Wishing in the Dark

by Colbie Kay

  He’s getting ready for some stupid reality show with the stupid Courtney Kingsley. She’s the number one pop artist and so damn young and beautiful. They have this happy, glamorous life together. I roll my eyes picturing it, and yeah, maybe I lied because just maybe I have kept up to date on him, torturing myself since I never left Wishing, Kansas. He’s been out there, seeing the world and living his best life with some little brunette twit. I begin to pout, but then I take a deep breath and remember my life. I have a job, I have a boyfriend, I am moving forward, and I am working on being happy again.

  Why is he back in Wishing? My anger begins to surface once again. I’m going to give myself whiplash thanks to my back and forth emotions.

  He better not mess up our quiet little town with his cameras. Oh, and so help me, if he thinks he’s going to move her in next door, I’ll snatch those fake hair extensions and knock her pretty white veneers right outta her mouth so fast, she won’t see it coming. Don’t get me started on popping those fake balloons sitting on her chest.

  And who does he think he is banging around and using loud tools at six in the morning? That proves he doesn't think about anyone except himself. Did he ever think of anyone besides himself? No! If he did, he wouldn't have kissed me and told me he loved me before breaking my heart. He could have broken my heart a little less. Good God, Poppy, get it together! I tell myself, trying to calm myself down and stop the internal tangent.

  Standing up, I go over to my window and peek out of the blinds. My eyes narrow. Oh, for goodness sake! Look at him carrying those 2x4s from the stupid shiny new truck that's been in the driveway for the last few weeks. He's been here a few weeks!

  Going over to my phone, I bring up Ashley’s name in my contacts.

  "Poppy!" She answers with a lot of enthusiasm.

  My eyes narrow even though she can’t see me. "Shut up! Don't you Poppy me."

  She chuckles on the other end. "You must have seen him. You know, I'm surprised it took you guys this long to run into each other."

  I huff and plant my free hand on my hip as I begin pacing my front room. "How could you sell that house to him? You're the only realtor in this town, and there's how many houses for sale?" My eye begins to twitch. "You could have sold him any one of those."

  She bursts out laughing. "Calm down, Tiger. That's not how it works, Poppy. Besides, he was set on that specific house. His childhood home. Maybe it’s the same reason you won't give up yours."

  I roll my eyes. "Not the point, Ashley! He better stay on his side. No telling what I'll do if he trespasses."

  "Oh, Jesus, it's not trespassing. Maybe you two could sit down and have a chat, finally get things off your chest. It would probably make you feel a whole lot better."

  I growl, "I'm not chatting it up with Julien Pierce! Not now, not ever! I don’t care what you or my therapist says."

  She sighs. “Maybe you should listen to your therapist. She is the professional, after all.”

  “I have to get ready for work. I’ll see you tomorrow night at Bubba’s at the usual time.” I hang up and realize that time got away from me. To avoid being late, I have to rush in the shower and get ready quickly.

  “HI, MRS. APPLEGATE.” I walk into the apartment of the elderly woman.

  She hugs me as I set my bag down. “Oh, Poppy, it’s good to see you.” Going into her bathroom, I start the water, getting it the right temperature for her, the way she likes it.

  My job title is an HHA for short, but I’m a home health aide. I check in at my office at eight in the morning, but I’m only there briefly because I’m on the road until five in the evening. I have a list of clients each day, and I go to their homes, assisting them while they bathe, giving them massages, and sitting with them while they are hooked up to my infrared machine. It distributes heat to their joints, helping to relieve some of their pain. All of my clients are elderly, but I love each of them and enjoy the time I get to spend with them.

  “Poppy?” Mrs. Applegate says my name as I’m helping her into the bathtub.

  “Yes?” My eyes meet hers.

  Her brows are knitted. “What’s wrong, honey? You aren’t your usual chipper self.”

  Giving her a small smile, I reply, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Applegate. I’m a little distracted this morning.”

  She snickers. “Boy troubles. It’s always boy troubles.”

  My grin grows. “Yes, it is. Them rotten boys.”

