Enigma

by Leslie Drennan

  I sat back down at the table where I had been as Bob came over with a large yellow envelope, putting it into my hands. Taking the envelope from him, I was thrilled that he would think to give me a gift after he had already shut down Spirits for regular business tonight, letting Avan hold my party here.

  He was an entrepreneur who also owned real estate all over Oceanview, so he let the employees run Spirits and he would drop by certain days just to make sure all was going well. As an employer he seemed to have the upmost faith in everyone he had employed at Spirits. He never recounted the register to check if money was missing or recounted the inventory to see if anyone was using it for themselves. Instead he just trusted them.

  I had no idea what to expect inside the envelope Bob handed me, but I could hear something jingling inside. The first thing I pulled out was a piece of paper that looked very official. Taking a closer look, I could not believe what I was holding in my hand! The paper had black lettering on a paper that was sort of yellowish with a green patterned trim. Across the top of the paper were the words Property Title stating that the property at 777 Golden Way Ste., 828 Oceanview, California, had been transferred to me! I studied the title, not knowing what to think; I noticed the empty line above my name on the bottom of the page that needed my signature to make the transfer complete. Raising my eyes from the paper, I saw that Bob was still smiling as he held out a heavy-barreled fountain pen in my direction.

  “Bob, thank you so much. What is this place?”

  “It’s the apartment your dad rented from me at Angel Towers to keep for you when you needed it someday. I believe he told you it was his office,” Bob said, still holding the pen.

  My dad had always been so protective of me that I had never actually been to his office in Oceanview. He had always told me that with the clientele he represented, he was afraid someone who was against him for any reason might see me coming or going from his office and retaliate at him by harming me. Knowing that he was making plans for my future for all those years was really touching.

  “You want me to have it?” It was beyond comprehension how he could just give me an apartment.

  “Yes, Mattie. I know you need it. It is my job to help those in need whenever I am able to do so.”

  “I don’t turn eighteen for another year, though. I don’t know how I’ll be able to move in or turn on any of the bills in my name.”

  “The bills are taken care of, Mattie, and the judge here in town is a friend of mine. I think it’s safe to say that if you really want to accept my gift, there will be no problems getting emancipation due to the situation,” Bob added reassuringly.

  “I don’t know how to thank you!”

  “You can start by signing your name on the line and accepting my gift,” Bob said with a laugh.

  I took the pen and signed my name on the line as an older man, who was one of his associates, signed as the notary after I added my signature. When he was done everyone clapped and whistled, shouting “happy birthday” again. I pulled the set of keys from the envelope, studying them in my hand. It was hard to think I just got handed my own apartment. Looking at the keys, I saw that on both sides of each one was a pair of wings engraved on the top part of the key. It struck me as a nice touch, seeing as how the apartment building was named Angel Towers.

  With everything that had happened today I felt as though my life was about to evolve into something great. I intended to make a lot of changes that, to some, would seem very fast and not well thought through. For the first time in my life I knew that the pieces were all falling into place, allowing me the opportunity to turn into the person I was meant to be. A small part of me was going to miss some of the amenities I was used to, but given every detail that I recently discovered, I was convinced this was a much-needed blessing, even if it had been arranged by Avan.

  CHAPTER 10

  In the following months, I started on the emancipation project immediately. Luckily Bob had many friends in high places in the Oceanview community, which worked to my advantage. An attorney friend of his showed me step by step what to do when it came to documentation. I had to list all the reasons why it was in my benefit to be on my own rather than where I was. Another thing that happened to be in my favor was that at this point in time, Sharon Mumford was listed as being my primary guardian. This made coming up with reasons for emancipation easy! I could have come up with reasons all day long and filled ten blank sheets of paper worth of statements that would have made Oceanview officials ashamed that they ever considered this worthless excuse for human life to be responsible for me.

  Once the judge scheduled a hearing for the emancipation, he pretty much looked at my school attendance, my plan of how I would support myself, where I would move, my grades, and the documentation I provided in order to make a sound decision. I could tell by the look on his face that he was reading my reasons for emancipation regarding Sharon Mumford. He had gone from stern judge to being appalled as he frowned deeply and grunted in disapproval of the facts that I listed.

  Sharon never responded to the certified mail that was sent to her from the courthouse, nor did she show up for the hearing. Knowing she hadn’t been in contact with Damien either, I had to conclude that she wasn’t even aware there was a hearing date set. Seeing how my parents were dead, I was a responsible, straight-A student who always showed up for school, and seeing the documentation that Sharon was a freak, it didn’t take more than five minutes for the judge to tell me I was now emancipated and free to live on my own.

  Knowing what would happen if Lena became aware of my decision, I had not said a word to her about any of this. She had made it so easy not to tell her; in the past three months she only talked to me when she absolutely had to. Admittedly, in the beginning after she came back from the movie shoot, I pulled away a bit, but she took being distant to a completely new level. I hardly even saw her at school. Graduation night, Damien showed up just in time to see her cross the stage, and then he gave her a hug and rushed to the airport to catch a plane.

