I set the thoughts aside and gathered myself together to care for my friend. She needed me. What she was battling was far more aggressive and threatening than Derek Lindstrom. I had to help her any way that I could, because her needs were more important than mine at the moment.
Quietly shutting the door behind me, I looked her over. White, pasty skin drawn tight over her despondent face changed the woman I knew into an exhausted shadow of her true self. But she was the same amazing woman at her core, and I knew she was a fighter.
“How are you feeling?”
Leaning her back against the chair, she attempted a smile.
“It’s eased off a little. I feel hot now. Really hot. Hot flushes, hot. I’ve done menopause—amen, that’s over. I never want another hot flush in my lifetime … Who was at the door?”
“Nobody you need to worry about. Do you need me to do anything for you?”
“Could you cancel my meetings? I’ve left my calendar open on the desktop. You should be able to notify the attendees. I’ll deal with the consequences later. Oh, Brian, the Director of Libraries, is coming here at three. The notes for discussion are printed out there.” She pointed a shaky finger at her in-tray. “You know enough about what’s going on around here to deal with it. If you can’t answer any of his questions, just call Brenda, she might be able to help. Um, what else?” She rubbed a hand over her eyes and flopped it back to her lap, as if the effort in that small movement was too much. “Derek Lindstrom has been having some trouble with the work of one of our research librarians. She refused to deal with him personally, so there are some revised papers in a big, yellow envelope under the discussion notes. That man is the bane of my existence.” She huffed, tipping her head back before fixing her eyes on me again. “Thanks, Ronnie.”
“Knock, knock.” Her husband, John, poked his head through the door, and I watched her mask of composure slip from her face. Her pale bottom lip quivered, as moisture coated her anguished eyes. I backed up into the corner to give them space, feeling like an intruder in their bubble of pain and love.
“John. I’m a bit sick, love,” she choked out.
“I’m here to look after you, sweetheart. Come on, Chook.” He reverently clasped his wife’s hand and helped her to her feet, slipping a supportive arm around her back. “Thank you,” he murmured, as he guided his wife out the door.
The room screamed ‘vacant’. My back slid down the wall as my legs folded underneath me. The shakes rattled my bones, once again. Swinging from one emotion to the other had wrung me out. Folding my arms around my knees, I tucked my head down. Maybe if I held onto myself tightly enough, my body would get the memo that the crisis, no … crises, were over.
The way John and Beverly were with each other—It was truly beautiful. That was love in motion. To be so devoted to someone that you’d weather the greatest challenge standing by their side, unwavering.
Knowing there were people like Derek Lindstrom who made it their mission in life to snuff out that kind of beauty—gutted me. He thrived on perpetuating pain and suffering, and somehow, I was going to have a taste of it.
How did I know this?
I just did.
What do I do about him?
Fuck knows.
Brad
Heavy panting filled the car with the excitement consuming my passenger. She was fogging up the window with her smelly breath. The odd hair flew through the car with the force of the air blowing from the vents. It was a freakishly warm day for May. I stopped at a set of lights, and reached over to scratch her behind the ears. Leaning into my touch, she lifted a hind leg to help.
Just like me, she was a redhead. Well, we’re both more ‘dirty rust’ rather than ‘carrot’. I’d walked along all the cages at the RSPCA, feeling god awful that I couldn’t take more than one home. When I spotted her with her rusty, mottled coat, and boundless energy, I knew she was the one. We were going to have to do something about her breath, though. The back of the ute was stocked with everything she might need. If Veronica spotted me before I had a chance to get out of the car, my surprise would be spoiled.
Pulling into the driveway, I quickly looked up at our bedroom window to make sure she wasn’t looking. The windows were angled open. For a brief second, I thought I saw someone. But maybe it was just the heat and my nervous energy getting the better of me.
We headed up the stairs, leaving all the gear in the car except for the leash. I could let myself in, but I knocked because I wanted her to open the door. Ruby’s claws clicked on the decking, as she shuffled at hearing the door unlock. The dog seemed to know what was about to happen.
Veronica’s puzzled face peered through a crack in the door before she opened it wide.
“Did you lose your k—”
Ruby barked her hellos, doing little hops on her front legs, itching to jump all over her new friend. I knew just how she felt. Veronica’s shoulders stiffened at the sharp noise, her eyes disbelieving as they honed in on our new housemate. My stomach clenched at her reaction. For a horrible second, I thought I’d fucked up,
