by Haven Rose
Hopefully, before too long, Deacon would realize he wasn’t happy here and fill out an application with my new employer.
With that being said, for some reason where Ruby was concerned, I felt like a caveman. Primal instincts I’ve never experienced before surfaced. She was mine, and nothing could change that. I just know we’re meant to be, and because of that surety, she’ll be single. She’s been waiting for me, just as I have her, and now we will get our chance. Happiness is so close I can almost touch it, and she is the key to it all.
So, my farewell party has started, the cake and punch have been passed out, and people are coming and going as their schedules allow. I’ve received numerous well wishes, not to mention a few asking if I really want to do this. I always answer with “absolutely.” I know this is the path I must take and can’t wait for the next step.
For me, that’ll be finding my dog. It’s my first stop once I walk out these doors for the last time, at least as an employee, and I’m counting down the minutes, debating if it’s too early to leave. My appointment isn’t for an hour, but I’m ready to go now. However, I stay, knowing my co-workers want to do this for me, plus, with the sadness and evil we see sometimes in our line of work, opportunities to celebrate are few and far between, and we all need this.
Thirty-five minutes later, I’ve turned in my gun and badge, said my final good-byes, and am walking toward my car, box of belongings in hand, with Deacon. This is one of those times I’m able to see he’s battling his emotions, trying not to let them show. It’s in his posture, the tension I can feel radiating off him. I don’t comment though, knowing he doesn’t want to bring attention to it, preferring to remain stoic as always.
“I can’t believe you’re really doing this,” Deacon says.
“I am, and I wish you were joining me. My offer always stands, all you have to do is call. Hell, you don’t even have to do that. You have my address, if you just show up one day, that works too. I know your stance on mushiness, but I have to say this so shut up and listen.”
Deacon gives me a barely imperceptible nod, but for him, that’s a big step. I take a moment, wanting to find the words to say how I view our friendship, without overloading him in feels.
He just stands there quietly, twisting his right hand back and forth at the wrist, the only outward sign I’ve ever seen him give when he’s uncomfortable, aside from silence.
“I’m glad we were partnered together, Deacon. You’ve become so much more than that over the years, but knowing you had my back, just as I did yours, made doing my job easier. I never doubted your determination to ensure we both walked into the station at the end of the day, and that’s saying a lot in our line of work. We literally deal with life and death daily, and that can mess with you, unless they have the right person by their side. You were that for me, and I’ll never be able to repay that, but I intend to try. I know I initially pushed my friendship on you, but I did it for a specific reason. We needed each other, it’s as simple as that. You feel, my friend, and deeply, but it’s hard for you to let it show, whereas I show it too much. Our personalities balance one another, and I knew, without question, once you decided to let me in, I’d never find a more loyal friend. You have become my brother, and I know I’ve said that to you before, as have my parents when they refer to you as their son, but I hope at one point it’ll finally sink in that you aren’t alone anymore and haven’t been since the day we met.”
Deacon is completely silent, and I know he’s processing everything I said, and will probably go over it in his head, word by word, when he’s by himself, but I can also see he’s getting it this time. He can hear the sincerity in my voice, the absolute conviction that he is a good man, and I consider him family. I also realize he is overloaded, so I quickly move onto a safer topic.
“I’m getting a dog. I can’t wait. I’ve already bought a few toys, a leash and collar, and the food bowls. I’ll get the tags after I meet and name him or her, as well as the food, just in case they need a special diet. I’ve purchased a doggie bed too.”
My plan worked, and I see Deacon’s lips begin to twitch, right before he says, “Dude, you are such a liar. All the other stuff, yes, but the doggie bed? No. That dog is going to sleep right beside you, and you and I both know it. You’re a softie, and the dog that chooses you will figure it out within seconds. You’ll spoil them rotten. They’re going to have the best life being a part of yours.”
I was speechless. Yes, I had gotten Deacon to relax after pouring my heart out to him, but to have him give some of it back, even the little he did, was a lot for him. And quite honestly, that last sentence was one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever been given.
Now suddenly, I’m the one needing a moment to compose myself, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Deacon watching me, and for once, I notice the vulnerability he never allows anyone to see in him. That little boy that has always craved unconditional love is still inside him, he’s just grown into a man yearning for the same thing.
“Thanks, man, that means a lot to me. You’re still coming over tonight to meet your niece or nephew, right?”
Deacon laughs, as I had hoped, but I can also see the gratitude in his eyes. He wants to know our friendship isn’t ending because I’m moving, and by reinforcing how I view him, I gave him that.
“Yeah, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Do I need to bring anything?”
“Nope, I’m planning on ordering pizza, but we’ll eat from the box or use paper plates, and we’ll have a beer or two, I won’t drink much because I want to get an early start in the morning. I’m going to have as much of the last-minute packing done as possible, so we can just get in the car and start our journey.”
