by K J Carr
What the fuck…?
“And you?” Candace turned her attention to me.
“Ummm…” I looked at Kaitie a minute more while she just stared at me, her eyes again not blinking. I couldn’t read her face or what she was thinking.
“Yes?” Candace broke in on my thoughts.
“Bacon, Potatoes, two eggs scrambled, sourdough bread toasted. Tea.” I decided on my second favorite breakfast here.
Candace didn’t look like she wrote anything down for me but turned and headed back towards the kitchen.
I couldn’t care, though, because Kaitie wasn’t acting like herself. “What was my reading?”
“Now you want to know?” Kaitie glared at me. “Just a few minutes ago, you could have cared less.”
“Kaitie!” I leaned back again and closed my eyes, counting. Finally, when I was somewhat calm, I opened them. “Fine, don’t tell me. How’s work going?”
Kaitie looked down at the table, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Fine.” She mumbled. Looking up, she blurted out. “Be careful, Nica. There are things in play here. Things that I don’t even understand. Something about decisions and death and lives being changed!”
A tear appeared in Kaitie’s eyes. As emotional as Kaitie was, she didn’t cry easily, so this surprised me. I slid out of my side and sat next to her, pulling her in for a hug.
“Hey, Kaitie! Don’t worry! I’m healthy, more or less. And I won’t do anything irrational.”
Kaitie hugged me back, hard, for a moment and then disengaged. I glanced at her, lowering my head to meet her eyes.
“You okay now?”
She nodded, wiping her cheeks. “Yes, yes, I am. Sorry, Nica, that was just…unexpected.”
I studied her face for another moment and then moved back to the other side of the table.
“Okay, happy thoughts. Let me tell you about what happened this past week at work – which, while not really happy, was still somewhat funny.”
Kaitie grinned. “Oh, what did Norm do this time?”
Halfway through the latest fiasco of Norman, Candace dropped our plates on the table and turned to go.
We both looked at the plates. It was obvious that she hadn’t gotten our orders right since there was a couple of fried eggs congealing on my plate, no bacon and white toast, while Kaitie had pancakes…and nothing else. On top of that, it all looked cold.
“Excuse me.” I kept staring at the plates, even though I knew that Candace had stopped. She looked at us over her shoulder.
“What?”
“This is not my order.” I slowly looked up at her as she turned around, her whole body defensive.
“That is what you asked for.”
I was speaking slowly so not to rip her a new one. “No, no it’s not. And it is not what she ordered either.”
“It is what I heard you….ladies… say.” There was a twist to the word ladies that got me seeing red.
Luckily, Marcus showed up right then. I swear he knows when my temper is rising and comes riding to the rescue. He looked at the two plates in confusion and then at us.
“What’s this?”
“A. Mistake.” I gritted out.
“What did you order?” He intentionally didn’t look at Candace, who had changed her stance and was looking more worried.
“Not this.” I choked, my finger wagging between the two plates.
“That is what they ordered, Marcus.” Candace quickly interjected. “See?” She brought out her notepad and tried to shove it at Marcus.
“Millie?” Marcus didn’t raise his voice, but he didn’t have to. Millie must have been very close by. She took one look at the plates, shook her head and picked them up.
“I’ll take care of this, Marcus.” She said quietly. She glanced at me quickly. “Usual #2?”
I nodded. Millie left towards the kitchen, walking swiftly, mumbling to herself.
Candace started to back away.
“Candace.” Marcus finally turned towards the other woman and looked at her. She shuffled from one foot to another, nervously. “Meet me in my office in ten minutes, please.”
“Of course, Marcus.” Her voice quivered. She turned and walked away, towards the restrooms.
Marcus turned back. “This is the last straw. How could she not know you two are family?” He looked down in disbelief. “And that I would know at one glance what you would order every Sunday brunch, for the most part?” His voice was soft as if he was talking to himself.
Kaitie exhaled. “She thought we were lovers, I bet. Nica had held my hand earlier when she came by and then she had hugged me because I had gotten…upset.”
