by Grace Risata
“Hey, Alyce, how did it go today? Do I even want to ask? Please tell me you didn’t cause any problems for Kassie. Are you okay?”
“Don’t worry about me getting your sister fired. I have a feeling she’s doing just fine with that on her own. Did you know she took off with some dude named Brad? She wasn’t even there today!”
Kennedy grunted and put the phone down long enough to rummage through some papers. The twins shared an apartment and they had a habit of always leaving each other notes whenever they went anywhere. Kassie had a stalker for a while and she decided it was in her best interest if everyone knew where she was at all times.
“Evidently Brad took her to a casino and they’re staying overnight. The note has several hearts and flowers, so she must be excited about him.”
“Yeah, excited enough to skip out on work and totally throw me under the bus. Do you know anything about this place or her coworkers?”
“Not a whole lot, honestly. Kassie started there two months ago and she’s managed to keep the job thus far, which is impressive. I do know there’s a lady that hates her with a passion. I think her name is Donna or Deana or something like that, but her nickname is ‘that bitch’ because my sister has issues with her.”
“Debbie?” I offered.
“Yes, that’s the one! Would you care to tell me what happened today? I have a feeling you’re holding back. What’s wrong, Alyce?”
“Well, for starters Kassie was not there to get me set up so I had to rely on the girl at the front desk. That would be my new friend Debbie. She was all smiles and sunshine until I mentioned Kassie’s name. It went downhill from there.”
“Oh crap. I don’t really know much about their feud, but I think it had something to do with jealousy over a guy. Kassie insisted that he approached her, the dude was smoking hot, and she had no idea he wasn’t single.”
Wow. My suspicions were correct. Kassie must have made a play for Debbie’s significant other. She would never admit to that though. Maybe I should get a little more information before I judge Debbie too harshly. But that’s not the real issue here. I have no desire to get involved in any of Kassie’s romance drama. I learned that lesson a long time ago…it’s better to stay out of her way and keep my nose clean.
“Did she mention anything about a veteran named Dixon?” I asked, sick of beating around the bush.
“No, I don’t think so. She did come home one day cussing up a storm about some jerk that kept scaring off the volunteers. That was a few weeks ago, so he must have been new to the program. I believe her exact words were, ‘I wouldn’t touch that guy with a ten foot pole.’ It struck me as odd because she usually gets along so well with everyone. Especially men. Well…primarily men. She does okay with women as long as she’s not trying to steal their boyfriends or husbands.”
Poor Kennedy. She was one of the few people who defended Kassie no matter what her sister did. It was a good thing they had the complete opposite taste in men, or things might not be so smooth in their relationship.
Yes, even I had been on the receiving end of Kassie’s boy crazy tendencies. It wasn’t anything serious, but it was just the wakeup call I needed to realize I couldn’t trust her around members of the opposite sex. Let’s just say that the incident involved alcohol, truth or dare, and a certain member of the boy’s varsity hockey team.
“Hello? Alyce? Are you still there? You went silent on me. I’m still waiting to hear how your volunteering experience went. Fill me in!”
I paused, not wanting to show all my cards right at that very moment. I had a strange desire to keep Debbie and Dixon all to myself for now. I wasn’t sure how things would play out.
“It was fine. Did you get a text with a selfie of Kassie and Brad?” I asked, more than happy to change the subject away from myself. “Did you notice anything peculiar about your sister’s new love?”
“You mean other than the fact that he could be a stunt double for Thor?” she replied, instantly breaking out into laughter. “Yeah, I noticed that! I just feel kind of bad for Tyler. It seemed like they were getting along so well.”
“Which one was he? Was that the guy with the Mercedes?”
“No, he was last month. Tyler is the one with the dry cleaning business.”
“I can’t even keep them straight. I have no clue how she manages. I would need a damn spreadsheet or cliff notes or something.”
We continued to rip on Kassie and her love life, eventually ending the conversation when Kennedy’s favorite TV show started. Sadly, I was still at square one when it came to figuring out the mystery of Dixon.
