On Friday evening, I had my monthly call with my sister. I sat on one end of the back deck while Kyle grilled on the other end. He “dropped” the occasional piece of meat for Bella, who had decided that grilling was her new favorite thing in the world.
“You’re smiling,” Lizzie said thirty seconds into our conversation. “I can hear it in your voice. You’re happy.”
“I’m usually happy.”
“You’re usually stressed and overwhelmed and putting on a good show.”
Apparently, the show wasn’t as good as I’d thought, if Lizzie, Gina, and Darla had all seen through it.
“Is it the dog? Mom and dad said you’re staying with a friend to help with a new dog. Or is it the friend?”
I watched the two of them as Kyle had Bella sit and shake, then praised her lavishly. “It’s both.”
“Do your new friends have names?”
I smiled. “Kyle and Bella. I’ll let you figure out who’s who. But don’t tell the parents that the friend is, you know...”
“A man. Got it. Is it serious?”
“It’s…new. And a little complicated. I don’t want to worry Mom and Dad, but there was some trouble at the clinic, so I’m staying with him until things get back to normal.” Then again, I was dating a HEAT operative, so I wasn’t sure anything would ever be normal again. Maybe a new normal, though.
“I’m glad you’re safe,” Lizzie said. “Let me guess: the trouble at the clinic started because some idiot was abusing an animal and you intervened.”
“How did you guess that?”
“Oh, Cami, you’re a rescuer. You always have been. And don’t think I’m unaware of how you developed that skillset. I say a gratitude prayer for you every day.”
We talked for non-stop for fifteen more minutes. I ignored the buzzes that announced incoming text messages. Whoever it was could wait. My Lizzie time was sacred. After we hung up, I leaned back in the deck chair and enjoyed the feeling she’d so easily identified. Happiness. I watched Kyle and Bella, my heart full of love for both of them. That’s what this was. Love. I should be terrified. Overwhelmed. But instead, I was content.
Kyle caught me watching him and smiled. He flashed me five fingers. Five minutes until dinner. I could use the time to respond to the texts that had come in and check my emails. I scrolled to my messages. There were three from an unknown number. It could be from the anonymous man from the rescue organization. Or a spam text. But a small fear niggled at the nape of my neck.
I opened the messages. The sender didn’t include a name. He didn’t need to.
You’ve gotten me into trouble and now you owe me
And the one that made my stomach clench painfully.
Remember what I have - I can destroy you
I quickly texted to him to leave me alone, then deleted the thread. I curled into a ball on the chair. The words might be gone, but the threat wasn’t over. Scott was still dangerous, and he was coming for me.
I satdown at the patio table and looked at the feast laid out in front of me. Kyle had grilled everything he could get his hands on. Steak, chicken, vegetables, corn on the cob. Even peaches.
“I didn’t realize we were having company,” I said. “Are there ten people coming or twenty?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I might have gotten a little carried away.” He sat down across from me. “You can take some to work tomorrow for the Saturday team.”
“And Sunday. And we can both probably take something for Monday.” I paused in scooping vegetables onto my plate. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He gave me his wide-eyed innocent look and I knew it was true. He was always taking care of me. I owed him a lot. I certainly owed him the truth.
I opened my mouth to tell him about Scott, about the text and about what he had on me. But Kyle popped up from his seat.
“I forgot,” he said. “Wheeler gave me something he wanted me to share with you.”
“Wheeler?”
He disappeared into the house and reappeared with aclear, plastic jug half-filled with red liquid and fruit. “Sangria. He was testing the recipe. He’s attending a picnic and there’ll be a woman there he wants to impress.”
