by Middleton, J
“Yes I do” he laughs louder.
“You never know I might need someone for my father's New Years party next week”
“Oh you think so. Let me remind you I am going with you.”
“I might call and request the regular person.”
“Oh really” he narrowed his eyes with a slight grin.
“ If I am not mistaken I think you father ask me to come.”
“That’s right he did.” She laughs and runs out the front door and balls up some snow in her hand. She waits until he closes the door and throws it at him. It hits him on the shoulder as he jumps back, looking down at the snow falling off his jacket.
“You want to play do you.”
John reaches down and gets him a handful and throws it back at her. He missed and hit the car door, and watches her jump in. She laughing as he walks over and gets in the car and shuts the door. She has a great big smile on her face. It has been a long time since she has felt this way, so at peace so happy. How she missed this feeling.
The car drives off a few minutes later it is stopped at her office building.
“Impressive,” he’s looking out the window at this tall skyscraper building.
He got out and opened the door, he kissed her slowly on the lips and watched her go inside. She turned around before entering the building and gave him a quick smile, he returned the smile with a wink.
Katie felt like she was floating on air when she got on the elevator to the top floor. Her mind so involved with John she didn’t even notice her receptionist wasn’t there when the door opened. Walking into her office she checks her messages. Of course her meeting had been canceled. She sat down at her desk with her mind still spinning and her body on fire. She had to try to concentrate on this contract. Opening he laptop she started reading more of her contract. Her mind was still on John and the wonderful weekend she had. She nods her head and tries to focus.
“Stop” John called out to the driver.
“Right her sir.”
“Yes just pull over here, I forgot something.”
“I can turn around.”
“There is no need I can walk it isn’t but a few block. Thank you.” John said as he got out of the car.
He didn’t want to leave her just yet. With the cold harsh wind blowing strongly against his body, his jacket wasn’t thick enough to protect him from the chill. Light snowflakes were falling hitting his face He was almost there just a block left. He stop for a moment when he seen red and white roses in a display window. He noticed the sign said open. Opening the door the scent of roses filled the air. Walking over to the corner there was some beautiful red and white roses sitting in a glass vase.
“She would love them” she thought.
“ I will take them” he said to the blonde hair woman standing behind the corner. He watched her smile as she wrote up the ticket.
He paid the lady and headed walked out the door and continued down the street. The wind was blowing hard against his face, as the woman put a thin plastic covering over the flowers to hold them in place. He was thankful for that are there would be a trail of rose petals down the street.
“I must be crazy walking in this weather with a dozen roses. Now I know what my father felt like when he met my mother” he thought.
Katie was into her contract as she heard the elevator door open. With the door cracked she could heard footsteps slowing approached her door as they paused for a minute. Listen closely it became silent. She looked back at the labtop and continured working, and there was a knock at her door. Trying to see who it was, but she couldn’t see though the crack.
“Yes” her voice slow and sharp.
She watched the door ease open slowly and there stood a man with sunglass’s own. He was clean cut and very short dark hair. He eyes stared at her with a creepy expression across his face. An uneasy feeling sweep though her body.
“Can I help you?”
There was no answer he continued to just stand there and stare.
“Sir, can I help you” her voice louder.
“ Katie…” he spoke so softly she could barely hear him.
He just stared at her, not taking his eyes off of her.
“Excuse me, do I know you” she answered.
“Ah…”
Before he could say anything else John stormed past him and stopped in front of her desk. He had arm behind his back.
The man studied John as hatred and jealousy spread through him. He was furious. He could see the two dozen roses he was hiding behind him.
“How dare him walk in here unannounced? No he can’t be giving her flowers. What is going on here.” he thought. Turning his eyes back at Katie. He looked at her with rage and so much jealiously.
“I’m sorry for the intrusion,” John said.
Katie was surprised to she John standing in front of her. A part of her was glad he was here. She looked back over at the man and he was walking out of her office.
“Sir, Excuse me.”
“Sir.”her voice loud”.
The man never turned around he was walking faster.
He continued to the elevator not saying a word. She hurried past John trying to catch up to him but he got on the elevator. The door was closing as she stopped in front of it, and looked through the crack.
“ How could you? Bye Katie I will see you again soon” the man said as the elevator door closed more.
“Who are you? How do you know me? She said as she watch the door close.
Katie pushed the button over and over again trying to reopen the door but it wouldn’t open.
“ How does he know me? What does he mean how could you? Do I know him from somewhere, why does he look so familiar? Her thoughts going crazy at this point. A sudden chills runs down her back.
Standing there for a moment pushing the button but the elevator continued going down. She waited but it never came back up.
Finally she turned around and John had this bewilder look on his face.
“I am sorry if I interrupted something” he said.
“You didn’t.”
“May I ask what that was about.”