“Are you okay, Kaitie?” Marcus studied her. When Marcus said we were family, he meant it. We had basically adopted Kaitie when her parents had been killed when I was eighteen. Marcus didn’t think of her as anything less.
“Yes, I am.” She smiled up at him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm briefly. “I just am worried about Nica.”
Marcus snorted. “Nica? Damn, that girl will stumble and fall and outlive us all.”
Millie scooted around Marcus and put two plates in front of us. “French toast with berries and bacon. Maple syrup will be coming in a moment. And the Nica #2 special.” She grinned, moving out of the way.
Teresa followed her. “Warm maple syrup for Kaitie and I have here coffee for you. Pot of hot water with English Breakfast tea for you, Nica.”
I put up a hand. “No caffeine today.”
Teresa stopped short. “Shoot, I forgot.”
Millie reached into her apron pocket and drew out a packet, tossing it towards me. “Some sort of herbal tea to improve your concentration and focus here. But I know you drank coffee yesterday.”
Marcus snatched it out of the air. “Let me see that.” He read the packet and then place it next to my hot water. “Ain’t nothin’ goin’a help her memory, Millie.”
“Hardy, Ha. Ha.” I grumbled, trying not to smile.
“Enjoy!” Millie and Teresa went back to their sections, moving efficiently between the tables, making sure everyone had what they needed.
Marcus sighed. “I hate firing people.”
“Understood, bro. But she isn’t good for business.”
“No, she is not.” He turned and made his way to his office.
Kaitie stared at me. “Well, this has been quite the start to brunch this week, hasn’t it?”
I picked up a slice of bacon and took a bite. “It has indeed.” I grinned back at her.
Chapter 5
An hour later, Kaitie and I left the restaurant, walking towards our cars. Suddenly, I stumbled and almost fell. Kaitie caught me, but we both almost hit the ground.
“Nica?”
“Dizzy.” I choked out, cursing silently. Damn this disease! I could see strands of orange, purple and pink this time, stretched out in front of me and flashing in my eyes. They were whirling around and distorting what I could see of the parking lot.
Kaitie looked around. “Here, come over here.” She moved me towards a bench that Marcus had put under an oak tree near where we parked. I sat down gingerly, my eyes half closed.
“Is this better?” The worry in her voice almost annoyed me. I knew the feeling wasn’t logical, but I hated this.
“Yes.” I couldn’t say anything more without saying something that I would greatly regret.
I slid to my knees and tilted my head up, my eyes closed.
“Nica?”
I ignored her, waiting. Slowly counting, I counted out about fifteen seconds, before quickly tucking my head between my knees, turning my head to the right. The spinning was still great, but after a couple of breaths, it started to ease.
“Nica!” Kaitie’s voice was urgent, and a tad louder.
“Shhhhh…. Kaitie. One minute.” The spinning was slowing and then stopped. I raised up until I was on all fours with my head still turned. The spinning started up again and then slowed. I breathed out, waiting.
Finally, I sat back.
“This helps, Kaitie. It moves the particles in my ear around or some such thing. All I know is that when I do this a couple of times, I often feel better.” I let out a deep breath and opened my eyes, looking up at her. She was standing uncertainly at my side, her face apprehensive.
I glanced towards the restaurant and saw Marcus standing at the entrance. I waved tentatively at him.
“Kaitie, let Marcus know I am okay. I am going to do this one more time because I am still feeling dizzy.”
I should have known; while I was going through my routine a second time, Kaitie pulled out her phone and texted Marcus, even though he was only across the parking lot. She wouldn’t leave me until she was convinced I was okay.
Getting up and sitting on the bench, I assessed things. I still felt a little dizzy but much better. I wasn’t seeing colors, which was fantastic. I didn’t want to stay here. I wasn’t sure how I was going to convince Kaitie to let me drive home, though.
A hand came down on my shoulder, comfortably heavy and warm. Looking up and behind me slowly, I saw Malak, his face in shadows.
“Hey, Nica. I was wondering if you could take me back now.”
