Page 39 of The Doctor's Promise
“Yup.” Rafa batted her butt with his hand. “Come shower with me, and I’ll take my rent that way.”
“Perv.”
“You know it.”
Bepi was,of course, delighted to be taken to the kindergarten by ‘Nommy,’ and he chatted all the way. He hugged her tightly when she said goodbye. “Love you, Nommy.”
Noemi held her tears back, and she smiled. “Love you, too, Bepi.”
She was still thinking about him as she drove to see Leonora. If she, Noemi, could love Bepi this fiercely when she wasn’t even his mother, she could not even comprehend how Leo was dealing with the loss of Jack. The pain must be overwhelming, she thought, and the idea of Leo suffering made her press the gas pedal a little more.
Noemi let herself into her sister’s house, calling out to Leo as she did. There was no answer, and Noemi felt a little curl of fear in her stomach. “Leo?”
“I’m out in the yard.”
Relief flooded through her, and she followed the sound of her sister’s voice into the small yard. She saw Leo crouched on the grass, digging around the bottom of a small tree.
“Hey,” she looked around at Noemi, and Noemi was relieved that Leo looked a little better.
“That’s lovely,” she nodded at the tree, and Leo smiled.
“It’s a gift from Jack’s school. They’ve planted another in their field from the same sapling in his honor. Honey, are you crying?”
Noemi wiped her eyes. “Sorry, so emotional lately.”
Leo stood, smacking her hands together to get rid of the mud. “Jeez, you’re not pregnant, are you?”
Noemi was relived Leo didn’t seem to need an answer. “How are you?”
“Same as I was when you asked me yesterday, boo.” Leonora’s smile was too bright, and Noemi could tell her sister’s temper was on the edge.
“Fair enough,” she said lightly, not wanting a row. “Just wondered if you’d like to come and walk Mouse with me. We’re going out to Alki Beach Park.”
“No, thanks. I’m meeting some friends in the city later.”
“Oh, okay.” Noemi was a little stung by Leo’s brusque dismissal. “Leo…? Is ever—”
“Noe, I swear, if you ask me if everything is okay one more time…”
“Fine, fine. I get the message.” Noemi said it softly, but she could feel the tears coming again. She turned away. “Well, call me when you want to get together.”
“I will. Later.”
Noemi nodded, not looking at her sister. “Later.”
She droveout to Alki Beach and let Mouse out to run, envying the dog’s boundless joy as she ran free. Oh, to have such an uncomplicated life, she thought fondly. The day was sunny, but a cold breeze blew up from Elliott Bay, and she shivered, pulling her thin denim jacket around her. She walked for an hour, playing with Mouse on the grassy lawns. There were a few people around also walking their dogs, but after an hour, she noticed she was alone apart from a solitary man, walking a few meters behind her.
She didn’t pay any attention to him until Mouse skittered up to her and growled, staring behind her, her hackles up. Noemi stopped and turned, glancing behind her. The man had stopped when she had.
Fuck. Annoyed rather than scared, Noemi clipped Mouse’s leash back on and walked towards the man. She kept eye contact with him until she had passed him, a silent warning—I will fight back, asshole, and so will my dog. Mouse jerked slightly at her leash, snarling towards the man, but he did not flinch, just smirked.
Noemi stopped suddenly and took out her phone. Openly, deliberately, she took a photo of the man. “Just so you know, that’s gone to the Cloud,” she said to him. “So, anything happens to me or my dog between now and my car… they’ll know your face.”
“Hey, I’m just walking here.” His grin was mocking and surly. He made a lewd gesture towards his crotch, and Noemi gave him the finger.
“Right… men like you make me sick. You think we don’t feel you standing too close or watching us like predators? Creep. Go back to your momma’s basement, you fucking loser.”
“Man, you’re one stuck-up bitch.” His grin had vanished. Mouse growled. The man glared at Noemi and stalked off. Noemi smiled grimly. Asshole. She looked down at Mouse.
