Page 14 of The Ghost of You

I look out my kitchen window and see Anna dragging a huge ten-gallon jug of water across her lawn.

I put the picture back in its hiding place. I take a deep breath in and out. Foregoing the ghost of Claire.

I pick my tools up off the floor of the kitchen and move them to the front door. I run upstairs and change, my mind fighting me, begging for a distraction to keep the disheartening thoughts of my ex-wife from beating me down again. Burying my hardened heart deeper into the box I locked it up in.

I walk out the door with tools in hand, hoping Anna will let me in. She is the distraction I need.

I knock on her door. I hear a shuffling in the background and then the click of the lock being turned. Before I can even say a word, her hazel eyes go big, her cheeks turn red, and she slams the door in my face.

Yep, she is still embarrassed.

I knock again. “Come on Anna, open up. I’m here to apologize.”

Through the door she talks to me. “No way. Not a chance. I think it’s best we never see each other again.”

“But it’s okay to talk to me through the door?”

“No, that’s not okay either. No more talking to each other.”

“Alright then, I guess I’ll just back away.”

“Good, you do that. Farther. But watch out for the step,” she says as I slowly walk backward.

I smirk at that. “If we can’t see each other, maybe you should stop looking at me through the peephole.”

“I’m not,” she yells, only making my smile bigger.

“Is that so? Well you should stop talking to me too since you said we can’t talk to each other either.”

“You are the one that keeps talking!”

I shake my head because I know she is watching me. “No, I am just responding to you.”

“Ughh, you are so frustrating!”

“Then open the door, Anna. I come in peace. As an apology for walking in on you last night, I thought I would try and fix your shower.”

“It’s not broken.”

“Is that right? Then why did I see you pulling a giant-ass jug of water across your lawn ten minutes ago?”

I hear her humph through the door. “Are you spying on me?”

“Nah. Just happened to look out my window when it happened. Now open the damn door so I can help you.”

The door rips open faster than I thought. Anna stands in the doorway, arms crossed, pushing her ample breasts up, her cleavage spilling over her tank. “You are so demanding. I don’t even want to deal with you. So just try and fix the damn shower. I need a nap before I head into my other job. Try not to make too much noise.”

With that, she turns around and storms into her house, leaving the door wide open for me.

Well, I guess I got my distraction.

She slams the door to her bedroom and I can’t help but chuckle. I walk into her bathroom and set my tools down. I look under the sink for towels and can’t find any. I check the hall to see if there is a linen closet, but all I can find is a coat closet.

I knock on her door. I don’t want to bother her because I know she wants to nap but I also know how worked up she was and there is no way in hell she is asleep.

“Go away.”

I try the handle, not wanting to have another conversation through a door and find it’s unlocked.

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