My parents were up and moving around at six. I turned over at the smell of the coffee. I buried my head under the pillows when they turned on the morning news. I had to get up when I smelled bacon. I got back into my work clothes. The white shirt that had been so crisp yesterday was now wrinkled. The pants fared no better.
My mom was putting out a plate for me with waffles, bacon, and eggs when I padded into the kitchen.
“Mornin' honey.” She hugged me. Her head came up to my shoulder. She was wearing a hot pink bathrobe. I liked the fuzzy feeling it had.
My dad was fiddling with his ereader. He no longer ordered the Chicago Tribune; he just read it on his new gadget these days.
“Hi Dad,” I gave his shoulder a little punch as I sat down. “Thanks for breakfast, Mama.”
“What brings you so far out on a work day?” My dad put down his ereader. “Trouble with the Others?”
My mom put a pan in the kitchen sink before sitting down to enjoy her breakfast. “They're such an unpredictable bunch. Just the other day a witch came into the post office and threatened to turn me into a newt.” She winked at me.
My mom worked part-time at the post office. On any given day humans, as well as Others, were threatening all manner of things to her and her coworkers.
“Karen,” my dad scolded, having missed the wink. He took a bite from his bacon. “So, what's brings you out? Free breakfast?”
I'd normally tell them. But this was beyond my usual troubles. I didn't want them to worry. I was doing plenty of that myself. “I just had a bad day, needed some comfort food.”
“If you have time you should stop by Melanie's. Little Hannah has the chicken pox. She hasn't had much adult interaction all week. George is away on business.” Driving to Lombard to see my sick niece and older sister wasn't in my plans for the day.
“I have to work, Mama. I can't wear these clothes two days in a row. Besides Sasha is probably crying. I need to take care of my baby.”
She scowled. It annoyed her that I referred to my dog as a baby. My dad just laughed. The conversation descended into our family's goings on. After finishing breakfast I decided I'd rather sit in traffic for two hours than help my mom grocery shop or explain what was really going on in my life. I had the feeling my parents weren't buying the “bad day” angle I was working.
I bid my parents good-bye. I halted my walk to my car when a scrap of paper caught my eye. Someone had left a note tucked under my wiper blades. The sun was up, Jessica couldn't get me, but I shook my fear away and grabbed the note. “Naughty, naughty” was all it said.
Seven
So she knew where I lived. She knew where my parents lived. She knew my car. She'd reported me to my boss. And now she had disappeared when Agents Balicki and Hill were going to question her. All bad things. As I sat in traffic on the Reagan Expressway I took toll of my situation.
An audit was coming down on my head. My attacker was loose. The creep knew where to find me. My main source of protection was a werewolf. The full moon was tomorrow. So I had to count Sean out. There was a fifty percent chance he would go mad during the full moon and would need to be chained up in a basement. I had a stake, but I didn't trust Angie. My only solace was that she couldn't get into my house without an invitation.
I couldn't avoid being out after dark forever. Winter in Chicago was darkness. There had to be a solution. I'd call Johanna again. Then I'd call Angie and demand answers, which meant I'd beg and whimper. I would also talk to Carl again and explain just how dire this was. I'd flash him my bruise if I had too. Sean would back me up. Okay, a plan. I felt slightly better for it.
Traffic picked up when I got onto the TriState only to be stopped again on the Kennedy. The day was heating up and true to Chicago's inconsistent spring weather I wasn't dressed properly. To save gas I rolled my windows down, getting more exhaust than breeze. My blouse and slacks were now sticking to my body in a most unpleasant way. Unfortunately tomorrow I'd probably be back in my winter coat.
I spent another half an hour before reaching my exit. The street in front of my house was relatively bare. A few retirees and housewives were home, but my own roommate was gone, as were our upstairs neighbors. Upon entering my house I was greeted by an overly excited Sasha. Her entire body wagged at seeing me. I knelt to scratch behind her ears and then took my shoes off. Confident I was home alone, sans the dog, I stripped down quickly. My overheated legs were glad of the release.
I decided a shower was in order. Our bathroom was a pale blue with ugly puke green tiles. The sink was cream colored porcelain with rust spots around the drain. Our toilet was colored to match. We had a standing shower and no bathtub. We also lacked a bathroom fan so in the dead of winter I had to open the little window inside the shower to let the steam out.
I jumped into the shower and turned the water on. Despite how sweaty I was I still turned on the hot water. I stood under the stream of water, letting it rinse my sweaty body off when my cell phone rang. I ignored it. After a minute it started ringing again. I growled and turned the nozzle. Carl’s name flashed on the screen. Goody.
“Hello?”
“Samantha, you need to come in early today. I want to continue our discussion from yesterday.” He didn't sound angry. That couldn't be right. This was Carl, he liked to be angry.
“Carl, I can explain.”
“I'm sure you can. I had a long email from Sean this morning. I understand your accuser,” he paused, “Your attacker has disappeared. I want you in at three. The three of us are going to sit down and talk about this.” The phone clicked. I climbed back into the shower. I no longer felt the refreshing feeling of the warm water. I washed and rinsed my hair quickly, jumping out the shower in a foul mood.
It was Chris's turn to wash the towels, obviously video games got in the way. I wrapped myself in a beach towel covered in dolphins. Outside the bathroom Sasha bounded around my feet. She was trying to herd me like a sheep. I nudged her with my foot. She backed off a moment and then began her little circle around me once more.
“Sasha baby, knock it off.” She paused again, her head cocked to one side, tail wagging.
“But Mommy, I thought you loved me,” I forced my voice up an octave. I assumed if Sasha could talk she'd have the squeaky voice of Minnie Mouse. I bent down, scratching her behind the ears. “Who's the cutest puppy ever?” She licked my hand and forearm as I reached around to scratch her back.
I straightened myself. Sasha licked my shins and wagged her tail. I walked into my room, closing the door on the little dog. I heard her go into the kitchen, her paws clacking on the linoleum. I opened my closet to find a weather appropriate outfit. I settled on a black, tiered skirt that fell to the floor. It would hide the fact I hadn't bothered to shave my legs in the shower. I pulled it off the hanger and grabbed a green v-neck long sleeved tee. I figured with the floor length skirt and light weight long sleeved shirt I would be comfortable in the current weather and comfortable if the temperature dropped. And I would look professional enough in my meeting with Carl and Sean without looking stuffy and old.
I held the clothes close to my toweled chest for a second. The bruise sat as an ugly mark on my skin. I tried not to think about what was happening in my life, but in the silence and loneliness of my room I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I sank onto my bed, face buried in my clothes.