I rush to my door, reminding myself to be grateful I have a warm, safe—if you don’t count that my landlord is creepy—place to live. Many people don’t. It’s not our old home that I loved so much, mostly because it was mine and Mom’s, but it ticks off all of my boxes. It’s within walking distance of work, cheap, and a short drive to Mom’s nursing home just inside Meadow Creek. So, I can save money and wear and tear on Teresa, my car. Teresa’s old, but she gets me to visit Mom and to town when I need groceries.
Once inside, I race around until I’ve got everything I need. I glance down at my watch, and I’m relieved to see that I’ll get to the facility before dinnertime is over. That way, I can feed Mom. After the experience at the last facility, I’m still afraid she won’t get to eat if someone who loves her isn’t there to guarantee it.Mom’s been at her new facility for a few weeks. Barring the three days that either Pat or Mrs. Nicker came, I’ve been there every night for dinner. I have to be.
What if I were wrong about the new place and it’s like the first one? Or how do I know they will always clean her up in a timely manner when she has an accident? She’s becoming less verbal, even just in the last few weeks. I don’t think she can make her own needs known at this point.
I scurry to my car, open the passenger door, and toss my bag onto the seat. Everything’s fine until I race to the driver’s side and see that my tire is flat… again. Ugh.
“Damn it, Teresa. Why today, huh? Did you have to do this on a day I need you?” In all fairness, I guess that’s almost every day.
I kick the flat tire in frustration, but it does nothing except hurt my toes.
I hurry to the small shed in the yard and grab Mom’s air compressor. It’s old, but it’s still limping along. If money weren’t so tight, I would have bought a new one by now. However, I don’t really have a choice but to use this one for the time being, even if it works slowly. I connect it to the tire and step back. I need a new tire, but that’s not happening any time soon.
It’s a gorgeous day out, in the high sixties with a gentle breeze, and the sun is shining. So, I decide to wait outside the car. Maybe it will distract me from knowing I’m probably going to miss dinner. Within minutes, I realize it was a mistake.
I groan as Brandon, my landlord, pulls up. If I were in the car, I could pretend that my departure was imminent. Instead, sitting cross-legged on the tiny sliver of grass between our two dwellings gives the impression I’ve got time. I watch as he leaves his car and struts over to me.
He’s a big guy, not bad looking, but obnoxious. I would put him at thirty-five, maybe forty years old. He lives here alone, andI now wish I’d searched longer for somewhere else to live instead of locking myself into a six-month lease here. At the time, I was taken in by the proximity to the national park—within a ten-minute walk—and I was so elated to find something in this price range that I jumped on it. I didn’t think about the fact that I’d be isolating myself on the outskirts of town with Brandon living only a hundred feet away.
Since I moved in, at least every other week, I’m awakened by giggling and what sometimes sounds like raccoons wrestling outside. When it first happened, I was frightened someone was on the property with nefarious intent. We’re so far from anyone else that no one would hear if I screamed. But a peek through the tiny window next to my bed revealed that Brandon was bringing home a woman. They both appeared intoxicated, stumbling around, and clumsily pawing at each other. Gross.
I glance over at the tire, and it’s almost to where I need it, so I stand before Brandon is upon me.
“Hey, Laney, you heading out somewhere?”
“Yes, I’m heading to see my mom, and remember, it’s Delaney.”
He tilts his head and smirks at me. “I like Laney better. It’s sexier.”
My jaw drops, and I don’t know what to say to that, but then he chuckles.
“Oh, come on, you can tell when I’m joking, right? Maybe you just need to get to know me better. I’m having a party here Saturday night, so there’ll be a few people around…”
“Oh, okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll make sure I park out of the way.” I glance over at my car. The tire’s good enough. “Speaking of parking, I think I’ve filled my car’s tire enough.” I force a smile as I walk over to Teresa, disconnect the air compressor, and set it off to the side to put away later. Then,I turn back to get in my car, but I can’t, because Brandon is reclining against my driver’s door.
“You should come. We’re neighbors, after all. We live a hundred feet away from each other, and we haven’t even hung out.”
“Um… I’ll have to pass. I’m working Saturday.”
“You’re working Saturday night, babe?”
I throw up a little in my mouth when the word “babe” slithers from his lips.
“Yep. Sorry. Thanks for the offer, but I can’t.”
He doesn’t move and watches me with an arrogant smirk. My frustration level rises—I’ve really got to go. Plus, he’s creeping me out.
“Brandon, I really need to leave. Now.”
He crosses his arms, that slimy grin still on his face. “Okay.”
“Can you move away from my door?”
“What’s the magic word?”
Oh my God. I don’t have time for this.
“Please, Brandon, move away from my door so I can get to the nursing home before dinner.”
