Monsters & Fairytales (43 page)

“What?” He asked with his voice a few pitches higher. “You saw a man back there?”

“Yes. He was peeking through the door.”

“Did it ever occur to you that maybe he was a burglar or something? Maybe she was in danger and needed my help.”

He started to run back inside but I grabbed him back.

“If she was in danger, she wouldn’t be so rudely trying to get rid of us. It’s not all about you, Joe. You’re not that great.” I sighed.

“Whoa!”

He took a step back and put his hand over his heart. I knew it was a low blow, but I didn’t care. He obviously needed a reality check.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.” He whispered.

“Why? You can’t handle the fact that a female actually doesn’t want to be with you? That you’re more than just looks? And honestly, they’re not so great once your words start coming out.”

I raised my hand to try to get a taxi. What was taking them so long?

“Forget it. From the moment I met you I’ve done nothing but take care of you. If you want to be that ungrateful and jealous, fine. Have fun, Mirabelle. I’ll see you back at the apartment.”

He held his hands up and stepped back.

“Jealous? Honestly? You’re ridiculous. Where are you going?”

“To make sure she’s okay. Maybe you can turn a blind eye to someone in need, but I can’t.” He said, taking off back into the hospital.

What a prick. I couldn’t believe he'd had the nerve to call me jealous and still think that nurse was all over him. What was his issue? A taxi stopped in front of me and I slid in. My head started hurting. I was feeling faint again. There was an arm on my shoulder. I jumped. Joe.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“I’m sorry.” He said.

He scooted in next to me and told the taxi where we lived. I went to interrupt, but the car took off. These people really didn’t mess around with speed.

“What made you change your mind?” I said, unenthusiastically.

“I realized you were right.”

I dropped my hand from under my chin and looked at him.

“Really?”

“No, I saw her walking down by that doctor’s cubicle. I’m sorry. I had to check. It’s just who I am. That’s all I was doing up there, anyway.”

He made some weird gestures with his arms. He looked ridiculous.

“Oh, yeah?”
I urged him on.

“Yes. I was testing the waters. If they were worried, I mean honestly worried and not just trying to get money from you, then they’d keep you overnight themselves. But they just wanted to cover their asses from insurance companies. Trust me.” He reached for my hand.

“So you did all of that to just see how serious my damage was so I wouldn’t have to pay anything more than I’d have to?”

I thought about it for a moment. It was sort of like my idea, only a little better.

“Yes.”

He smiled. He was very proud of himself.

“Really?”

I stared at him to make sure. I was smiling now, of course, but I was trying not to. I had to know he was being honest and not Joe honest. However of a good point he made, he still shouldn’t have been so rude to the nurse. He especially shouldn’t have been so rude to me.

“Really.
What’re you contemplating over in that head of yours?” He asked.

“Honestly? I can’t help but wonder what this Sebastian guy looks like.” I said, nonchalantly looking back out the window.

We were far from the hospital, but the image was burned in my mind more than my desire to argue about manners.

“Why? Are you remembering anything?” Joe asked as he instantly lit up.

“I’m not sure. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Oh. Well, he had black hair that wasn’t gelled, but it was slicked back. He looked kind of like a greaser.”

“What’s a greaser?” I was curious.

“Geez, you really are that young?” Joe grinned. I'd forgotten he'd heard me tell the nurse my age.

“Or I’m just uneducated.”

I realized both were sort of an insult but that one sounded better.

“Hmm.
Do you know what the pompadour hairstyle is?”

“Nope.”

I was laughing, now. This Sebastian guy was really a total blank in my memory. Maybe it was just a guy waiting for the bus.
Had the bus gone by?

“Alright.
Well, if you don’t know any of those things, odds are you aren’t remembering him. I can show you everything I’m talking about when we get back to your place.”

I was instantly reminded he’d be spending the night. Things were either going to be really awkward, or really good. I wasn’t
sure which I hoped for yet.

What do we
do
             

now
?

((
hypocrites never get anywhere with their morals intact
))

The taxi pulled in front of the building and stopped with a jolt. It reminded me that I had been in the car this whole time. Joe got out and tried to smile at me as he held the door open. My brain wasn’t ready for that much thought, yet. I didn’t even think to check the meter to pay the guy. There was no need to feel guilty, though. Joe was the one who had dragged me out here, caring or not. I was a very grumpy, tired person.
             

Walking like a zombie, I trudged to the front door. Almost as soon as I had reached my hand out to the handle, Joe was there. He put my arm over his shoulders and carried me to my apartment. Why was I so exhausted? Was this a side effect? The warmth of his hand on my forehead sent chills down my spine. I was glad he could read me so well. He was so good to me when it boiled down to it. I wished I could remember more about him and what we had shared. I felt like I might have loved him.
             

Spike jumped all over me the second I was inside. His kisses made all the pain go away. Smiling at Joe, I had a feeling his would have the same effect. Butterflies danced on my cheeks. Spike kissed me again and knocked me on the ground. Laughing out, Joe tugged him back. Then it hit me. Spike didn’t even seem to notice Joe. He didn’t even bark at Joe when he walked in the window. That should have been my first clue of safety. Spike would never lead me in the wrong direction. He was such a good dog. I was lucky to have such amazing pets.
             