  She begins washing her body. “He must be special. In all the time you’ve been coming here, I’ve never seen you troubled. You know, I met my John when I was twenty. After that, he went off to serve our country, and I was terrified he wouldn’t come back, but he did. We married as soon as he returned, and we had a good fifty years together.”

  “That’s a long time, Mrs. Applegate.”

  She shakes her head. “It’s not, Poppy. It may seem like it, but those years go by so fast, and now that he’s gone, what I wouldn’t do to have one more day with him.” Tears pool in her eyes. “I miss him every day.”

  My gaze drops to the floor. “It’s different with Julien. He broke my heart when we were kids, but now, he’s back, and I saw him this morning for the first time in fifteen years. I don’t know why he’s here.”

  Her wet hand reaches out and touches my shoulder, drenching my scrub top. “Life is too short to worry about the whys. All that matters is something brought you two back together.”

  I shake my head. “You’re a smart woman, Mrs. Applegate, but it’s not that easy. I have a boyfriend.”

  “Yet, your boyfriend has never distracted you. That tells me…” Her finger pokes my head. “That this Julien you are thinking about is special. Don’t waste time with the wrong one, be with the one you truly love.”

  Changing the subject, I tell her, “It’s time to get out.”

  I assist her out of the bath and to dry off, and while I stand by to make sure she doesn’t fall, she gets dressed. Once I’m finished at Mrs. Applegate’s, I drive to a nearby town to Mr. Kenneth’s house. I spend my day not only thinking about Julien but also Mrs. Applegate’s words.

  After a long day at work, I’m exhausted and ready to sit down and relax. Shutting off my car, I begin to climb up to my porch.

  “Hey, Poppy,” Julien’s deep raspy voice calls to me. “Can we talk for a minute?”

  Stopping in my tracks, I slowly spin in his direction. “What do you want? I’ve had a long day, and I’d really rather be left alone.”

  He glides closer. “I’m sorry, Poppy. I’m sorry for everything.”

  I take a few steps toward him. “Sorry for what exactly?” My eyes narrow in suspicion. Does he really know why I’m so angry? We’re standing mere inches from each other, and I realize how tall he’s gotten. He towers over me now, and he’s changed from his flannel and Wranglers to a beater and basketball shorts. The smell of his cologne wafts into my nose, and dammit, he smells good–earthy and musky. The muscles in his arms are bigger than I thought they were, and they’re completely on display. It’s suddenly gotten hot out here in the fresh air. Hotter than it should be on this fall night.

  “Do you remember the night you made the wish for your grandpa?” He questions.

  “Yes.”

  He looks off into the distance. “That’s the night I found out we were moving. I couldn’t say anything because I didn’t want to add to all the shit you were going through. But on the day of the funeral, I couldn’t put it off any longer, and I absolutely couldn’t leave without telling you how I felt. It was selfish of me to share and kiss you knowing I was leaving, and I’m sorry for that, but I’m not sorry for letting you know. I’ll never be sorry for getting it off my chest. But why didn’t you ever answer my calls?”

  I frown, completely confused. “What calls? That’s the second time you’ve mentioned it, and I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  His expression matches mine. “I called you for months after I moved. At first, I called several times a day. Your
parents not tell you?”

  My eyes widen. “You’re lying. You moved on with your life and forgot about me.”

  “No, I’m not. I promise I called. I could never forget about you, Poppy.”

  His hand reaches up to touch the side of my cheek, but I can’t let him touch me. This is too much. I dodge his hand and step back far enough that he won’t be able to try again.

  “I need to go inside.” I feel the air deflating from my lungs. It’s hard to breathe. Did he really call me? Why wouldn’t my parents let me know? He has to be lying.

  “Poppy?” Julien yells after me as I take off running. I slam my front door closed, and once again, I find myself sliding down to the floor with tears trailing down my face due to Julien Pierce. Twice in one day is too much.

  I t’s Saturday night, what better way to relax after a long week than sitting at a rundown little bar with an ice-cold beer? Sauntering into Bubba’s, I take a seat on one of the bar stools at the counter. Smoke filters through the room and the music blares.

