by C. L. Stone
“You should go back to the restaurant,” Luke said. “Wait there for me.”
I grimaced, worried about being alone, not to mention that the restaurant might not let me back into if I brought in an animal.
When he saw I was hesitating, Luke turned to me, smiling. He held onto my cheeks and then kissed me gently on the nose. “Sang, don’t worry. I’m coming right behind you. Just let me get the basics and pay.”
That gave me a little courage. This was the Luke I was more familiar with, the one from before yesterday. He was jumping in to help, willing to risk a possible fight with those men, just to save a little animal.
He shooed me on so I walked toward the door. It was strange to have walked in without any intention, and then so suddenly be walking away with a new pet skunk.
I smiled to myself, holding him close. We just bought a pet together!
I opened the store door, and peered out to the sidewalk. I didn’t see anyone so I squeezed out of the door. The skunk in the pouch was warm against my stomach.
“I can’t believe the rate they charge to draw out money,” a male voice said. “Four dollars for every two hundred?”
I turned my head, spotting the men coming out of the bar further down the strip of mall. I panicked, concerned I should go back into the pet store. Maybe there was a back room.
“It’s shit,” the other one said. “They rip you off at every chance. Now let’s go get this skunk.”
I stiffened, but walked ahead, trying to hide the fact that I had anything other than a regular backpack, desperately hoping not to draw attention to myself. I hurried to the Chinese place, and went inside.
The woman wasn’t at the counter. I sat down quickly at one of the tables, holding onto the skunk, hoping that Luke would be back soon.
The woman came out, spotted me at the table, and then disappeared, coming back with a full brown paper bag.
I waved to her but stayed seated with my front turned toward the wall, trying to hide the face of the skunk. If she did see the harness, I hoped she’d think it was just a baby. Maybe we were babysitting. “He’ll be back in a moment,” I said quickly. “He’s still at the store.”
She nodded and left the bag on the counter, before she headed back to the kitchen.
I turned to look out the front glass of the restaurant. Would Luke try to confront the men? What would happen when they discovered someone had just bought the skunk? What if they walked by here and noticed me?
Suddenly, I heard angry shouts. I sat up straight, but touched the skunk on the head, trying to gently push him down into the pouch.
I listened carefully and watched out the window, but nothing came into view. I was tempted to get up and check it out, but didn’t want to leave with the skunk and be spotted by the men.
I touched the phone at my chest, waiting, getting more anxious by the minute.
When a figure finally came into view, at first I didn’t see the face, and my heart leapt into my throat. But it only took a moment before I saw it was Luke.
He was heading for the door, and opened it, his hands empty, but with a smile on his face. He spotted me and then came forward, showing me a thumbs up.
“I got everything,” he said, his eyes glowing. “Food, a water bowl, and I even bought a dog house, but I think it’ll have to stay in my room.”
“What happened to the men?” I asked quickly.
“Oh they were mad,” he said, and he laughed. “But I was buying what the little guy needed right in front of them, and they had no idea. They thought I was buying stuff for a dog. The lady told them someone else bought it, but they didn’t believe her. I told them I was there and saw that it was some old crazy lady.” He looked up and noticed the food on the counter. “Hey, I’m back,” he said.
The woman came back and smiled. “Thirty three, forty six.”
Luke pulled out his wallet and then started to count cash.
My heart was going a mile a minute, and I was holding a skunk in a pouch. What a strange afternoon.
As I stood there watching Luke pay, there was a sudden thunder clap that shook the building. My head turned quickly, almost cracking.
Storm clouds were rolling in, rain drops falling, darkening the pavement outside. At first it was a sprinkle, but it quickly started really coming down after a few minutes.
“Well, we didn’t beat the rain,” Luke said with a knowing smile and then looked at me as he picked up the bag of food. “Do you have him? Ready to go?”
I nodded. “How did you know it would rain?” I asked.
“Because I can predict the weather,” he said with a wink. “You might know directions, but I can smell the rain.”
I was impressed, but suddenly really overwhelmed. A lot had happened today. I was glad we had food and could go settle down.
Luke stood by the door and peered out. “It’s really coming down.”
I couldn’t believe how the weather had changed. Luke had been right; sheets and sheets of water came down, splashing into puddles. A small river was forming just next to the sidewalk, flowing downhill toward the street. “Should we eat here?” I asked. “Maybe we should wait.”
“We don’t know when this will pass. It might be here for a while.” He put the food bag under one arm and dug his keys out of his pocket. “I can drive the car up.”
“I’ll go out.” I didn’t want to be in the place alone in case the men walked by. I hoped the skunk could handle the rain. I covered him as best I could with my body. He wasn’t moving much and seemed to be sleeping.
I scooted close to Luke. The car wasn’t within view and I’d forgotten exactly where it was.
Luke held the bags close to his chest, bracing his body for the wind. “One, two, three,” he said, and hurried through the rain to the car.
I followed, holding onto the skunk.
Water splashed mostly at my feet at first as I waded against puddles.
Then droplets fell around my head.
I stopped, my heart beating crazily.
I didn’t know why at first. In all the excitement, my mind was in getting to the car, on the skunk in my arms.
