“Now, tell me what happened.”
Katherine told him about seeing the door handle move, then about the guy she’d seen rushing from the building.
Scott sat next to Katherine, his arm around her shoulders.
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“And tell them what? That I awoke at four thirty in the morning and saw my door handle move? They’d think I’d been dreaming. I’m sorry I called you Scott. I just panicked, Amy’s at work and…”
“No, I’m glad you called. It’s alright, but tomorrow, you should call that detective.”
Katherine began to cry. “Why is this happening to me?” she said through her tears.
“You’re okay now,” said Scott, caressing her hair. They fell asleep with Katherine’s head on his chest, his arms around her.
Scott awoke around nine thirty in the morning and looked at Katherine with mixed feelings. She was so close that it took all his self-control not to touch her. A tiny movement of his lips and they would brush her earlobe. His hand already rested on her hip, and he imagined slowly inching it up under her thin nightgown and gently kneading her breast or sliding his hand between her thighs. He tilted his head and his lips softly brushed her neck. She shifted on the couch and he could feel his blood rushing. Inside he groaned. He climbed off the couch, trying not to wake her, and walked to her bathroom.
Once the door shut, Katherine’s eyes opened. She'd awoken earlier while they were spooning and she hadn’t wanted it to end. Well, excuse me if I’m horny. My boyfriend won’t touch me. She wasn’t able to go back to sleep but pretended to be when she felt Scott stir. Had it been her imagination or had Scott kissed her neck? She knew that they were both with other people and that it would have been wrong if anything had happened, but he was so close. His arm had felt heavy as it lay on her hip, and on fire next to her skin. Her body ached for his touch. Every nerve was awake, every sense waiting in expectation, but then he got up. When he returned from the bathroom, she was sitting up.
“You feeling better?” he asked, looking concerned.
“Yes, thanks for coming over last night.”
“This is bullshit, Katherine. I want you to call that detective. You’ve had way too many near-misses for it to be a coincidence or bad luck.” Scott’s voice grew louder. “What do they get paid for? They need to do something to protect you.”
“Calm down Scott.”
“No, I don’t want to calm down. Look, maybe you should stay with me for a while.”
Katherine had to laugh. “Oh yeah, that would go over just great with Verna.”
“I don’t care if Verna gets mad or not. I just want to keep you alive.” Scott’s chest rose and fell violently.
“Trust me, that’s what I want too.
Chapter Forty-Seven
It seemed to Katherine that when she was looking forward to a Friday, like she usually did, the week seemed to drag on forever. But since she was half dreading this weekend because of the planned double date, the week flew by. Nothing else unusual happened and she had no need to call Scott, not that she would have. Being around Scott, when her body cried out for his touch, was becoming harder and harder, and seeing him with Verna, knowing that they did things she and he would never do, was torture.
It had been nearly a week since she’d seen or spoken to Michael. He texted her saying he’d been very busy with work but that he would definitely make their double date.
Saturday morning, she decided to drive up to Lake Tahoe to do some shopping and sight-seeing. It was unseasonably warm in Reno, but as Katherine drove higher, it grew cooler. Tall pine trees lined the road, blocking the sun. She was reminded of a trip she’d taken to New York City, midtown Manhattan; how dwarfed the people on the ground were next to the hugely tall buildings, so tall the sun all but disappeared. She looked over at the passenger seat and wished Scott was sitting there. She pushed thoughts of him from her mind.
Only one other car shared the road with her, and though she was going five miles above the speed limit, apparently it wasn’t fast enough for the other driver. She looked in her rearview mirror and silently cursed at him. It wasn’t wise to drive fast on these mountain roads, or to drive too close to the car in front of you - the roads could be very slippery.
“Hey, buddy, I'm really not interested in being the inspiration for the next Misery movie,” she said aloud while trying to watch both the road in front of her and the tailgater behind. Katherine smiled to herself, but the smile didn’t last long. The car was now ridiculously close, and she gripped the wheel tight. Jeez, this guy’s crazy.
