“Have you looked at yourself? Your lip is still swollen. And your neck,” Alex pulled her hair back behind her shoulder. He ran his fingertips lightly across the side of her neck. “Does it hurt?” he grimaced. “It’s really red and bruised in more than a few places.”
She shook her head. It didn’t hurt; and she liked the way his warm touch felt against her flesh. For a moment, their eyes locked, while his hand lingered on her skin. She took a step back and turned towards the door. “I really should go.”
“C’mon, please stay. I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re out there like that. If you won’t stay for your own good, stay for my peace of mind. Please.”
With her hand on the doorknob, she stopped, thinking about what to do. Clair knew she could keep walking, but if that’s all it took to set his mind at rest, she felt she at least owed him that. “Okay.”
She walked back to the couch, dropped her bag next to it, and fell down onto the cushions. Tucking her legs up under her, she grabbed a cracker from the table and looked over at Alex. “I’ll stay the night, but I will leave in the morning and there’s nothing you can say to convince me to stay.”
“Fair enough,” he said, grinning. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to jump in the shower real quick.”
“Sure.”
“Okay, I’ll just be a minute. Make yourself at home.”
Clair watched him go in and out of the bathroom before shutting the door. She took in the quietness of the room. The sound of the water trickling in the tub was soothing, and for the first time since she’d arrived, Clair relaxed.
She saw herself scream. The sweat that covered her body gave her chills. He hit her repeatedly across the face before ripping her clothes off. Calling her name, he grabbed at her shoulders, and she yelled, “NO! NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!” Clair swung her arms wildly in an attempt to push him away.
“Clair, wake up. You’re dreaming. You’re safe. It’s just me, Alex. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She opened her eyes and found Alex kneeling beside her. She sat up, pulling the blanket tighter around her. The realization washed over her that she was safe, flooding her eyes with tears of relief. “I know. I’m sorry. They came back for me and they were trying to…”
Alex sat next to her on the couch. “Shhh,” he soothed. “You’re okay; no one’s going to hurt you.”
Clair looked at Alex in a panic. She could hear her heartbeat drum in her ears, everything becoming clear. If she kept running, it would happen again. There would always be someone out there like the guys who tried to hurt her. It didn’t matter where she went. She’d always worry now and no matter how much reassurance Alex tried to offer, it wasn’t going to work.
“No Alex, you don’t understand. I should have just gotten out of town like I intended earlier.” She looked away, “What if they are out there right now… waiting for me?”
“I told you,” Alex said firmly, “when you’re ready to leave, I’ll walk with you wherever you need to go. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.”
“But you can’t come with me,” she said, looking back at him. Plump tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt stupid for crying again. Showing emotion was not something Clair was comfortable with, especially when other people were around to witness her meltdowns. After holding everything inside for over the years, the attack against her had been the last straw. In a whispered voice, as if someone else would hear her secret, she confessed. “You can’t come with me because I… I have nowhere to go,” she sobbed.
Alex put his arm around her and pulled her to him. She let him hold her; resting her head on his shoulder. He brushed his fingers through her hair before tucking a stray strand behind her ear.
“You know… I figured as much. I’ve been in your shoes, so to speak. I know what being homeless looks like… and how it feels. Don’t worry about it right now. Get some rest. I’m not going anywhere. We’ll talk more about this in the morning.”
But Clair knew there wasn’t anything else to talk about. There was nothing he could do. Clair wasn’t used to being a burden. Tomorrow she would say goodbye, no matter how much she wanted to stay.
The smack to her face caused Clair to wake with a jolt. She was aware of her surroundings and didn’t scream out this time. She saw Alex slumped over in his chair, snoring softly. His feet were propped up on the coffee table, a blanket draped over his lap. Clair didn’t remember falling asleep. She looked down at the blanket that covered her, but knew she hadn’t put it there. All she could remember was Alex holding her during her meltdown. Even though she didn’t know him, she liked the security and comfort of his arms around her. It was as if he were protecting her from the world, if only for the brief time it took her to drift away to dreamland.
Clair smiled as she watched his chest rise and fall in a slow, steady rhythm. Every breath pulled his shirt tight across his firm chest. His bangs splayed across his forehead, hanging in his eyes and her gaze drifted to his lips. Slightly parted, Clair couldn’t help but wonder if they were as soft as they appeared.
No! Clair thought. These “thoughts” she was having were the exact reason why she needed to leave. Getting attached to someone she hardly knew was bad. Her past experiences reflected how bad it could end. Plus, she knew Alex wouldn’t want to be with someone like her anyway. What did she have to offer? Absolutely nothing.
Clair got up to collect her belongings. Quietly, she tiptoed toward the door. In the kitchen, she found a pen and a pad on the bar and wrote him a note. It was the only way. If she woke him to say goodbye, he would only want to try and work out a more permanent solution for her, one that didn’t include her running away. This way was easier and the best for both of them. Life wouldn’t stop for a homeless girl and Clair was sure Alex had enough to deal with, without having to worry about her too.