  Lena could care less that he had only shown up for a moment. Damien had offered to send us both on a month-long Caribbean vacation as a graduation gift. I had declined because of my secret little plan I was weaving behind the scenes, but Lena jumped on it. That meant I had an entire month by myself to move out and settle in.

  After consulting with Bob’s lawyer friend, I discovered that anything bought and given to me was a gift, so I could take anything such as furniture with me. Once Lena was gone, most of the crew from Spirits showed up with two moving trucks, and we all started taking everything I owned from my room. We left a note regarding my move and emancipation. Since I had had a few months to prepare, I had been ordering furniture for the apartment from magazines and online and having it delivered.

  Bob was so nice; all I had to do was tell him when something was scheduled to be there and he would show up to let the deliverymen in with my purchases. I had done things this way not only to prevent Lena from catching on, but I wanted everything to be livable and ready in place when I arrived. We got everything moved in and set up with time to spare. To my surprise cable, Internet, and phone were all up and running as well.

  The one thing I did not enjoy about the process was knowing I had to go by Allen Hearsch’s office to provide him with my documents, show I was emancipated, and give him my new address. Walking in gave me the icky feeling it always did as I felt a cold chill go up my spine. I sat in the red leather chair in front of Mr. Hearsch’s desk as he looked over the papers inside the folder with the usual grimace on his face. After shoving the folder in his desk drawer, he looked down at my hands that were resting on the edge of his desk, focusing his eyes on my ring finger as if he were trying to cut the ring off with laser vision.

  “It looks like you have everything in order,” Mr. Hearsch said smugly.

  “Mr. Hearsch, may I ask you a question?” I was scared to ask him what was on my mind. I never wanted to have more of a conversation with him than I
had to, but I wanted more information.

  “What is it?” he snapped as he stared at the ring, almost gritting his teeth.

  “What do you know about Damien Montgomery and Sharon Mumford?”

  “That you were living with Damien because Sharon is irresponsible. Are we done here?” “Yeah, but I meant as people. Do you know if they ever went by any other names?”

  “Mattie, I really don’t have time for this,” he said with impatience as his eyes met mine, looking away from my ring.

  “I’m sorry. I just thought you might know something.” I felt like a three-year-old in time out.

  “I don’t, and I have other clients waiting, so if we’ve covered everything, then I will see you next time.”

  Walking out of Allen Hearsch’s office always left me feeling as if he absolutely hated the fact that I was breathing. He was going to grow old and lonely if he kept this attitude issue up. There was no way he would ever get a date much less a wife! It would take someone incredibly special to put up with him. I know they say there is someone out there for everyone, but I was really beginning to doubt that there would ever be someone for him.

  I got home to my new apartment building just after five and parked in the parking garage, when I saw Avan’s clean, waxed, glossy, white Mustang in my rearview mirror. I had given him my spare key so that he could come to my rescue in the event that I locked myself out, so I figured he had probably shown up to surprise me and say hi. Walking across the row of parking spaces, I entered the glass doors that lead to the first floor where there was an information desk, restroom, some couches, and elevators. I pushed the arrow pointing up, hearing the faint ding that let me know the elevator was on its way down to get me. A few seconds later the elevator gave another faint ding as the doors opened, revealing Avan leaning against the handrail.

  “What are you doing here so early?” I asked, smiling, as he welcomed me into a hug.

  “I live here.”

  “Huh?”

  “Yeah, everybody that works at Spirits lives on the seventh floor. You didn’t know that?” He gave a little laugh.

  “You never told me that!”

  “It’s listed on the directory downstairs. I’m sorry, Mattie, I thought you would see it.” “I’m not mad. I just wish I’d known so I didn’t feel so far away from you sometimes. That’s all.”

  “I’ve told you before that any time you need me all you have to do is say my name and I’ll come as fast as I can,” he said, kissing my forehead and squeezing me.

  “I know, but I’m never in trouble. Sometimes I just miss you. I know I see you all the time, but it gets lonely when I’m alone.”

  “That’s when you need me the most then. Loneliness tends to make people get in trouble.”

  “Not me. People tend to get me in trouble.”

  “Not anymore. I’ll have to do something to them that they won’t enjoy if they try to get you in trouble.”

  The elevator stopped on floor eight and Avan walked me to my door, taking out his keys and unlocking it before twisting the handle and pushing it open so I could enter first. I loved how four months had passed since the first day he opened a door for me and he continued to do so.

  The apartment that now belonged to me was beautiful. The walls were a light brown/beige color with white trim and crown molding on the ceilings. I had a gas fireplace that I liked much better than real wood because I could just turn it on with a remote control. The furniture I picked out was brown leather and cherry wood, which matched various wall hangings and a few paintings. The kitchen was bigger than most of the apartment kitchens I had seen, but not huge.

