by BJ Hyman
“You couldn’t help it. You were getting stuck in the well too. You were both about to drown. They always say to save yourself or you can save no one else.” Sabrina leaned forward. “Do you think he’s really out of the well? Has he come that far?”
Kellie bounced into the room. “What’d I miss? Any good gossip?”
Sabrina and Charlie smiled at each other. A loud beep made them all jump as a womanly voice came from the arm of her bed. “Miss Ray?”
“Yes?”
“The doctor will be in to see you in a moment. We’re releasing you today, so, if you want, you can begin to get your things together.”
“Thank you.”
Another loud intercom beep and the voice was gone.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
Revelations
It was still early afternoon when they released Charlie, so she asked to be dropped off at Vintage Rebel. She always kept extra clothes there because of the messy nature of her work. Kellie was reluctant to leave her but knew she would not be alone. Craig was always faithful.
The detective and Eli had returned while Charlie was dressing in the bathroom. They reported that the video footage showed that it was the same figure in the same clothing as had been in her apartment. They were androgynous enough from the very little you could see of their hands that neither Brooks nor Eli were able to decide if the figure was male or female. They agreed with the assessment of Colin, the orderly, that the figure was most likely male. It wasn’t much…but it was something.
None of the other cameras got a better angle of a face. It was as if the person knew where all the cameras were. Brooks had a couple of theories about that, but he wasn’t willing to share them with Charlie just yet.
Craig wanted to know everything, so Charlie sat next to him and talked until it was almost closing time with the only breaks being when a rare customer came in. It was a slow day. Bad for business, but Charlie, for once, was a touch grateful for it.
Sabrina and Kellie determined that they would take turns spending the night in the apartment with Charlie for the time being. Sabrina had the first night of the rotation and came to pick Charlie up to take her home.
If things had not been so complicated with Eli, Charlie could have stayed with him she realized with a pang of regret. There were moments her heart hurt over where they were but other moments that she felt it was only right that Dean come back into her life once he had risen above his waterfall of grief.
To keep her mind off things, Kellie, Craig, and Megan all came over with pizza, beer, and games to play with Charlie and Sabrina. They decided to play Jenga because there wasn't a lot of thought to put into it. Just a lot of noise and laughter and a bit of strategy. The more beers they got into them, the funnier everything seemed.
Charlie found herself supremely grateful for the people in her life. She looked at Sabrina who had gotten chilly and wrapped the blanket from the sofa around herself. Her loveliness extended not only to her outside but also her inside. She was always there for her friend. Rain or shine, no matter what.
Craig, while she knew he had feelings for her, had always been a faithful friend. While in the store, he was always her reliable partner. There was never a time that she was afraid that the store would go unmanned or understaffed as long as she had Craig by her side.
Megan, while a secondary friend, was still always there, always true. Charlie had dreams of Megan finally getting what she wanted--namely Craig. They really were perfect for each other. Nothing told her that more than seeing them together playing games, eating pizza, drinking beer, and being silly with her, Sabrina, and her sister.
After they tired of Jenga, they played an ill-advised round of Have You Ever. It's a game where someone says, “Have you ever done (a particular saying) …” If you have, you take a drink. If you haven't, you get to sit a round out. It's a quick way of learning things about people that you wouldn't have expected without the full story. Although getting them to tell the story is part of the fun of the game, especially when it’s something that you’d not have expected of them.
It was all the usual until Sabrina asked the question: have you ever been in love with a friend? Craig was the only one that drank at first, but then slowly Megan took a drink as well. A very awkward silence followed. Luckily it wasn't long after that, Kellie declared she was tired and needed to go home so she could get some sleep. Mitchell was supposed to call her in half an hour and he would expect her to be home.
Once everybody was gone and it was just Sabrina and Charlie, it got very quiet. Charlie was startled by the ringing of her phone. She looked down to find that Eli was calling. She knew that he had to be worried about everything that had occurred during the day and was just checking on her. She answered with their usual greetings and looked over at Sabrina.
She watched Sabrina's face and the carnival of emotion that seemed to cross over it while she was talking to Eli. There was something there. Something that she had never noticed. Something she should have picked up on a long time ago. She looked down at her feet and pretended not to see.
As for the phone call, it was all very basic. It was as she suspected. He just wanted to check on her. He was glad to know that Sabrina was staying the night and wanted to know how her day had gone after leaving the hospital. At the end, he said he missed her, loved her, and was still there for her. Sabrina listened in with an air of trying to conceal that she was. There was an awkward glance and look away move where she would cut her eyes to Charlie that told a million tales. Her face flushed when she heard Charlie tell him thank you and that she loved him too. When she hung up the phone, Charlie was unsure of how to progress. Sabrina hugged the blanket from the sofa around her and picked at the light fringe on the edge.
