Rubbing my face, I felt something cold against my skin. Blinking my eyes open, I looked at my hand and the ring that was now on my finger. I put my hand on my forehead and groaned as I sat up. Helen moved beside me and winced.
“Fuck,” she said. “What the hell did we do last night?”
I looked over at her and watched as she looked at her hand. I saw her whole body go stiff, as her eyes grew wide.
“Tommy?” she said, sitting up too. She looked at me as I did her, and we both swallowed. “We got married last night,” she said slowly.
“Apparently,” I replied, looking down at my hand again.
“Oh,” she breathed out.
“Yeah, oh.”
*
To say things were weird after that would be an understatement. We both knew we made a huge mistake, but we just threw ourselves back into work. When we arrived home, I got the phone call that the road crew was finishing up with their repairs. My part was almost done, and Helen took off out of town again. She had some big account and was always busy trying to think of new ways to advertise them.
The clouds were a dark gray, and the wind blew the trees as I road home that evening. A storm was rolling in, and my first big contract was complete. The boys wanted to celebrate, but I needed to go home and shower first.
Just as I turned into the parking lot, the bottom fell out, and I had to run to our apartment. I was soaked to the bone by the time I got inside.
“Hey,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt. “It’s raining like crazy.” I took off my undershirt too and tossed them into the washer. “I didn’t think you’d be back for a few days.” I slid my boots and socks off and unbuttoned my pants to get into the shower. Looking over at Helen who still hadn’t said anything, I noticed two things. One, she was just sitting there with pursed lips and two, there were papers beside her on the couch. “What’s that?” I asked, nodding toward the papers.
She gave me a small smile. “You’ve known this just like I have.” She reached over and picked up the papers. “This was a mistake, Tommy.”
I leaned back against the wall and crossed my arms over my bare chest, looking down at the floor.
“We’ve both just been ignoring it. Working to pass the time.” I peered back up at her and pushed off the wall. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a beer from the fridge. I turned around and saw Helen standing by the doorway.
“I met someone,” she said.
“Really?” I asked, twisting the beer top off.
“Yes. And I think I love him.”
“You think you do?”
She sighed. “Yes, and I need to know.”
I took a swallow of my beer and tossed the cap into the trash beside her.
“So, those divorce papers?” I asked.
“They’re to get the marriage annulled.”
“We can do that?” I lifted my brow, intrigued.
“It seems that we can. We were married in Nevada, and we were both pretty intoxicated.”
I laughed. “I’d say.”
“Look, Tommy, I know you don’t love me. I know you still love Ellie, and I don’t love you, not really. I’m honestly not sure why we let this go on for so long.” She looked down and shrugged. “Maybe we were both just lonely. Maybe we needed someone who could deal with our crazy work schedule. I don’t know.” She looked back up at me. “It’s been a wild ride, and I’ve had a great time.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s end this and just be friends.” She smiled and set the papers down on the counter.
“Let’s do it,” I replied.
*
“You got everything?” I asked Helen as she walked to the door in heels that made her legs look longer. The last of her stuff was inside the bag she was holding.
“I’m pretty sure I do,” she replied, turning back to me. She looked over our apartment and gave me a small smile. Her eyes showed no sadness, matching the exact same way I feel. Happy and glad this was over. Don’t get me wrong. Helen and I had a good time, but fun fizzles out. The thrill and passion were gone, and left was only a friendship. Life with her became routine and lacked the one thing a marriage should not. Love.
Our wild night in Vegas turned into a more serious thing by the next morning, and I’d never forget the way I felt when I woke up and saw that ring on my finger. Sick regret and what had I done? She felt it too. I could see it on her face, but we both ignored it, letting work keep us busy. Until I came home late that afternoon and she had those papers. The only thing I could feel was relief this was over when she told me she met someone—no more pretending.
She gripped her rolling suitcase handle and opened the door.
“It’s been fun, huh?” She smiled, making me remember the good times.
“Yeah, Helen. It was fun.”
“Have a good life, Tommy.”
“You too.”
She let the door shut softly behind her, and just like that, it was over.
Chapter Thirty-One
Tommy
Present day
“The hell you doing in town?” Hudson asks me as he puts Oliver, his son, down. He looks just like my brother. Little badass with brown grocery store feet.
“Uncle Tommy, you see that ramp Daddy made for me?”
“Yeah, man.”
“I can jump it. Wanna see?”
“No, you get in here. It’s bath time!” I hear Rose call from inside the house. Oliver pouts and looks up at Hudson.
“Dude, you’ve been playing in dirt all day. Your mama’s right. Go get clean.”
“But I went swimming,” Oliver argues.
“That’s not getting clean,” Rose yells from the bathroom. With poked out lips and messy hair, Oliver does what he’s told.
“Come in, brother.”
I walk past Hudson, stepping over toy cars and dirty multicolored Play-Doh.
“You want a beer?” he asks, shutting the door.
“Yeah.”
“What are you in town for? You know Ronnie is on the road.”
“I can’t come visit my brother?”
“Well, it’s been a while,” he calls back. I look around at a house that’s lived in. It’s a nice home. Nothing like what we had. Oliver laughs from the bathtub as Hudson hands me a beer. I scratch the back of my head.
