by Willow Rose
I knew Victor often believed that bathrooms were evil for some reason and avoided them at school, but I had never seen him react to them at home. I had always believed it was just his way of telling me he didn't like school or something like that. Maybe they had beaten him up or bullied him in some way inside one of the bathrooms, and he just didn't want to tell me.
"Victor. It's just our bathroom. You go past it every day," I said, trying to talk some sense into the boy. Then I sighed, walked to the door, and opened it, wanting to show them that there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of.
"See?" I said and walked inside.
And that was when I heard it. A loud slithering sound, like a big snake or something disappearing down the drain of the bathtub. I grabbed the curtain and pulled it aside. Whatever it was, it moved so fast I couldn't see it.
I shrieked and hurried back out, then closed the door, heart throbbing in my chest.
"Okay. That's it. I’m calling in the experts."
Chapter Fourteen
Sven Thomsen loathed his neighbor more than anything in this world. While shoveling snow outside his own house, Sven threw a glare toward the neighbor's sidewalk. Just this morning, Sven had stopped his neighbor as he rushed for his car, a cup of coffee clutched in his hand.
Always so busy, busy, busy. Doesn't even have time to drink his coffee because he's so darn busy all the time. Always on the go with that stupid coffee in his hand. Why doesn't anyone have time just to sit down and drink their coffee anymore? Why must they take it everywhere, always on the go-go-go?
Sven didn't care much that his neighbor was in a hurry. He had rushed out to him, wearing big boots underneath his bathrobe, then yelled at him.
"Hey. Wait a minute."
The neighbor had paused with a sigh. "What now, Sven? I have a meeting at eight."
"You still have half an hour. That's plenty of time," Sven had told him. "When I was your age, I drove to…"
"I don't really have time for your stories there, Sven. What do you want?" the neighbor had cut him off.
Sven had grunted, annoyed. Again with the busyness, never time to even listen to people. What if Sven had something important to tell him? Some deep advice that could change his perspective on life? But, oh, no, the young of today have no time for that because they're so darn BUSY!
"I just wanted to remind you that you have to shovel the snow on the sidewalk. It's the law, you know."
The neighbor exhaled and looked at his watch for the fifth time during their brief conversation.
"I know, Sven. You told me that last month too when it snowed."
"Aha, but you didn't do it, remember? And there was a lady walking through it who almost fell. Can't have that, can we? Must obey the law. That's why it’s there. No one is above it."
"All right," the neighbor said. "I'll take care of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an important meeting to attend to."
Important meeting. A meeting was never just a meeting anymore. It was always important.
"Very well," Sven had said. "But if it is not cleared this afternoon, then I see no other way than to have to call the police."
The neighbor had been halfway inside his BMW by that point.
"See you later, Sven," was his answer before he took off.
Now, Sven was standing on the sidewalk. It was afternoon, and the neighbor's part of it was still covered in snow. Sven knew the neighbor wouldn't be home till late tonight when it was already dark out.
Sven hissed, annoyed, then walked back toward his own house. By now, he had shoveled snow twice already today. It was your duty as a homeowner, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why people didn't take these things more seriously.
Inside his house, he grabbed his phone with the intention of dialing the number of the local police, but as he pushed a button to get his darn smartphone to light up, there was a noise coming from his bathroom, one that made him forget the phone, forget about sidewalks and law-breaking neighbors and walk toward the open door instead.
Chapter Fifteen
It was nice and quiet outside the school when Maya rushed out after the end of her last class. It was still snowing but not as much as it had this morning. Maya loved how the snow subdued everything and made her feel like she was standing inside her own dome and not having all the noises from the world disturb her. Ever since she had suffered the memory loss, something else had happened to Maya that she didn't talk to her mom about. She heard things differently, louder in some way that she couldn't really explain. And she was so sensitive to them. Noises annoyed her greatly. Like when people ate, she could get almost aggressive toward them if they made the smallest noise. Even in class when the girl sitting next to her swallowed too loudly or played with her plastic water bottle, it made Maya's toes crumple with irritation. Sometimes, she would run to the bathroom and hold her ears just to make the noises of the world go quiet for a few seconds, so she could relax. It was quite exhausting. She knew her brother was sensitive to noises and there were days when she wondered if she was becoming more and more like him. Maybe she just found it difficult to think straight when there was too much noise. Because there was so much noise inside of her mind.
"Hey…wait up, Maya!"
The silence was broken by a familiar voice. Maya sighed and turned to look at him.
"Alex, hey…"
"You walking home?" he asked.
She nodded. "Not really weather to be biking in."
"Same here. Can we walk together?"
She hesitated for a few seconds, wanting to say no because it was the smart thing to do, but there was something about the look in Alex's eyes that made her soft, made her not want to hurt him again.
"Sure."
His face lit up beneath the beanie, and they began to walk. It was only about a five-minute walk for her, so it couldn't be too bad. Besides, she kind of enjoyed his company. She was being very careful not to let him think she was into him in any way. Because she wasn't. She wouldn't let herself be. It was out of the question. The result was, she didn't say a word to him, and soon the silence between them felt awkward. After a minute or so of walking, Maya regretted her decision.