“I am not sure, he came in my office. He seems to know my name but I have no idea who he is. There was something about him that is so familiar. He is really creepy.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing really, he just stared at me with this look before he called me by my name.”
“You need me to call security.”
“No he is probably gone by now.”
“Katie be careful up here by yourself.”
“You sound like my father.”
She walks back over to her desk .
“What brings you here anyway?”
“Well I thought I would work from home today.” He had a large grin across his face.
“Then why aren’t you at home!” She smiled.
“Well I was on my way and then I seen this shop that was selling something beautiful and I stopped. They reminded me of this beautiful woman I met. I thought they would make her day.”
He moved his hand from behind him and held out the flowers. Her face was priceless, eyes sparkling with passion, and no words came out of her mouth. He was enjoying every minute of this.
“There are beautiful.”
“Just like you.”
She takes the flowers from his hand and smells a rose. The aroma of the roses filled the room. Sitting the vase of roses down on her desk she turns and looks at him.
“Thank you! That made my day?” reaching up with her hand running her fingers across his chin.
He bends down his head his lips covered hers kissing her passionately. When she pulls away she was gasping for air. She was lost in his touch again she couldn’t move are breath. He consumed her with his spell of love. Her body was coming alive and her heart was healed. She could feel again, the pain was almost gone.
“ I don’t want to spoil the moment but I really do have to finish this contract” h
er eyes still on him.
“I knew you would say something like that. Do you mind if I stay? I can work from the reception desk. It will protect you from strangers.”
“Well sense you think I need protection,” she giggles under her breaths.
“You can use the desk outside my office.” She walks back to her desk.
“ Well I guess that will have to do since I can’t work at your desk.” He laughs.
“You are pushing it aren't you.”
“Oh know, just don’t want to let you out of my site , you may have another creep come out of the elevator.” He laughs.
“I sure hope not, there was something about that man that was very unsettling.”
“I got the same feeling.” He said as he walked to the small desk on the outside of her door.
“Well enjoy your work” she said.
“I will, but not as much as I can enjoy you.”
Nodding her head she trys to get back to work. Katie was so nervous, how could she focus with him outside her door. It was impossible to concentrated as she rubbed her temble looking down at her file. She had to focus and get this contract done. It was a hard deal to manage. She opens the found page of her file looking at the offer the contractors had made. This was the first time in a long time her mind went back to the night of the killing. This was the contract he had before he had got killed. Could she every put this to rest, why does it still haunt her after all these years. It was holding her back from having a life. She had to put closure on this somehow to move on finally with her life.
“I know one day I will have to go back to where It happened, that will be the only way I will have closure. I need to call the detective and see what's happening with the case.” She thought.
Looking over at her phone she just couldn’t call. She didn’t want all that sturred up , not now when things were going so good for her. Looking up on accastion just to she his face , it gave her a sense of protection.
Chapter 15
No, how could you?” he screams.
His heart pounding hard, balling up his fist wanting to hit something. Looking up he noticed a few people were still on the streets. He puts his hands in his pocket trying to calm his escalated heart rate down.
“This is not happening, who is he and what is he doing in her office. Why did he have flowers? Oh no this isn’t going to work. Katie no you just can’t. You are mine and will always be mine. What is wrong with her?” his thoughts loud in his head they smoothered the sounds around him.
Walking faster on the slippy sidewalk he bumps into a couple walking past him.
“Hey watch out” a man yelled.
He never turned around he just kept his pace as the cold wind blow hard against him. When he finally make it to his apartment there was a note of on his door. He grabbed the folded paper and opened it up, it was a eviction notice.
“I am not going anywhere” wadding it up in his hand , he opens his door and slams it behind him.
He turns as he hears a noise a picture fell off the wall and hit the floor. He looks down and the frame was broken. He didn’t care his mind was still on Katie, he was so close to her.
He walks to the kitchen and fills him a glass of whiskey and heads to the bathroom. He catches a sight of himself in the mirror. Dressed in his jacket and button up shirt. He noticed sweat was forming on his forehead. The stench of his stale body odor filled his nostrils. He stared at his reflection for a few minutes before he turns and walks out. He is still lost in the thought of her with someone else.
“Katie I will be back and next time you will be coming with me, you can’t be trusted anymore. I have to keep you safe. You belong to me and no one else. Why do you keep messing things up? Just like before and I had to take care of it. Now, someone else is going to get hurt. See what you are making me do, everything is all your fault again.” Raging with anger he walks back to the living room. Throwing his jacket over the chair he sits down beside it. Looking over at his endtable there laid his revolver. He picks it up and lays it on the sofa. Bending his head down as his hands cover his face. He quickly looks up as the image of this man is planted in his memory.
“Don’t he understand she is mine. She isn’t suppose to be with no one, just me” he yells out loud.