“Sabrina?”
She turned to look absentmindedly at Charlie…a controlled, too-casual move. “Mmm?”
“I know you. What’s up?”
The look of confusion on Sabrina’s face that was entirely contrived sealed it. There was a secret there. “What do you mean?”
Charlie gave her the look she had given her thousands of times over the years that told her straight up that she knew Sabrina was lying. “Eli. Tell me.”
She made a show of taking off the blanket, folding it neatly, and placing it back on the sofa before looking Charlie in the eye. “We used to date a long time ago.”
Charlie felt as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. “Why is this the first I’ve heard of it? Neither one of you has ever even mentioned it!”
Sabrina looked at Charlie with guilt written all over her face. "I don't know why Eli kept it from you but as for me it was just easier than trying to explain to you that I had a previous relationship with the guy that you had started dating. Remember, you’d already dated for like 3 weeks before I saw you with him. If I’d known earlier, I would’ve told you. But, by the time I found out, it was already awkward. I didn't want to make it any worse."
Charlie looked at her astounded. "You didn't want to make it any worse? How is three weeks in and 10 months in not making it any worse when I find out?" Sabrina looked down at the floor and shrugged. Charlie had to ask. "Do you still have feelings for him?" Sabrina instantly tried to put her hands up and she could tell by her body language that she was starting to try to deny it. "Don't lie to me. You know I know when you're lying." Sabrina hedged around. She smoothed her clothes and twiddled with her hair. She just couldn't seem to bring herself to say the words out loud. Charlie said them for her. "You love him."
Sabrina was quick to answer. "No! It's not that. It's just... he was the last and probably the only man in my adult life that I felt I could really see something serious with."
Charlie's heart sank into her stomach. "So why did it end?"
Sabrina put her arms around herself in a defensive hug. "He was the one that ended it. Not me. You’d have to ask him why it ended."
Charlie wondered why her boyfriend of nearly a year now had never thought to
tell her that he had been in a relationship with her best friend. Part of her wanted to call him back right at that moment. Another part of her thought a cooler head would be better. Letting things settle for a while can be for the best before you take action that you end up regretting. She looked at Sabrina. It was obvious that she was supremely unhappy and uncomfortable. "What about Kyle?"
Sabrina picked at her sleeve. "I told you today at the hospital. It's a passing phase. He's definitely not The One. I'm not even sure he's A one. It's just a thing to use time. Does that make any sense?"
Charlie could never understand how Sabrina had made dating a pastime instead of a way to find a mate. Charlie had always seen dating as a means to an end. She was searching for the one to spend her life with. Dating is awkward and uncomfortable and, once you get to know the person, is often a dead end. And yet Sabrina had made it into an art form.
But then... What about Eli? Was Eli the one that Sabrina was supposed to have been with? Her heart ached for her friend, for her own relationship, and for just the state of things.
Charlie reached out to touch her arm, but Sabrina brushed it off quickly. "I just want to go soak in the bath. Do you mind if I do that? If you need anything I'll just be beyond the door."
Charlie gave her a small smile. "Of course, you can take a bath. You're the one doing me a favor, remember?" Sabrina nodded and then went to the bedroom to gather her things for the tub. Charlie stayed in the living room for a moment and began to clean up. She decided to give Sabrina some time alone. She felt she needed it. Long friendships have deep understandings.
Once Charlie heard the bath running, she felt comfortable going into the bedroom. The bathroom door was closed, and the room was empty. She sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. Just then her cell phone rang again. She thought it might be Eli but when she saw that it was Dean, butterflies took flight in her stomach. She answered it as soon as she could catch her breath. "Hello?"
"So, you are still alive."
Charlie realized she hadn't spoken to or texted with him since Halloween. It startled her because of the easy familiarity that she had already begun to have with him again. She tried to sound breezy. "Of course, I am. There's just been a lot going on."
His voice was leery when he responded. “What's been going on?”
She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to get into it with Sabrina in the apartment, but she didn’t know when she would ever be alone enough to talk. She decided to hit somewhere in the middle. “I got attacked on Halloween…”
“What?!” He spoke before she could even get another word out.
“I’m fine. But there seems to be an escalation to this person’s behavior toward me. I had a sleep study while I was in the hospital.”
“You were in the hospital and no one told me?” Anger rippled through his voice.
Her heart warmed. “Dean. You know that no one is going to call you about things that happen to me right now. It’s the way it is. If I’d been in my right mind and not under such duress, you know I’d have at the very least texted you when I had the chance.” She could hear an irritated snort through the phone, but he said nothing. “Anyway, the police have video footage of the person, such as it is, and are working to find out anything else.”
