(Mis)fortune (8 page)

Nana went into the apartment to make dinner while I brought the boys upstairs to change.  Emmitt and Jim promised to have the fireworks ready by the time we returned.  I slipped into a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top and had the boys do the same.

The boys raced ahead of me down the stairs.  When I reached the door, they already stood in the darkened expanse of grass with Jim.  Each held sparklers and drew designs in the air.  Nana sat on the porch steps, watching their pretty patterns.

Emmitt waited by the bottom step.  The two sparklers he held illuminated his face.  A hint of a smile tickled his lips as our eyes met, and he drew me in with his dark-eyed focus.  When I stepped down, he handed me a sparkler.  Our hands brushed.  With that contact, I left the real world behind.

A very young girl dressed in lounge pants and a loose top, sat cross-legged in a spot of sunlight on a living room floor.  At first glance, she appeared twelve, but as I watched her move, I guessed she was closer to her late teens than her early teens.

So many open books littered the brown area rug under her that they surrounded her in an almost complete circle.  She removed one from her lap and set it on top of another open book.  Turning slightly, she pulled a new one into her lap and leafed through the pages.  She kept her ash blonde head bent over the text, intently studying it as she took notes in a spiral notebook also resting in her lap.

I looked out the window to try to see where we were.  Oddly, despite the sunlight, the other side of the street lay shrouded in mist.  I could only see as far as the curb bordering her front yard.  Turning back, I tried to look for anything else that might help me figure out who she was.

Next to her lay a huge dog. Its massive head rested on its paws.  As I watched, I noticed its gaze on the book set directly in front of it.  I looked closer in amazement.  Its eyes moved as if it read the words on the page.

Whoever this girl was, she owned an unusual pet.  I tried to move closer to get a better look at her partially hidden face, but it felt as if I were wading through mud.  I gave up and watched some more.  The dog turned to look at the girl who’d been mumbling to herself.  It showed its long sharp teeth, not in a menacing way but more of a weird doggy smile.  The girl reached over, absently petting him, and he laid his head back down.  Whoever she was, she looked peaceful and happy.  And so did the dog.

The vision disappeared abruptly.

“Michelle?” Emmitt said, trying to get my attention.  His hand still touched mine.

“Sorry,” I whispered in disbelief.  “Daydreaming.”

He gave me a funny look but didn’t say anything further.

After years of wishing to have a premonition of something other than the stupid stock market, it finally happened.  And when I had touched Emmitt.  Holding the sparkler, I pulled my hand away and moved into the darkness.  I wanted to think where his watchful gaze couldn’t observe my every reaction.

The premonition didn’t make much sense.  I hadn’t recognized the girl, the room, or the dog.  I waited for the premonition to repeat, but it didn’t.

I snuck a peek at Emmitt as he helped Aden light a new sparkler.  He remained focused on the task and an abrupt pink glow lit their faces.  My heart skipped a beat, and my stomach flipped.  Maybe Emmitt was the key.  I reacted to him physically every time I saw him.

My sparkler sputtered out, and I wandered back over to the porch to sit next to Nana.

The boys burned through the sparklers then sat on the porch to watch Jim’s small fireworks show.  They loved it.  Their first Fourth of July ever.  And it really meant something.  Three days without a sighting.  Real freedom.

I watched Emmitt and wondered if I’d found where I was meant to be.  But, was it actually safe to stay?

A soft knock on our door woke me early Monday.  I slid from between my sleeping brothers and quietly answered it.

“Morning,” Emmitt said.  I liked the way he smiled at me.

“Could I borrow your truck?”

“Sure,” I whispered.  I left him at the door and went to get the keys.  “You can drive it any time you want,” I said handing them over.  “But why the change from the motorcycle?”

He frowned a little.  “Jim took it to work.”

I smiled at his disgruntled expression.  “Tell Jim to take the truck tomorrow.”

After Emmitt left, I showered and got ready for the day.  When the boys woke, we went downstairs, still not having any food in our apartment.

Nana called out to us when we reached the first floor.  She had breakfast waiting and told the boys that Jim would be at work most of the day.  Aden was noticeably disappointed.  Three mornings of eating downstairs left me feeling like a mooch, but Nana didn’t seem to mind.  When we finished, I insisted on doing the dishes.

Nana and the boys played a board game in the other room until I finished.  Then we went outside.  I sat on the step by Nana and watched the boys toss the ball back and forth.

The vision I had the day before of Emmitt and me in the bedroom still hadn’t repeated itself, and I suffered no ill effects from it.  The sudden variation in my ability worried me because I didn’t know the rules.  What did I need to do with the information?  How long did I have to act on it?  What consequences were there if I didn’t act on it?

I had no answers.  I nibbled at my thumbnail, slowly removing the excess with my agitation.  It didn’t help that I had nothing to do to distract myself from my thoughts.  So, I fidgeted when I ran out of nail.

The crunch of gravel heralded Emmitt’s return several hours later.  The boys dropped their ball and ran to watch him pull up to the porch.  Lumber, a grill, and a bright yellow slide stuffed the back of the truck.  As soon as Liam spotted the slide, he started to cheer.  Aden, still clueless, joined in weakly.

