neighbor would be home soon, and she had a spare key. I decided to wait for her instead of tromping back the ten blocks. She was due back in twenty. I could wait.
“What happened to you, sweetheart?” Jack asked as I came in late for my shift. “I was worried when I got your call.”
I still felt terrible. I couldn’t get warm. I didn’t get into my apartment until my neighbor got home from her shift at the hospital. “Long night,” I mumbled through a sore throat. My sweater wrapped around my too-small frame, I felt like my clothes were paper thin my bones ached so much.
My fingers clutched the mug of green tea I hugged close to my chest as the little bell on the door rang. I dragged myself out of the kitchen and behind the counter.
It’s him.
“Wow, what happened to you?” Charlie asked as he took what was his usual seat a month ago. Fate was not on my side. Why, today of all days, would it send him here after all this time when I looked and felt like a total wreck? I didn’t answer him, I just poured him his coffee and ordered his pancakes. “Thanks.” He took a sip of his coffee. He eyed me then reached up to feel my forehead. I blinked a few times at his boldness. “Jesus, Stacy, you’re burning up.”
With a nod, I grabbed the stool and dropped onto it. We weren’t supposed to sit, but I didn’t care. My hands covered my eyes. All I wanted was to be home in my bed, alone in my misery.
Charlie moved his coffee aside and leaned forward, examining my face. I knew I must be flushed and pretty awful-looking, but I didn’t really care. “You’re sick. Why aren’t you home?”
With a heavy sigh, I decided to be honest. “I walked home in the rain last night, only to find I had lost my keys. So I spent forty-five minutes huddled against my building wall until my neighbor came home.” His face remained expressionless, and I felt like I needed to go on. “I had an umbrella, but after a drink, I felt fine and there was this homeless man and a dog who needed it more than I did. In hindsight, I see it wasn’t a smart move.”
Charlie got up from his chair and went into the kitchen. Normally I’d care, but today I didn’t. I placed my cheek down on the cool counter and imagined myself home.
“Up you go, hon.” Charlie’s strong arms lifted me off the counter and around to the door. I briefly heard Jack say something as we left, but I was fading fast.
Next thing I knew, I was on a soft, warm seat, the sound of rain pounding the windshield. The car made one stop, I thought. It was delicious to drift in and out. My next memory was of Charlie handing his keys to a valet. He helped me out of the car in front of a big hotel.
There was a wonderful fire lit, and he helped me to a fluffy couch. I lay down and closed my eyes; it was so warm. “Open your eyes.” Charlie’s voice was low and sounded concerned. “It’s just NyQuil.” I did, and took what he offered me. “Get some sleep.”
I wondered if I should be afraid. I must have looked drunk to the people in the lobby, but that was my last conscious thought as my body shut down on me, and I had no interest in turning it back on. If I were going to be raped or murdered, at least I would not be aware of it, and I was so warm.
I woke the next day with a headache and a sore neck. Pushing back the soft, warm blanket covering me, I was—thankfully—in the same clothes as the day before, and my long hair was still damp from the rain. My legs felt wobbly as I stood and took in the hotel room. I blinked at the clock, unable to believe it was after 5:00 p.m. I had slept through the night and a day. Shocked, I looked for the bathroom and hurried inside and checked myself out in the mirror. I was pale, and my light brown eyes looked exhausted and mirrored the sad–looking, limp hair that hung in long waves down my back. Good Lord, I was quite the sight. I washed my face and towel dried my hair a little.
I opened the door to find Charlie at
“What happened to you, sweetheart?” Jack asked as I came in late for my shift. “I was worried when I got your call.”
I still felt terrible. I couldn’t get warm. I didn’t get into my apartment until my neighbor got home from her shift at the hospital. “Long night,” I mumbled through a sore throat. My sweater wrapped around my too-small frame, I felt like my clothes were paper thin my bones ached so much.
My fingers clutched the mug of green tea I hugged close to my chest as the little bell on the door rang. I dragged myself out of the kitchen and behind the counter.
It’s him.
“Wow, what happened to you?” Charlie asked as he took what was his usual seat a month ago. Fate was not on my side. Why, today of all days, would it send him here after all this time when I looked and felt like a total wreck? I didn’t answer him, I just poured him his coffee and ordered his pancakes. “Thanks.” He took a sip of his coffee. He eyed me then reached up to feel my forehead. I blinked a few times at his boldness. “Jesus, Stacy, you’re burning up.”
With a nod, I grabbed the stool and dropped onto it. We weren’t supposed to sit, but I didn’t care. My hands covered my eyes. All I wanted was to be home in my bed, alone in my misery.
Charlie moved his coffee aside and leaned forward, examining my face. I knew I must be flushed and pretty awful-looking, but I didn’t really care. “You’re sick. Why aren’t you home?”
With a heavy sigh, I decided to be honest. “I walked home in the rain last night, only to find I had lost my keys. So I spent forty-five minutes huddled against my building wall until my neighbor came home.” His face remained expressionless, and I felt like I needed to go on. “I had an umbrella, but after a drink, I felt fine and there was this homeless man and a dog who needed it more than I did. In hindsight, I see it wasn’t a smart move.”
Charlie got up from his chair and went into the kitchen. Normally I’d care, but today I didn’t. I placed my cheek down on the cool counter and imagined myself home.
“Up you go, hon.” Charlie’s strong arms lifted me off the counter and around to the door. I briefly heard Jack say something as we left, but I was fading fast.
Next thing I knew, I was on a soft, warm seat, the sound of rain pounding the windshield. The car made one stop, I thought. It was delicious to drift in and out. My next memory was of Charlie handing his keys to a valet. He helped me out of the car in front of a big hotel.
There was a wonderful fire lit, and he helped me to a fluffy couch. I lay down and closed my eyes; it was so warm. “Open your eyes.” Charlie’s voice was low and sounded concerned. “It’s just NyQuil.” I did, and took what he offered me. “Get some sleep.”
I wondered if I should be afraid. I must have looked drunk to the people in the lobby, but that was my last conscious thought as my body shut down on me, and I had no interest in turning it back on. If I were going to be raped or murdered, at least I would not be aware of it, and I was so warm.
I woke the next day with a headache and a sore neck. Pushing back the soft, warm blanket covering me, I was—thankfully—in the same clothes as the day before, and my long hair was still damp from the rain. My legs felt wobbly as I stood and took in the hotel room. I blinked at the clock, unable to believe it was after 5:00 p.m. I had slept through the night and a day. Shocked, I looked for the bathroom and hurried inside and checked myself out in the mirror. I was pale, and my light brown eyes looked exhausted and mirrored the sad–looking, limp hair that hung in long waves down my back. Good Lord, I was quite the sight. I washed my face and towel dried my hair a little.
I opened the door to find Charlie at
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