Page 40 of Callan

With nothing better to do, I stroll to the kitchen, pull a notepad out of a drawer, and tear off a sheet of paper.

With my favorite pink pen in hand, I sit at the table and write down a summary of all the things I’ve noticed upstairs these past few days.

The husband getting thrown out.

The husband returning like nothing happened.

The silence.

Their silence.

Or maybe the quiet sex they had.

The husband’s absence…recently.

And today, the two strangers’ unexpected visit.

I describe all the events to the best of my abilities when laughter breaks out upstairs.

Wow.

I’m not gonna lie. I feel relieved to hear that. So much relieved. And then the usual shuffling and stomping happen.

Whatever they’re doing, it’s not sex, but what do I know?

Maybe it is.

Maybe they’re dancing.

Maybe this is some sort of foreplay I’m not familiar with.

I don’t know.

Trying not to get too distracted, I finish my essay on what my neighbor has done these past few days and feel like I’veaccomplished something that’s meaningful enough to earn more money.

Now that she has guests again, I can be of help to my boss.

The room goes quiet upstairs, and I stand up and listen. It’s like her apartment is suddenly empty.

I spin around, move to the window, open it, and scan the street.

It’s much darker than before, so I’ll need to walk out and look up and down the street to get more clues about what might be going on.

A shiver sweeps my back as the humidity in the air feels like icicles against my skin.

A few moments pass, and no one walks in or out of the building.Maybe they left already. Or they’re watching TV and eating popcorn inside the woman’s place.

Perhaps they’re waiting for her husband.

Ready to go back inside, I pivot to the door when the headlights of a car catch my eye.

The vehicle is indistinguishable from every other car parked on the street, but somehow, my heart races as if knowing the vehicle is not just any other car, and that might mean something to me.

My chest gets tight.

Is that Callan?

Have I been lookingfor himeverywhere lately?

---