Stunned, I sat on the porch and stared at the supplies for a swing set.  I hadn’t even committed to how long we would stay.  Sure, I
wanted
to stay, but I still hadn’t figured out what to do about Blake.  He would track us down eventually.  Leaving here permanently might keep these people safe from him, but it wouldn’t help us.  I wasn’t sure what would.  I needed to know more about what he planned, but the only way to learn more was to ask him.  The thought of facing Blake set slivers of ice through me, and I pushed all thoughts of him away.

The supplies in the back weren’t all Emmitt had purchased.  A mountain of grocery bags clogged the front seat.  When Emmitt opened the door to step out, I stood and asked if we could help carry in his things.

“Actually, they’re your groceries.”

He’d purchased a ridiculous amount of food, but I didn’t comment.  I handed a bag to each of the boys, and they took off into the house.  Fewer trips to the store were better, less exposure.  Plus, cooking would give me something to do.  But the swing set just seemed too much for temporary guests.

“Why the worry?” he asked, studying me as he handed me a bag.

I didn’t pretend I wasn’t worrying.  “The swing set is great, but I don’t know how long we can stay here.”  It hurt to admit it aloud.

“I told you, you can stay as long as you want.”

He didn’t understand, and I couldn’t explain.  Instead, I just nodded in agreement as a feeling of hopelessness and longing consumed me.

“I’m not sure my freezer will be able to hold all of the meat,” I said, grabbing another loaded bag.

“Don’t worry.  We’ll put the extra in Jim’s freezer.”

Given Jim’s appetite, I seriously doubted the meat would be there when we needed it.

I continued carrying up groceries while the boys helped Emmitt unload the swing set.

On the way back down to grab more from the truck, I met Nana on the steps.  She carried three paper bags.  I smiled my thanks.  I didn’t know how she managed without dropping something.  It had to be a practice thing.  I strained to carry two up the stairs.

She helped me put all the groceries away; and together, we marinated steaks and made a salad.  With the windows open, I could hear the boys animatedly talking to Emmitt.  His responses were much quieter and harder to hear than theirs were, but I could tell from his tone that they amused him.  He even laughed aloud a few times.  It was a toe curling sound.

Jim came home before dinner, took one look at what they worked on, and pitched in.  Thankfully, they were all starving and easy to pull away from their task once they smelled the cooking steaks.

The next day followed the same routine with the exception of Jim stealing the motorcycle.  Before Jim came home, Emmitt announced the swing set, with its plastic climbing wall, slide, and fort, was complete.  The boys cheered and began scrambling all over the thing.

I sat on the step, slightly bored again.  Watching Emmitt assemble the swing set had been a nice distraction.  I sighed, and he moved to sit by me.

“I bought a movie when I went to the store,” he said, looking out over the yard.

I turned to study his profile.  He had a strong jaw, straight nose with a slight bump on the bridge, and firm lips.  My stomach dove for my toes for half a heartbeat before it sprang back with a twist.  I caught Nana watching me from the chair she’d brought out to the porch and blushed.

“Would you like to watch it with me?” he asked softly.

The way he said it, a soft rumble of invitation, made my heart jump with excitement.  I looked away, focusing on my brothers as they played in the yard.  I struggled with what I
should
say versus what I
wanted
to say.

Nana interrupted my thoughts before they fully formed.  “I can watch the boys out here if you two want to go in.”

That decided me.  He and I needed to talk.  I stood and told the boys that I would be right inside if they needed me.  Emmitt let me lead the way to Jim’s apartment.

The movie waited right next to the TV.  Emmitt went to it and lifted it with a dimple-showing smile.  I stood behind him and schooled my features into a serious expression while my insides went crazy.

“Emmitt,” I said with quiet reluctance.  “I really appreciate you letting us stay here, but I need to say something.”  He turned toward me.  His smile faded, and I swallowed hard.  “I don’t know how long we’ll be here and can’t afford any emotional distractions.”

He was quiet for so long I thought he wasn’t going to say anything, and I started to worry.

“What are we talking about, exactly?”  His voice, low and steady, sounded a bit upset.

“The way you look at me...” I whispered with a blush.

Though my mind would willingly paint us in a white-picket-fence dream, the reality was that any emotional connection with these people would just be another way for Blake to hurt me if—no, when—he caught up with us.  Plus, I couldn’t afford any entanglements that would prevent me from leaving when the time came.

“I see.”  He didn’t sound mad, just thoughtful.  “Michelle, when I saw you in the diner, and again when you faced David, I knew you needed a friend.”

Friend?  As if someone had thrown a boulder down my throat, something heavy hit the bottom of my stomach and embarrassment began to flood me.  Had my attraction to Emmitt twisted what I thought I saw into what I’d wanted to see?  I wanted to disappear.  Instead, I tried to salvage the humiliating situation with a feint at ignorance.

“Friendship might be more than I can manage.”

He slowly nodded and looked down at the movie in his hands, making it hard to read his thoughts.  After a moment, he looked up with a relaxed, easygoing smile and slightly lifted the movie.  “So, is that a no to a movie?”

