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Maynia -- Day Seventeen -- 1,737 words
I got in my car and checked the passenger seat, seeing Jaden circling around his carrier in obvious agitation. “Hey sweet boy, it’ll only be a little while to the vet, Dr. Bliant will take good care of you.” I cooed at him before I started the car.
Pulling away from the driveway, I couldn’t help but glance up at my rearview, seeing Jack now standing by his pickup, almost looking at me with an intense expression on his face as I drove away. I kept going over the conversation we just had a while ago..
I knew he’d arrive soon. I couldn’t really keep Ms. Chip’s death a secret in this small town.
“Shiela! We need to talk.” I heard Jack call out to me but I didn’t mind him as I crouched and started to put Jaden in his carrier. I saw Jack stop just down by the porch steps, waiting for me as I now locked the doors to the house.
Picking up Jaden’s carrier as I descended the steps, I didn’t give Jack a second glance as I passed by him. “Shiela, why didn’t you call me first? Why was I the last to know? I could have at least been here for you!” Jack said as he followed me to my car, I had just closed the door by the passenger’s side after I placed Jaden’s carrier inside before I now decided to face Jack and acknowledge his presence.
“I take it you’ve heard the new scandal in town?” I stared back into Jack’s intense blue eyes while trying to keep my tone even. The only reaction I got from him was that ticking on his jaw again—I wanted to reach up to him, pull him close and get lost in his warmth, to just accept the comfort he was willing to give—but I held myself back. Instead, I started to walk pass him again, intent on rounding to the other side of my car so I could get far away from him as possible, but he only blocked my escape.
Jack gently placed his hands on my arms as he urged me to look at him, “There’s something you’re not telling me, Shiela. Ms. Chip couldn’t have died so suddenly like that! You have to tell me the whole truth so I can help you!”
I almost softened, seeing the sincerity in his gaze—if only I could tell him about the demons, the possible Lucinor wrecking havoc in his town, and how much I’d need to bleed just to end it—I took a deep breath as I hardened my resolve, “You saw the coroner’s report. Cardiac arrest, possibly due to the stress of working for me and her added age. There’s nothing much to tell.” I pushed his hands off me, now rounding my car.
“If there’s something we’re up against here Shiela, would you really just stand by and let Ms. Chip’s death go in vain?” I heard Jack say mostly to himself, but I continued to get in my car as if I didn’t hear him.
Maybe I’d never know what Ms. Chip last saw that caused her to die in such terror, but that didn’t mean I’d let the Lucinor take any more innocent lives. I just had to keep anyone from getting too involved.
I had just rang the doorbell once before the door opened and I was surprised to see it was Z who answered the door, “Hey there angel face!” He had a huge grin on his face and that sparkle in his hazel-brown eyes as he greeted me, but it soon diminished as if he remembered something sad, “I-uhm I’m really sorry about Ms. Chip..”
He rubbed his nape and looked down, seemingly at a loss for words. I could only muster a soft smile at him before I went on and asked, “Is Dr. Bliant here? Is he with Luke in his office?”
“Ah! Doc Alfred actually said something ‘bout having his schedule today cleared just for you, he’s probably on his way down—” Z flustered at that and awkwardly led me inside the home clinic towards the waiting area as he continued talking, “—and Luke, well.. Since we’re mostly healed up from our injuries—” Z wiggled his elbow in emphasis, “We’re planning to get back at the house; also ‘cuz he’s actually been around by his clinic these days. He even has a full schedule today—” Z suddenly stopped talking as he slowly sat down beside me at the waiting area, almost hesitant as he asked me next, “Hasn’t he been.. by your place recently?”
I shook my head as I glanced away from him, preferring to focus on a dozing Jaden, his ears slightly flicking in his sleep, as he laid inside his carrier sitting across from me on a coffee table. “I wasn’t really in the mood for visitors. It was usually just Ms. Chip who liked to have guests around.”