"So…will you be going to the party on Saturday?" he finally asked, after searching for the right words for a long time.
Maya shook her head. "I'm not really that into parties and stuff like that."
"Yeah, me either," he said.
It was a lie. Maya knew he liked to party. He was the type of boy who always went to every party there was.
"So…what do you like to do?" he asked, kicking a pile of snow on the side of the road.
"Read. Watch Anime."
"Ah…I see," he said.
"Listen, Alex," she said when they stopped outside her house. "You're a nice guy and everything, but we don't really have much in common."
He looked so disappointed that she almost lost her courage. Did she really have to let him down twice in one day?
But the real problem wasn't that she had to let him down for the second time; the real issue occurred in the seconds later when Alex leaned over and kissed her.
Maya pulled away forcefully.
"What the heck are you doing?"
He gave her a look, one of confidence. "I know you like me. Let's stop the charade for a second. Just admit it."
Maya stared at him. Who the heck did he think he was?
"I…I that's…not true."
He pointed at her with both his fingers, then started to walk away. "I got to kiss Maya Frost. I got to kiss Maya Frost."
"You did not…I wasn't even…"
But Alex was already gone. She could hear him whistling through the heavy curtain of snow long after she couldn't see him anymore.
Chapter Sixteen
I was in luck. Apparently, our local plumbing company had a guy right down the street attending to another house when I called, and he had promised he could stop by my place when he was done there. So, ten minutes later, a sma
ll minivan drove up in my driveway and parked in the snow. I opened the door, and the guy holding his toolbox walked up to my door, snowflakes on the top of his cap, where it said:
PETERSEN PLUMBING - IF WATER RUNS THROUGH IT… WE DO IT!
"It's right in here," I said and walked ahead of him toward the guest bathroom. I was about to grab the handle and open the door but then didn't. Instead, I stepped aside.
"In there."
The plumber opened the door. Standing behind him, I watched as he walked in.
"The bathtub," I said.
"And what exactly is wrong with the bathtub?" he asked.
"There was something inside it. It disappeared down the drain when I pulled the curtain aside. But it was definitely there."
The plumber knelt down next to it with an exhale. "I can take a look, but if it's an animal, I can't really do much about it," he grunted. "You'll need an exterminator. Is it clogged?"
"I…I don't know. I rarely use this one."
The plumber leaned forward and turned on the water, then watched to see if it ran down the drain with no trouble. It did.
"Seems fine to me," he said.
"But there was something there, down there…" I said and pointed.
"Has it been flooding?"
I shook my head.
The plumber rose to his feet, complaining, "Listen, lady. It could have been anything. Frogs, toads, snakes, maybe even a squirrel."
"A squirrel?" I asked, baffled.
He shrugged. "It's been known to happen. Believe it or not, some critters can crawl, creep, or wriggle their way into your pipes, causing clogs of all kinds. If you have an animal invasion, then it will probably start with a baffling flood and only end when you grab a broom and hysterically sweep the poor creature out the door."
"So, you're telling me I have some sort of critter down there? And that it came up through the drain and might even run into the house?" I shuddered at the thought.
"Yes, well, since there is no flooding or clogging, it can hardly be a big animal, if you want my opinion. Maybe just a frog. Maybe there's more than one."
"Frogs? I can live with frogs as long as they stay down there. A frog infestation sounds less appealing."
The plumber shrugged. "It's cold out. Lots of animals search for shelter in the pipes when it’s cold. They might disappear on their own. Just wait and see."
The plumber grabbed his toolbox and walked back into the hallway. I wasn't sure I felt any better, maybe a little. As long as it was just frogs. A frog, preferably. One. Not multiple.
The plumber walked to the door and was about to open it when he spotted Victor's backpack on the floor. It was half open, and a book had slipped out of it. It had a sticker on the front of it stating, THIS BOOK BELONGS TO FISHY PINES. The plumber stared at it, then up at me.
"Your kid is at Fishy Pines?"
I nodded. "He goes to the school. He's not there full time."
The plumber became distant, then nodded. "Okay. Good."
"What do you mean by that?"
He shook his head. "It's nothing. I just…well, I have a colleague, well, one I used to work with back in the eighties when we were both young. He went to attend to a job there and disappeared. We’ve never heard from him since. He never made it home to his wife that night, and he didn't come to work the next morning. The van was still parked outside the building when we found it the next day."
"That's odd," I said.
"Yeah, a strange story if you ask me. It was in that old part, the condemned part of the building, back when it still housed patients. They had a lot of trouble back then with their pipes. Guess that's why it's condemned today, huh? The old building is probably falling apart."
"So, your friend was never found again?"
"Nope." He shrugged again. "Ah, well…we all figured he just had enough of fixing everyone's toilets and ran off. Probably living on some Caribbean island somewhere, I reckon'."
"Sure sounds better," I said chuckling.
