Page 24 of Stronger Than Blood
“No, it’s not a problem. She stopped being my mom long before she sent me away. Some people just aren’t cut out for having kids. They are so hyper focused on their own desires they can’t even consider someone else’s, not even their kids.”
“Yeah, I had a couple of friends who practically lived with us that had similar lives. One is dead now, and the other turned out like his parents. I lost contact a long time ago.”
“I’m pretty sure I’d have been dead too if it wasn’t for Granny,” he admitted, then looked sadly into the distance.
“I’d love to meet your Granny. I bet, from what I’ve heard about her so far, she’s a hoot.”
Mick smiled. “She’s that and more. Maybe we can work it out for you to come to the hospital with me. I told her about you last night.”
“You did?” I asked curiously. “What did you say?”
Mick laughed. “I told her I found a sucker willing to work for free ’cause he was bored.”
“Hey, that’s not what I said.” I pouted.
“No, but that was something she’d understand. If she thought I was taking charity, she’d have skinned me alive.”
“My grandparents were the same. So, you can tell her I’m a sucker if you want. I prefer you keep your skin in place.”
Mick winked at me and got up. “Well, I’m headed to the store now. If you’re sucker enough to join me, I’ll spring for supper tonight. Wednesday night is meatloaf, and although I know you probably think that’s not a big deal, you’d be wrong. Brenda’s meatloaf is out of this world.”
“Hey, everything I’ve eaten there is amazing. Yeah, I’m happy to help.” We were walking toward our vehicles when the curtains in the house flashed open. Mick froze, and goosebumps blanketed my body.
I wasn’t normally afraid of ghosts, but fuck, if this one didn’t creep me out. Once again, that triggered my protective side, and I turned to stare at the house, letting the monster know I wasn’t going to cower down to it. Then I immediately remembered Mick’s reaction when we’d touched. I turned to him, ignoring the house. “You okay?” I whispered, and he nodded. “Okay, I don’t mind leaving now. How about you?”
He shook his head but didn’t speak, almost as if he were frozen in place. “Okay, you are behind me, so I’ll follow you. And Mick—”
He looked over at me. “Don’t be afraid. In fact, don’t look back at all. This... well, ‘thing’ wants your attention and our fear. He likely feeds on fear so it’s best not to give it to him.”
Mick nodded and made a beeline for his truck. I managed to avoid looking at the house, although I’d have loved giving the son of a bitch a piece of my mind. Until I had Madam Bellamy here, though, I preferred to keep that thing at arm's reach.
Chapter sixteen
Mick
I’d always figured the only reason the entity wasn’t worse was because Granny Ida kept him in his place. She’d killed Preston Garrison, after all, and hadn’t hesitated to do so. Now she was gone, his spirit was getting stronger, and I could sense it more often. Not just in the house either. I was beginning to feel it… almost as if his spirit was starting to plague me outside the house.
When I’d connected with Rory and all that… transference had happened, I realized the entity, as Rory had called him, may not just be in the house any longer. I was, and had always been, afraid the evil jackass would follow me around, actively haunting me, though I didn’t really think he was, not totally… at least not yet. I knew it didn’t make sense, and had Rory not been at the farm when it threw the curtains back, I might have thought that was all in my mind.
I sorta wish it was in my head ’cause if I were insane, at least there’d be pills I could take to get rid of the constant feeling of fear that made me nervous and jumpy all the time.
Rory and I worked the next couple of days cleaning out Uncle Eddie’s store, although it seemed like just as we made some progress, another layer of trash emerged. The only thing that made the work better were the occasional glances I got at Rory’s incredibly beautiful body. Sometimes he’d even take his shirt off, and I was able to admire his muscles as he moved the trash or swept up around the building. One time, I was so focused on him that I knocked over a container, which almost made me jump out of my skin. We both broke out in hysterical laughter over that. I was beginning to like having him around.
But regardless of how much I was enjoying watching Rory, I was also terrified of touching him, and I couldn’t pretend that by Friday morning, I wasn’t ready to work for Brenda rather than keep working on Uncle Eddie’s trash.
Rory surprised me once again, saying he was happy to continue working at the store if I wanted him to. At first, I refused, but he just shrugged and reminded me that he didn’t plan to be here forever.
There was something about Rory, something that caused me to trust him. And frankly, I didn’t trust people easily. I tended to think all strangers were dangerous until proven otherwise. There were even people here in Piston Creek who still hadn’t broken through my barriers entirely.
Rory was already different. I trusted him almost completely. I wondered if it was just because of how attracted to him I was but then shook off the thought. No, I’d been attracted to many men who I wouldn’t give the time of day to. Regardless, even though I was sure everyone had been right in saying Uncle Eddie was likely hiding something under all the trash, I believed Rory wasn’t someone who’d steal it.
I would’ve wondered about that more, except the doctor had just walked into Granny’s room and was telling us he’d secured a room over at the rehabilitation center. “You will be morecomfortable over there, and they have the new warm pool for occupational therapy, and—”
I listened as the doctor sold what was basically a nursing home to my great-grandmother. Of course, the woman wasn’t buying it. More than once, she looked at me and rolled her eyes. Finally, she’d had enough. “Okay, okay, doc. I got it. You want to put the old woman in a home, and the old woman is too damned weak to argue. But you take my word, I ain’t gonna go over there and waste away like all the rest of them old folks do. I got canning to do and a whole mess of other stuff. So you tell them busybodies over there they best be stepping it up if I’m going there. No horsing around and putting me in a warm piss pool either. You think I don’t know them old folks can’t hold their bladder?”
The nurse who’d just come into the room snorted and dashed back out, and the poor doctor just shook his head. “The pool is filtered, but you don’t have to use it. You do, however, have to do your therapies if you want to get your strength back.”
“I’m ninety years old, Doc. I'm not a toddler who needs redirection. I’ll do what needs doin'. Now, when do you plan to boot my old ass outta here?”