My heart dropped. I missed Wilson. I hated this place for making me give him up; even if it was for the best. I wished I remembered giving him away, at least. The family rang a bell, but we couldn’t have honestly had a very good exchange if I wasn’t aware of it. I could only imagine how distracted and distraught I must’ve been. 

“Do you know?” I leaned down and whispered to Spike. “Is he okay?”

Spike seemed to understand me. He gave me that sideways look that was so adorable. Of course, he could have just been waiting on dinner. When was the last time I'd fed him? Where were his bowls even at? Had I even walked him recently, other than Tuesday?
Poor dog.
I was the worst.

“Is who okay?” Joe asked.

There was a weird tinge to his voice that suggested jealously.
Was he really trying
to  ruin
this moment I was having with my puppy over his own insecurities?

“My ferret.
I don’t remember selling him, but the lady called me earlier, asking questions about him.”

“Well, at least you know he’s in a good home.”

I looked at him curiously. How could I have known that Wilson was in a good home if I just said I didn’t remember giving him up? I was looking too much into it. It was late. I needed sleep. Things would only get worse the longer I stayed up.

“Hmm, yeah.
I guess you’re right.”

I stood up and wandered into the kitchen. I wasn’t sure what all I had or if the movers had gathered my food or not. Maybe I'd gathered it? I really need my memory back.
             

Joe walked around me and sat himself up on the counter. Spike rested his head against his leg and both of them were watching me. I felt like they were animals in a cage begging for food.
There needed to be a safety sign like the one they have at zoos on the invisible cage bars keeping them back, and that one tire rope for entertainment behind them.
I laughed to myself. It was quite the ridiculous spectacle.
             

Shaking my head, I started the adventure for food. In the fridge was my first clue that I had, in fact, done this. The bacon was in the bottom drawer, the mayonnaise was in the second level, and the
poptarts
were next to the milk. No one would have put their
poptarts
in the fridge. I'd definitely done this.
             

When I started getting a frying pan from under the stove, Spike almost couldn’t contain
himself
. He knew what was happening. That massive tail was beating a rhythm on the floor and his head was watching my every move. I could hear the slight whimper if stood still long enough. I smiled.
             

With the crackling of the bacon settling in, the silence became obvious. I guess we hadn’t really conversed that much in the taxi. This whole time, I had been blaming it on being tired, but it was something else. There was a weird pain in my side. Something was calling to me and I couldn’t remember. Was Joe feeding off of that? Did he think I was still upset with him? I hoped I made it obvious, but I couldn’t be sure. I wasn’t really sure of anything, other than getting Spike his treat.
             

As if he had been listening to my thoughts, Spike looked at Joe then back at the frying pan. He was making sure Joe knew he was more important. Joe did notice. He grinned and patted his head. That dog had a good character. He was so good to me to forgive me with just a few strips of bacon. I thought about how life would be if it were that easy, but in a sense, I guess it sort of
was
. Everybody had something that made them forget about all the pain inside of them. Something
so
simple as a few slices of bacon.
             

Speaking of, I wasn’t so sure that Joe was it. Was that my inner struggle? Is that what was tugging at my side? Could we both tell that the spark was only a short lived fling that we'd created because we'd wanted it to be there? That it actually wasn’t anything at all? I was jumping to rash conclusions. I hadn’t even given him a chance. Everything was so rushed between us. I bet if we sat down and there was nothing hanging over us, I’d figure it all out. Was he nervous too? How were we going to make it through the night?

“You don’t have to spend the night, I’ll be okay.” I said.

I didn’t want to make eye contact. As I said the words, I could feel his heart break. I was a terrible person. He deserved some of it from earlier, I supposed; I had forgotten about the way
he  had
acted until I mentioned it. Suddenly, I wasn’t feeling so guilty anymore. I was such a stupid teenage girl, tugging and pulling on his emotions as the wave pool of my own couldn’t make up its mind. I did want him to stay, though.

“The doctor insisted.” He replied.

It was almost as if he knew what I had been thinking and wanted to spark my temper. He pushed my buttons perfectly. In an instant I went from loving him to wanting to disrupt his life in every way possible. Were we the perfect match?

“Since when do you care what doctors wanted?” I mumbled.

“Since you did.”
He whispered.

I thought about that for a second. Did he just insult me?

“Haven’t you had enough of pushing me around?” I said.

I didn’t know why I was saying that. It felt as if someone else were pulling strings attached to my body and using my voice as a recording. I had been thinking it. I had wanted to ask him why he pushed me, but I would have never said it. What was happening?

“And I explained myself to you!” He laughed in disbelief. “I cared enough about you to take you to the hospital, yes, that was my idea. But I didn’t want to put you through unnecessary testing that was going to cost you for all these things. They may be doctors, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be greedy.” He said.

“You think I’m still stuck on that? I was talking about the literal hands you placed on me when you were trying to be suave with that nurse.” I sneered.

It was my voice, now. He was back to being egocentric. I could never date him.