Kaitie whirled around. “Who are you?”
I stared at Malak for a minute, wondering why he had shown up again. I had thought he had left until I had made my decision. He stared down at me, not answering Kaitie.
Finally, I looked at Kaitie. “This is Malak, Kaitie. I met him while hiking yesterday. We were having this amazing conversation when he asked for a ride into town because his…. motorcycle’s headlight wouldn’t come on. He had left to get the part. Weren’t you going to walk back?” I inquired, knowing he would deny this because we had been so far away. Besides, I was lying through my teeth to my best friend. Fuck!
“I would rather not if you will drive me.” Malak smiled down at me. What a beautiful smile!
Kaitie interrupted, her voice a bit abrupt. “She shouldn’t drive. She was just dizzy.”
I looked at her, frowning. “I am feeling better, Kaitie.”
Malak smiled at her and I could tell he was trying to influence her at least a little bit.
“I can drive us out to my bike. If she looks like she is still dizzy, we can figure something out so that she gets home safe. I won’t leave her stranded out there.”
Kaitie looked hesitant. “Perhaps I should come with you, to drive her in case she…”
“It’s fine, Kaitie.” I interrupted. I wanted to ask a few more questions to this mysterious man and I wouldn’t be able to if she was in the car. “You had plans for today and I really don’t want to have you change them.”
Kaitie looked at us, seeing the stubborn look on my face. She knew how I didn’t like to show weakness. Darn her for making it so much more obvious! But watching her, I could see a slow determination rise in her.
“No, Nica. I will come with you and drive. We will drop him off at his bike, and then I will bring you back here. If you are okay, then you can drive home with me following you. I would never feel good about myself if I just let you go now, hon.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and popped her left hip out, a slight glare on her face. Kaitie generally was the nicest, easiest person to get along with, but when she gets an idea in her head, she was a pit bull. Unfortunately, there was no bike… and no reason to go all the way up there again, but we were now caught in our stories.
I groaned, rubbing my face. I knew there was no way to get around this. Chewing on the side of my bottom lip, I glanced up at Malak. He smirked down at me.
Keeping his eyes on me, he replied to Kaitie. “No problem, Kaitie. It’s a nice day. Let’s take the ride to get my bike and then Nica can get home and rest.”
I stared at him a moment. He cocked an eyebrow at me in inquiry, a slight smile touching his lips. Damn. What was he thinking? I wished I could…
“Okay, let me bring my car over here. I will just be a minute.” Kaitie beamed a bright smile at both of us and scurried across the lot. Obviously, she hadn’t parked in her space or it would have been right in front of us. Leaning forward, I noticed that there was a dark Honda there. Some people!
Leaning back, I hissed at Malak. “What the hell? You have no bike up there!”
The arrogant man moved around to my side, still smiling smugly down at me. “She won’t know that.”
“What mind Jedi tricks are you planning to use on my best friend?” I was practically spitting, I was so annoyed.
“Alternative?” He said quietly as Kaitie pulled up.
Darn! I hated it when someone decided to use logic in an argument. Getting up, I took shotgun and slid into the car, my head only swirling slightly. Malak slid in behind me, close enough that I heard him chuckle almost silently. He knew he had won this one.
Chapter 6
“Marcus outdid himself with this cheesecake.”
Kaitie and I were sitting in the diner. Again. We had decided to get some dessert after dropping off Malak. Somehow, he had convinced her his bike was just around the corner when we let him out. Major mind Jedi tricks.
We hadn’t talked much while driving back, but since Luther’s was still open, we had just walked in. No discussion needed. Dessert was definitely on the menu.
Kaitie was quiet, shuffling a deck of cards. She had picked at her apple pie, pushing it aside to play with the cards. She quietly placed three cards face down, slowly turning each over.
I am slow. I mean, I sort of knew those were her tarot cards, but since she had already done a reading for me, I didn’t think she was doing another. Not that she ever listened, like she wasn’t paying any attention to me now.