  The bartender whips around to face me. “What can I—? Holy shit, Julien Pierce, or should I call you JP now?” He laughs.

  “Jackson Pike, how the hell have you been?” We both stick our arms out and shake. It’s been fifteen years, but he looks pretty much the same. He was one of my good friends in school who came over to the house a lot to play basketball and goof around.

  “Been good, man. Went off to college for a while but ended up back here in Wishing. When Cal decided he wanted to sell this place, I took a chance and bought it. You’ve been good I see, but aren’t you supposed to be on tour?”

  Laughing, I nod. “Yeah, I had to get away for a while. It’s good being back here where nobody really cares who I am. They aren’t snapping photos of me to sell to the tabloids. I had a rough patch there for a little bit, but it all changed, and I was suddenly this megastar. It was a whirlwind, to say the least.”

  “It’s good to have you back.”

  “Thanks, man, it’s good to be here.”

  He waggles his eyebrows, and his lips lift into a shit-eating grin. “Courtney Kingsley, huh?”

  I chuckle. “That was all a publicity stunt put on by my manager.”

  He leans closer. “You can’t tell me you didn’t hit that even once.”

  Shaking my head, I state seriously, “Not even once. She’s not my type.”

  His eyes cut to the door. “Unlike someone else.”

  Turning, I shift my attention to the front entrance of the bar. I gawk at Poppy as she meanders in, looking gorgeous in the ripped skinny jeans and black halter top she’s wearing. Her long hair flows down past her shoulders in big curls, and her blue eyes glisten as she laughs at something someone else says.

  “Get me a beer and a shot of bourbon, Jackson.” My eyes never leave her, not even when she and the three people she’s with sit at a table. However, jealousy rears its ugly head the moment a guy with short dark hair dressed in khakis and a black polo pulls her chair out for her. She grins at him and leans into him as if his touch is familiar when his arm wraps around her shoulders. The waitress takes their order, and I’m distracted when Jackson slams the bottle and shot down on the bar. Picking up the shot glass, I down the amber liquid. “Who’s the guy?”

  “Her boyfriend,” He replies before walking away.

  Boyfriend? She has a boyfriend. Feelings I can’t explain begin to surface. I run my hand over the stubble growing on my face and continue watching her every move while drinking my beer until the last pull.

  Turning around to find my friend, I order another from Jackson.

  “Hey, Julien.” I recognize the woman who approached from when I bought my house.

  “Ashley.” I tip my head toward her. When I first walked in to get my keys, she wasn’t what I had pictured. I imagined an older lady, maybe salt and peppered hair with glasses. Ashley is actually young–I’m guessing around mine and Poppy’s age–and she has short curly red hair, a thin frame, and a dusting of freckles across her cheeks.

  She grins. “Yeah, you probably don’t remember me since I was a grade above you and Poppy. How’s the house?”

  I shake my head. “No, sorry.” That was a long time ago, but I do remember what she did to Poppy, but it’s not my place to bring that up. “It’s good. The renovations are close to being done.” Why is she trying to make conversation now? She wasn’t this talkative when I did business with her at the office.

  Without asking first, she sits down on the stool next to me. “Listen, I simply wanted to say Poppy is finally getting to the point where she can be happy. Can you not mess that up?”

  My brow arches, a little surprised by her directness. “Thanks for looking out for her, but I’m not here to mess anything up.” I lean closer so her eyes, silently demanding her focus remain on me. She needs to see how serious I am. “We have history in the books, Ashley, so while she sits over there laughing with her boyfriend, know that I’m sitting over here waiting to make my move. If, and that’s a big if, she shoots me down, I’ll let her live her life the way she chooses and never bother her again. But I made a wish a long time ago, and I have every intention of making that wish come true.”

  Ashley stands and lays her hand on the counter, bending until we are almost nose to nose. “You two might have history, but you’ve been gone a long time, Julien Pierce. I may have messed up when we were kids, but she’s my best friend, and I’ll be damned if I sit around and watch her get hurt by you again.”

  My lip forms to a sneer. “I know all about what you did to her, and we are both lucky Poppy has a huge heart.”

