Authors: I.M. Hunter
I pulled into the parking lot at Toni’s to check up on Rachael and to get some tar from her. Walking in I see Jess sitting in her normal spot.
“Jeez, you never move do you?” Smiling at her.
“Whatever David, what do you need?”
“Straight and to the point. I’m here to check up on Rachael.”
“Well she left already, said she had some sort of family emergency.”
“Emergency? She didn’t call me. How did she leave? She doesn’t have a car.”
“How the fuck should I know David? I’m not her mother. She said she had to leave and she left,” snapping at me.
“Well I need to go back into her room. I need to grab something.”
“Whatever,” rolling her eyes at me.
Walking down the hallway, moans and grunts heard through the walls of all the working girls' bedrooms. Standing in front of Rachael’s room, I placed my ear on the door to listen in. I wanted to double check she wasn’t here and screwing some guy. I know what she does for our living but I really didn’t want to see it, I couldn’t handle that.
After listening for a few seconds I was satisfied knowing she wasn’t in there and opened the door. The bed look unused, the sheets still tucked underneath the mattress, her perfume still lofting in the air, I must have just missed her. My stomach beginning to ache as the sickness started to come over me. Furiously looking through her drawers trying to find some tar that always had in here. Throwing everything out of the drawers that was in my way. It was empty, not a single hit of heroin was left laying around.
I turned around and looked throughout the room, the floor covered in clothes, lotions, and sex toys. Aggravated by my unsuccessful search, I stormed out of the room, and huff and puffed down the hallway.
“Jess where did she go?” I asked sternly.
“David, I do NOT know.”
“Do you have any tar? I need a fix.”
“I don’t do that shit.”
Storming out of the front door, “Bitch,” I screamed in a fit of anger.
Racing back to the house, hoping Rachael made it there. I picked my phone up and called her, the phone went straight to voicemail. Running every red light, speeding down the street I pulled into my parking spot and ran towards our unit. Swinging the door open, I called out for Rachael with no response. Running back into the bedroom to check the bed, she wasn’t there either. I was worried about her getting hurt but I was more concerned about where she was so I could get my fix.
Pacing around my raggedy apartment, the carpets are suppose to be beige but instead are a brown color, with stains spread throughout. Cigarette ashes lingered on the tops of the counters and ledges, with half smoked butts laying around. A yellow soot covering the walls, the smell reeked like an ashtray, but you get use to it eventually. I kept looking at the clock on the microwave wondering where Rachael was, she is suppose to be home by now. My stomach aching, coughing and gagging incessantly. Hitting me like a ton of bricks, I ran into the bathroom, a fountain of vomit came exploding out of me as I stared into a stained toilet bowl. Reaching into my pocket to get my phone out of my pants, I dialed Rachael.
After several rings she finally answered, “Hello?”
“Rachael, where are you? You okay?”
“Yea sorry, I am almost home.”
“Hurry up, I’m getting very sick.”
“Be right there babe.”
Dropping my phone off to the side of the toilet, trying to keep from throwing up again. Staring at the urine stains on the rim of the toilet making it difficult to do so. Barely brining myself to my feet, walking out of the bathroom hunched over with my arm across my stomach. With nothing to do, getting sicker by the minute, the minutes feeling like hours, I just continually pace around in circles and keep checking the clock. Finally hearing keys jiggle in the door, I bolt over to the front door as quick as I can. Rachael ran through the door in a hurry.
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" I screamed right in her face.
"I'm sorry Dave, I met a new client," She started to explain with her head down like a dog about to be beat.
"You know I don't like you meeting clients outside of Toni's, you never know who you are dealing with. Whatever you do what you want, you always do. Do you have my tar?"
"Yeah babe I got it."
Rachael began digging through her purse to find the bag of heroin she had. She reached out to give it to me, still cowering in fear. Grabbing the heroin out of Rachael's hand I picked her head up and started to caress her face.
"I'm sorry honey, I just care about you. I wouldn't know what to do without you, I just want you to be careful, okay?"
Rachael nodded her head in agreement, she still wouldn't look at me.
"Come on, lets go get off. Cook this shit up," I directed towards her.
Rachael went into the kitchen and started 'cooking' the heroin. She grabbed a syringe and spoon out of the drawer, put the tar on the spoon and added some water. Then she would heat the tar and water mixture up with a lighter from the bottom, she would then add a little piece of a cotton ball for a filter. She proceeded to pull the solution into the syringe, tapping it a couple time to get the air bubbles out.