Luke disappeared ahead of me. I stood there, trying to catch my breath as water splashed around me.
When more drops hit my face, I covered my head, rather than holding onto the skunk.
I fought off a wave of nausea, and sunk to the ground, crouching between two cars. I covered my head.
My eyes closed. Fear enveloped me.
What’s wrong with me? I’d forgotten my reaction to rain. Since I hadn’t been out in actual rain in a while, I’d let the memory slip away.
The splashing of water against my face somehow reminded me of a shower.
I considered going back to the restaurant, but I couldn’t move. My legs, once bent, could only hold me up, and my arms were over my head.
Just when I thought I was going to be stuck there forever, I was pulled, and then lifted, skunk and all, cradled into arms.
“I’ve got you,” Luke said. He breathed heavily, carrying me along.
I swallowed, trying to push back nausea.
I couldn’t help but look at him, embarrassed.
The look in his eyes were frightened.
The car door was already open. He put me in the passenger seat and then knelt against the door’s frame as he eased my arm from over my face.
“What happened? Did you fall?” he asked in a rush. “Sang, you okay?”
I sniffed and then forced a nod. My brain wanted to freeze up, but I fought it. Streams of water streaked down my face, and my jacket and jeans soaked through to the seat. I hoped Kota would understand. I thought to send him a text and offer to vacuum out his car, or however you get the moisture out of seats.
“I should have picked you up. Did you scratch anything when you fell?”
The thought I fell? Oh, he did ask. I’d been responding to the being okay part. This time, I shook my head.
“Do you need a bandage?” h
e asked. He reached in and rubbed at my back, keeping his other hand on my knee. “Sang, come on, don’t look like that.”
“Let’s go,” I said in a weak whisper. It was too much to explain. Rain on my face set up similar feelings as being in the shower, and I was trying to talk myself up. It’s silly. Why should I be afraid of rain?
My beating heart, frantic, and the wave of exhaustion told me if I tried it again, it might be too much.
How would I get out of the car if it was still raining?
Luke rushed around, hopped in and slammed the door. He wiped his face and slicked back his hair, undoing the clip and letting the long strands of blond fall around his shoulders. “Whew!” He said with a big grin. “Hasn’t come down like that in a while. Must be the end of that tropical storm.”
I swallowed, trying to talk to him, to somehow convince him I was fine. “Tropical storm?” I asked. “Don’t those show up during the summer?”
“Storms don’t always follow a schedule,” he said and pushed the key in, starting the car.
I settled back into the seat. Now that I was out of the rain, the wash of nausea had faded. I had my arms wrapped around the skunk, who was satisfied being cradled.
Luke pulled up to a stop sign just before turning onto a main road, when he sat back, and looked at me.
His eyes lit up and he started laughing.
I giggled, more out of surprise and for some relief of pressure, and then shook my head and realized how ridiculous we’d just been. The whole situation felt like something out of a television show. We’d bought a skunk, Chinese food, and had gotten caught out in the rain. “Was this what you pictured for a first date?”
“Nowhere close,” he said, then drove the car out onto the road.
THE PERFECT KISS
By the time we got to the Taylor compound, the clouds overhead made it appear much later in the day than it was. Puddles had formed around the yard. North’s trailer and the garage were dark. Only the front porch light, and one in a single window in the main house was on. No one appeared to be home.
Luke pulled the car as close to the front porch as he could, even pulling up into the yard. He turned off the engine, ran around and opened my door. He reached in, tugging me by my arm.
I jumped out, still wet but getting hit with a fresh splash down into a puddle before getting to the porch.
The skunk shifted, but stayed in his pouch.
Luke kept his arm around me, like he didn’t trust me to make it without him, and I was grateful.
“Safe,” Luke said with a laugh once we were close to the door. He had left the food in the car, and guided me toward the door. “Let’s get you and the little rascal inside. I’ll come back for everything else.”
He used his keys to open the door and once it was open, Luke stood aside, letting me inside. The space was now familiar, but I still looked around at the old staircase, and then the kitchen to the left, and the rooms to the right. The rooms were big and echo-y, and the rain overhead sounded like it was going to come right through the roof.
My body trembled, but without the splash on my face, I sucked down some air, and courage and tried to forget the rain.
The skunk shifted in the pouch, and I wondered if it knew we were at his new home.
Luke flicked on some more lights then turned to me, looking at the skunk. His hair was stuck to his face, and his white shirt was soaked and see-through. Everything was sticking to his body. He came forward, holding his arms out. “Let me take him,” he said, gently sliding the harness from my shoulders. “You go upstairs and get a nice warm shower. Do you want some pajama pants?”
At the mention of a shower, I hesitated. I should go get dry, for sure. It would help to get a moment to myself and clear my head. I was just grateful he seemed to think I just fell or slipped. “I could use a towel,” I said quickly.
“There’s some in the bathroom,” he said. He pointed up the stairs, and held the pouch in his arms like carrying a baby. “Go get warm. I’ll sort out the food and this little guy. My room is on the right. I’ll be up there in a bit. Go shower.” He shooed me toward the stairs.