  The cabinets matched the cherry wood on the furniture and the countertops were black granite with traces of white and silver. I had picked out a table with a granite top and cherry wood legs that seated four; it sat at the end of the kitchen in the dining area. Since the apartment was a three bedroom, two and a half bath with a laundry room, I turned one room into an office area, took the master bedroom for myself, and left the third bedroom as a guest room.

  Avan stretched himself out on the sofa, looking so comfortable he could fall asleep. I went into the kitchen to rummage around for something that would cure my hunger problem. I hated days when nothing sounded good. I had all my favorite foods stocked in the cabinets and the refrigerator, but nothing sounded good enough to make me want to eat it. I went from the cabinet to the refrigerator, back and forth, until I finally came to the conclusion that if it was this difficult to decide what to eat, then I was clearly not as hungry as I thought I was. I closed the refrigerator and pulled a few sticky notes off the calendar that hung on the front, reminding me of tasks I had already completed.

  I wadded the notes in my hand and tossed them into the trashcan underneath the kitchen sink before making my way back to the living room. I found Avan lying in the same position as he had dozed off into a nap. I crawled over the back of the couch and curled up next to him between his body and the back of the couch; I rested my head on his shoulder. He turned himself toward me without opening his eyes and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close to him.

  I watched Avan sleep for so long that I lost track of what time it was. He looked relaxed as he lay there not having to think about anything. His breathing was steady and deep as I listened. His hair fell across the cushion of the couch, looking so soft it made me want to run my fingers through it. I loved being here with him. He was always so strong and confident, but I loved seeing him vulnerable and cute too.

  The way his head titled and the profile of his jaw made me want to trace my finger down his face and pull him in for a kiss, but I knew it would wake him so I resisted the temptation and rested my hand over his heart instead. Before I knew it my breathing matched his as I listened to his steady heartbeat and for the first time I drifted to sleep in his arms.

  When I woke up it was dark and Avan was no longer beside me. I disliked that I was no longer in his arms anymore as I sat up, trying to focus my eyes. Swinging my feet to the floor I walked through the kitchen and down the hallway, where I noticed a faint light coming from the office. I neared the door and looked inside to find Avan leaning back reading a book by candlelight. For a minute I just stayed in the doorway admiring how he looked in the candle light, wishing it were over dinner rather than spying on him.

  “I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said, looking in my direction.

  “How long was I asleep?”

  “I would say about two hours longer than me.”

  “So in other words we really have no idea,” I said with a small laugh.

  “Long enough to know how cute you are when you talk about me in your sleep,” He replied with a smile and looked up from the book in his hand.

  “I do not!”

  “Oh, you do.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Clear as a bell!” he added, clearly enjoying it.

  “Have you ever read this?” Avan asked, flipping to the cover of the book.

  “I’m not sure. What’s it called?”

  “It’s a journal.”

  “No, I don’t know of any journals. It must have been left here from before,” I said, not really interested by a book of ranting entries compiled together about some stranger’s life.

  “You should give it a try sometime. It’s pretty interesting stuff,” he replied putting it back on the shelf.

  Agreeing that we were both starving, we decided to make dinner, even though it was 1:00 a.m. Neither of us felt like making a huge mess or cleaning up, so we settled for frozen pizzas and bottled water. We cuddled on the couch watching reruns on TV, not feeling nearly tired enough to fall asleep again anytime soon. As the commercials came on between segments, we laughed at the ones for different medications; they insisted to viewers that they should ask their doctor about starting on them after they just listed every ailment known to mankind as a possible side effect.

  Who on earth would want to ask their doctor about getting on a medic
ation that could cause severe abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, headaches, rashes, diarrhea, and in some cases death? Even if it cured cancer and aids, if it could cause all that stuff it certainly would not be worth it in my opinion! These companies were not rich enough to pay me enough money to take a medication that might cause all that mess!

  We were laughing until we nearly fell off the couch as we made up our own commercials for fictitious products, being sure to add hideous side effect possibilities. I was laughing so hard my sides hurt as Avan went on and on about some made up wart removal that would rid children of the ugliest of stepmothers, and how if you acted now you could receive not one but two bottles of the product for one low price, if they paid separate shipping and processing fees.

  As hard as I was laughing the feeling that someone was watching us suddenly overwhelmed me. My laughter stopped instantly as I felt my face turn serious. Avan noticed right away and asked me what was wrong. I was unsure of how to explain someone was watching us on the eighth floor locked inside my apartment but I knew that we were. I told him the feeling had come over me, and he told me not to worry and that there was nothing that could reach me here. I am not sure what had drawn me to do so, but I got up from the couch and looked out the window down toward the street. Standing there underneath the lamppost was a man dressed in black from his hat down to his shoes, staring right back up at me as if he were able to make eye contact with me.

  I backed away from the window as quickly as I could, hoping I was too high up for him to realize I had seen him. I told Avan to see if he could get a better view. He rushed over to the window, but by the time he got there the man was gone. He assured me that there was no possible way anyone could set foot in this building without Bob’s permission, so that lamppost was as close as this guy was going to be able to get to me. Still, sensing my discomfort, he told me he would stay here with me until I felt safe enough.