“All ready baby," She announced to me.
We both sat down on our old raggedy couch, it reeks like sweat and dirt but it was all we had. Rachael took her belt off and tied off my arm to get to my vein. Smacking my arm she revealed a vein in the fold of my arm, she leaned in to shoot me up.
"You know I love you right?" Trying to reassure her.
She responded with a smile and shot me up. The feeling of heroin in your vein was invigorating, a feeling of euphoria. The feeling overcame my body, I was about to knock out, going into my heroin coma. I saw Rachael getting ready to shoot up, and it faded to black.
I woke up the next morning anxious and concerned. I rolled over to check my phone to see if Megan called me but deep down I really wanted Rachael to call. No missed calls from anyone, I felt alone. I jumped into the shower, and started to contemplate ways to help Rachael out of her situation. After only a few moments in the think tank that was my shower it hit me, I couldn't get the shampoo out of my hair fast enough. I wrapped a towel around my waist and rushed towards my office computer. Typed in a quick search 'Homes for Rent Near Me', location services kicked in and an endless list appeared in front of me. I found our perfect retreat in minutes, a three bedroom, three bathroom, twenty-five hundred square foot single family home in Sand Dollar Shores. Sand Dollar Shores was a beach side community with spectacular views and beach access right out of your house, it was perfect.
I called up the listing agent "Is your Sand Dollar Shores home still available?" I asked impatiently.
"Yes, it is. It's a three bedroom, three bath, twenty-five hundred square foot home. It includes a two car garage, direct beach access and a gated community. Asking price is twelve thousand a month. And It is an annual lease agreement."
Without hesitation I responded "I will take it, my name is Kevin Barrick, I will stop by your office later today to fill out the paper work. Thank you."
I hung the phone up and was all giddy with excitement, I couldn't wait to share the news. I threw on some business slacks, shiny designer dress shoes, and a button down dress shirt, and paced around the house.
It has been a couple of hours, no word from Rachael I began to worry, what if she doesn't call, something bad could of happened last night at her building. The anticipation killing me I jumped into my truck and raced over to her house.
The front lawn of the building was riddled with beer bottles and drug paraphernalia. '64-7' read the door only being able to view the outline of dirt and debris to make out the one. I knock loudly and waited a few seconds, there was no answer.
Impatiently I knocked again and let out a bellowing "Hello!"
A few seconds later a man who looked beaten up by life answered the door.
"Who the hell are you?" He asked angrily with his eyes squinted as if he hasn't seen daylight in weeks.
“Ah, you must be Rachael's uncle. I am a friend of Rachael's, my name is Kevin. Have you seen Rachael?"
With a grunt he responds "Yeah, one sec."
Rachael came to the door and her eyes light up in surprise, "What the fuck?" She asked as she pushed me out of the entry way so she could step out and close the door.
I looked her over, she was in little booty shorts, with a ripped t-shirt and no bra on. Her hair was still frazzled from sleeping and not a streak of make-up on her, she was gorgeous.
"You said you were going to call, and I haven't heard from you so I wanted to make sure you were okay," I clarified.
"You can't just show up at my house and you really need...." She began ranting before I cut her off.
"I have a surprise for you, want to come and see, please?" I begged.
"Kev, I still need to get ready and my uncle is going to need more meds soon. I just can't right now." She stood there protesting or just playing hard to get I couldn't figure it out.
"You can get ready at my house, I got plenty of clothes and we will be back soon to give your Uncle his meds, lets just go."
Reluctantly she agrees to come, cracking the door she screams into her unit to let David know she will be back later.
Rachael crossed her legs on the passenger seat sitting indian style with her head back appearing to nod in and out of consciousness.
"Do you need some coffee or something?" I inquired to see what kind of pick me up she wanted.
"Nah, I'm fine. I just need a hot shower. What is this surprise you got me?"
"It's something I really have to show you, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
She gave me a flirty smack on the arm "Come on Kev cut the shit, just tell me."
"Let's just go get ready and we will go see it." I looked over at her with an excited face.
"Uh, Fine." She pouted while rolling down her bottom lip to put on one of the sexiest pout faces I have ever seen.
We entered into the house and I directed her towards my bedroom.
I motioned towards my wife's closet. "There's plenty of clothes in there. You should be able to find something that fits." I pointed in the direction of the bathroom "There's the bathroom, everything you should need is in there. If you need anything just ask."
Rachael seemed a little perplexed by the situation. She stood there not sure what to do then rebutted with a typical Rachael comment. "Oh, your not going to come in with me?"
