by Len du Randt
‘Two weeks?’
‘Friday the twenty seventh, yes,’ Rebecca said. ‘That should be fine with everyone. It’s after payday, see?’
Tanya sighed. ‘You make me curious, only to tell me that the earliest that I can see this mystery man is in two weeks?’
‘That’s right.’
‘I’ll get you for this, Becks.’
Rebecca only laughed. ‘Patience, my dear friend.’
‘So I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning?’
‘If you don’t mind,’ Rebecca said.
‘Not at all. Same time?’
‘Eight.’
‘Okay. See you then.’
They both hung up just as the kettle boiled. Rebecca put the phone down on the kitchen counter and got herself a mug from the cupboard. They weren’t fancy enough to own a tea set, but Rebecca didn’t mind. More tea in a mug anyway. A figure in the corner of her eye made her freeze. She could clearly make out the shape’s head, arms, body, and legs. She took two deep breaths and slowly moved her eyes, but the figure quickly moved behind the wall and slipped into the hallway.
‘Who’s there?’ Rebecca asked. Uncertainty and fear seeped through her voice.
No answer.
She opened the drawer and pulled out a butcher’s knife. ‘Hello?’
Again, no answer.
Slowly she made her way to the living room, scanning every inch of the apartment as she walked. She was distinctly aware of the fact that her heart was beating louder than normal. Her arms and legs felt numb, but she couldn’t afford to be caught off guard, so she decided to use a more threatening approach.
‘I want you to leave me alone,’ Rebecca demanded.
A thud from Justin’s office made her spin around.
The door was closed, but she was sure the sound came from within there. Her grip tightened around the handle of the knife and it made her feel somewhat more protected. Not a whole lot, but enough to make her advance towards the office.
A sense of fear gripped her stomach and got worse as she approached the door. Another dull thud and she took an instinctive step back. She drew another deep breath and then reached out her hand to the handle. The fear intensified.
Inside the office, a chair moved.
Someone’s in there!
Rebecca’s hand inched slowly towards the handle. As she touched it, a loud knock on the front door made her jump and shriek.
* - - - *
‘Hi,’ Dominic greeted Rebecca with a perfect smile as she opened the door. She didn’t hide her relief when she realized it was him. ‘I’m Dominic from next door.’ He looked at her facial expression and then at the knife in her hand. ‘Is this...a bad time?’
Rebecca shook her head. ‘Not at all. You come as if you’ve been sent.’
‘How so?’ Dominic asked. ‘Is everything all right?’
‘I think there’s someone in the apartment,’ she said with a hushed voice.
‘What do you mean?’ Dominic asked, also barely above a whisper. ‘Like a burglar or something?’
‘I don’t know,’ she whispered back. ‘But I’m sure glad that you showed up when you did.’ She stepped aside and allowed Dominic to enter.
‘Want me to look around?’ he asked.
She nodded. ‘But be careful. I think he’s in the study.’
‘Wait here,’ he said and made his way deeper into the apartment. He did a quick scan of the kitchen, and then moved to the living room. No real hiding spots there. He walked to the hallway and stopped in front of the closed study door, leaning forward to listen for any strange sounds. He couldn’t hear any.
I’ll save this one for last, he thought and checked the bathroom before entering the bedroom. Everything appeared to be in order. Only the study left. He then walked back to the study door and slowly opened it.
‘Hello?’ he asked loud enough for Rebecca to hear from the front door. ‘Is anyone in here?’ At first he didn’t see anyone, but when he stepped into the office he saw the dark shape with its glowing eyes in the darkened corner of the room. The sunlight piercing the curtains weren’t enough for him to see who or what it was. The huge shape growled softly and suddenly advanced towards him at a rapid pace. It stopped short in front of Dominic, towering over him. It was a bulky creature that reeked of scorched hair and had razor sharp claws.
‘Well done,’ Dominic said and grinned. ‘You can go now.’
