Page 119 of Boss

To arrive home Kassidy made the series of turns on different streets through her neighborhood. Every house she passed had the lights off. Most people retired early and woke before dawn. She was lucky that the hair salon didn’t open for her until after ten in the morning. She wanted to sleep in late.

When drove up to her garage door she noticed nothing. The house was the same as it always was. Empty. Millie offered to set her up on a blind date. For years, Kassidy had found a reason to decline suitors. She always blamed it on not wanting to drag anyone into her drama. Her fear was that one day her past would arrive and destroy any new future she had. But she was twenty-eight. She’d be twenty-nine soon and she was tired of her lonely existence. Tired of being an orphan in life. Maybe it was time to consider moving on past her fears.

Kassidy got out of the car and went up the steps. It was then she noticed the light on the porch was out. She would have to make sure to replace it. She hated coming home to darkness. She unlocked the door and went inside. She closed it and turned on the light in the foyer.

“Marshall?” she said.

Her little Pekingese pure breed barked from the living room. She smiled as she picked up the mail that was pushed through the slot in the door. “Come here, baby. I’ll fix you something to eat.”

The dog barked but didn’t do as she asked. Kassidy sighed. Marshall had a thing about hiding and wanting to be found. He was small enough to scoot under the sofa. So Kassidy figured that’s where he went. She tossed the bills to the hall table and set her purse down there. Her long extensions were pinned in a clip to the back of her head. She released them and scratched her scalp.

“Where are you, baby?” she asked as she turned the corner. And then she stopped.

Marshall sat on the lap of a man in a dark trench coat. His gloved leather hand stroked the long fur of her dog. Her eyes met his.

“You named him Marshall?” Tarek chuckled. He picked up the dog from his lap and turned him to look at him. “I think I like it.” Marshall licked at Tarek’s cheek. Her dog was a traitor. He set her dog down and Marshall stood next to him wagging his tail. He didn’t even try to run.

“Hello, Clarissa,” Tarek smiled. “Surprised to see me?”

“What are you... how did you...”

“How did I find you? Is that the first question you want to ask?”

“I can’t believe this. That you’re here.”

He looked her over as he often did. He didn't stand. He didn't explain himself. He held her still with his dark brown eyes. “Clarissa. I like that name. Was that for me?"

She didn't answer. She was hurt. She'd waited, she'd been patient, and he gave her nothing. Not a letter or a phone call. She walked over to the sofa chair across from him and sat down.

“I hear you’ve made a life for yourself here,” he said.

“This is a nice town. Nice people,” she said.

“You happy?” he asked.

She frowned at the question. “Do you care?”

“You're mad at me?”

“What do you think? It’s been four years Tarek, almost five, and nothing from you. Not a damn word. What do you think?”

“I think time stood still. I think you are as beautiful as I remembered while I rotted in jail maybe even more so. I think you're more loyal to me than anyone has been in my life. Including Clarissa,” he said.

“From what I read you won. You got your trust fund back and exposed your father for his crimes. Dale is dead, Henry too. Reese is out of prison, gone somewhere. It’s over now, Tarek.”

“Not for us,” he said and stood. He walked around her little living room. He stopped to look at the pictures she hung, and the little figurines on the mantel.

“I don’t see you anywhere in here.”

“You never knew me,” she reminded him.

He glanced over to her. “I’m sure I know you better than the people of this town. Right?”

She pressed her lips together and suppressed the sarcastic reply on her tongue. Kassidy stood. She fixed her sweater. She wore a long wool skirt and boots today. But he glanced at her again as if she were dressed for him.

“Do you have something for me?” he asked.

She stared at him for a brief moment, and then released the breath she held trapped in her lungs since she saw him. She nodded that she did. She went into the kitchen. Underneath the sink she pulled out a Drano carton. It was her trusted hiding place. She dumped the thumb drive into the sink. She picked it up and walked over to him and handed it to him.

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