Unforgettable (3 page)

Friday

Stella called.

“
Your first three patients
cancelled. Jones and McSweeney both went back in the hospital and
Everest is going out to lunch with his daughter. So you’ve just got
you know who.”

“
And today’s payday,
right?”

“
Oh yes, the check probably
went into your checking account last night. Rich for a
day!”

I hung up. I could feel my shoulders
relax. Money. Finally.

“
Shopping!," I said to the
air. "Now I can check out that second-hand boutique.”

I walked past three large car lots on
the way and then a low row of old, stucco buildings with matching
pink awnings.

The first was a methadone
clinic, the second a law office, and then, the tiniest of all,
was
“The House of Zuria, Psychic Readings,
Tarot, and Spiritual Connections with Those Beyond. $20 for first
reading.“

I don't know if I was feeling bored, or
curious but for some reason my feet seemed heavy, sunk into the
concrete before her door. I never believed in this stuff. I
believed in empirical evidence. Not vapor and wishes. But Mom
had.

“
Twenty bucks. I can spend
twenty bucks on a bit of fun.” I decided my rationalization worked.
It was just "fun."

I went in. The room was dark, the walls
painted shiny brown. In the middle of the room was a small table
with three chairs. It was covered with layered silk cloths, all of
varying shades of purple. But no crystal ball.

An elderly woman came from the back.
She was dressed in a white flowing blouse and a full white
embroidered skirt. Her hair, snow white, was cut in a stylish short
frame around her soft face. She looked ethereal.

“
Hello, my dear. Sorry to
keep you waiting…please sit. Just got off the phone with my son.
His wife is expecting twins. It’s a girl and a boy but I didn’t
want to tell him.”

“
How many children do you
have?”

“
A daughter in Alaska. And
my son in New York. And three babies waiting for me to
cross.”

“
You lost three
babies?”

“
Never lost. Just not here
in this life. I knew you were coming today…and I don’t say that to
everyone. You are someone with a name with dual meaning,
yes?”

“
I’m Samantha.
Sam.”

“
A man’s name, a woman’s
name. Yes, I see. Sit down. Sit down. I’m Natasha. I just put Zuria
out front because that’s my stage name. How are you
today?”

“
Good.”

“
You’re lying to Natasha,
but that’s okay. Do you have a question or just a general
reading?”

I was surprised by her
directness.

“
I guess just
general.”

She took my hands and stroked them over
and over. Her hands were cool, loose bones held together with
translucent skin.

“
My dear, Sam. You have been
through torture, haven’t you? Real torture. I see a knife. The
psychological wounds are wide open and you live in fear. All the
time, fear…fear. A man. A very sick man.
Big
man. Powerful. Close…close.
Blood. I see him with blood.

"I feel ill when I look into his face.
I feel his foul breath…close, so very close…close. His face is
clear to you, in your nightmares. The blood…on his face, in his
mouth. Your blood. He craves it now…all the time. So close…he is so
close.

"He is everywhere…he is
nowhere.

"Close.

"You see him…close…feel him…so very
close…everywhere.”

She paused for a long time and I was
choking. If only I could run. Why did I come here?

She stroked my hands.

“
Your life is about to
undergo
tremendous
change, change you never imagined for yourself. Most of it is
wonderful. Two…no, three men. And you will have to choose one of
them…"

"Three men will love me?"

"You will love them. They will love
you. But this horrible man, the torturer…I’m afraid you will face
him again.”

I yanked my hands away.

“
No. You’re wrong.” I was
powerless to stop the burning tears now.

“
Do you think I’m
wrong?”

“
You must be…have to be…I
traveled all across the country to get away from him.”

“
Samantha, you are stronger
than you realize. Stronger than you know. And most importantly,
stronger than this devil who is following you…and who
will
find
you.”

“
No. I’ll move. Somewhere
where he’ll never find me.”

Natasha sat silent in my
gaze.

Gabrielle floated into the
room through the ceiling, sitting next to her daughter, touching
her hand.

“
He’ll just keep coming,
won’t he?”

Natasha looked away.

“
But, you say I am stronger
than he is. How? I couldn’t defeat him before.”

Natasha smiled, and sighed, suddenly
looking very tired.

“
Yes, my dear, you did. You
lived! The love of others saved your life, didn’t it? Someone…an
old, old man… saved you because he held you very dear.”

I nodded. “My neighbor. Mr.
Berg.”

Natasha was silent and then took my
hands again.

“
Now I see. You have power
in your hands and your heart. Those who know you love you. Very
much.

"There is a…" she hesitated, turning
her head to the side as if listening to a far off voice…"a spell
cast on you. A hypnotic, demanding spell. "

Gabrielle was shaking her
head. "No, don't tell her."

"So, so, loving, is this spell, so, so
omnipotent…Even I am caught in your spell. This is radiating from
another plane. From someone who has crossed over and loves
you…very, very much. She is extraordinarily beautiful. Long black
hair. And I see many colors around her. Was she a
painter?”

“
You’re describing my
mother. Yes. She painted. She has something to do with me
now?”

“
Oh, yes. She visits you.
She is very close to you. People, especially men, will be drawn to
you, love you, and want to protect you because of the spell. But
the spell is powerful and will affect you as well. "

"She was into astrology and past lives.
She had a lot of memories that she felt were past lives. And at
night she said she heard spirits. Sometimes it scared
her."