The creature let out a grunt and a snort and slowly backed away to the corner of the room where it sniffed the air a few times before it dissolved in the shadows.
Dominic left the study and closed the door behind him again. ‘All clear,’ he announced loudly as he made his way to the front door.
‘I could swear I saw someone,’ Rebecca said when Dominic joined her. ‘I also heard something in the study.’
‘I’m sure it was a cat or something,’ Dominic said and smiled. The study window was open. Either way, whatever it was is gone now.
Rebecca couldn’t help but notice how perfect his teeth were. ‘Thank you,’ she said and tried her best to suppress the blush lighting up her cheeks. His mere presence made her feel comfortable and she couldn’t tear her gaze from his face. ‘How could I ever repay you?’
‘Well,’ he said. ‘I came to borrow some sugar. But if there’s a cup of coffee in your offer, I wouldn’t mind having it here instead.’
‘Done,’ she said. ‘Make yourself comfortable and I’ll go make us some. How do you like it?’
‘Black,’ he said. ‘Three sugars.’
She entered the kitchen and a short while later returned to the living room with two mugs. ‘This one’s mine,’ she said. ‘It’s the tea I made just before you came.’
Dominic smiled and it felt like her legs melted.
‘And this one is for you, my hero.’
‘Thank you, my dear damsel in distress,’ he said and tapped her mug with his.
Is he flirting with me? Rebecca wondered. Or is he flirting back? She couldn’t tell. Right now that didn’t matter to her. Here was someone that could keep her company and protect her from ghosts and goblins. Here was a man that understood that all she needed was a willing shoulder; someone that would at least try to understand. She smiled her best smile as she thought of topics that she could use to keep him there for as long as possible.
* - - - *
Lance wanted to see Justin. Management requesting to see staff usually wasn’t a good thing. Justin wondered what he might have done wrong as he walked to Lance’s office. As far as he was concerned, he only delivered top-notch work since he started working there nearly five months earlier. He couldn’t recall messing up anything recently. Finally he stood in front of Lance’s intimidating office door. Justin paused a moment. I hope it’s nothing serious, he thought and took a deep breath before knocking.
‘Come in.’
Justin opened the door and stepped in. ‘You wanted to see me?’
‘Yeah, yeah. Justin. Come in, come in.’
Justin closed the door behind him and made his way to Lance’s desk. Not too slow. Not too fast either.
‘Have a seat,’ Lance said and waved his hand in the general direction of where two chairs stood in front of his desk. He didn’t look up. ‘Won’t be a moment.’
Justin sat down and scanned his eyes around the office. Mounted on the walls were various Achievement of Excellence awards; none of them made out in Lance’s name. Two golf trophies stood next to what might have been his son’s ice hockey trophy. Next to the trophy was a picture of Lance’s wife and two kids. Justin figured the son at almost thirteen and the girl more or less two or three years older. He wondered if this is where the corporate ladder would lead to in about ten or so years and shuddered at the thought.
‘Done,’ Lance said and put down his pen. He looked up at Justin. For a moment there was a pause, almost as if Lance wanted Justin to start the conversation.
‘You wanted to see me?’ Justin asked again.
Lance shuffled in his chair. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said as if he needed reminding. ‘We’ve been keeping a close eye on your progress at the sites and in the workshop,’ he said.
Justin also re-positioned himself in the chair.
‘And I must say that we’re all very impressed with your performance thus far.’
Justin exhaled slowly and felt an enormous pressure relieve itself from his shoulders.
‘The clients are ecstatic about you and even told us that they’d only like to work with you in future.’
‘I try my best,’ Justin said as modestly as he could manage.
‘That’s a great attitude to have,’ Lance said and then got to the point. ‘That’s why we need to send you back to the mines for a week.’
There was a long moment of silence as Justin processed the information. He couldn’t believe that they would do this to him. ‘Sir,’ he said. ‘With all due respect; I specifically asked not to be sent to any sites until after the first trimester of my wife’s pregnancy.’