Sneaking out of Alex’s apartment was a lot easier than she thought. Clair felt sure Alex would wake when he heard the squeak of the door as she opened it. The sound seemed to echo through the entire building, but he slept peacefully in his chair. She quietly crept down the stairwell until she got far enough away that she knew Alex wouldn’t hear her.
The sky was deep purple, with hints of orange radiating behind the clouds. Humid air, thick with moisture, weighed against her skin. The soft breeze that brushed across her arms left goose bumps in its wake. The sun was rising on a new day and Clair guessed it had to be close to six in the morning. Her stomach growled, reminding her of last night’s nausea. With food on her mind, Clair headed to the only place she knew, the diner.
Surprisingly, the diner was emptier than Clair thought it would be for the early morning. She checked the clock on the wall to find it was only five forty-five a.m. Walking slowly, her legs aching from everything she’d been though, Clair sat at the same table she had the night before.
A waitress filling the sugar containers on each table said, “Welcome to Johnny’s. I’ll be with you in a second.”
It was the same waitress from the night before and Clair wondered if she would remember her. She didn’t want to draw any attention to herself and hoped the woman wouldn’t call the police once she saw how battered her face looked.
“What can I get you to drink, hon?” the waitress asked from across the room.
“Orange juice, please,” Clair said without looking up. She slouched in her seat, leaning her elbows on the table.
Clair kept her head down when she saw the waitress approaching her with a glass.
“Here you go, hon,” she said, placing the glass on the table.
“Thanks,” Clair mumbled. She continued to look down, letting her hair create a curtain around her face.
“Are you having a hard time getting started this morning? I don’t blame you; mornings aren’t my favorite time of day either.”
Clair peeked up, a tight-lipped grin spreading across her mouth. “Yeah… my days have been pretty rotten lately.”
“Hey, you look familiar. Have you been here
before?”
Clair cringed. Crap, how does she know? She saw me for like two minutes last night. I might as well get it over with, she thought. Clair looked up, “Yeah, I was here… for a really late dinner last night.”
Immediately the woman gasped, “Oh, hon! What on earth happened to your face?” she asked, reaching out to touch her lip. She abruptly drew her hand back and covered her mouth.
Clair was surprised. Apparently, the swelling hadn’t gone down like she hoped and she neglected to look at herself before sneaking out of Alex’s apartment. Touching her fingers to her lips, Clair flinched at the tenderness. “Ooh… umm… Yeah, I kind of had an incident with some guys who followed me after I left here last night. They seemed to want to have a little more fun than I did. They weren’t happy that I didn’t want to participate.”
“Oh honey, did you call the police?” she questioned, as she eased herself into the seat across from her.
“No ma’am. There was no need. A nice man came by and helped me. He ran them off and helped me out of there.” Embarrassed, Clair played with the wrapper of her straw, twirling and un-twirling it around her finger.
“Did you go to the hospital to get checked out? It doesn’t look so good.”
“Nah, I’ll be fine. This kind of hit usually doesn’t take that long to heal.” Clair said nonchalantly, as if getting hit in the face were a usual occurrence. She braved a look at the waitress, her eyes catching a glint of the silver nametag pinned to the top of her shirt. “Roz,” it read. When their eyes met, Roz looked shocked and she opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when the bell rang on the door. Four older men, wearing workboots and hard hats, entered the diner.
Roz smiled at them, “Morning, boys… Coffee as usual?” she asked, as they sat in a booth near the front window.”
“You got it, Roz!” one of them called out.
She looked back at Clair, “You want anything to eat while I’m back there, hon?”
“Oh yes, please. Could I have a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit and a pancake on the side?”
“You’re not that hungry this morning are you?” Roz teased.
“Maybe just a little. Besides, it’s not a complete breakfast without a pancake,” she said with a grin.
“Well, now that you mention it,” Roz said with a laugh, “I guess it’s not. Stay as long as you like and I’ll bring you another orange juice when your order’s up.”
It didn’t take long for the sky to brighten, sending rays of light through the diner’s front window. Its bright light streaked across the white-tiled floor, illuminating the room in a bright hue of gold. Clair watched the people come and go, some grabbing a bite to eat, before starting their day. Roz zipped around the floor, taking orders, and delivering plates full of food, all while talking with everyone like an old friend. She envied her skill of managing the constant rush of people and the pace in which Roz effortlessly carried the trays of food. Every so often, Roz would glance over at her with a smile. Whenever she noticed her glass was empty, she’d bring her another refill without even asking. Clair checked her bag and counted the cash she had left. She’d have one more glass. She just couldn’t afford the luxury of drinking so many glasses of orange juice when she knew she would need that money later, for something more important. Clair hoped in the next town she would have less complications than what she’d already encountered here.
CHAPTER FOUR
Alex
The bright light streaming between the window and the curtain hit Alex’s eyes. He could feel the warmth of the sun on his face. His first thought when he rubbed his eyes open was Clair. He looked towards the couch across from him, but it was empty. The blanket he had draped over her the night before was neatly folded across the back of couch. He knew there was no need to look around the apartment for her. She was gone.
Shielding his eyes from the sun, Alex looked at his watch. Shit. He was going to be late and he didn’t feel like hearing Stu’s diatribe about getting to work on time today. Maybe he’d get lucky and Stu would be out running errands instead of on the jobsite.