I was met with silence after that, I didn’t want to make things awkward between me and Z and was about to change to subject when he cleared his throat, “Look, Shiela. I’m not gonna ask you if you’re alright ‘cuz it’s just bullshit when you know they’ve lost someone close to them, so what I’m really gonna ask is if.. you need anything?”
I looked back at him then and saw him open his bulky arms wide while he continued, “Look, I’ll give you the best of hugs and I’m all ears—whenever you need someone to talk to or just scream out with—I’m your man. I’m actually a pretty good listener.. and screamer; broke a few good eardrums during my deaf days, if ya hear what I mean?” Z smiled at me teasingly then, and for the first time in a couple of days, I actually couldn’t help the smile that came up on my face.
“Thank you, Z. You don’t know how that means to me now but—really, thank you.” I couldn’t really tell him that he’ll start to forget about our time together once I activate the tower to its full cycle before I leave town. Maybe it was good to talk to someone..
I had that passing thought before I heard a door open and turned to see Dr. Bliant as he looked at me expectantly, but then I couldn’t help but gaze down and notice the leather satchel he had in his hands.
“I’m really sorry for the trouble, Dr. Bliant. Are you really sure it’s alright for me to leave Jaden here for the time being?” I asked as I held Jaden close before I’d be parted with him for the meantime.
“It’s quite alright dear, and you know he’s got to keep his diet from all that food Ms. Chip’s been sneaking out to him.” He then reached out to Jaden and gently laid him on the extra cat bed he had in the clinic. Taking notice of my silence at his mention of Ms. Chip, he cleared his throat and slowly looked up at me then, a question seemingly on the tip of his tongue.
I slightly tensed and prepared myself for any questions he had of Ms. Chip as he went on to ask, “Ms. Lancaster, if it’s not too much trouble, I actually have a few questions about that fine tower of yours?” I felt myself relax at that as I smiled at Dr. Bliant and agreed to answer his questions—suddenly remembering that time with Luke up at the tower site and the selfie he took of us.
I shook my head at those memories but soon found myself curious as to what Dr. Bliant now rummaged inside his leather satchel, bringing out a bunch of papers and several old newspaper clippings. I leaned over as I noticed an image of a water tower in one of them, glancing the year on the page—it was the year that mom died.
“Ms. Lancaster, I know these are all a thing of the past, and you were probably not yet aware of it then but.. during my earlier days as a veterinarian, I’ve come across these towns with these same water towers and—not really questioning the source of its water, as I didn’t really see any effects on their owners but, theirs pets were a different matter. You see, during those times, they usually exhibited signs of great anxiety—much like that of Augustus’ case, as you’ve seen him here once before—but curiously, after I’ve come by a few weeks later, they’ve all gone to normal. As if nothing even triggered their anxiety, it’s like as if they’ve forgotten all about it.”
“Yes well Dr. Bliant, these water towers were.. actually during the time before my father had taken over the company.. I’m sorry to say, I’ve no idea of what my mother.. had to do with these towers before then—” I momentarily stopped there as I felt a sinking feeling take ahold of me, gripping the edge of my seat as I looked up from the images and tried to focus on Dr. Bliant with a professional smile, “We’ve long since changed our brand and are now refocusing on the Telecom Towers.”
Dr. Bliant seemed to have accepted my shaky response as he nodded in understanding, I then promptly thanked him and bid Jaden a quick farewell before I excused myself from that room. I rushed pass the waiting area, coming by Z as he met me by the door, barely registering how he asked if I felt fine and that I suddenly looked pale. I remember just giving him an offhand comment that I was good before I stepped out that door, feeling Z not too far behind—but it all seemed to echo out of me.
I remember getting into my car and starting the engine as Z tried to call for my attention out the window. I remember driving out of there, taking deep gasping breaths as I felt tears start to slide down my face. I remember just driving, driving to the only place that I could really call my own in this suddenly foreign place. Because suddenly, I remember the warm familiar voice that called in my head.
Don’t run, Shiela. Fight. Always protect the ones that you love.
to be continued...
Image from Pixabay, by Phan Minh Cuong An: https://pixabay.com/users/minanfotos-9565064/ (edited with dreamscopeapp)