Lance nodded. ‘I do understand your concern,’ he said as if he actually did. ‘But you blew them away the last time you were there. They simply don’t want anyone else but you. Hell, I even offered them Simon.’
‘And...?’
‘Only you, Justin. They want no one else.’
Justin didn’t know what to say. He specifically asked them not to send him to a site, but he had never received a compliment like this before. He wanted to say, ‘Sure, why not?’ yet at the same time wanted to beat the man to death with his own golf trophies.
‘It’s only for a week,’ Lance said. ‘Before you know it, you’ll be back with your wifey.’ He lit a cigarette, took a long drag and then thoughtfully blew the smoke at Justin. ‘Tell you what,’ he said. ‘We’ll even slap in a small bonus to help you guys out with the pregnancy. How’s that?’
Justin clenched his teeth and sighed. ‘When do I leave?’
‘You have to be there tomorrow morning.’
This last minute notification thing would have to stop! ‘And when do I get back?’
‘You’ll be back next week, Friday.’
‘And can I have your word that I won’t get sent to another site for at least four or five months?’
‘You have my word,’ Lance said and smiled his million dollar PR-smile.
Justin sighed again. ‘All right,’ he finally said. ‘I’ll do it.’
‘Atta boy!’ Lance said and stood up to indicate that the meeting was over. ‘I’ll mail you the details in a minute. Let me know if you run into any problems, okay?’
‘Will do,’ Justin said and headed for the door. He should have felt pleased about being the only one that the executives at the mines insisted on; but for some reason he felt conned. If they wanted him so badly, they should prove it with money, not compliments. He hoped that the “bonus” would be substantial as he closed the door behind him.
* - - - *
Nothing is impossible for God to forgive, Simon’s words replayed in Justin’s mind. Not even an abortion. Justin flinched. How did Simon know all these things?
All you need to do is ask.
Justin shook his head. It wasn’t as simple as asking forgiveness as Simon suggested. Justin realized that you simply can’t ask forgiveness if you didn’t believe that there actually was someone able to forgive. He would thus first have to acknowledge the existence of God before he could ask. So instead of trying to prove God’s existence to Justin, Simon merely pointed out man’s inability to be complete without God.
All you need to do is ask.
Justin turned up the volume of the radio. Simon’s voice flushed out of his mind. When the song became repetitious, Justin turned the volume back down and forced himself to think about Rebecca and what her reaction would be when she hears that he’s going to yet another site.
You promised! She would say.
But it’s only for a week. And when it’s done, they won’t send me again for at least five months.
You have no backbone, Justin Greene.
Becky, they specifically requested me. Do you know what an honour this is for me?
It’s always about you, Justin. Isn’t it?
Up went the volume of the radio. Sometimes—when he had bad news to break—Justin fought with Rebecca in his mind. It softened the blow when the real discussion came up and she didn’t react nearly as hysterical as the Rebecca in his mind. Rebecca once admitted to doing the same thing.
Justin pulled into the drive-way and killed the engine. For a minute he just sat there. After he played out a few more scenarios, he got out the car and headed for the front door. The sound of Rebecca’s laughter came from the living room as he opened the door and for some reason it immediately irritated him. Did they have guests that she neglected to tell him about?
‘Hi baby,’ Rebecca said when he entered the living room.
Justin scanned the room. The black-haired next door neighbour kid was sitting in his couch. The young man stood up and extended his hand toward Justin. What was the guy’s name again? Roberta? Sonja? He could recall it being a woman’s name. He took the hand and shook it.
‘Dominic was just telling me about his antics as a teenager in boarding school.’
Dominic! That’s it!
‘Actually,’ Dominic said. He smiled a perfect smile and even Justin wanted to like him. ‘I was just leaving.’
‘You don’t have to leave,’ Rebecca said and jumped up from the couch.
