street have yard access. And the taller, surrounding buildings made for good shelter from the wind as well as privacy from the mostly windowless neighbors.

  “Hey, girl. Where’ve you been all night?” Rick said, arms outstretched. Jackie looked on and smiled. Heather dove into his embrace and struggled to reach around his mighty frame.

  “How’d you sneak past me?” she said.

  “I don’t know. Maybe because you were too busy talking to someone else.”

  She closed her eyes and put her hand to her head. “Oh my, God, he was the cutest guy! And suddenly—”

  “Creepy?” Jackie interrupted.

  She slapped Jackie on the back of the arm. Though formidable in s
tature, he couldn’t help but recoil.

  “Ow! What was that for?”

  “Why didn’t you warn me?”

  “I tried.”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “Should I have said something in front of him? Um, hey, Doug. You’re kinda creepy. Stay away from Heather?”

  Friends came and went as the music had been replaced by I Love Lucy reruns through the television’s soundbar. Several Rum and Diet’s, one to three beers, and Heather couldn’t remember the last time she felt carefree. Rick questioned her more than once if there was something she wasn’t letting them in on, but the occasional slur, swirl, and stumble didn’t sway her. This was a night she needed. What she wanted. Besides, would Rick or Jackie let anything happen to her?

  As if the air sucked out their collective chests, Heather gut-punched the conversation with the question she no longer fought to hold onto.

  “He’s fine,” Rick said and looked away. “I’m going for another beer. Want anything?”

  She folded her arms and furrowed her brow.

  “What? Don’t look at me like that.

  “He’s fine.

  “I said, he’s fine!” Rick’s volume raised as did his pitch.

  “Fine. Just get me whatever you’re having,” she sighed.

  “What about you?”

  “No, I’m good,” Jackie said. “You missed a good bowl. But I think I’m going to head out soon.”

  “Come on! One more for the road.”

  Jackie stared for a moment, then smiled. “Okay!”

  She watched Rick step away and past Douglas who settled near the sliding glass doors, still inside, but closer. He almost seemed to leer at and not leer at Heather at the same time. She returned to Jackie.

  “How is he really?” she said, still trying to figure out Douglas’ fixation.

  “Did you see what happened in Haiti this week?” Jackie said in return. She stared him down, and as with Rick, she knew it would work.

  “He’s not fine. He’s a decrepit mess. I can honestly say I don’t know what to say to him—” Jackie diminished into silence. Heather watched and waited for the finish that never came. She said nothing.

  “Someone said he’s been around that guy even more,” Jackie said.

  Heather remained silent and remembered when she first heard of “that guy.” Something in her gut told her he was bad news. And she was right. Chase had already been in a dark place when he met Mr. Baz, and she blamed him for the roller coaster that plummeted and never came back up again.

  “But anyway, what’ve you been up to?

  “Hello? Oh, girl? You still here?”

  She shook her head and smiled.

  “Yeah, sorry. My mind must have wandered—”

  “Here, drink,” Rick said and handed over a Solo Cup. “Let’s just have a good time tonight. We can talk about him tomorrow. Okay?”

  The notification ding of her phone seized her rebuttal. Slipping it out from her purse, she read the home screen.

  New Friend Request 1m ago

  She opened the social media app and clicked on the Friend Request icon.

  “Who the hell is this?”

  She focused on the person’s avatar, nearly ignoring the name beneath it. At first glance, it looked like a photograph of an evil skull, monochromatically dull and solitary. Upon further inspection, it was a nude person, probably male, sitting on the floor, head down and hands clutched firmly on the back of it. Legs bent at the knees, but forward facing, she placed the image to a television show she was afraid to watch. Penny Dreadful.

  “Who the hell is D. Baggio?” she said.

  Jackie took her hand and read the name for himself.

  “D-Bag. That’s Douglas. Mr. Creepy. I warned you!”

  “D-Bag? As in douche—”

  “Yeah. That’s what everyone calls him. You’d think his parents would’ve known better than to name him Douglas,” Jackie answered.

  “How the hell did he find me on Facebook?”

  “Did you tell him your last name?” Rick said.

  “No, of course not. And besides, I don’t use my real last name. I go by Heather Joy, you know that,” she guffawed.

  “Oh, shit, I bet I know,” Jackie began. “I’m friends with him on Facebook. I’ll bet he went through my list.”

  “I’m unfriending you, you know,” she said with a wink.

  Jackie shrugged his shoulders and upended his palms. “Sorry. It’s not my fault you attract the weirdos.”

  “Who’s a weirdo?” Douglas said.

  “Heather, did you see my request? Did you accept?”

  “I—”

  “Who’re you?” Rick snapped. His chest puffed out and his fists balled up. Douglas stepped back.

  “I’m Doug. Jackie’s friend,” his voice cracked. “And you are?”

  “Heather’s boyfriend. You should leave,” Rick said.