“I’ve been busy with work.”
“You work all the damn time.”
“Who you telling?” Taking a sip of my cold one, I see steam coming from pots on the stove and a box of hair dye by the sink.
“Rose still dying her hair?” I ask.
“She did some girl’s hair earlier. She’s always working too, even when she isn’t at the salon.” He takes a seat in his recliner. “How are things? It’s been a few months, right?”
“You act like I don’t call you.”
“Well, we can’t ever talk long. How’s Helen doing?”
I sigh and take a seat on his couch, pulling a stuffed dinosaur out from under me once I do. I set it on my lap and rest my beer on my knee. Bath water splashes, and the television plays some kid show about a dog being a fireman. Hudson sits chill in his recliner and waits for me to answer.
“We called it quits.”
“You what?” the boy who made sure I ate when we were kids asks like he didn’t already know we were having problems.
“Yeah, a few months ago.”
“Wow, that long ago, huh?” He gets up and walks to the kitchen. I follow and lean against the wall as he lifts the top off a pot and lays it down beside the hot stove with a clank.
“So, what did it?” he asks, looking over at me and stirring his food.
“She met someone new.”
“Really?”
I shrug. “It was a relief.”
He nods. “Well, as long as you’re happy. Come have a smoke with me,” he says, giving his food another stir before placing the pot top back on. The cook in the family reaches into the fridge, pulls out a carton of Reds, and shuts the door ba
ck.
“Reminds me of when we were kids and Frank used to keep his smokes up there.”
“Yeah, keeps ’em fresh,” he says. He takes a pack out and taps it against his palm before tossing the box back inside the fridge. “Grab my beer, would ya?” he asks as he opens the back door.
A few chairs and an above ground swimming pool take up the small back porch and yard. Little lime-green floaties rest in my chair and I take them out and put them on the table that’s covered in sunscreen and folded towels.
“Grab you one out.” He tosses the pack onto the table, along with the clear wrapper he pulled off the top, and for old times’ sake I take one of my brother’s smokes. “I can’t find a damn lighter in this house. Oliver hides them all,” he says, striking a match and putting the flame to the end of his Red. Match smoke and tobacco mix together with chlorine and summertime evening air. I hold on to mine, twirling it between my finger and thumb.
“I saw Ellie today,” I tell him.
Hudson looks over at me as he hits his cigarette and runs a hand across his always short buzzed hair.
“Oh, yeah? How’d that go?”
I chuckle and rub my jaw. “She’s different.”
“How so? It’s been years since you’ve seen her, right?” The sound of a night owl hoots in the woods, and I hear a whip-poor-will chant in the far distance. The town’s church bells go off, telling me another hour has passed, and I should soon get back on the road.
“I don’t know how to describe it. She’s just grown up. She looks incredible.”
“Still pretty as ever, huh?” he asks, flicking his ashes. “Heard her pops was selling that old house of theirs.”
“Yeah, and that’s where I saw her.”
“Really? What were you doing over that way?”
I look over at my brother and smirk. “I bought the house.”
“You fucking what?” he asks in shock.
I lean back and pull my lighter out of my front pocket, lighting my Red and blowing the smoke up into the night air.
“I’m moving back.”
“In the chief’s house?”
“Ain’t the chief’s anymore.”
He exhales and shakes his head. “Is Ellie why?” he asks. “The reason for the divorce? Buying the house?”
I rest my elbow on the arm of the iron back chair and look out at the swimming pool. A blown-up shark floats around, mindlessly spinning as the wind makes the fire glow brighter at the end of my smoke.
“She’s always been why.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ellie
Empty coffee mugs and candy wrappers clutter my desk. Taking the pencil out of my piled-up hair, I run my hands through it and spin my chair around to the window that looks out on the city. My last patient was an hour ago, yet I’m still here. It’s been months since I got back. Months since I told Tommy how I felt, and I’ve heard nothing. But why would I? He’s married and moved on with his life.
I rest my feet up on the windowsill and wiggle my dark vintage bloom toes as I chew on the end of a pencil. The one thing I wish I had asked was what he was doing there. Why was he in Green Ridge at my old house? Maybe he wanted to say bye to my dad. Who knows.
I turn back around and pack up my laptop. Standing, I slip my heels on and put my bag strap over my shoulder, flip the light off in my office, and close the door behind me. Walking through the hallway, I feel my phone vibrate and look at the screen.
“Well, hey.” I push the door open with my shoulder and shiver when the cold wind sweeps across the front of my neck.
“Hey, Little Miss. How are ya?” Daddy’s voice is nice to hear. I miss him so much.
“Good. Leaving work now.” My heels tap, tap against the sidewalk as I hurry to grab the L train. It’s beyond freezing out here and the first snowflake falls in front of my face.
“Where are you?”
“I’m riding along Highway 101. It’s beautiful, Ellie. I wish you could see it.”
“Me too.”
“I met a good group of people at the last campground I was at. You would have liked them.”
“I’m sure I would if you did.” I climb the stairs that lead up to the station and listen to my dad as he tells me about campfires and late night conversations with strangers who are now friends.
