Page 1 of Pining for Dad's Friend On Halloween
1
Bailey
Thunder only happenswhen it’sraining.
No offense to Stevie Nicks, but that’s nottrue.
Players only love you when they’replaying.
That one…that one might betrue.
I hit my blinker and make a right onto Dad’s street. I hadn’t planned to come home this weekend, but the two hour drive gave me time to think about things. Never underestimate the regenerative power of a long drive with the windows down and the radioup.
It’s too bad that it’s impossible to drive with the windows down on October 31st, at least in the Northeast, but I do have the radio. When the song ends I reach out and turn thedial.
The Loudest Rock In New Jersey and New York Since1986!
Oh, it feels so good to hear those words. Yes, I can finally control the radio in my own caragain.
I didn’t even know I’d missed it somuch.
It’s been decided: the breakup with Adam is final. I look over at the box on the passenger’s seat, the box containing all of the stuff he’d left in my car. Aside from having all of the radio stations programmed to his preferred genres of music — oldies, classic rock, and talk radio — he left a lot of other things behind inhere.
A thermos that says “World’s Greatest Boyfriend.” I got him thatthermos.
There are library books in the box, too. Books that I could very easily make disappear if I were so inclined. Never trust an ex-girlfriend with your library books. I shake my head and huff out a laugh. Disappearing Adam’s library books wouldtrulybe diabolical. I’m notthatannoyed with him, and anyway, the mere suggestion of something bad happening to a book makes mesad.
What else is in there? I dig my hand in and put my eyes back on the road, slowly making the final crawl toward Dad’s house. My fingers catch some soft material and my heart warms. I know exactly what that is. It’s the college t-shirt my dad bought me. He bought it ahead of time and gave it to me the day I opened the acceptance letter. It brings a wistful smile to my face. Adam wore that shirt as though he himself had purchased it. I’ll give him back the library books but I am keeping the shirt and thethermos.
Adam wasn’t a bad guy. He was a great guy. He was nice enough to break up with me because I wouldn’t sleep with him. My last boyfriend didn’t give me that sameconsideration.
A crack of lightning splits the sky and is followed on its heels by rumbling thunder, followed then by the sky openingup.
Okay,nowit’sraining.
I pull into the driveway and grab my hoodie, draping it over my head for protection. I grab the box, huddle it under my arm, and make a run for it. The storm comes down like daggers, cold rain that’s almostsleet.
I arrive under the awning and grab my key from my purse. I slide it into the lock but freeze as I sense movement on the other side of the door, some rustling behind the curtained windows. The doorknob slowly turns. My heart slams against my ribcage, making one sudden thump after the other, fast andheavy.
Dad is at a conference in Philly until Monday. The only sentient being inside the house is supposed to be our black cat,Midnight.
Has anyone ever been murdered trying to getintotheir ownhouse?
I take a shaky step backwards as panic grips me. I should run, shout bloody murder up and down the street, call 911, dosomething. There’s someone inside the house, someone who is not supposed to be there, and if we are to believe slasher movies I know what my fate is going to be. The box lands on the ground with a thump. I drop my hoodie and feel the sudden torrent of rain soak my wig. There are only four people in the world who have a key to Dad’s house. The neighbors’ car is not in their driveway. I falter on the pavers and stumble backwards onto thegrass.
Then the door opens and a large male presenceappears.
“Bailey??”
I take a deep breath as relief washes overme.
“Hey.”