“You seem so happy. Don’t be a smartass, stop smirking. I may not be one to show anything, but I can see it on you plain as day. I have this feeling you aren’t telling me everything. I know you want to do this, and I’m happy for you, I truly am, but there’s something you’re keeping to yourself, and though I have no issue with you doing so, I will say, whatever it is, I hope it works out the way you want it to.”
“Thank you. You know me well. Yes, there is, but I don’t want to say anything yet, not until I have more information to give. I will share this though, I’m on the verge of having everything I never knew I wanted, until it hit me, without warning. Now, I can’t see my life without it. I know that’s cryptic…”
“Nooo, I’m just suddenly visualizing you as the Crypt Keeper. Can you cackle for me, just to complete the picture?” The dumbass is unsaid but implied in his tone.
I can’t help but laugh. Deacon may be a vault with everything else, but he can be a smartass of epic proportions. That saying, it’s always the quiet ones? It describes Deacon perfectly.
We do the bro hug thing, both wanting to acknowledge the depth of our friendship without more words, and the gesture, as well as the extra ten seconds, which is an eternity when two male friends are hugging, says it all.
We then go our separate ways, both toward a new reality.
The drive to the first rescue center only takes fifteen minutes, which means I’m a little early for my appointment. I decide to go in anyway, figuring I can get a head start on searching for my new companion.
I walk in and see an employee playing with a puppy, no more than a year old, and a kitten, only a few months old. The puppy sees me, and immediately heads in my direction, the kitten directly behind him, trotting as fast as his still growing legs will take him. I sit on the floor out of instinct, and they both crawl into my lap and snuggles commence. The dog is adorable, and I can tell a female. She’s all black with a white tipped tail, and a patch of white on her chest sprinkled with black spots. Her brown eyes stare up at me and I know I’m a goner. She’s chosen me, and that’s all there is to it. The kitten is all orange and purring like crazy. She keeps head butting my hand, and taking the hint, I start petting her while my other rubs down the dog’s fur. When she looks at me with those wide hazel eyes,
my heart expands because she’s burrowed her way in too. I hadn’t planned on getting two pets, let alone a cat and dog, but that’s what I’m doing.
The young man that was playing with these two heart stealers comes running over, apologies rapidly coming out of his mouth. I loved every minute of it, and tell him so, adding “None necessary.”
“Okay, thank you. Can I help you with something, sir?”
“Yes, my name is Ryan Daniels. I have a twelve-thirty appointment, as I was planning on getting a dog today. But, I no longer need it because these two are coming home with me.”
It’s easy to see the man is shocked, even more so when he says, “Wow. We’ve never had this happen before. This is the quickest we’ve ever found the perfect pet, or pets as the case may be, for a client. If you’ll follow me, I’ll get your paperwork started. Would you like me to tell you about your new family members as we walk?”
“Yes, please. I’d appreciate that.”
“Okay, they weren’t brought in at the same time, but they quickly bonded so we let them be together as much as possible. I must confess, I’m happy you’re taking them both. I have a feeling if they were separated, they’d be heartbroken. The little monkey currently trying to work her way up your pant leg is three months old, and we’ve taken to calling her Princess, simply because she walks around like we’re all her minions.”
Ryan laughs as he says, “It suits her perfectly. I already feel like I’m her royal subject, bound to serve her every whim.”
The man, Tyler as he introduced himself, chuckles, saying “That’s it exactly. As for the dog, she’s seven months old and will, according to our veterinarian, grow to approximately 50 pounds. Her name is…”
“Lucy.”
“What? How did you know?” The man is obviously confused as he asks this, and I understand why when he continues with, “She doesn’t have a name tag on her anywhere.”
“Wait, are you saying her name is already Lucy?”
“Yes, that’s what we’ve been calling her. It seemed appropriate as we can’t stop laughing when she gets super excited because her whole body moves, starting from her head down to her tail, like her body is loose, loosey, Lucy... It’s a sight to see. She has a lot of love to give, they both do, and apparently they’ve decided you’re the lucky person to receive it.”
I completely agree, I am because they want me to love them, and I’ve already started.
Almost an hour later, all the paperwork has been filled out and signed, I’ve been given their medical histories up to this point, as well as a list of their upcoming shots, newly made tags with their name and my cell number, and, as I didn’t know I would be bringing home a kitten, I purchased a cat carrier. Tyler tried to give it to me, but knowing they needed every dollar they could get to take care of their animals, I insisted on paying for it.
I put the collar and leash I brought with me on Lucy, thankful I’d chosen a neutral color, red, as I didn’t know if I’d be bringing home a boy or girl. I clipped Lucy’s rabies tag onto her collar and we were ready to go. At the last minute I decided to get Princess a collar too, pink of course, just in case she escaped my new house. I wasn’t taking chances with either of them. I thanked Tyler for all his help, and, after making a donation, walked toward the exit.