Ah well. There’s always tomorrow. Is it crazy that I’m looking forward to this so much?
Chapter Four
I strode into the veteran’s center with infinitely more confidence than I had yesterday afternoon. What was different this time around? I had baked goods and a tentative game plan. I liked to call it my ‘charm offensive’ but with brownies instead of anything that involved being too friendly.
What can I say? I tended to be honest to a fault. It wasn’t in my nature to fake politeness or be too sugary sweet. When personality traits were passed out, I was last in line for the social skills.
But I had a container of freshly baked brownies that I made last night, and I planned to see how far that would get me.
Upon entering the enormous room, and noticing that the buzz from yesterday had not gone down at all, I made eye contact with Debbie. It was plainly evident that I was the last person she had ever expected to see again. Her eyes grew wide and she stepped back in surprise.
Once her composure was suitably regained, Debbie smiled sheepishly and gave me a little wave indicating for me to come over to her desk.
“Hello, Alyce. Welcome back. I would like to apologize for everything that happened yesterday,” she said, speaking sincerely with no hint of an attitude in her tone. “I should never have stuck you with Dixon and truly regret that lack of sanity on my part. Whatever issue that I have with Kassie should not have been passed on to you. I hope we can start over today and you won’t hold it against me.”
Wow. That was a total personality shift from yesterday. Not only did she appear heartfelt and deeply remorseful, but also willing to work with me today.
“I accept your apology, Debbie. In life, some days are better than others. How about we call a truce and seal the deal by sharing a homemade brownie? I made these last night with the hope of bringing them today and making a better impression. I feel like I got off on the wrong foot with everyone.”
The wary woman eyed up my container as though she wasn’t entirely certain she could trust whatever waited inside.
I cracked open the lid and let the heavenly scent of double chocolate brownies waft up her nose. Then I took one out and bit off a giant chunk.
“See? I’m eating one,” I mumbled while chewing. “So you know they’re not poisoned.”
She broke into a tiny smile and hesitantly reached out a hand.
“Could I just have the smallest one in there? I’m watching my weight.”
Of course she was. All the hot chicks usually counted calories. Kassie was the exact same way. Speaking of my wayward friend…
“Is Kassie here today? I never got a chance to talk to her and I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to give her a quick hello.”
Debbie shook her head to indicate that her nemesis was a no-show.
“She called in sick again for the second day in a row. Something about a migraine. The bosses here are pretty lenient, but if she makes a habit of poor attendance then it won’t look very good. Not that I’d really mind if she got a different job. We don’t get along so well. Did she tell you anything about that?”
“Nope. I don’t get involved in her drama if I can help it.” I looked at my watch to indicate that the clock was ticking and I had places to go and people to mentor. Or assist. Or whatever the hell I was supposed to do here. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to get busy volunteering.�
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“I’m sorry, Alyce, but no new veterans have freed up since yesterday. I would love to tell you otherwise and not have to turn you away…”
I frowned and slowly scanned the room in disappointment until my eyes landed on the target I was seeking.
Dixon.
Sitting in the same desk from yesterday, again staring out the window.
“That one over there seems to be free,” I said, pointing at Dixon. “Let’s see if we can pick up where we left off.”
“Alyce, please don’t go over there,” she begged me. “You saw what happened. He’s only going to get agitated, threaten you, and storm off again. I’m pleading with you. The man is dangerous. Didn’t you ever hear that old saying about leaving sleeping dogs alone? Or not poking tigers through their cages? What if I go bribe one of the other volunteers to leave and you can have their place? I have money. I can offer someone ten bucks to go home for the day.”
Really? She was that scared of the man that she was willing to spend her own cash to keep us safe? Pfft. Where’s the fun in that?
I waved her off and began my journey towards an uncertain destiny.
I took a few deep breaths as I made my way to Dixon. In all honesty, apart from offering him a brownie, I had no plan at all. I operate best under pressure when I do things spontaneously. I tend not to over think situations.
