Page 2 of Stay Awhile
“The stairs to where you are needed is on your left,” VC said.
I nodded and made sure to keep each step light as I pulled out my .22 caliber pistol with my silencer attached. I checked around each corner before proceeding to the room with the double doors at the end of the hall. Each step was calculated as I stepped into the area I needed to be.
I twisted the handle and slowly pushed open the door, only to find the shock of my life, and I was never shocked. Not in this line of work.
“Mr. Marcus, did you hear me?” the therapist asked.
I glanced up, almost forgetting I had given her a made up ass name. VC told me about this woman a year ago. That was before I was on the outs with the very people who were all I knew. All because of one night many years ago that kept me up most nights.
It was my job to protect, and that night, I did not. I left the job unfinished. At least that was what my paperwork said. The paperwork that claimed I was to be killed on sight, and I was now a danger to the very people who I used to work alongsidewith. I chuckled at the very thought. I was used to this. Why should it matter now?
Even being in the agency, I knew I was alone, and this was no different. Nothing had changed, except now I needed to watch my back a bit more. There were trained killers after me and had been for the last two years. I laughed at the fact that they thought they were ever on my level.
“My bad. I was thinking. What did you say?” I asked.
I adjusted as much as I could at my solid six-foot height. I didn’t know if therapists took a class on selecting the most uncomfortable chairs, but if they did, this one would’ve gotten top marks. I was here to tell them that wasn’t the truth. This shit only made me want to get up and walk out, which I still might do. I didn’t even know why I was here.
“Have your nightmares subsided since we last talked?” Mrs. Love asked.
I rubbed the now ever present crease in my forehead as flashes of that night brought on a headache. I hated that night made me weak; I had seen some shit, but that was one that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I peered up at her. Her glasses were perched up on the bridge of her nose as she awaited my response. I shrugged and looked out of the open window to watch the birds fly around the tree outside. They appeared as if they were playing tag, in place of true freedom.
“I told you before, I’m not here to get rid of them. I’m here to live with them. It’s the least I can do,” I told her.
“I understand that. My apologies. Do you think you’ve made some progress with that?” she asked hesitantly, not wanting to ask anything that would make me uncomfortable.
“I guess you can say that. But I’m gone keep it real with you, Mrs. Love. This gone be my last session, and I’m gone need all them notes you took regarding this session. You ain’t beenwriting this shit into a computer or anything, right? Don’t make me have to find out the answer on my own,” I told her as I leaned forward and clasped my hands together in front of me.
Her mouth opened and then closed before she handed over the notepad she had with my name on it. Then rubbed her hands down the front of her pencil skirt.
“I really think I could—could still help you further. But I also can’t make you stay,” she responded. I stood and nodded, then made my way toward the door before she called out to me. “Mr. Marcus, think about maybe taking a vacation somewhere you’ve never been. Create new memories in new places.”
I nodded but never turned to face her as I walked over to her desk, then used the login I had gotten access to a while ago. I had been deleting any files of mine since I first came to see her. I didn’t need any electronic traces of me being here, and Mrs. Love didn’t want that either.
“You’re good at your job, Mrs. Love. Enjoy your life,” I told her.
I finished destroying all signs that I had ever been there. Then I strolled through the lobby and put on my shades. I had one more stop to make before I made my way back to the motel I had been staying in. I chose not to make any place my permanent place of residence. What would be the need for that?
I made no personal relationships because it would only put them in danger. This was my life, and I was used to being alone. It was part of the life I chose after that night, and I would choose it again, especially when choices hadn’t been something I got to make too often.
I checked my watch—an old military-grade piece, VC’s parting gift when we split from the agency. The time read 0200. Perfect for staying invisible.
When I stepped out into the open, I made sure to never look up and to always keep my head down, choosing the darkercorners of the streets and sidewalks. Many civilians didn’t realize there were cameras everywhere, and if someone really wanted to find a person, they could. It was one reason I never stayed anywhere for more than a few months.
It was my way of making sure not many people remembered me. That shit wasn’t easy because I wasn’t a small man. Although I tried to stay out of the way, my distinctive deep chocolate skin, my stature, and weight made me impossible to ignore. Not to mention, I was a good-looking ass man. I kept up with my damn self. I kept my fade clean with waves.
Once I made it across the street, I stopped in at the local grocery store. I made it a thing to stay away from big busy ass cities. I frequented the places that wouldn’t be considered small towns, because those people could be nosey as fuck, but I sure as hell couldn’t stay in places like Atlanta, New York City, or Los Angeles. Shit, even Orlando, Florida was on that list.
When I got into the grocery store, I kept my head down, not wanting to give one person more attention than I should. I continued down the produce aisle when I noticed a woman who kept following me down each aisle. I knew her ass thought I couldn’t see her, but I peeped her the moment I came in.
I usually surveyed my entire surroundings before stepping foot into anywhere. I continued to walk around and grab the rest of the things I needed to cook myself dinner. Once I was certain I had everything, I made my way to the register, then looked over at the magazine stand. A travel magazine was right in the front, advertising places to go and relax. I grabbed it as Mrs. Love’s voice rang in my ears, reminding me I should take a trip. I added it onto the register belt with the rest of my things. I could smell her cinnamon based perfume before she spoke up.
“Hi, I don’t mean to be weird, but I figured I would give it a chance and introduce myself. I’m Val, and you?” she asked.
I peered over my shoulder and looked down at her. She was a beautiful woman, but I had nothing to offer her. It wasn’t that I didn’t get it in, but the women I fucked with knew it was a one-time thing. She didn’t have that vibe about her at all, and I could usually get a good vibe for those kinds of things.
I returned my attention to the man at the register as he rang each item up. I pulled cash from my back pocket to pay for my things and then looked over to see she was only holding a pack of gum. I nodded my head toward the gum, and she placed it down onto the belt.