  “My—” Heather blurted. Douglas’ eyes danced between the trio.

  “But it says on her profile she’s single?”

  “We like to keep it private,” Rick said. “It’s nobody’s business. You’re nobody. Go away.”

  Douglas leered at Rick. How much creep-factor this guy had, she dreaded finding out.

  “Really? Prove it.”

  Rick’s eyebrows shifted. Douglas smiled. His dentist-assisted teeth gleamed like halogen bulbs. Rick shrugged, grabbed Heather, and kissed her. Deeply.

  It was a moment before she realized what was happening. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. Rick eased away. Heather’s puppet strings slackened as she stumbled forward.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  Jackie gawked and uttered a sound like a sickly canine. Rick turned and glowered at Douglas. He nodded and slinked away. Heather remained fixed on Rick, her eyes like saucers.

  “Wow,” she repeated. “That wasn’t half bad,” she said as her fingers drifted upwards to her lips.

  “That wasn’t half good either,” Rick said. “You best keep quiet about that.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s still my little brother,” he said.

  “Not really.”

  “Yes really,” Rick insisted. “Blood doesn’t always make family.”

  Jackie sipped his beer and watched Rick. “Is this one of those times where the third person feels really, really uncomfortable? Because that’s what I’m feeling right now,” he said.

  “Oh, stop it. You’re fine,” Rick assured and put his arm around Jackie.

  “Hey, guys? Do you think one of you can drive me home? I don’t want to take the train by myself,” Heather said. She never wanted to take the train again. Rick considered her and took her hand.

  “What kinda boyfriend would I be letting you go home alone. Let’s go, I have to get up early tomorrow anyway.”

  “Can you drive me home too?” Jackie said. “I don’t want Douglas following me home. He knows I’m single!”

  II

  “You’re kidding me, right?” Heather muttered as she noticed Douglas loitering near the front door of the apartment.

  “Bye, guys. Get home safe,” he eagerly waved. It reminded Heather of over-sugared children leaving an ice cream parlor.

  Douglas grabbed her by the arm and glared at her. “I know he’s not your boyfriend. Little girls shouldn’t tell lies,” he whispered.

  “Get off me, asshole,” Heather yelled. Douglas leaned in close and whispered.

  “D-Bag!” Rick lunged. Rick’s dense forearm pushed under Douglas’ chin and pinned him against the wall. Heather shuddered as she heard the sheetrock crack behind Douglas. It got the attention of the surrounding guests. One chanted FIGHT-FIGHT-FIGHT. Another pushed through the wannabe eyewitnesses, cell phones poised to record.

  “What the fuck, Rick?” a short, thick man said. The missing patches of fuzz on his closely shaved head didn’t hide that in his mid-twenties, he was going bald. His eyes blazed with ire. Rick turned his head.

  “Oh, hey, Ga
ry. What’s up?”

  Gary’s fists burst open, turning his palms white.

  “What’s up? What’s the first rule of Gary’s home?”

  Heather snickered at the Chuck Palahniuk inference. Douglas grinned as Rick backed off.

  “Sorry, buddy. We’re good,” Rick said and brushed off Douglas’ shirt.

  “What do you mean, we’re good? You busted my wall, man!”

  Rick continued to study Douglas. “I’ll take care of it. You know I’m good for it.”

  Gary dropped and shook his head as he slowly made his way back through the crowd. “Someone get me a fucking beer!”

  The cool night breeze caressed Heather’s face as the three padded down the steps. An unnatural silence blanketed Henry Street as they headed towards Rick’s Jeep. The night breathed a softness Heather didn’t expect. The sidewalks, cars, and streetlights buckled, shifted, and turned with her every step.

  “Anyone have a Xanax?” she said. Jackie shook his head.

  “You Okay?” Rick said. “Don’t let that douche bag creep you out.”

  “It’s not him,” she interrupted. “It’s what he said.”

  “What did he say? I saw him whisper something to you,” Jackie said. Heather cinched her olive sweater tighter about her chest.

  “It’s probably nothing, but I—”

  Rick halted in his tracks.

  “What did he say? I’m going back.”

  Heather brushed her fingers down Rick’s arm and smiled. She always loved how protective he was of her. And she thanked Chase for it a long time ago. If she hadn’t returned to Sammie’s Upstate home, if that unquavering sense of destiny hadn’t nagged her for six years, if she didn’t deliberately sit next to this big teddy bear of a man beside the bonfire, she might have never the protection from the ordinary world she never knew she wanted. Other than that, of Chase. His form of protection was more of the Marine she never wished he attempted to be. Shoot first, question after. Rick’s protection was just as genuine, but his subscription leaned more towards question first, shoot second. It was almost as if the two most important men in her life were the perfect balance to each other, and to her. Though she was tough and could handle her own when provoked, she allowed her feminist side to waiver on the side of feminine. And she knew playing up, as honestly as she could, the damsel in distress routine always worked when she needed a break.