Cherry red and wanting to run, I still couldn’t say no.  I was too curious about my reaction to him.  Too tempted.  At least, we both knew where we stood, and I could breathe again.  Well, not really.  Not with him so close, but he didn’t know that.

For the next two hours, we sat side by side, not quite touching.  We watched a movie but instead of focusing on the story, my mind kept wandering to the premonition and the talk we just had.  Was it just coincidence I had a vision when I touched Emmitt?

Jim got home as the movie ended and plopped down on the couch next to me.  He slipped an arm around my shoulder.  He felt hot and sweaty, and it made me wonder what he did for a living.

“Where do you work?” I asked, turning to him.

Emmitt got up to turn off the television.  Jim’s eyes followed him, and a knowing grin split his face.  I didn’t understand it and turned to look at Emmitt.  Knees bent, he squatted in front of the DVD player, his back mostly to us.

“Roadside construction.  Thanks for letting me use your truck,” he said and leaned toward me, planting a quick kiss on my cheek before standing.  The kiss surprised me.

“You need to shower,” Emmitt said in an oddly flat voice, not turning around.

Jim laughed and sauntered back to the bathroom.

I stood, too.  “Thanks for the movie, Emmitt.”

He nodded, not looking at me, and I left to check on Liam and Aden.

The swing set hadn’t yet lost its appeal, and I watched them climb around on it for a few minutes before I called them in for dinner and baths.  They groaned, but listened.  Beside me, Nana chuckled at their reaction, and I thanked her for watching them.  She assured me they were a joy.

Once they slept, I paced the apartment.  Though I had freedom, I stayed close to the boys and had nothing to do.  I recalled Nana’s packed bookcase and left the door open as I skipped down the stairs.  Her door stood open, as usual.  Before I could call out to her, Emmitt opened Jim’s door.

“Do you know where Nana is?” I asked pointing at her open door.

“She stepped out for a walk,” he said in a hushed voice as he closed the door behind him.  I heard Jim’s chuckle through the door and understood why Emmitt had closed it.  “Did you need something?”

“I wanted to ask if I could borrow a book.”

He smiled and motioned for me to follow him into Nana’s apartment.  “She would insist you take your pick.”  He waved his hand indicating the large bookcase.  “She used to be a teacher, you know.  She loves curious minds and reading.”

His last comment assured me that she wouldn’t mind, and I stepped up to look at the titles.  I plucked two from the many rows and asked Emmitt to let her know what I took.

I felt his eyes follow me as I jogged back up the stairs.  Carrying one of my selections to bed, I read until I passed out.

*    *    *    *

The next morning, I listened to the boys plan what they wanted to do that day.  Play on the swing set, of course.  After they finished their oatmeal, I put on my suit with a tank top over it as the boys quickly dressed.  With my book and a blanket from Emmitt’s closet tucked under my arm, I followed them downstairs for another sunny summer day.

Both apartment doors on the first floor stood open, again.  It made me smile.  We went from a house with bars and alarms to a house without doors, and I loved it.

We left the cool, quiet indoors and stepped out into the singing heat.  Birds chirped in the trees, and crickets spoke to each other in the tall grass next to the house where the mower couldn’t reach.

A metallic clink echoed within the dim recess of the garage, explaining where Emmitt hid.

The boys contented themselves with playing pirates on the swing set while I spread my blanket near the porch in the first sunny patch of the morning.  I lay down on my belly and began to read my science fiction.

Eventually, I heard Aden’s excited exclamation and looked up.  They no longer played in their area.  They had wandered to the back corner of the garage where they hunkered down on their heels, heads bent, and pointed at something on the ground.  I set my book down and rose to investigate. 
Please don’t let it be a snake
.

When they saw me coming, they ran toward me and excitedly told me about a large animal track.  Aden tugged on my hand to lead me to the corner and pointed to a huge, muddy paw print the size of my hand.

“Um, new rule,” I said staring at the monstrous mark.  “No petting strange dogs.  Ever.”

“You don’t have to worry about that here,” Emmitt said, startling me.

I turned as he came closer.  He wore cut off jean shorts and a light blue t-shirt that bore a few grease smears.  Friends, I reminded myself as my stomach did its happy dance.

“I’ve seen the animal before,” he continued.  “Met it.  It’s completely friendly to kids,” he assured me.

I nodded but still cautioned the boys to stay where I could see them.  They continued to gawk at the print while I fled to my blanket and book.

Eventually, the sun rose too high, and I knew I needed to find shade or burn.  I retreated to the house to change into shorts then spent the rest of the day on the porch, reading and inspecting whatever new object the pair discovered.

Thursday morning proved to be as uneventful as the prior day.  I didn’t really mind.  Uneventful was better than discovery.  However, moments of consuming anxiety began to occur.  I’d find myself relaxing then wonder how close Blake was to finding us.  The urge to move, to run again, would flood me.  Thankfully, no one was close enough to see my agitation when one of those moments claimed me since Emmitt and Nana had stayed inside to work on the unfinished apartment on the third floor.