As I approached, his head slowly turned to examine me. I got the same once over as yesterday, however this time there was a scowl added at the end. There might have been a growl too, it’s hard to say.
“Hello,” I began. “We obviously had trouble connecting yesterday, in part due to my poor social skills and lack of empathy, so I would like to make amends. I come bearing gifts. Behold, double chocolate brownies made by yours truly.”
I opened the lid in order to tempt him with my baking skills.
He raised one eyebrow, peered inside, and reached his hands out to take the entire container. You’ve got to be shitting me! All it took was a tiny little token gift to get this thug to loosen up! Sweet victory is mine. I guess the way to a man’s heart truly is through his stomach.
I smiled in satisfaction as Dixon opened the lid, loudly cleared his throat, and hocked a giant spit wad right on top of my delicious desserts. Oh no he didn’t just ruin twenty minutes of my hard work!
“That was totally uncalled for,” I complained through gritted teeth. “I made those brownies with love and extra cinnamon, you jackass. What the hell is the matter with you?”
It takes a lot to get me seriously worked up, but wasting food is among my top pet peeves. In response to my outrage, the infuriating man simply put the cover back on, dropped the container on the floor, and gave me his middle finger.
“Okay, I get it. You’re too cool for the rest of us, Mr. Badass,” I began, gearing myself up to deliver a major lecture. “You think by wearing those same stinky combat boots, the ripped jeans full of holes, and a faded dirty jacket that we’re all just going to cower in fear because you must really mean business? Not showering regularly and taking on an air of disinterest in society does not make you a rebel without a cause, okay? Look around. Do you see everyone else getting along nicely and conversing like regular human beings? Why can’t you do that?”
I paused my tirade long enough to take a breath, and Dixon took that as his cue to speak.
“Fuck off,” he spat, eyes meeting mine with a look of pure hatred.
But I was not so easily intimidated. I mean…if this were a deserted back alley in the middle of the night and no one else was around, then that would be an entirely different matter. We just so happened to be surrounded by people in public in broad daylight. So I had no fear at this point.
“I’m not backing down,” I offered with a shrug. “Unlike everyone else here, I’m not afraid of you. Do your worst.”
He frowned ever so slightly, rose up out of his chair, and began to move in my direction like a panther stalking its prey. Cold, calculated, deadly.
I sucked in a breath and stood my ground. I didn’t move a muscle even though his face came within inches of mine, so close I could smell the mint on his breath and sense the anger coursing through his veins.
“You didn’t have to ruin my brownies,” I whispered. “You could have just politely declined the food.”
Dixon narrowed his eyes, cocked his head, and finally nodded as though he’d solved some puzzle that had previously eluded him.
“You’re fucking crazy, little girl.”
Much to my absolute shock, he turned and sat back down without any further action. Stretching out his feet and leaning back in the chair, he resumed his usual routine of staring out the window.
What the hell just happened?
“I’m…um…I’m not a little girl, actually.” I don’t know why he insisted on calling me that. If I didn’t nip it in the bud, it might become a nickname of some sort. That was the last thing I wanted. High school was tough for me and I was bullied throughout most of it. Nicknames and taunts and teasing were not anything I wanted to relive.
Dixon slowly turned his head back in my direction.
“I’m twenty-eight years old,” I informed him. “I’m a woman.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how lame they sounded. Like ‘I am woman, hear me roar’ or something equally foolish. While I was under the impression it made me sound like a feminist, Dixon must have taken it an entirely different way.
“Does that mean you’ve reconsidered my offer? I’ll still let you suck my cock. You know…since you’re so desperate to prove you’re a woman.”
I felt a blush creep to my cheeks, which only egged him on even more.
“I don’t have to prove anything to you,” I insisted while absent-mindedly playing with a section of my long, straight hair. As soon as I caught myself twirling the dark locks like some sort of Rapunzel princess, I instantly stopped. For fuck’s sake. The next thing you know, I’m going to be batting my eyelashes at the man.