I grimaced, knowing he was being nice. I supposed I didn’t really have to shower. I could just run water out of the sink, or if there was a tub, I could take a quick bath. I’d have to hurry. He may want to warm up, too.
Now that the skunk wasn’t against me, warming me up, I was starting to get cold. I eased my way up the stairs and I started to shiver. I held onto the banister so I wouldn’t slip.
The doors upstairs were all dark wood against white painted walls. I knew which room his was, but I wasn’t actually sure which was the bathroom. I peeked inside a linen closet and an unfinished bedroom before finding the bathroom.
The bathroom had a stone tile floor with a new toilet and a sink but missing the large wall mirror most bathrooms seemed to have. No countertop, just a sink on a pedestal stand beside the tub. The walls were white, and I understood a bit why North would stay in the trailer. All the unfinished rooms made the house on the inside seem rather cold. It was almost depressing.
I pondered what the difference was between the bath and the rain and shower. Now recalling what happened, my cheeks heated, completely embarrassed and afraid. Why was I so messed up, that I couldn’t get out in the rain, or take a normal shower?
I started up the warm water in the tub, and tested the temperature. I checked for towels and when everything was ready, I got out of my cold, wet clothes and climbed into the tub.
I didn’t want to stay long, even though the water felt good. I warmed up as I washed my skin and hair with the shampoo that was there and then hopped out.
Only as I was drying my hair did I realize I hadn’t thought to bring in any clothes with me.
I stood there in the bathroom, considering what I could do. Luckily, the towels were big enough to hide me; I almost felt like I was wearing a strapless dress.
Still, I wouldn’t want Uncle walking down the hallway and finding me like this. Maybe not even Luke. I was sure he’d understand, but he might tease me.
I quietly opened the door to peek out. I was carrying my cell phone in my hand and peered out into the dark hallway, the light coming from the stairwell. It had gotten darker. The storm must be overhead. I left the bathroom light on to help guide me.
Suddenly, I heard something—a voice—and I froze, my wet feet slipping a bit on the hardwood floor.
I heard footsteps. Was someone coming up the stairs?
I turned left, and found a room with a bed against the left wall, and a row of tall wardrobes to the right. Not Luke’s room, but I dashed into it anyway.
I went in, closing the door, and flicked the light on. A single bare bulb turned on in the center of the small bedroom. The walls were plain white. There were two utility nightstands near the head of the bed and one pillow on the made bed. No headboard or footboard. The room was fairly clean, with a half-full laundry basket on the foot of the bed.
The basket was filled with all black clothes. North’s room. Had to be. I’d thought he lived in the trailer. Then I remembered someone had said he did keep some stuff in the main house. The bed didn’t look used. Did he sleep in the house at all?
It would do, I supposed. I could at least change into one of his T-shirts and get something on before looking for Luke.
The clothes in the basket appeared dirty. I went to the wardrobe, opened it, and shifted through rows of black T-shirts and jeans. It seemed like all of his clothes were in here. If he kept his clothes in here, what did he keep in the trailer?
There were several other types of outfits other than T-shirts and jeans, including tuxedos and some nice suits.
They air smelled musty and stale with only the very barest hint of any of the musk scent he usually wore. He wasn’t in here very often. Maybe these were clothes that didn’t fit in his closet in the trailer.
I didn’t think he’d mind if I borrowed something. I made a mental note to remember to s
end him a text message to let him know I was in here.
I placed my phone on the bed and then selected one of the more faded T-shirts and a pair of boxers. I took off the towel and pulled on the boxers. They were big on me and I wasn’t sure they would stay on.
I was standing in the room half-naked, thinking I needed a safety pin to tighten the waistband of the shorts when there was a quick knock at the door and it opened.
“North?” Luke said as he opened the door. “Why are you here? I thought you’d be...”
I froze for just a second, shocked. I grabbed the shirt, drawing it to my body before I turned, trying to cover myself. Why hadn’t I locked the door? Was there a lock?
Luke spotted me and froze. His mouth fell open, his eyes wide. He was in pajama pants, barefoot, no shirt. His hair was still wet, hanging around his face in dark blond locks. He looked around the room in confusion and then back at me.
I blushed and forced a cheesy grin. I held the shirt to my body, and I was covered—technically—but the boxers were edging off of my hips. I clamped one arm around my breasts, holding onto the shirt, and then reached for the boxers to tug them up.
“Oh,” he said. “Sorry...” He turned away.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
He laughed. “Why? I’m the one who walked in on you. Why are you in here?”
“I forgot to bring clothes into the bathroom. I went out in the hallway in a towel and then I thought I heard someone, so I ran in here.”
“You didn’t realize this is North’s room?”
“Only after I came in,” I said, tugging the clothes closer. “And then I thought I’d just borrow his clothes instead of running around in a towel...”
“Sang,” he said, laughing. He turned back toward the door. “I swear…”
He turned away, I thought to give me some privacy, so I quickly flipped the shirt around, seeking out the bottom hem so I could slide it on.
I heard footsteps while the shirt was over my head, but then by the time my face was free I saw Luke was coming back, heading toward me with a determined look in his eyes. Had he seen me?
It surprised me and I backed up, my thighs bumping into North’s bed.