“You’ll tell me if there are any developments or they find anything?”
“Yes.”
“Should I come over?”
The thought sent warmth shooting through her body like a shot of bourbon. She shook the feeling away. “No. Sabrina is here with me tonight. She and Kellie are going to take turns spending the night with me until this is all over.”
“Sabrina? I don’t know how comfortable I am with you having no real protection. Sure, she can cut a person into shreds with just a look and a well-chosen word, but what about a fight?”
“They’ve never really done anything when anyone else is around. Plus, I have my security system.” She nearly choked on the words as she thought of the Halloween party and the arms dragging her into the dark room. But she also couldn’t have Dean coming over. Hell. She might find him sleeping outside in the hall in the morning, even now. She smiled at the thought.
His voice was unsure. “Okay. I don’t like it. But okay.” She could just imagine him clenching the phone and running a hand through his hair, ruffling it into waves. It was a move that he did when he was stressed.
She heard a squeak of skin against tub and jumped. “I think I should go. I think Sabrina’s about to get out of the bathroom.”
“Are you still hiding me?”
She laughed humorlessly. Her smile turning down at the corners. “I have to. Things are just too complicated. I don’t even know what we’re doing here.”
After a moment of silence, just when she was wondering if he was gone, he answered. “Don’t you?” Before she could formulate an answer, “I’ll let you go. For now. I love you, Charlie.”
“I love you too. Have a good night.”
“You too. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow. Good night.”
And with that, the call was over. She held the warm phone in her hands imagining him doing the same. The words had come so easily. She didn’t even feel guilty about them. I love you.
She got up and began to ready for bed with a joy that could only be attributed to one thing. A small smile played at her lips with the secret knowledge. She knew in that moment how things should really be. Especially in light of the evening’s revelations. Now…how to get there from here?
◆◆◆
I’m wet. Charlie struggled through the fog of her sleep-addled brain. Her alarm hadn’t gone off, but she was still waking up. They had given her a medicine when she left the hospital that was supposed to help her from sleeping so deeply that she was helpless and that little tiny corner of awareness in her brain registered that maybe this was proof that it was working. What was the name of it? It slipped from her in a wave of sleepiness.
She was laying on her right side facing where Sabrina was sleeping. Correction. Where she assumed Sabrina was sleeping. Charlie was far into sleep before Sabrina had ever gone to bed. She pressed her left hand into the mattress before her and she felt it again…dampness. She remembered that the last thing Sabrina was doing was taking a bath. Her words struggled and slurred from her like she was slobberingly drunk. “Sabrina, did you even dry off before getting in bed?” She chuckled.
It was warm. Something about it disturbed her. She felt around as she became more awake and aware. It was warm and wet. Almost like someone had wet the bed.
But no. Not that. It was slightly sticky too. Thick. If only she could get her eyes open. “Sabrina? You awake?” The words tumbled from her lips in a jumble. She struggled to open her eyes. It was dark. She could see a body on the other side of the bed tucked up under the covers. Only a tuft of dark hair showed above the coverlet.
Charlie blinked several times trying to make herself come to life. She gingerly reached out under the covers and poked at Sabrina. She was just out of reach. Charlie shifted forward, slightly rolling onto her stomach. She reached again and poked at her with her finger. “Sabrina. You sleeping?”
She was finally starting to feel more awake. She must be sound asleep. I wonder if someone’s pipe burst in the floor above us? The wetness was everywhere. They couldn’t sleep in it. As much as she wanted to just roll over and go back to sleep, they needed to remake the bed and find out where the water was coming from.
Charlie struggled to rotate onto her left side so that she could turn on the lamp on her nightstand. She regretted that it would be a rude awakening for Sabrina who was doing her a favor, but the light would help them both get awake enough to deal with the issue at hand. She twisted the stem and the light popped on. She squinted against the brightness of the bulb. It was only a 60 watt, but it might as well have been the sun to her sleepy eyes. She pushed herself up toward the headboard until she was sitting. After stretching a bit, she looked at her phone. 4:15 am.
She cut her
eyes over at where Sabrina was still slumbering. With a smile, she thought of Sleeping Beauty. With her dark hair spilling up on the pillows from underneath the covers, she certainly fit the bill. Charlie gently began to pull the covers down. “Sabrina. I need yo…” The words died on her lips as the white covers turned dark red as she pulled them further back. She paused and looked at the color. “It’s just paint. It’s just paint.” She repeated to herself. Her heart was galloping out of her chest as she flung the covers fully back.
Sabrina was looking coldly at her…her unblinking eyes filled with horror. A slash across her throat was still leaking blood onto the bed and joining the river that puddled beneath Charlie.