The driver started to pass her - not a good idea. It was a two-lane road and there wasn’t a lot of room for passing. As the car came parallel to hers, she held her breath. She looked over, but the driver was wearing a hoodie, so she couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. Just as she feared might happen, the car seemed to hit some ice and swerve toward her; she swerved out of the way, nearly leaving the road. Now her heart was pounding. She thought the driver regained control but then she watched in horror as the car came toward her again. This time it looked intentional. Katherine screamed, realizing she was no longer on the road but in the snow and that even with the chains she’d put on earlier, she had no control. The car spun around and around, and the outside was a blur. Oh my God, I’m going to die. That was her last thought. After it, all that filled her mind were images. Quickly, like a slideshow—Scott’s face, Amy’s face, and then just feelings of fear and regret.
Bang—then darkness. Her air bags had deployed, knocking her out, but only for a second. She sat, dazed and reluctant to move. Slowly she wiggled her fingers and flexed her arms; nothing seemed to be broken. She quickly looked out her windows, expecting the driver of the other car to be rushing toward her, to see if she was alright. When she didn’t see anyone, the feeling she’d had - that this was no accident - came back with full force. She looked up at the mirror and gingerly touched her rapidly swelling lip with a wince. So far, this year sucks. A tear rolled down her cheek.
She looked at the car’s clock. When a woman appeared at her window, Katherine was startled. She looked at the clock again and was surprised to realize that at least twenty minutes had gone by. It took the woman three yanks before her door swung open.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“I think so,” answered Katherine.
The woman told her she’d already called for an ambulance and a tow truck. After Katherine said she didn’t think anything was broken, the woman helped her out of the car. Katherine looked off into the direction the other car had gone. Was the driver just a crazy idiot, or was this another attempt on her life? She sat on a snow drift and did her best not to cry. She thought back to that night - if only she’d eaten the damn Ramen noodles. Now, just because she had to have something better, some nut job might be trying to kill her.
It didn’t take long for a police car and a paramedic to arrive. The paramedics wanted to take her to St. Mary’s Hospital, but she said no. They’d already told her that aside from a fat lip, she was fine, so what was the point? She told the officer what had happened, and he didn’t seem overly concerned, but then he didn’t know about all her other “accidents.” She tried to call Michael but got no answer. She remembered he was working. “I didn’t know bank offices were open on Saturdays,” she’d said to him when he’d told her. He’d assured her that some were, and that it was his turn to go in.
Her car needed to be towed back to Reno, and the tow-truck driver dropped her off at her apartment around two o’clock. She considered canceling the double date, but she wanted to see Scott. Bruised and emotionally exhausted, she set her clock for five and climbed under her down comforter, pulling it up over her head. She lay there a while before finally falling asleep.
When Michael arrived at six, he seemed nervous. Katherine assumed he was uncomfortable because of what had happened the previous weekend. It was lucky for him she had a fat lip - instead of talking
about their bizarre relationship, they talked about her accident.
“I tried to call your cell phone but got no answer,” Katherine said.
“Oh, my phone is a piece of crap,” Michael said, with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I need a new one.” He helped Katherine put her coat on. “Are you sure you still want to go out to dinner? You should probably be resting. ”
“No, I’m fine. I took a long nap once I got home. Plus I’m hungry - turns out nearly getting killed does wonders for your appetite.”
“Were you able to give the police anything, I mean, to help them find the car that caused you to go off the road?”
“I didn’t know what kind of car it was. Not to sound overly dramatic, but I think the trauma may have messed with my memory.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Michael and Katherine were standing outside the restaurant when a car drove by slowly. Scott waved out of the passenger side window. Verna was driving what would have been a really nice car, if not for the huge dent on the front passenger side.
