Authors: Crystal Smith
Sitting up that night talking with Michelle about her suspicions only caused her fear to grow at an alarming rate. She imagined that he was happy with his work tonight. What would he do next? Would he come after her or try to hurt Michelle. What in the hell was she going to do to stop him?
Chapter Six
It felt as Lois had only just closed her eyes when the door bell caused her to stir. Rubbing was a failed attempt at removing the feeling of sand in her eyes. She cracked the door still secured by the door block looking at the young man standing there. “Yes.”
“Yes Ma’am, We have a delivery for you. Several items Miss”
“I think you have the wrong place. I didn't order anything.” And she turned to walk away.
“Are you Lois Brown?”
“Yes”
“Then these packages are for you and a Michelle.”
“Okay, hang on.” When she opened the door the line of people carrying packages passed her seemed endless.
“Um-mm, there has to be some kind of a mistake, I didn’t order anything.”
“Mr. Hasting did Ma'am.”
“Please tell Mr. Hasting, thank you but he has been kind enough and his hospitality is
appreciated but I cannot accept any further generosity. Please return the packages to him.”
“Look Ma'am, I’m paid to deliver not to return.” He and the others continued to unload
the packages and then went to the elevator and left.
All she could do was sit on the couch and stare at the unopened packages. What could be in so many packages? Curiosity took a hold of her. She began shuffling through the packages.
Clothing, what in the world. Size 4, how could he have known my size. Size six. Who, how did he know her size.
“Michelle, get in here, you’re not gonna believe this one!”
“Holy Shit. What is this?”
“Tom. Look, size 4, size 6.” Her eyes huge in disbelief.
“Wow, he’s good. Ok you must have really been good because no man has ever bought me and my bestie a new wardrobe before.” Michelle however was like a child on Christmas morning itching to see what Santa had brought for them.
“Look this box is specifically marked Michelle and this one has Lois on it.”
“Odd isn’t it?”
“Exciting.” As if Michelle had to say it. Excitement was clearly visible as they opened the packages and both of them dropped their jaws. Inside Michelle’s box was your ordinary undergarments. Nothing special.
Inside Lois’s package was totally different. Undergarments, lingerie. Sexy lingerie. Oh my. Lois felt the heat surging to her face as she looked inside.
“Well, I guess he is going to expect to see them on you now!” Michelle laughed. After removing the last sexy piece of fabric there it was.
“Look, body spray. Smells like. Oh my god, smells like peaches.” As if the entire wardrobe being delivered to her room wasn’t enough to completely surprise her, the fact that he knew the scent that was the most beautiful thing in the world to her took amazement to a whole new level.
“Wow, he really is good. Did you tell him?”
“No.”
“Well, then he either remembers the smell or is psychic. I’m betting it’s the smell.” Michelle smiled knowing that Lois knew exactly what she was talking about.
She placed the box aside and began going through box after box of shoes. There must have been ten pair. All heels, high, very high heels. “These will take some time to get used to.” Michelle didn’t hear a word Lois spoke. She was too busy to listen.
All of the sudden Lois’s cell began ringing. She looked at it. Her knight in shiny armor.
“Hello.”
“Hey, did you get a package?”
“Um, no, I did however receive a mall at the front door this morning.”
“Good. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, I don’t believe so. I think you got it all. Thank you. It’s really too much. You have already done so much.”
“Not really, just made a few calls and it is one hell of a tax write off.” He chuckled.
“So did you personally pick out the clothes?”
“No, why do you ask?”
“Well, let’s just say some of mine are quite different then Michelle’s.”
“Well, I hope so, don’t want you two dressed liked twins every day.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“So, take the day off, it’s already 11:30, do what women do when they are at the mall. Did you go see Dr. Jamishy?”
“No I only just woke up.”
“Ok, well make sure you do. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
“What do you suppose we should wear first?” Michelle’s eyes filled with enthusiasm and playfulness. Like a child eager to play dress up in her mother’s clothes.
“I don’t know. I think whatever we want to.” Michelle smiled at Lois and grabbed her things and rushed to her room.
Lois no sooner finished dressing and again she heard the doorbell. What else? She thought to herself. She opened the door and Tom was standing there.
“Peaches, let’s go.” His words just as smooth as could be.
“Hello Tom, where are we going?”
“You have to go see Dr. Jamishy. Come on lets go.”
“I haven’t told Michelle about anything." Her voice fell quickly to a whisper. “And I don’t plan on it either. I don’t need the one person I care for the most, worrying any more than they already do. Let me just let Michelle know we are leaving.” He nodded in approval looking at his watch gesturing times a ticking.