"Yes. Yes. I understand. She
is with you, protecting you. I am certain she is with us now.
He—the devil--is
impotent
against this power of yours. Do not run my dear.
Your place is here and now.”

“
What am I supposed to do if
I don’t run?”

“
You will know the answers.
But you must learn to trust yourself, trust others, and draw on the
tremendous strength you have. You see
only
you
are going to be able to fight him. Only
you. You may have help. But it is
your
battle. I'm sorry. This is your
path.”

“
Will I be
killed?”

“
I cannot see that. I do not
know. It is possible. It is up to you I think.”

Natasha's smile was full of caring,
fear, and exhaustion.

“
It has been wonderful
meeting you,” her voice was raspy.

I tried to hand her the money but she
pushed it away.

“
I have my destiny, too. And
you are part of it.”

I gave her a hug and walked out.
Outside the sun was shining, just as it had been when I walked in
the tiny shop. But everything was different now. I was
numb.

I wandered down to the boutique. When
I’d left St Louis I’d gotten rid of most of my clothes and brought
as little as possible. I had to move fast and light. With the hot
weather I was going to need more than sweaters and
jeans.

I dropped by the grocer’s and when I
was finished it was almost three. I had no idea where the day had
gone but I wouldn’t have time to change into my uniform.

Checking for the thread I went into my
stifling apartment, put my food away, and rushed out. Halfway to
Jack’s I realized I had forgotten to put the thread back. I
shivered.

Traffic was heavy as usual but when I
pulled up the hill to Jack’s I smiled. He was standing on the porch
with his crutches.

“
You look better today,” I
smiled.

“
You look gorgeous. No
little uniform.”

“
Yes, I’m sorry. Running
late. Hope you don’t mind. I can tell the pain is
better.”

“
Much. I’ve been up and
walking quite a bit. Even mastered the stairs.”

“
Oh, putting me out of work,
eh?”

“
Never.” That deep, rattling
voice that made me hurt for him.

He walked with me back to the den and
dove on the bed.

“
Toes are a little dark.
Need to get your leg elevated for a while. Today I thought I’d
teach you a few exercises. And then I want to see you on the
stairs.”

We spent a long time talking as I put
him through the exercises.

“
So, what would it take for
you to go out on a date with me?”

“
You’re my patient. I
can’t.”

“
When I graduate, then you
could."

"I don’t plan too far
ahead.”

He nodded.

“
You are a mystery.
And
I will
unravel
it.”

I shook my head. He held my hand.
Again.

“
I’m just a girl from the
mid-west, out here trying to make a new life,” I said.

“
What was wrong with the old
life?”

I hadn’t expected his question. I
looked away.

“
Gotcha,” he
smiled.

“
I’ll see you tomorrow. What
time?”

“
Four would be
good.”

“
I need my hand
back.”

“
I wasn’t finished with it.
Stay here, have dinner with me, we’ll snuggle on the bed and watch
old movies. I'll let you hold the remote.”

I pulled my hand away.

“
See you
tomorrow.”

I smiled driving back. But I was
worried about getting into my apartment. The thread. The thread
that always told me if someone had been there or not. I parked as I
did every night but this time I stayed in the car.

And watched.

After an hour I was hot and tired and
decided I had to go in. I climbed the steps, pulling my cell phone
out, pushing in 9-1.

The apartment was dead silent and just
how I’d left it. There was a half wall separating the living
room/bedroom from the bathroom. Someone could be in the bathroom
and I wouldn’t be able to see him. I decided to leave the front
door open, hoping that if Welsh was there someone would hear my
screams.

My terror was suffocating. I ran to the
bathroom, screaming the whole way, beating on the shower
curtain.

Psycho.

The bathroom was empty. The apartment
was empty.

My heart slowed.

“
Honey, are you okay?” A
short, blonde man stood at my door. His hair was moussed, he wore
brown eye shadow and mascara and a great shade of lipstick. His
shorts were very short and he had on a pink midriff tee shirt. In
his arms was a basket of neatly folded laundry.

“
I heard you scream. You
okay?”

“
Yes. Just a
spider.”

“
Oh, don’t you hate that? I
always make my Julio kill them, but he doesn’t like them either.
Who does, right, except those bug scientists. I’m Warren. 2G. I saw
you move in. Welcome to the Pink Adobe.”

“
Hi, I’m Sandra. Nice to
meet you.”

“
You should come down to the
pool tonight. We all get together, barbeque, swim, drink a little.
No, that’s a lie. We drink a lot. Anyway, you would be so welcome!
You are so pretty!”

“
Thanks. I might. I have
some work I have to do tonight…”

“
On a Friday
night?”

I nodded.

“
I know, you’re shy, huh?
From the Midwest, coming to great big Los Angeles. But, please.
Come by. You don’t have to bring anything.”

“
Okay, I’ll try to make it.
Thank you.”

“
Good luck with that
spider,” he called as he wiggled down the walk way.

The night dragged by so slowly I
thought I’d go insane.

About eight o’clock I made dinner and
turned on the television. I was asleep by eleven.

I wasn’t sure why I awoke. Everything
was quiet…until the front door handle moved. Just up and down one
time. Just a tiny rattle. Just the sound that could mean he was
here.