“Nica, what do you know about Malak?” Her voice was low.
“Kaitie, no readings.” I licked my fork, looking at my empty plate. I didn’t need it, but I was seriously contemplating getting another slice.
“I see…” Her voice trailed off.
“Nothing. You see nothing.” I glared at her. I really didn’t want her looking closer at Malak and his so-called future.
Marcus came up to the table and looked at us.
“Don’t fight. You two are too old and have been friends too long to fight.” His voice was matter of fact.
“She is doing a reading again, Marcus.” I moaned. Yes, sixty years old and whining. I’m not proud.
She looked up at me, her expression worried. “Nica…”
I put my hands over my ears. “Na-Na-Na-Na!” I sang.
Kaitie just shook her head, collecting up the cards. She slowly shuffled them one more time and then slid them into a special pouch she carried them in.
When I saw the pouch go into her purse, I dropped my hands. “Thank you.”
“You are such a child.”
Sighing, I sat back. “I just don’t want to know the future, Kait. There is so much going on right now, I don’t want to know if there is more coming or not. I am sixty. Six zero. We are now of an age where anything can happen. We could live for thirty or so more years or die tomorrow. But we have already lived sixty years. And they have been years well lived.”
My tone was quiet. I was trying to learn to be at peace with life. I have found that when you cannot hear as well, you tend to not let noise be a distraction. Without the distraction, you pay more attention with your eyes or your touch. Your other senses pick up. And that translated into some sort of peace for me. Or so I wanted to believe.
Kaitie tilted her head, studying me. “They have been.” She finally said in wonder. “And many of them have been really good years.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be indignant because she thought I had finally said something wise or happy she agreed with me. I decided to go with happy. It was just easier.
We smiled at each other, sharing the moment.
“Yes, perhaps these have been good years,” Marcus broke into our golden bubble. “But now, I just want to go home.”
Glancing around, I noticed that everyone had l
eft. When had that happened? I slid out of the booth and stood, stretching as my bones creaked.
“Agreed, big brother. Time to go home. Got work tomorrow.” I started to move towards the door.
Kaitie stood up and hugged Marcus, kissing first one cheek, and then the other. “This is also from your sister.”
“I heard that!” I waved at them as I exited the diner. It was now getting dark earlier. Only seven pm and there were shadows in the parking lot. The sky was that deep blue that it gets after dusk has fallen and before true night has appeared. Add to that, winter was coming. It was cold. Pulling my jacket closed, I glanced at Kaitie as she joined me outside.
“Can you drive home?” She pulled my arm through hers as we started walking towards our cars, our heads ducked down toward our chest to block out the wind.
“Yes, yes. I am fine.” I said, only slightly annoyed.
I heard a sound towards the back of the lot, but I ignored it. It was too cold to lift my head into the wind to look. Bad me.
A car’s lights came on, illuminating us as we walked. We heard a car engine rev, and then the squeal of tires.
I didn’t even think. Grabbing Kaitie’s hand, I ran towards our cars. Damn it! We were not going to make it! Trying to peer through the dark, I noticed the decorative wall that was a little in front of the restaurant. Changing direction slightly, I pulled her that way. Kaitie stumbled.
“Nica!”
“Come on! The wall!” Kaitie righted herself but was limping as she ran with me towards the wall. We jumped it and then kept moving towards our cars on the gravel behind it.
The dark car hit the wall, the front bumping up and over it. It kept going, finally crashing into the diner. I had hoped that was the end of it, but it immediately reversed and then turned to follow us through the space between that wall and the diner.
I hoped to God that Marcus wasn’t going to play the hero – this dude was crazy! I couldn’t worry about my brother, though — he could take care of himself. I had to find someplace a safer for Kaitie and me right now. The car’s wheels squealed as it accelerated towards us.
We reached Kaitie’s car and ducked behind it. Pausing for a moment, I decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea to stay here because if the monster car hit it, we could be squished between her car and my own. Kaitie wasn’t moving very fast, but I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her with me towards the tree that was on the other side of my car.