Chuckling I responded "I have to do a couple things before we leave, we can play later. Now go and get ready." I left the room to let her get ready to go and to get money to purchase the lease on the house.
I had money stashed all throughout my house. Money management 101 is to always have a secret stash of money, 'fun money' so to speak. There was money behind my air handler, in the air vents, under the carpets, in a safe hidden on the wall by a replica painting of 'Starry Night' by Vincent Van Gogh, and my favorite a safe hidden in the floor underneath the carpet in my office.
I went into the utility closet in the foyer area of my home which housed my air handler. Stuck my hand back there and pulled out five rolls of money. I rolled hundreds into rolls of ten thousand dollars, it was an easy system to grab money quickly when needed. I threw the money into my black leather briefcase and packed it into my truck.
Standing in the living room I just watched the water while I impatiently waited for Rachael to be ready. Boats racing by, the water splashing over itself as the waves pushed towards the rocks. The sun sparkling on the blue ocean, birds diving into the water trying to catch their food.
I heard the door creek open and she stood in the doorway "How do I look?"
I walked towards her slowly ,her placing my hand romantically on the back of her head "You always look beautiful." As I moved her hair behind her ears I noticed her wearing my wife's golden dolphin earrings, they were the first piece of jewelry I ever bought her. I haven't seen them in years I thought Megan lost them. "Where did you find those?" I asked her being very curious as to where they've been.
"They were in the pockets of these jeans and I love dolphins so it worked out. Now let's go see my surprise."
I grabbed her hand and led her to the truck. "I have to make one business stop before I show you. It's right down the street."
"Jeez Kev, your dragging this out. Way to keep a girl guessing."
I pulled into the parking lot of the real estate office. "Wait here," I demanded, grabbed my briefcase and ran into the office.
I asked the receptionist for the listing agent. He came out and greeted me "Hello Mr. Barrick, I have everything prepared just need a couple of signatures."
"Great, lead the way" I responded with a sense of urgency.
We entered his office and without sitting down I leaned on the desk and signed were the signature markers laid. Reaching into my briefcase I grabbed the rolls I counted out the thirty-six thousand he needed for the first,last, and security. He seemed astonished by the fact I was paying him in cash but that didn't stop him from taking it.
"Thank you, Mr. Barrick. Here is two sets of keys, a gate remote, and a welcome package just to show you some of the amenities in the neighborhood." He presented me a folder with all the important information.
"Thanks, have a good day." And without further adieu I was back in the truck on my way to our new home.
As we approached the entrance, I pulled over before she could see the signs of the neighborhood.
"Here put this on." I handed here a makeshift blindfold made from a towel rolled up.
She smiled at me and laughed "Your joking right?"
"Come on, just humor me would you?" I implored.
She tied it around her head and I continued to drive into our neighborhood. Looking anxiously for the house, turning my head back and forth to see the numbers.
"Oh, there it is." I proclaimed. Pulling into the driveway "Now don't peek." I teased. I grabbed Rachael by her arm and dragged her to the front doorway. "Are you ready?" my hands shook with excitement as I unlocked the door to our new home.
As we walked in, still guiding Rachael, the echoes of our footsteps filled the empty home. I positioned her in the center of the living room which offered the best views of the beach. As I untied the blindfold from her head, I leaned in to whisper in her ear "Welcome home." The blindfold fell from face, her look was priceless. Rachael's eye's opened wide and jaw dropped in astonishment of the view.
"I don't understand. What do you mean 'welcome home?'”
Still excited I told her "I rented this place for you, for us, so you could get out of that place, that horrible place. I thought you would love it."
"No, no, no. I do love it. I love that we can spend more time together. But what about my uncle? He needs me, and I need him. He's the only family I have left." She let me know of her concerns.
"Well, hmm, let me think." After a few seconds of silence I said "This place is big enough for all three of us, he can move in as well."
She smiled at me with those ocean blue eyes "You serious?" She asked in disbelief.
I quickly nodded.
"I can't believe it. This is going to be awesome!" She screamed while jumping around the empty living room in excitement. "Oh wait, there is still one big problem." She proclaimed.
"And what would that be Rachael?" I answered with confusion.
"What am I suppose to do with an empty house?" She looked towards me and gave me a sarcastic smile.
"Well that is something that is easily fix. You go shopping of course." I said with excitement. "Let's go to the mall." I grabbed her by the arm and we ran out of the house.