  She puts her finger up between us. “You better think long and hard about what you’re doing. She has been through too much since you've been gone, ergo, if you have plans of packing your bags and leaving town again, stop this now. Let her be, and let her live her life without you in it like she’s been doing for the last fifteen years.”

  “I won’t leave without her. She was mine then, and she’ll be mine again.” I take a pull from my beer and set it on the bar. “If you’ll excuse me…” I stand, ready to make that move.

  “Dance with me, P.” Julien’s deep raspy voice speaks from directly behind me. He’s close enough I can almost feel his stubble against the shell of my ear. As all sound vanishes except his seductive voice, I try to ignore the shivers racing through my body from his nearness. This is wrong. My boyfriend, Shane, is sitting next to me. However, after six months of dating, he’s never made me feel this kind of intensity, and my body has never reacted to him like this.

  Spinning in my chair, I come nose to nose with Julien. “I’m not dancing with you.” I push his shoulder with my hand. “And I told you not to call me that.”

  “Poppy, who is this?” Shane’s eyes dart between the two of us.

  “He’s no one.” I begin to right myself, but Julien’s hand wraps around my upper arm.

  “Hey!” Shane jumps from his chair. “Get your hands off of her.” He tries to break Julien’s hold, but Julien is much stronger. His eyes narrow. “I recognize you, you’re JP Pierce. Just because you’re rich and famous doesn’t mean you can go around grabbing women, especially my girlfriend.”

  Julien releases me and stands in front of Shane, sneering down at him. Julien has at least four inches on Shane, and I can see this getting real bad, real quick. His hand reaching out, my childhood friend pushes me behind him without breaking eye contact with Shane.

  Giggling like a schoolgirl, Ashley appears next to me. “How does it feel to have two men fighting over you?”

  “Shut up.” I roll my eyes.

  She shrugs her shoulder. “It is kinda hot.”

  “I said, get your hands off of her!” Shane pushes Julien, but Julien doesn’t budge an inch.

  Chuckling, Julien runs a hand down his face before forming a fist and throwing the first punch. It connects with Shane’s eye, and I can hear the gasps around us.

  “Hey!” Jackson yells from the bar, jumping t
he counter and rushing toward our group. “No fighting! If you two don’t cut that shit out, then both of you have got to go.”

  It’s like Julien doesn’t even hear Jackson as he charges again, and Shane reminds me of a raging bull as he huffs and puffs, ready to take Julien down. Everyone is in shock. I am too.

  “Julien, stop!” I scream, jumping between the two idiots and facing Julien. His body halts instantly. “One dance, and you’ll leave me alone?” My brow cocks in question.

  His straight white teeth gleam with his victory. “Just one, and I’ll leave you alone...for now.”

  “You’re going to dance with this lunatic?” Shane asks in disbelief, still raging with anger as he presses his hand to his swelling eye.

  Ignoring him, I focus on Julien. “One dance.”

  He nods. “Just one.”

  Looking over my shoulder at Shane, I say, “I’ll be right back. I’m sorry, but I’m doing this for both our goods.”

  His head tilts back and growls in aggravation, “You’re gonna go dance with this guy while I’m right here? He punched me!” He gapes at Ashley, and I’m sure he’s silently asking her to talk some sense into me, but she suddenly finds the floor interesting and scuffs her feet against it.

  He turns to Billy, Ashley’s husband who went to school with us, only he’s looking everywhere except at us. “Billy?” Shane questions, still searching for someone to support him.

  Billy responds, “They have history.”

  “Hey, Billy.” Julien smirks.

  “Hey, man.” Billy scratches his head and tries to hide his grin.

  “Not funny!” I snap under my breath at Julien.

  I know Ashley and Billy haven’t really cared for Shane, and they put up with him because of me. Ashley wants me to be happy, but she says Shane is too uptight, which he kinda is with all of his routines and schedules and lists. Heaven forbid something messes any of that up, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He even schedules me in, listing times and places where we will be and when it’s time to leave. He is stable, unlike someone else standing here.