In rage he grabs the gun and walks to the window, pointing at her house he pulls the triger. It made a click sound but nothing came out. There was no bullet in the chamber. He throws the gun down on the floor as it slides acrose the room. He picks up his a glass seating on the table and throws it. It hit the wall with a loud thump and glass scatters everywhere. He looked down at the pieces of glass that was over the floor. He gets up and starts pacing.
“I need a distraction, maybe a lady friend something.” He thinks to himself.
Looking down at his phone he strolls through some numbers. He comes across his friend Becky. He starts to call her and freezes.
“No, I just want Katie. I have to talk to her. I have to find out why she is doing this. I have to tell her she is mine.” His thoughts is interrupted by a loud thump on the door. His heart beating out of control.
He heard the pound again this time louder, he turned as it got quiet. A few seconds passed and he heard it again. Still he sat there in silents and didn’t move. His body was trembling with his nerves on edge. He was afraid to move, he didn’t want anyone to notice he was home. He look at the door to see if he locked it. Taking a deep breath relieved when he seen the chain across the door and the dead bolt locked.
“I don’t have time for him right now” he thought.
A few minutes later it got quiet, his body was trembling. He knew he had to get out of this apartment.
“See Katie you caused me to have to move again, why do I let you do this to me. How can I focus on us now.” Arguing with himself.
She has broken his soul, his heart screams in torment. He runs to the bedroom and grabs the shaw off the bed and holds it against his chest. He stood there in silence lost in the emptiness of the room. Hearing the ticking of his clock returned him back to reality. Walking back into the living room he passed a mirror, he stood there and stared at himself.
Tears of sadness cascade across his flabby cheeks. He rubs the moisture and tries to control the outburst.
“This isn’t who I am! No of course not. I am stronger then this. I just overwhelmed by the events of the last few hours that’s all. No sleep, excess alcohol and the idea of her with someone else.”
He takes a deep breath, and yells.
“Stop it, stop it now!”
His head is spinning and his legs like rubber, his stomach churning. When he looked into Katies eyes they were hard and cold, she wasn’t the same. It was her body but not her face, she was different then what he remebered, but it was still her.
“She just needs me, then she will be back to her normal self.”
He sinks to the floor with his back against the wall. His mind goes to the broken bloody body laying on the floor. He sits there for a moment as the memory past. With killing in his narrow eyes he stands up and straighten his back as he took a deep breath. He walks to the bathroom and turns the shower on. Undresses and stands there letting the hot water hit his back. The feel of it beating against his shoulders felt like heaven. With his head bent he could see it running down his legs to his feet. It felt wonderful as the warmth calms his soul. He rest his head on the shower wall and watches the water drip to the floor. He stood there until the water turned cold. He stepped out with the room full of steam and wraps a towel around his body. He walks to the kitchen leaving wet footprints across the floor, he stops at the glass of whiskey he poured and turned it up. Pours another one turns it up filling the warmth run though his veins.
“My dear I will have you close to me. Whatever it takes. You will aways be mine.”
Now that his nerves were calmed down he knew he had no other choice he had to call his mother to get some money to move. He pushed her number on his cell phone, it rang several times b
efore she finally answered.
“What is it Tom?” her voice agitated.
“I have to move I need another apartment.”
“What? Look I can’t keep this up every month I am paying your rent and utilities. Why do you keep moving?”
“I got evicted.”
“What did you do now?”
“Are you going to help me, or I can just move in with you.” He was trying to keep a low tone.
“No you are not, you know you can’t. This is the last time I am helping you. You better find you a job because after this it is over no more money. I am going to pick out your apartment. Something I can afford , you are money me to death.”
“No I have to pick it out! Just give me some money and I will pick it.”he snapped back.
“ Don’t get a loud voice with me! If you want my help , you will do it my way this time are you can live on the street. I am tired of this. ”
“Okay!”
“When do you have to move?”
“Now!”
“Every month you are moving. You need some help Tom.” The phone got quiet for a moment, all he could here was pages of a book turning.
“I will call you tomorrow as soon as I find you a place.”
“Can you make it around here.”
“Look I call the shots here not you. Where I find one that is where you will be. Take it are leave it. If you get kicked out of this one you live on the street so don’t call me for anything else.” She was furious as she slammed down the phone.
He hangs up the phone angry and mad.
“Why do I let everyone treat me this way, see Katie you caused this. You are going to be with me and you will fix this problem.” He was steady talking out loud like she was in front of him.
Tom was like a caged animal, pacing the floor thinking of what he was going to do next. It had to be soon because he didn’t know where his mother was going to move him. He gets his luggage out of the closet and begins to packs up his clothes.
Suddenly there is a loud knock.
“ I know you are in there.”
He jumps, he could hear his landlords yelling through the door.
He sits still on the edge of the bed with his heart pounding , with his nerves on edge.