Page 17 of Safer Alone
The table has been set for two people, white china plates with a golden border and delicate filigree etching around the circumference. Beautiful crystal wine glasses sitting in the center of the table beside a pewter bucket filled with ice cubes and a bottle of expensive champagne.
I look across the table and see that Elliot is now sitting in the once vacant seat. He is dashing in a black tuxedo with a crisp white button-up shirt, complemented with a navy bowtie perfectly tied and a matching handkerchief folded into sharp points sticking out of the top of his jacket pocket. He looks so heartbreakingly handsome. And then he smiles at me, his teeth perfectly white and straight. “You look gorgeous tonight, Angela,” he whispers to me. I take the opportunity to look down at myself, wondering what I was wearing, a nice ball gown perhaps? I am shocked to see that I am wearing an oversized, holey white t-shirt and my comfortable tracksuit pants I never wore outside of the house. I lift both of my hands to my mouth, trying my best to hold back a sob that wants to escape my throat. Why on earth would I attend a dinner in a fancy restaurant, with the man of my dreams, dressed in what I used as pajamas?
“It will never work between the two of you Angela. You’re not meant to be with him. You’re meant to be with me and only me.” I turn around toward the sound of the voice behind me and see Dylan standing there, dressed in faded blue jeans with cuts to the front, and a white polo shirt. “We are the same, Angela. You and I.” He takes a step toward me.
I turn back toward Elliot. What on earth must he be thinking? I need to explain. Instead he is smiling at me “Would you like to see me again, Angela?” He reaches his hand out towards mine, facing upwards, open, waiting to see if I will take it. I don’t reach out to him, I can’t let him hold it. I don’t understand what is happening.
“Why would you want to see me again?” I ask, not answering his question, I go to stand up from the table and look around, Dylan is no longer there, I feel an electrical current running along my arm, looking at where the feeling is I watch Elliot’s finger running along my arm, leaving a blazing trail where it has been, I turn around to look at him and he reaches his arm around my waist pulling my body flush against his. Before I know it, he is kissing me, my mouth opening up to his, our tongues dancing with one another’s.
I open my eyes and pull back, it’s not Elliot’s eyes I am looking into anymore, but Dylan’s cold, hard stare. “What’s wrong, Angie? I’m not the one you wanted to kiss, I presume?” He takes a step back and pulls his baseball bat from behind him and without even giving me a second to react, he swings it hard and connects with my face.
I wake up screaming, sitting up in bed throwing the covers off, and touching my face, my arms then fall onto the sheets, realizing that I am completely safe, in the comfort of my own home. I run from my bed into the bathroom, turning on the taps, I cup my hands under the stream of water and splash cool liquid on my face, turning off the tap, I shake my hands, flicking off the water droplets, before drying them on the hand towel hanging on the side of the vanity.
I raise one of my hands and place it palm down across my heart, it feels as though it is going to leap from my chest at any given moment. The quickened pace doing nothing to help me calm down. I engage the breathing techniques that I found on Google after the first week of nightmares. One deep breath in, hold it for five seconds and then release, followed by doing it all again until I feel my heart beat starting to settle into a normal rhythm. It only takes a couple of minutes this time.
Happy with my emotions coming back into check, I walk slowly back to my queen-sized bed and hop straight in, laying on my back. I pull the covers up over me and rest my arms on top. My eyes stare at the ceiling, into the darkness above. I concentrate on maintaining my breathing, slow and deep.
I hate the fact that Dylan is still in my dreams, and that somehow, he continues to haunt me now. That wasn’t the most shocking part of the dream though. Elliot had also made an appearance, and I wasn’t adequately dressed to be in his presence. My subconscious was clearly telling me what deep down I already knew: that there was no chance for us.
I roll over onto my side and lift the pillow once again to my chest. I look toward the large window, staring through the sheer curtains, I begin the wait for daylight to break.
~ Chapter Nine ~
Monday comes and I drag myself out of bed, feeling incredibly tired. It was noticeable that these nightmares were really starting to affect me. I followed my morning routine, albeit sluggishly, taking a piece of toast with me as I headed out the front door, eating the entire piece by the time I started the car’s ignition.
