Stassi pushed her way past me. When she did, I realized I had a death grip on the door handle. My sweaty palm slipped from the metal as I forced a smile on my face.
“Mom, this is Jeremy?” Stassi stood next to him, facing me from the stoop. “You remember him from the other day, right?” she asked meekly.
I slowly nodded and extended my arm to shake his hand. “Nice to officially meet you.” My mouth was still open. I was about to ask him why he had run off before but the words wouldn’t form before he began speaking. He had a voice.
“You too Ms.—” his hand reached out to meet mine. A look of confusion stretched across his dark features.
“It’s Coleman, but you can call me Bobbi.” I quickly dropped his hand. His grasp was weak and cold and chilled me to my very core.
I looked past him onto the street. His four-door, gray sedan was parked by our mailbox. It was still running. I looked back at him and Stassi, who had a huge grin on her face.
“You sure you don’t want me to take you?” I asked hopefully.
“I’m sure, Mom. I’ll be fine.” Her eyes grew large as she stared at me.
“Okay, well go on. You’re going to be late. I’m assuming you’re going to bring her back home?” I asked Jeremy.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll bring her back to you. Safe and sound.” The right corner of his mouth lifted.
I faced Stassi again. “Text me when you find out what time you’re supposed to be done.”
“Okay.” She leaned in and kissed my cheek.
I stood and watched two kids in black shirts walk away from me and toward the running car. The car that was sitting between my house and the dark, empty one across the street.
STASSI HAD TEXTED me and told me she would be home around midnight. I didn’t have many girlfriends in the new neighborhood, though the neighbors tried to include me in their plans. I actually didn’t really have any friends in general. I tended to push people away. Sometimes, without even realizing I was doing it. There was one person though, Amy, that I felt some sort of attachment to. I don’t know why, but it was there. It was like I had known her from a lifetime before. I could have called her, I guess, but I didn’t bother, making it just me and Tux tonight. Though it was a Saturday night and I was alone with my dog and a bottle of wine, that was okay with me. I didn’t mind being alone. I had to learn to be okay with it. Some nights were harder than others, but I always managed to make it through.
After finishing up some last minute work, I closed my laptop and flipped off the light in the office. When I did, the house grew dark, pitch black. I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket. 11:30. I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. I ran my fingers through my tangled hair then pressed the button on my cell that turned on the flashlight. I reached for the glass of wine I had left on the desk and walked toward the kitchen.
Once I reached the room, I flipped the switch near the door that led to the garage. Light filled the room and I, unknowingly, felt more at ease. I turned the flashlight app on my cell phone off and placed it on the counter near the stove along with the almost empty glass of wine. I bent down and opened the cabinet next to the oven, pulling out a black pot and walked over toward the sink. After filling the hollow container with water, I put the pot on the front eye and turned the stove on. Invisible warmth was being pulled from the stove and heat began warming the bottom of the dish.
I reached for the wine glass and tipped back my head as I took a sip. I walked over toward the refrigerator and took the already opened bottle of wine from the bottom shelf. I refilled the glass and put the wine back in its place. I took a few more gulps of the white liquid before placing the glass back near my phone.
The water was beginning to boil. I reached across the counter and picked up the salt shaker and tapped it a couple of times over the warming water, letting grains of salt fall into the clear liquid. After putting the salt shaker back next to the pepper, I moved to the other side of the counter and plugged my phone charger into the wall. I attached my phone and when I did, the house went black again.
A small, frightened rush of air escaped my lips. My heart skipped a beat. I slowly looked over toward the stove. My eyes tried to adjust to the light, but they couldn’t quite do it. However, I could still hear the water boiling. Music faintly reached my ears, slowly masking the sounds of the water. Where it was coming from, I wasn’t sure. I quickly grabbed my phone off of the charger and flipped back on the flashlight app. I let the light lead the way to the basement door.
I turned the knob and, as the door opened, an eerie creak sounded through the still, silent air. I walked down the stairs and entered the practically empty basement. I found the breaker box and flipped the switch for the kitchen. As soon as my fingers left the switch, the music that had met my ears upstairs began playing louder. I looked around me, but could only see things silhouetted by the light radiating off of my phone.
I shut the box and hurried back up the stairs. I pushed the door shut behind me. Fear caused my heart to almost claw itself out of my chest. I turned my head and saw the kitchen light was back on. I skittered across the floor toward the sound of the music. I found myself standing in front of the large bay window at the front of the house. My fingers pried at the blinds until I was able to see out of them.
The house.
There were lights. And not just in one room. It appeared all of them were on. Inside and out.
Flickering.
I moved from the window to the front door. I unlocked it and turned the knob. When I opened the door, the music grew louder. I couldn’t decipher the lyrics, but that was the only thing muffled about the noise. I stood, frozen, on my welcome mat, my eyes couldn’t move away from the house. My limbs were heavy and felt like I was cemented to the ground. There was a lump in my throat, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t swallow. I was suffocating. Tears began filling my eyes. My body was shaking now.
“Mom?” The word was spoken faintly.
“Mom?” Again, I heard it, but I couldn’t move.
“Mom?”
My eyelids began fluttering rapidly. And then I felt it. Stassi’s hand on my shoulder. My eyelids slowed. My toes moved and my fingers twitched. I could swallow the lump in my throat. My body was mine again.
I looked into the eyes of my daughter. Her head was cocked to the side as she looked at me.
“Mom?” she repeated herself for the fourth time.
“Yeah?” I croaked.
Her brows furrowed as she pushed the strap of her bag back onto her shoulder, releasing her hand from mine.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Air started filling my lungs as I searched for the words.
“Yeah. Yeah,” I gasped.
Her head moved to her other shoulder as she watched me intently. “Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yes.” My single word was a whisper.
She smiled awkwardly as she walked past me into the house. “Positive?” she yelled over her shoulder as she ascended the stairs.
I nodded my head in response. Stassi didn’t ask again even though she couldn’t see my answer. I continued looking out in front of me. The house across the street had grown silent. The music had faded away, but lights still illuminated the windows. My gaze drifted until I noticed the small silver car idling at the curb by my mailbox.