Yes you do, Justin thought. He made a mental note to kick himself later for not actually saying it.
‘As much as I would love to continue our confabulation, I do have a few errands to run,’ Dominic said. ‘But I’ll be sure to be here on the twenty seventh.’
‘The twenty seventh?’ Justin asked. ‘What’s happening that day?’
‘Remember that dinner you and I invited Dominic to?’
You did! Not me! ‘Yes...?’
‘Well, we’re having it then. Tanya is also coming.’
‘Just swell,’ Justin said, purposefully trying to sound sarcastic. ‘I can’t wait.’ He started walking Dominic to the door. ‘I guess we’ll see you then.’
‘Splendid,’ Dominic said. He stuck out his hand at Justin. They shook once. ‘Thank you for the delightful conversation,’ Dominic said and winked at Rebecca. He then turned and walked down the hallway to Robert Richardson’s apartment.
Justin closed the door. He was relieved to find her in a good mood for a change, and decided to wait until they went to bed before hitting her with the news.
* - - - *
‘I want an answer,’ Simon said. He stood in his apartment and stared up at the ceiling above him. ‘Answer me!’
No answer came. There were no flashes of lights or angelic choirs; no booming voices from the heavens that shook and tore open the earth. There was only the silence of the apartment.
With a powerful sweeping arc of his arms, Simon swept everything off his living room table. Plates, knives, forks, and glasses all crashed onto the ground.
Still no answer.
Simon rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. ‘I want to know why I have this ability,’ he said. ‘I want to know what I’m supposed to do with it.’
No answer.
Defeated, Simon fell to his knees and knelt forward. ‘I just want to know, Lord.’
The soft crunching of glass underneath a shoe made Simon look up. He could see legs in a pair of dirty shoes and instinctively jerked back and away from whomever was in his apartment. He lost his balance and fell backward, cutting his hand on a piece of broken glass. Simon flinched and jerked his hand back. The pain was excruciating. He clenched down on his teeth and tugged at the piece of glass protruding from his hand. In one swift motion, he yanked it out. Only then was he able to shift his focus and look at the man standing not too far from him.
‘Who are you?’ Simon asked as he pressed his palm against the wound to apply pressure.
‘You wa
nted answers,’ the man said calmly, unhindered by the blood.
Simon tried to remember if he knew the stranger in his apartment. He didn’t. ‘How did you get in here?’ he asked.
‘You will get your answers, Simon,’ the man said.
‘How did you know...?’ Simon found it ironic that it was a stranger that knew something about him for a change.
The stranger didn’t say anything. He merely looked at Simon and smiled.
Simon recognized the man, but couldn’t place him. ‘Where do I know you from?’
Glass crunched as the man walked towards Simon. He hunched down, took Simon’s bleeding hand, and covered it with his own. ‘The answers are coming, Simon,’ the man said and let go of Simon’s hand. Simon turned his hand around and studied his palm. There was no trace of a cut ever being there.
‘How did you...?’
He looked up.
The man was gone.
* - - - *
‘Promise you won’t be mad,’ Justin said as he got into bed and wrapped his arm around Rebecca’s waist.
‘How much did it cost?’ she asked.
Justin laughed. ‘No,’ he said. ‘It’s nothing like that.’
Rebecca turned around and faced him. ‘What is it then?’
Justin sighed. ‘They’re sending me to a site again,’ he said. He studied her face for any hint of what she might be thinking, but found no clues.
‘When?’
‘I leave tomorrow morning.’
‘Are you taking the car?’
‘No,’ Justin said. ‘I’m going with a guy called Clyde. He’ll pick me up first thing in the morning.’
‘For how long?’
‘Until Friday afternoon.’
‘So you’ll be here for the Friday evening dinner?’
‘Yes,’ Justin said. He realized that this stupid dinner might just be his saving grace.
Rebecca smiled. ‘Okay then.’
What? That was it? All this stress for nothing? ‘Um...you’re not angry?’