“Whatever,” he said nonchalantly. “You’re probably no good at it anyway. I bet you’d gag after the first four inches and run home to mommy.”
Heat rushed to my face, but this time for a different reason. While I get pissed when people waste food, it makes me absolutely livid when anyone mentions my mother. Whether Dixon realized it or not, he pressed one of my buttons in a major way.
“It might take a while to run to mommy since I have no idea where to find her, due to the fact that she took off when I was six. If you’d refrain from mentioning her ever again, it would be most appreciated. Why the hell are you here, anyway? Just to pout in the corner and act like you’re better than everyone else?”
I may or may not have been standing with my hands on my hips in a threatening posture. In retrospect, it would have been wise to count backwards from ten or a hundred in order to chill out, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. I might have been trying to measure the circumference of his neck in order to calculate whether or not I’d be able to strangle him with my bare hands.
“It’s court ordered, sweet cheeks. Otherwise I’d never set foot in this hellhole.”
Wait, what? Did he actually just answer a question instead of making a rude sexual innuendo? Were we having a conversation? How had this happened?
I ignored the whole ‘sweet cheeks’ remark and pressed onward.
“What makes it such a hellhole?” I asked, looking around to see if there was something I’d missed. Nope. Just a lot of veterans working with volunteers. Nothing out of the ordinary.
“The place is full of people. I try to avoid other humans whenever possible.”
Okay. So did I. Nothing was wrong with that. But was I missing some important thing he just said? Why did the court order him to come here?
“You’re legally obligated to show up?” I wondered aloud in confusion. “You have no choice?”
“There’s always a choice. It’s here or jail. This place seemed a bit less restrictive and it comes with b
etter food. I hear the brownies are pretty moist.”
I rolled my eyes at his failed attempt at humor.
“But why is this place an alternative to jail?” Was he some kind of felon? I would definitely believe ‘criminal damage to property’ after the number he did on my innocent chocolate dessert squares.
Dixon swiftly stood up and got in my face before I knew what was happening.
“You’re not my shrink and I’m not in the mood to confess my sins, Alyce with a ‘y’ and not an ‘i.’ We’re done here.”
He abruptly walked away without another word, handed Debbie his time card so she could sign her name, and marched out the door while I remained frozen to the spot.
I was still trying to process that whole bizarre exchange when Debbie came over to check on me.
“Holy cow, Alyce! What the heck was that all about? It seemed like he was actually talking to you like a real person instead of cussing you out or making threats. You lasted fifteen minutes with the lunatic! That’s like going ten rounds in a boxing match with Mike Tyson and still having all your teeth at the end. I’m totally impressed. You’re at least the fifth volunteer to be paired with Dixon. Everyone finally gave up on the guy when he threatened us with bodily harm if we kept shoving people in his face.”
So she actually considered that a victory? Spittle covered brownies and lewd comments are a win? Wow. I wonder what will happen tomorrow. I hope Dixon realizes there absolutely will be a next time. I have more mysteries to solve.
Chapter Five
The last thing I wanted to do to this afternoon was to be around other people and try to behave myself. Basically, any place that was not my own bed in my quiet apartment was just going to annoy me. I guess you could say I was having a bad day.
It wasn’t just one issue, either. I felt like every single stressful thing in the entire world was being dumped on me at once. Job problems, apartment issues, money woes…you name it and I had it.
My boss took notice of my volunteering hours this week and actually seemed disappointed that I hadn’t bombed at the new assignment. Part of me wondered if Mrs. Conway wasn’t eager to find an excuse to push me out the door. I wasn’t as much of a team player as Kennedy or Nina, and I had a habit of ignoring her direct orders. One recent example? I refused to turn over some non-paying accounts to collection. Yes, it’s frowned upon when medical bills aren’t paid in a timely manner, however I’m not going to report a seventy year old woman who pays ten dollars a month because it’s all she can afford.