As we left the building, Lucy walking next to me, her entire body moving just like Tyler said it does, and Princess serenading us from the carrier, I was once again confident I was on the right path to being exactly where I needed to be.
I had already planned on hitting the pet store after my appointment, and I was glad for that. I now had to purchase things for Princess, as well as food for Lucy since I now know she doesn’t require special food.
Two hours after leaving work, we pull into my parking lot, and I realize I’m doing this for the last time. When I sit in my car tomorrow, it will be to leave this chapter of my life behind and start the next.
I take my new pals inside, then make another trip for their stuff, and begin setting up what they’d need for the night. First on that list is the litter box.
Chapter Ten
One day later…
“It’s me again.”
“I hope you have better news.”
“Well, not really. I started the first step of the plan, little things here and there, but she still came into the station and asked for a copy of the report.”
“Did she get it?”
“Yes, but I made sure she was given the doctored copy. I didn’t have a choice, but at least it’s the version we want her to have.”
“Fair enough. What’s the next step?”
“I’ll continue to watch her, see if she’s ready to let this drop. If not…”
“Are you prepared for the next phase if it comes to it?”
“I’ll do what I need to. Yes, she’s innocent in all this, but I will always choose me if it comes to it.”
“You mean, us?”
“What?”
“You said you’d always choose yourself, but I think you mean us.”
“Well, yeah. In this case, choosing me means us.”
“Good point. Okay, let me know if you need me to do anything.”
“I will. I’m not sure what you can do yet, but if I do, I won’t hesitate to call.”
“I’m still thinking about making a trip out there soon. I may be able to get closer to her, but it could end up being the opening we need to determine what she knows. And, I can see if her dad recognizes me.”
“That’s a good idea. You’re sure your disguise held up? That there’s no way he’ll connect us? We are twins after all.”
“I’m positive. It was perfect. It’s the same one I always use when I’m in Colebrook. No one has ever seen my actual face, well ours, as they would think I was you.”
“Okay. That’s a relief. It’ll be good to see you again. It’s been a while.”
“It has, but we both know we had to lay low after our last bit of fun.”
“Ahh, yeah. That was a good time.”
“Not for her.”
They both laugh, as only those truly evil can do, at the thought of the suffering they inflicted on their last playmate. Not that the women were given a choice in what happened. Besides, their suffering, heightened his and his brother’s pleasure, and in the end, that was all that mattered.
Chapter Eleven
Ruby
One day later…
Though the hardware store isn’t usually open on Sundays, dad decided to do so today as it would be closed Monday because of the holiday. Honestly, working was more than fine with me. I didn’t want to be home alone while dad was at the store. I was no longer comfortable being by myself, and I know it had everything to do with what had been going on around me lately.
And yes, more things had occurred. After fixing my flat tire the other day, I woke up the next morning to find a different one had suffered the same fate. I had walked back in the house after finding it to see my laptop on a screen I hadn’t clicked on. The message “Mind Your Own Business” was flashing, written in various colors, but the scariest part was that it was addressed to me.
That afternoon, while taking a jog around the neighborhood with Boots, I swore I could hear footsteps behind me, slowing their pace when I did the same, likewise when I sped up. I was on the verge of becoming a nervous wreck. I wasn’t sleeping, waking at the slightest noise, my appetite was down, and I was jumping at shadows.
I hate this, this lack of safety in my own home. I’ve never been prone to being scared, loving horror movies since I could remember, but when it’s happening to you, it’s completely different. You start sympathizing with those characters.
I had also begun receiving hang ups on my cell phone. I hadn’t told anyone yet, knowing both my dad and Bobby would get protective, ready to take on any threat to me. But my dad still isn’t aware I know he’s suspicious of my mom’s death, and as for Bobby, he’s got his own problem lately.
We’ve talked once
or twice since the day he came to my house, and I could tell something was wrong. I finally got it out of him, using guilt like only a best friend can.
Bobby confessed something is going on at home, specifically that his parents are acting weird with each other. He said they were always whispering, then stopping when he walked into the room, and the other night he heard his mom yelling. He could only assume it was at his dad because no one else was home, Bobby himself having just walked in the door, but the words didn’t make sense. All he could make out was “leave me alone,” something Bobby said she repeated a few times. No, fighting isn’t abnormal between married couples, but with his parents it is. They never do it, at least not that we’ve ever seen or heard. He’s worried about them, and I understand that, which is why I don’t want to add to that by admitting I feel like a scaredy cat lately.
I snap out of my thoughts as the business phone rings, and answer out of habit, saying “Harry’s Hardware. If you’ve got a problem, we’ll help you hammer it out.”
My whole body tightens when I hear a sexy laugh from the other end. I don’t recognize it, but I want to meet the man it belongs to, quickly. I stop daydreaming about what he, and our future children, will look like when I realize he’s asking a question.
“Yes, we do carry door locks, a wide variety, actually. We’re open until three today if you’d like to stop in and look at them.”
“Will you be there if I do?”