She sat down to rest with her coffee. Then the timer went off. What was that for again? Oh, yes, the laundry. Well, that could wait. Though if she forgot about it like last time, she might have a moldy load to contend with once again. *(sigh)
All of a sudden, the power
flickered. Shit. She’d have to check the lasagna and reset the
oven. He said he’d be here by 7. He was always on time. Such a good boy. Plenty of time. Maybe she could even sneak in a little
nap. What was it her therapist had said
the other day? Take some time for
you. Treat yourself the way you would
your favourite person in the world.
Well, her favourite person would be here soon. Surely she could take a wee nap before he
arrived.
---
She woke with a start. What time was it? 6:15!
Where had the afternoon gone?
She’d slept right through the whole thing. 2 o’clock on.
Wow. She guessed she must have
needed it. Man, was she stiff,
though. Why couldn’t she lie down for
her naps instead of zonking out sideways in this rickety old chair?
Alas.
She’d have to skip the
shower. Just give her hair a brush and tidy
her clothes. That would have to be enough.
The lasagna hadn’t cooked – but at least it hadn’t burnt. They’d just have to eat a bit later. It should be ready by 8. And she remembered about the laundry. Things were looking up.
---
The dryer was humming, the
place smelled like a good home cooked meal, and she was dressed with matching
socks and her favourite butterfly pin when he knocked on the door. He always knocked. Never used the bell. A holdover from when it didn’t ring during
his growing up years. He’d never used a
key at her place. Always acted like he
was a guest even though he was her boy.
He’d grown up smart. Always put
together, forever polite. Much to do
with his father, that one. Much unlike
her. She was lucky if she remembered
garbage day. How had she managed to
birth a boy as perfect as this one?
Her eyes lit up as she let
him in. It was a rare treat. He rarely visited now, living so far away and
busy with his own life. She had yet to
meet his woman and child, though she’d seen lots of photos over the years. Money was tight and they never seemed to be
able to make it happen. He still made
the effort, though. Once a year, usually
on a summer holiday, he’d spend hours on the road to get to hers for one night,
then turn around for the hours long return.
They had a lovely
evening. He raved about her cooking,
gave her a peck on the cheek, and then crashed on the spare bed. Quietly she shut the door and blew him a
kiss. In the morning, she knew, he would
help her with a few minor repairs before hitting the road for his long journey
home.
---
Around 10 the next day, with
his head under the sink as he adjusted the plumbing there, he called out to her
to pass him a wrench, bonking his head a bit as he reached out to grab it from
her hand.
She hummed contentedly as she
folded her laundry and enjoyed the breeze through the windows on this idyllic
day.
They ate a lunch of leftover
lasagna and salad and he packed his bag and threw it in the back of his white
van. He always drove a white van. It seemed like such an odd choice for the
journey but she her shrugged shoulders, gave him a great big hug, and waved him
off into the afternoon. That was it - until
sometime next year.
---
On Tuesday morning, she was
brushing her teeth and listening to the local news when a police report caught
her ear. Sunday afternoon, two boys had
disappeared from near the highway one town over. They were only twelve. Early this morning their bodies had been
found drowned in a nearby lake.
So sad.
She stopped to wonder if she
might know the families. They hadn’t
released the names, of course, since these were minors, but her friends Judy
and Earl lived in that town. She’d have
to give Judy a call and ask if they had more details. Judy was such a busybody and she knew
everyone in the three-town radius that was their local county.
The announcer’s voice
intruded on her thoughts. There had been
a third boy who got away. He had seen
his friends just before their disappearance and had noticed a man approach them
as he’d been riding away on his bicycle.
The man didn’t seem to notice him but he had seen the man clearly enough
to provide a detailed sketch to the authorities. The sketch would be in today’s daily paper.
She’d forgotten about the
paper. It sat untouched on her kitchen
counter. She slipped it open and saw
immediately. Her heart raced in her
chest and she fell to her knees, passing out as she knocked her head on the
counter on the way down.
---
The authorities found her the
next day. The white van was once again
parked, askew, in her driveway.
------