The men shook hands while Katherine and Verna gave each other fake smiles. Karaoke singing could be heard. Scott hoped nobody would ask how he and Verna had met. As they were taken to their table, he noticed the familiar way Michael placed his hand on the small of Katherine’s back.
Katherine looked back to see Scott, with a hand on each of Verna’s shoulders, playfully directing her toward the table.
“Katherine, what happened to your lip?” asked Verna as they sat.
“Oh, this? Some crazy person tried to pass me on the road up to Tahoe and slid into my car. I actually hit a tree. The airbag did this. If that wasn’t bad enough, he didn’t even stop.” Katherine’s eyes met Scott’s, and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing she was - Had it really been an accident?
Scott wanted to reach over and touch her hand. He could tell she was upset even though she was trying hard to appear otherwise. While he and Michael looked at her with concern, Verna looked at her with barely concealed annoyance.
“Wow, you could have been killed,” said Verna. “You should be more careful.”
Katherine thought she sounded disappointed.
Michael and Verna talked about who had seen which shows, but Scott and Katherine barely spoke. They weren’t sure how to act while in the presence of both Michael and Verna. Now and then Verna would whisper into Scott’s ear or place her hand over his, and she caught Katherine watching.
“I need to use the restroom. Katherine?” she said, as if to suggest they go together. Why not? thought Katherine.
She noticed that as she and Verna stood up, Scott did, too. Has he always been so polite? she wondered. Yes, he has.
As they stood at the restroom vanity, Verna turned toward Katherine and calmly said, “Katherine, I want you to back off. I really like Scott and I think we might have something special, if not for you. I want you to leave him alone. He wants to be with me, I know he does, but I think you’re confusing him. Men are such little boys sometimes, always wanting what they don’t have.”
“Verna,” answered Katherine, “Scott and I are just friends. I don’t know what you’re worried about.”
“Were friends, past tense. Now he has a girlfriend, and if I’m not mistaken, that guy sitting out there is your boyfriend.”
Katherine applied some lipstick before answering, “You’re too insecure.”
Verna’s face suddenly grew ugly with anger and Katherine was reminded of a bulldog.
“Listen, I’m trying not to lose my temper but this is how it’s going to be. You don’t call Scott anymore, you don’t seek him out. Don’t expect him to call either - he won’t. Don’t expect him to come over - he isn’t coming. It’s over. You had your chance.”
Excuse me?
Katherine had to congratulate Verna on this surprise attack. For a moment, she was speechless, but she wasn’t about to be pushed around by anyone, least of all Verna. “No,” she answered.
She almost laughed at the look on Verna’s face. Now it reminded her of a bright red pimple. She looked like a spoiled child, used to getting her own way and about to throw a major tantrum. “What’s the matter, not used to being told no?”
Katherine expected Verna to blow up, maybe call her names, at the very least storm out in an angry huff, but she didn’t. Her eyes narrowed. She slowly opened the restroom door and then looked back. “You don’t want me as an enemy,” she said.
“Spare me the godfather persona, Verna. You don’t scare me. As long as Scott wants me as a friend, I’ll be one, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised what I can do,” said Verna. “I’d hate for you to have any more accidents.” With that, she turned and left the bathroom.
Katherine went back to their table a few minutes later. She watched as Verna played with Scott’s hair, put her hand under his shirt and all but sat on his lap.
Verna caressed Scott’s leg and let her hand glide over his groin. The movement wasn’t missed by Katherine. She smiled at Katherine triumphantly. Scott felt mortified and guilty and then angry for feeling mortified and guilty.
When Verna’s hand glided over his crotch again, he placed her hand firmly on his leg. He was starting to get annoyed. He wasn’t stupid - he knew she was more or less marking her territory. And he didn’t like it.
Michael sensed the tension in the air but didn’t know the cause. He did his best to lighten the mood, first with Katherine.
“Katherine, I went to that hairdresser, Max, you recommended. He’s fabulous.”
Katherine nodded. “That's great, Michael.”