“They sent me friend requests so we can keep in touch. You need to look at the picture I posted last night of the sun setting. It was a sight.”
“I’ll look when I get off the phone.” The doors slide open, and I step inside, taking a seat and putting my bag on my lap. Our conversation lasts the whole train ride, and then he lets me go so he can pay attention to his directions.
I unlock the door to my small apartment and place my bag onto the floor. Little paws tap across my hardwood floor, and I smile as Buster rounds the corner of the kitchen.
“What have you been doing?” I ask, leaning down and lifting him up. Puppy breath isn’t for everyone, but I love it as he licks my face and neck. Happy to see me just as I am him.
“I bet you gotta go outside.” Grabbing his leash, I put it on him and pull a scarf down from my coat rack. “Come on,” I say, opening the door.
After Buster does his business, we walk back inside and I unhook him. His paws can’t get traction on the hardwood floor as he tries to run to one of his toys, and it’s hilarious. I laugh out loud and get it for him.
“Silly dog.” I slip my shoes off and leave them as I make my way to the kitchen, searching for a beer and some chips to dive into. I find both and jump up onto the countertop. Twisting the cap off and ringing the trashcan, I unroll the chip bag and put one into my mouth. Buster flips on his back and tries to bite my toes as they swing in the air. I scroll through my social media pages, seeing Aunt Leigh has some new dogs up for adoption.
“I already got you, Buster,” I say. His brown eyes look up at me as I talk. “One is enough, isn’t it?”
He barks and takes off running, nose-diving onto his toy. He and it slide across the floor until they hit the wall. I shake my head and look at my dad’s page and see the picture he was talking about. “It’s the pretties sunset ever, Buster.”
He ignores me and continues to chew on his ducky. It squeaks and his ears shoot up, which makes me laugh. I scan through the rest of Dad’s pictures, and it isn’t until I get to the end that I notice I’m grinning. Because he’s smiling in every one of them. My dad’s the happiest he’s been in years.
Sighing contently, I put my phone down and fill my mouth with more chips and beer before I decide to take a shower. Grabbing another cold one for the trip, I throw the empty bottle into the trash and walk into my room.
After my shower, my ringing phone makes me walk back into the kitchen. As I step over Buster, he grabs ahold of my pajama pants and I drag him to the counter with me.
“I can’t take another dog, Aunt Leigh,” I say after I answer. “This one is destroying my clothes.”
The sound of her laughter makes me smile.
“He’s so cute, though, isn’t he?”
“He is adorable,” I agree, wiggling my leg so he lets go. “So, what’s happening?” I ask as I walk over to the heels I left and scoop them up. Daddy’s voice rings in my ear. Those don’t go there.
“Well, we’ve all decided that we are going to come kidnap you and bring you back home.”
“I’m not in a good place for kidnapping. Try next month,” I say and she laughs again.
“Hey, Little Miss!” I hear in the background.
“Tell him I said hey.” I drop my shoes beside the couch. Sorry, Dad. That’s as far as it goes.
“She said hey, Mark,” she calls back to him. She then tells me, “No, really I was calling you because a building just came up for lease downtown.”
“So?” I move a throw pillow and sit down. Buster tries to jump, but only ends up landing on his back. He tries again and barks at me when he can’t do it.
“So, I was thinking you could lease it and
start your own practice here in Green Ridge.”
“That’s a lot of work, Aunt Leigh, and I’d need some money.” Leaning down, I lift Buster up. He then attacks my throw pillow.
“Well, Mark and I have already talked it over with Maci and Banner. We can help.”
“That’s generous of you all, but I’m not sure.”
“We all miss you, and I know you said you’d like to own your own practice. Plus, you seemed really homesick last time I spoke to you.”
“I miss y’all too.”
“Well, there you go. This is your chance to come back.”
“Where would I live?”
“You can figure that out when you get here. Just think on it, baby girl.”
“Okay.”
“Good. I’ve got to go. Mark bought a new grill, and the whole thing has to be assembled. He needs my help reading directions.” She giggles.
“Good luck with that. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Bye-bye.” She hangs up, and I take the pillow away from the destroyer.
“How would you like your own yard, Buster?”
“Ruff!” he replies, but I think it’s because I took the pillow away.
*
Two weeks have passed since I decided I would take the leap and go back to Green Ridge. The city life has run its course, and I’m more than ready to go back home. I miss fishing and grass. I want Buster to be able to grow up like Bear did—in the country with squirrels to chase and creeks to dive into.
I’ve packed up my desk of three years, and the office threw a small going away party for me. An enormous slice of leftover cake sits inside my box that rests on my lap as I ride the L back to my quaint apartment, and I can’t wait to devour it like the fatty I am.
The squeal of the train’s brakes echoes against the walls of the station as we come to a stop and I get up with my box in hand. White flakes mixed with icy mush cover the sidewalks, and people pass by with their heads down, trying to shield their face from the chilly breeze.
I push the door open to my apartment and kick it shut with my foot. Brown fur comes into view when I set the box down. Buster runs right into my foot.
Chasing Ellie: A Chasing Fireflies Spin Off Page 24