He stumbled to the bathroom to brush his teeth. As he looked in the mirror, he was surprised to see his busted lip looking better than he expected. He wondered where Clair was and how she was feeling this morning. It made him sick to see the marks on her face from the bastard that attacked her. Having to see her in that condition, made him think about Mia. Time and again, Mia sought his comfort after being abused by one of her boyfriends. All the guys she hooked up with were the same—egomaniacal and controlling.
He could never understand why she allowed herself to be treated that way. Her last boyfriend, Eddie, killed her and it infuriated him to know he was never convicted. A piece of Alex was lost forever the day she died. No matter how long he dealt with her death and tried to move on, he still regretted not doing something more to protect her.
Alex snatched his keys off the counter, pulling a piece of paper with it that floated to the floor. He bent down to pick it up and saw that it was a note from Clair.
Thanks for everything! Your help means more to me than you will ever know–Clair.
Alex smiled when he saw her name but wondered where she would go now and if she’d be okay out there on her own. He knew from experience how harsh the world could be; it was rough and people were cruel. No matter what kind of front she tried to put up, Alex knew she would have a hard time on her own. He only wished he could have done something more. If she would have stayed a little longer, Alex thought he could have found a way to help her.
He stuck the note to his refrigerator with a magnet, almost as a memento. For once in his life, he was able to help someone who couldn’t help herself. As he opened the door to leave, his cell phone rang. Roz’s name flashed across the display screen and he held it to his ear while he hurried out of his apartment. She asked if he could stop by on his way to work and help her move a couple of big appliances in the kitchen. She promised to call Stu to let him know that Alex would be late. Thankfully, Roz and Stu had been dating for a while, and she currently had him wrapped around her finger.
The diner was always crowded in the mornings. He’d been to it a million times since moving in down the street. When he walked in, he sighed, shaking his head. Roz was halfway up a ladder, changing a lightbulb, barefoot with her high heels on the floor. She was wearing khaki slacks and silk blue blouse, which told him she wasn’t working today. It didn’t matter what her attire was, if she needed to get something done, she’d find a way.
Alex stood behind the ladder and crossed his arms. “Umm… If you called me down here to help you, could you not wait five minutes and let me change the lightbulb?
“If I can do it, I’ll do it. If not, you’ll know about it. Well, you or Stu. You know how I am.” After changing the bulb, she climbed down the ladder and turned to give Alex a hug. “What the hell happened to you?” She touched the corner of his mouth.
“Hey watch it; that hurts,” he flinched, pulling away from her. “I had a little run-in with a couple of guys last night. No biggie, I’ll be fine.”
Roz crossed her arms over her chest, “Was last night “assault-me-night”? See that poor girl back there?” she said as she nodded to the booth in the back corner. “She came in early this morning. Poor thing looks pitiful. What the hell is this town turning into? I remember when I was…”
Alex grabbed Roz by the shoulders and shook her excitedly. “Roz! That’s her,” he said. “Thank God she’s okay. I’ve been worried. When I woke up this morning, she was gone.”
Roz leaned back slightly, eyeing him suspiciously. “Alex, have you been keeping secrets? Do you have news you’re not sharing?” she smirked.
“What? No, of course not. It’s not like that.”
She cocked her head to the side, “Well what‘s it like then?”
“I heard a woman screaming and when I went to check it out, she was on the ground with this guy trying to tear her clothes off. It was horrible. If I hadn
’t been there, who knows what would have happened to her? You know I can’t tolerate seeing that happen to someone, not if I can help it.”
“My goodness,” Roz reached up to touch his lip again but he pushed her hand away. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?” she asked, concerned.
“Nah, it’ll be gone in a few days. I’m not worried about it. But she looked horrible last night,” he said, looking at Clair across the room. He caught her eyes before she quickly looked away.
“When I talked to her this morning, she mentioned a nice man coming to her rescue. She seems like a very sweet girl. Maybe she could use a bit more help, after what happened to her.”
“I let her come back to my place to get cleaned up and rest a little last night. It was an emotional night. Like she wanted to trust me, but just couldn’t. She’s been hurt and not just physically, but deep down. I can feel it. Her eyes are sad and distant. I’ve been there; I know what it’s like.” Alex paced the floor behind the counter, looking over at Clair with every pass he made. “I want to help her, but I don’t know what else I can do.” He stopped pacing and looked at Roz, “What can I do? She’s got no one and no place to go. I need to help her.”
“You know…” Roz said, tilting her head to the side. “I’ve actually been looking for someone since Jackie quit on me last week. I’m getting tired of picking up all these extra shifts. I own this damn place and I shouldn’t have to work this hard.”
Alex studied her, his brow wrinkling up. “What are you getting at, Roz?”
“Well, why don’t I see if she wants to work for me here? I can let her move into the apartment above my garage like I did for you when you first came to town. Do you think she’d accept?”
“I don’t know. She’s got a lot of pride about letting people take care of her. At least that’s what I got from her. You really don’t mind doing that for her?”
Taking Chances Page 3