The drive to work is quiet. Generally there are not many people on the road before 8:00 am. Thanks to my early start I am easily able to secure a parking spot right in front of the office. I head inside, punching my security code into the pad located to the right-hand side of the front door. Thankfully I am the first person in this morning, so there is no need to exchange pleasantries with anyone. I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that I am not quite feeling up to it just yet. Maybe after this showing.
I make my way past the reception desk, and take my turn off to the right toward my office. Once inside, I drop off paperwork that I am not going to need and collect a flyer on the home I am about to head out to show on Partridge Street. I wait for my computer to fire up; I log in and open my email program, checking a couple of new emails before making my way back out of the office. Since no one has arrived I turn the security alarm back on for now, closing and locking the door behind me.
The traffic remains light during the short drive to the property on Partridge Street, which is beneficial as I arrive at my showing five minutes early. Walking right up the front door of the house I wait for my clients. This home is presently vacant, therefore I don’t need to advise anyone I am here. Having showed the property as recently as last Friday, I know that inside the property is clean and tidy, so I decide to wait on the front porch for my prospective buyers to arrive.
Pulling up out the front in a small silver Ford, a young family exits the vehicle. The mother bends down to pick up a young girl, securing her safely in her arms. As they approach, I plaster a genuine smile across my face, “Hi there, you must be the Thompson family,” I call out.
The male in the family, a tall, slender fellow with greying hair replies “Yes we are. I’m Michael, this is my wife, Kimberley and this shy little one is our daughter, Mia.” He points each one out as he speaks their name. When he reaches the landing, a step away from me, I offer my hand which he takes within his own slender hand in a quick handshake. Kimberley just waves with a flick of her wrist, having her hands full with the now-bouncing Mia.
“Well let’s get this show on the road, shall we?” I turn and unlock the glass paneled front door, wiping my shoes on the doormat at the entrance before walking in. The property, a small stand-alone located on Partridge Street, is a quaint three-bedroom home with one bathroom, separate single garage, a level, fully fenced back yard and is located in a great school district. Internally the home is in fairly good condition, it had been giving a clean slate by the previous owners, hoping that it would appeal to more prospective purchasers. They repainted the entire inside of the home and replaced the old flooring with new dark brown carpet. The floor was a timber plank-looking vinyl, the walls had been painted a soft beige color with the trim, doors and ceiling all being white. All in all, it was clean and tidy.
I was happy that the walk-through goes by quite quickly, surprised though with the lack of conversation. Instead the Thompson family were content to be shown the home and talking amongst themselves before leaving.
Once we were again at the front of the property we spoke to one another once more. “So tell me guys, what do you think of this gem?”
“It’s great, a good size for us too which is what we are after. The renovations done to the property are very boring, I guess, but at least the walls aren’t bright colors like some of the other homes we have looked at lately” they share a knowing look at each other.
I smile. “I have seen a few homes with some bright colors in my days too. They aren’t for everyone, I’m afraid.”
“Well Angela, we will discuss it a bit more in the coming days and get back to you. Do you have a card with your details where we can reach you?”
I reach into my folder and hand them my business card. “This has my email and cell number too. Feel free to contact me with any other questions, or if you would like to have another look at the home.”
“We will. Thanks Angela.” And with that Michael offers his hand to me once more, we shake, smiling at each other and they head back to their car and drive away.
Once I return to the office, I locate Jenny at her desk. “Hey Jenny, can you meet me in my office in five minutes? I have a few things I need you to chase down for me.”
Looking up from her computer she smiles “Of course, Ange, I’ll be there in a sec.” Continuing on, I enter my own office and place my diary on the desk and open it to today’s date in front of me. I grab my coffee cup from the top drawer of my desk, along with one of the teabags I keep hidden from the other staff members, and go to the kitchen. One thing I love about the office kitchen, is having one of those permanently boiling water dispensers. I love not having to wait for a kettle to boil. Placing my cup underneath the tap I pull the lever down and boiling water slowly fills my cup. Placing the tea bag in, I wander back into my office and sit down for the first time today in my leather chair.
“Are you ready for me now?” Jenny peers around the door, I wave her in while sipping my tea, placing it down in front of me,
“Of course, come in.” Jenny takes up position on the opposite side of my desk in one of the matching black leather chairs.