"Sure does. Can't help dreaming of sun and warmth at this time of year, can we now? You have a good day, ma'am. And call me if the drain clogs up or anything like that. Watch out for flooding."
"Will do."
"And don't worry. These critters usually find their way out again after a little while, if they don't freeze to death when the pipes freeze over. Then you'll have a whole new set of problems once spring comes around, heh. Nothing like the stench of a decaying animal."
"Let's just hope they come out before then," I said, then closed the door behind him as he walked back into the snow. I returned to the living room, walked past the bathroom door, then paused outside of it, putting my ear to the door to listen.
Nothing. Not even a drip.
"Frogs," I said with a scoff in the same second as Maya stormed inside the front door.
"Hey there, sweetie…" I said, but the girl just rushed past me and up the stairs without a word. She simply threw her backpack and shoes on the floor, then slammed the door to her room behind her.
Chapter Seventeen
I decided to give Maya her space and went into the kitchen to prepare afternoon tea. It had to be ready at three o'clock, or it might throw Victor completely out of it. I rushed as much as I could, but at exactly three o'clock when Victor came into the kitchen, I wasn't ready.
Victor didn't care. He sat down at his chair, his head bent.
"Where's afternoon tea? It's three o'clock."
Skye sat next to him while Brutus loomed in the corner, looking more like a porcelain statue than a real live dog.
"I'm almost done, buddy," I said and took the warm bread out of the oven.
"But it's three o'clock," he said.
"I know, but I had to take care of the plumber, remember?"
"Three o'clock is time for afternoon tea, just as six o'clock is dinner," he said. "That's the way it has always been."
I cut two pieces of bread, then put jam on them and served him, only two minutes too late.
Victor stared at the floor, his nostrils flaring. I watched him, wondering if those nostrils would expand even further and it would turn into a regular fit. But then I noticed Skye reach her hand over and place it on top of Victor's, and suddenly his shoulders relaxed, and he calmed down. A second later, he started to eat.
Wow.
I sat down too, enjoying a cup of coffee with my bread, and we all ate in silence while Skye played with the knife and let it dangle in the air in front of her. I pretended not to notice since it was just the three of us, and sipped my coffee, wondering what kind of spell the girl had put on my son. Then, as I thought more about it, I realized that maybe my son was in fact just experiencing his first love, and my heart melted completely.
"So, how was school today?" I asked.
"Same," Victor said.
"No new friends?" I asked.
He didn't answer, and I guessed no.
Seconds later, when he was done eating, he got up and left the table. "Hey, buddy," I yelled after him. "Wait for Skye. She's not done yet."
Skye smiled, then swallowed her last bite, and soon she joined him, holding his hand as they ran back into the yard dressed in their winter suits. I watched them for a few seconds when my phone rang again. I had decided not to pick it up but looked at the screen and then realized it was Victor's therapist.
"Hello?" I said. "H.P.?"
"Hey there, Emma."
My heart dropped. Was he calling to tell me bad news? Had Victor done something at school today?
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing's wrong, Emma. No, on the contrary. I am calling to let you know that Victor has made a friend here. It's a step forward for him, so I thought I'd share it with you."
"A friend? But…but I just asked him if he made any new friends…"
"Well, you know how detailed-oriented your son is, and to be honest, he isn't exactly a new friend since he's been here longer than Victor. But he is a friend."
"But…but that's g
ood news?"
"Yes, Emma. Your son is doing great. He has a wonderful mind. I don't think I’ve ever met anyone quite like him. I absolutely love working with him, and I think the fact that we do a few private lessons a week and then the rest in the class with the other kids is a good combination for him."
"A friend?" I said, almost tearing up. "A real friend? And he's a boy? A boy-friend?"
"Yes, Emma. His name is Daniel."
Chapter Eighteen
It was quite a feast I had ended up preparing and, even though I was annoyed with my mom, I still invited both of my parents over to eat with Morten and me and the kids. Morten's daughter Jytte wasn't thrilled that he wasn't home for dinner again, so I invited her as well, even though I knew she hated me, but she said no.
I served the roast and the potatoes, feeling very proud of myself for not having been on the Internet all day. The phone had constantly been ringing all afternoon, but now it had finally quieted down. Finally, those vultures understood that I wasn't going to talk to any of them. I didn't need them and their criticism or drama. I had everything I needed right here at my dinner table.
Maya poked her potato, then scooped it around a few times, her face long and her eyes not looking up at the rest of us. Skye and Victor were sitting quietly, staring into each other's eyes, and I had to constantly remind them to eat.
"Vegetables too, Vic," I told him.
They were holding hands under the table and thought I didn't notice. I couldn't figure out if it made me happy or sad. I was glad he had found someone in his life, someone he liked, but at the same time, he was still my little boy, right? Plus, I wasn't sure it was healthy for him, the way she monopolized him. He needed to interact more with his surroundings, with his family.
"So, Victor…I heard you’ve made a friend at school?" I asked. "H.P. called me and told me."
Victor didn't look at me.
"That's awesome, buddy," I continued.