can't move or think.
Kerry leans over the counter and stage-whispers,
"He calls you Kimeo? You don't let anyone call you that."
My only answer to that is a shrug of my shoulders. I don't let anyone call me that. My father was the only one to ever use my full name and I loved it when he did. Made me feel special.
"Kim?" Kerry pulls me out of my head. "Wanna tell me what's going on?" she asks softly. I pull out a stool, sit down, and tell her everything that’s happened over the last twenty-four hours. I never notice Mal rummaging around my house, gathering all my stuff and my dog's.
Kerry does, her eyes never miss a beat.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mal
"I can't believe you went through my things."
Kim is moping beside me as we head back to Cedar Tree. Boo is hanging over my shoulder, his tongue lolling from his mouth, surrounding me with his doggie breath. Lovely.
We'd stopped at Safeway to get some supplies, most of which I added to the cart since if I'd left it to her, we'd have had a bag of dog food, the makings for salad and a bottle of fizzy water. Christ that woman can be stubborn. She tried to pay at the cash register and got in my face when I pushed her wallet back in her purse.
"That's the second time you've done that. Third time is gonna cost you your hand," she hissed at me.
Now she's on my case about getting some of her shit together so we could get out of her house. She hadn't even noticed me grabbing things until Kerry left, after finally hearing Kim out. She made both her and me promise to keep her informed and wasn't satisfied until I exchanged numbers with her. I didn't mind. Good friends are hard to come by and despite a shaky start, I could see Kerry was looking out for her friend. The moment she left, Kim went to her bedroom to 'pack a bag,' apparently not appreciating the fact that I'd already unearthed a duffel from the bottom of her closet and had tossed some stuff from her dresser and bathroom counter in there.
"You need stuff and I packed it. Quit turning it into a big deal. At least we got out of there in no time, despite Kerry's interruption."
"Yes, but you went through my underwear drawer—that's just not right," she complains, making me chuckle. "It's not funny!"
"It's not a big deal. Stop obsessing."
I can see her pressing her lips together from the corner of my eye. Stubborn girl. I used the time to put a quick call in to Beth, whose house we're moving into, to let her know we're on our way.
"I'm gonna need a new job," she mumbles under her breath, and I realize she may well be picking arguments to avoid thinking about the state her life is in. That kind of turmoil is something I can understand, as well as needing to find a new direction as fast as possible, before slipping into dark apathy. Much harder to claw your way out of that. Keep moving is what she needs to do to be able to roll with the punches.
"I'm sure you'll find one, no problem. You're intelligent, capable, caring and loyal. In the meantime, you still have some work ahead of you in closing down the office, so you won't exactly be bored."
"Shit!" She suddenly blurts out. "That's right—what time do I have to meet the sheriff at the office on Monday? I forgot I have an appointment at the clinic at two."
"First of all, there's no way you're going anywhere near your office or Drew by yourself."
"I can handle him on my own."
"Actually no. He's the one who worries me most. I want you to stay away from him unless I'm with you."
"I can't believe you. First you pack my stuff without asking and now you think you can dictate what I do and who I'm with?" I notice how her hands tend to fly around when she is animated. Or just angry, which is the case here.
"Drew is interested in you."
"I don't care. I've been handling myself just fine before you came along and I'll continue doing so when you're long gone."
I roll my eyes to the ceiling, praying for the patience that is eluding me right at this moment.
"Drew is a player, Kim. He
Kerry leans over the counter and stage-whispers,
"He calls you Kimeo? You don't let anyone call you that."
My only answer to that is a shrug of my shoulders. I don't let anyone call me that. My father was the only one to ever use my full name and I loved it when he did. Made me feel special.
"Kim?" Kerry pulls me out of my head. "Wanna tell me what's going on?" she asks softly. I pull out a stool, sit down, and tell her everything that’s happened over the last twenty-four hours. I never notice Mal rummaging around my house, gathering all my stuff and my dog's.
Kerry does, her eyes never miss a beat.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mal
"I can't believe you went through my things."
Kim is moping beside me as we head back to Cedar Tree. Boo is hanging over my shoulder, his tongue lolling from his mouth, surrounding me with his doggie breath. Lovely.
We'd stopped at Safeway to get some supplies, most of which I added to the cart since if I'd left it to her, we'd have had a bag of dog food, the makings for salad and a bottle of fizzy water. Christ that woman can be stubborn. She tried to pay at the cash register and got in my face when I pushed her wallet back in her purse.
"That's the second time you've done that. Third time is gonna cost you your hand," she hissed at me.
Now she's on my case about getting some of her shit together so we could get out of her house. She hadn't even noticed me grabbing things until Kerry left, after finally hearing Kim out. She made both her and me promise to keep her informed and wasn't satisfied until I exchanged numbers with her. I didn't mind. Good friends are hard to come by and despite a shaky start, I could see Kerry was looking out for her friend. The moment she left, Kim went to her bedroom to 'pack a bag,' apparently not appreciating the fact that I'd already unearthed a duffel from the bottom of her closet and had tossed some stuff from her dresser and bathroom counter in there.
"You need stuff and I packed it. Quit turning it into a big deal. At least we got out of there in no time, despite Kerry's interruption."
"Yes, but you went through my underwear drawer—that's just not right," she complains, making me chuckle. "It's not funny!"
"It's not a big deal. Stop obsessing."
I can see her pressing her lips together from the corner of my eye. Stubborn girl. I used the time to put a quick call in to Beth, whose house we're moving into, to let her know we're on our way.
"I'm gonna need a new job," she mumbles under her breath, and I realize she may well be picking arguments to avoid thinking about the state her life is in. That kind of turmoil is something I can understand, as well as needing to find a new direction as fast as possible, before slipping into dark apathy. Much harder to claw your way out of that. Keep moving is what she needs to do to be able to roll with the punches.
"I'm sure you'll find one, no problem. You're intelligent, capable, caring and loyal. In the meantime, you still have some work ahead of you in closing down the office, so you won't exactly be bored."
"Shit!" She suddenly blurts out. "That's right—what time do I have to meet the sheriff at the office on Monday? I forgot I have an appointment at the clinic at two."
"First of all, there's no way you're going anywhere near your office or Drew by yourself."
"I can handle him on my own."
"Actually no. He's the one who worries me most. I want you to stay away from him unless I'm with you."
"I can't believe you. First you pack my stuff without asking and now you think you can dictate what I do and who I'm with?" I notice how her hands tend to fly around when she is animated. Or just angry, which is the case here.
"Drew is interested in you."
"I don't care. I've been handling myself just fine before you came along and I'll continue doing so when you're long gone."
I roll my eyes to the ceiling, praying for the patience that is eluding me right at this moment.
"Drew is a player, Kim. He
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