“Michelle, I’m going out for a little while. Be back soon ok.”
“Ok. Where you going?”
“I’m going with Tom. Don’t answer the door for anyone unless you know who they are no matter what they tell you understand me?”
“Jesus Lois, your freaking me out. I won’t ok.”
“I’m sorry Michelle, I just don’t know what I would do if I lost my bestie.” Michelle always referred to Lois as bestie, Lois thought of her as family and often referred to her as her sister although Lois had no sisters of her own.
“Good thing I’m not going anywhere. Try to have some fun would you?”
“Yeah, fun. This should be a hoot. Seeya.”
“Hey Tom,,,,” Lois immediately knew Michelle was about to say something that would sure enough embarrass her…. “Lois loved the peaches. Good job man.” Michelle smiled and shut the door to her room quickly so that she didn’t have to deal with Lois and the back lash of her words to Tom.
Lois halfway hoped he would be gone when she returned. Ha, wishful thinking. He was still standing there, Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome smiling, devilishly. “Are you ready? We don’t have all day.” He said it with a ‘I so have you’ smile on his face although she didn’t find anything funny about this situation at all.
“So where is his office at?”
“Across town. So what did Michelle mean last night?”
“Mean about what?”
“Don’t play with me. You know what I am talking about. What does she mean do you think he did it? Is she talking about that douche Alex?”
“I don’t know why you would think that. Just let it go. It was electrical. You heard the fire investigator say it.”
“I don’t like being lied to Lois. If he is after you, you need to tell me.”
“He isn’t after me Tom. So how long do you think this is going to take?” Irritated now.
“You’re changing the subject Lois.” His words grew harder as he forced them to remain low toned.
“Yes, I am. I love this song. Don’t you?”
“It’s ok I guess. You’re not gonna answer me are you?”
“How can you say that? She is like the best singer ever in any genre.” She purposely denied an answer yet giving him his answer at the same time.
“Easy there Miss Obsessed Fan, I wouldn’t totally disagree with you, but there are others that I think rank right there with her. There aren’t many but I could name a few.”
“I don’t think so and I’m not obsessed, I just know what I like.”
“Let me guess, I bet you voted repeatedly didn’t you?” Sarcasm noted.
“Yes, as a matter of fact I did. I happen to think that she deserved it. She is honest, and she is thankful. That is saying something. Her faith in the Lord amazes me.”
“I wouldn’t have thought you to be very religious Lois.”
“Just because I don’t talk like you think a Christian talks, or act the way a good Christian in the eyes of the world should or would, doesn’t mean that I don’t believe in the Lord. I truly believe that I am a good person, have a good heart and with everything inside me and deep in my heart, I believe that if you live to be the best person to your ability, then you’re living a good life. He has helped me a few times in the past. I owe him my life. What do you believe?”
“I believe that he gives your life, but what you do with it is on you. I don’t believe that you have to be in church to pray. I believe he hears you wherever you are. And I believe that it is your free will that can get you in or out of circumstances that lead you to him or pushes you away.”
“Yeah, me to.” Okay, now she was seriously surprised.
“Well I would love to carry on with this conversation, but I am more interested in finding out what ails you. We’re here. Come on lets go.” He was out of the car before she could say anything opening her door.
He possessed her hand the entire walk into the building. She couldn’t help but to look at their fingers entwined. She enjoyed it tremendously. As if he were telling everyone that looked their way she belonged to him. That feeling alone had a since of pride developing in her that she was able to get a man like Tom Hasting to claim her.
The seating area had a few people waiting. It was very nice. Black leather, plush seating. Not like she had ever seen in a doctor’s office before. Her experience was the hard to sit in chairs so you wind up changing from cheek to cheek almost the entire two to three hours she had to wait.
“Mr. Hasting’s hello. You must be Miss. Brown. Follow me please.” Lois definitely was confused. She didn’t have to sit and wait like the others, instead she was following the nurse back. When they stopped at the scale Lois turned and stared at Tom. “Could you please turn around?” He squinted his eyebrows together for a moment but then he smiled let out a loud breath rolling his eyes and turned.
109lbs. Damn, I knew that some of the clothes I tried on today were a little loose but I didn’t think it was because I had lost weight.
“Fill out this paperwork please. I need your ID and insurance card to copy please.”
“Here’s my ID, but I don’t have insurance.”
“Thank you.” She took her ID and left.
Before Lois even started the paperwork Dr. Jamishy was there. “Miss. Brown, Tom, it’s nice to see you both. So I would like to run some blood work and take some urine.”