When nobody said anything, Michael tried again. “Verna, that’s a very pretty sweater you’re wearing. Where did you buy it?”
Verna perked up. “Thank you. I don't remember exactly where I bought it. I was at the mall.” She spent the next ten minutes regaling them all with stories of her most recent purchases. Michael nodded, smiling politely. He was the only person, besides Verna, who actually seemed interested in the subject.
Scott was as glad as Katherine when the night was finally over. Goodbyes were said in the parking lot, and false promises to get together again were made. As Scott opened the passenger door for Verna, he watched Katherine get into Michael’s car. He mentally slapped himself and climbed into Verna’s car.
***
As they drove away, Katherine turned to Michael and asked, “Michael, did you do anything last night, go out maybe?”
He didn’t answer right away. “Last night? Friday?”
Katherine laughed. “Yes, last night. Tonight is Saturday. Last night would be Friday, yes.”
“No, I, ah, I worked late and then went to bed early.”
Katherine looked at his hand, but kept quiet.
“I had a great time tonight,” Michael gushed as he and Katherine drove away. “Didn’t you? Verna and Scott are really good people.”
“Sure, I had a good time, too.”
When they arrived at Katherine’s building, Michael didn’t come up, as usual. She sat on her bed thinking about the evening and about Michael in particular. She wondered if his problem having sex with her was because his attention was divided. At dinner, she would have bet she’d seen a club stamp on his hand. It looked like effort had been made to wash it off, but she knew a club stamp when she saw one, even if most of it was gone.
She looked at her bedside clock and couldn’t help thinking about what was probably going on at Scott’s right then. She punched her pillow and tried to sleep, but images of Scott kept popping into her head.
***
Scott and Verna hardly spoke during the ride back to her apartment. When Scott walked her to the entrance, then stopped, she said, “You're not coming up?”
“No, not tonight,” he answered. "I’ll call you tomorrow.”
When he handed her back her car keys Verna leaned in and softly kissed his neck. “Are you sure?”
Scott gently pushed her away. �
��Yes.”
Verna felt as if she’d been doused with cold water. She’d never in her life been turned down by a man. “Fine,” she said icily and went inside.
Scott knew he was probably a fool for not following. He hated to admit how much seeing Katherine with Michael bothered him. His jeep was parked across the street, he watched Verna go inside, then left. But, instead of going home, he drove toward Katherine’s apartment. He stopped and looked up and saw that a light was on. They must have arrived just before him. He saw Michael leaving, and it gave him some comfort to know Katherine would be sleeping alone that night.
Chapter Forty-Nine
On Sunday, Katherine turned onto her side and looked at the bedside clock—one o’clock in the morning, but she couldn’t sleep. She’d called Scott earlier and for once Verna hadn’t answered.
“Michael called me,” said Scott.
“Already? When?”
“Today. He wanted to talk about us all getting together again soon. Apparently he had a good time last night. ”
”Didn't you have a good time?” She wasn’t sure why it would make her happy to hear he hadn’t, but it would.
“Oh, yeah, a great time. The best. Why, didn't you?”
“Me? I had a fabulous time. It’s a good thing today is Sunday. We were up late.” What the hell am I doing? But once she started, it was hard to stop. “He has so much energy I can hardly keep up with him, but I like trying.”
“Damn it, Katherine, I don’t want to hear the details of your sex life! What makes you think I would? Keep that shit to yourself.”
“Jeez, calm down already. I’m sorry. I was making a joke. We’ve joked like that before.”
“Okay, sorry. I didn’t mean to fly off the handle. I, uh, I just think now that you and I are seeing people, maybe we shouldn’t make those kinds of jokes anymore.”
Katherine regretted what she’d said and didn’t even know why she’d said it. Okay, she knew why. She assumed Scott was happy with Verna and wanted him to think she was as happy with Michael. And you wanted to see his reaction, didn’t you? a little voice in her head whispered.
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