Page 60 of Backdraft
"You mean you forgot already? Do I have to remind you what just happened?"
Her aggravation came off in angry waves, and her tone was a complete one-eighty-degree flip from just moments earlier. It shocked him.
"Hey, what's going on?" His agitation on the drive home crept in, and he couldn't shut it down.
"What's going on?" She turned and placed a hand on her hip. "What's going on is I'm being threatened. Targeted."
"I know. That's why I urged you to go to the cops." He stepped forward and opened his eyes wide to emphasize the words. He was stunned at the way she’d jumped down his throat. He didn't understand where it was coming from.
Drea shook her head and turned back to the carrots, angrily using the peeler on them. Taylor watched her destroy the vegetable. "Look?—"
She turned on him. "Look what?" she snapped. "I'm not sure you really understand. How could you? Have you been threatened like this before? Has your vehicle been keyed and tires slashed? Did anyone ever leave you a heinous image?"
She was on a roll, and he sensed that things were about to go south fast if he didn't step back and shut up. He lifted his palms up and faced her. "Okay, whoa, where did this all come from?"
She blinked and shook her head with her lips pressed together. Was she going to cry?
Taylor dropped his hands and took a step toward her. He was shocked when she subtly leaned away.
"Okay, I'm sorry for whatever it was I said that upset you. Obviously, this isn't the time to talk. I'll be outside if you need me." He wasn’t sure how to handle this without it blowing way out of proportion. Maybe all she needed was a little bit of time to burn off whatever was firing her up. He’d be here when she needed him.
She returned to brutalizing the carrot, not saying anything. Taylor left and went out to the porch. What the hell was that? He ran the conversation over in his mind and shook his head.
At the station, she'd been almost upbeat after her initial meltdown in his arms. Now she was almost feral. What had happened between the police station and home?
I dropped the carrot and the peeler in the sink. What the heck just happened? Everything just blew out of proportion in a hurry.
I rested my palms on the edge of the farmhouse sink and dropped my head. Taylor was only trying to be there for me, and I was wrong to react the way I did.
Suddenly, I had no appetite. When the timer went off on the air fryer, I took the wings out and dumped them into a bowl. It had been a very emotional few hours, and I couldn’t explain my behavior. Maybe everything was coming to a head. Or maybe it was something deeper. Maybe I was getting the feeling it was time to flee. To take off like I always do when I get too comfortable. Only this time, it had happened really fast. I hadn't even been here a month and was entertaining the idea of finding somewhere else to go. Usually, it took a year or so before the urge to run hit me.
My childhood had definitely fucked me up, no doubt about it. That damn fire that killed my dad had left me with fear. Fear I'd lose people I cared for. Fear of losing valuable and precious items. That’s why I was anal about what was important to me.
So… I'd run when things were too comfortable. In this case, I was getting very comfortable with Taylor, so comfortable that I was living with him. Running wasn't helping anymore, though.
Should I find my own place? But that would mean making a commitment to stay here. I was being irrational, but I just couldn't get myself into a cohesive thought pattern. To my horror, I knew I was going to cry. I ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room. I shut the door and flopped on the bed. Cinder was sleeping on my pillow, and he lifted his head and gave me a very quizzical look.
"I'm sorry, buddy. I didn't mean to disturb you." I reached over and stroked his neck. He stretched out his front legs, spanning his paws to show me his claws again. He started to purr and flopped over onto his back with his feet in the air.
"Animals are the best. I always feel at least a little better when you're with me."
I lay there with the cat that had adopted me and went over everything that had transpired. It was time to really think about my future. I wasn’t getting any younger. I’d never really thought about hopes, dreams or where I wanted to be in five, ten… twenty years! Time ahead of me seemed infinite and unable to comprehend. Part of why I did my best to live in the moment. As much as I could anyway, but I did need reminding every now and then. Did I want to quit running and give Oak Creek a chance?
A little whisper in my mind reminded me there was still the offer from Key West.
But that meant running, moving…again. I rolled onto my side and looked out the window at the tree in the backyard. I liked it here. I liked it with Taylor.
He was a good man, and we’d found something together a few years ago. Fate had reunited us. Maybe with both of us being damaged we could find solace in each other.
A wonderful breeze blew in through the open window, lifting the curtains. They mesmerized me. I watched them dance on the gentle air and relaxed into the soft pillows. I pulled Cinder into my belly. His purring soothed me, and I was glad I’d kept him. He’d chosen me. If I hadn't found him in the wall that day… I didn't want to think about it.
"You never have to worry about being homeless again," I whispered into his soft fur.
I'd been homeless. It wasn't fun. Maybe that's another reason I was so staunch about being in control of my life. Because I did not want to be homeless ever again.
Or alone.
I had to make some changes.
