Mind Slide (9 page)

Doc laughed. “You have a good night, Mason.”

“You too, Doc.”

Doc cried as he drove away.

Kelly maneuvered in between people and tables as she made her way back to the register. She stole a quick glance at her cell phone to see it was nearly midnight. The restaurant would be closing soon, and still was packed. She hated working at Friday's on a Saturday night. The truth was she hated working at Friday's on any night.

“Kelly,” her manager said. “I think table fifteen is ready to leave.”

“Yeah, yeah. I'm heading over now.”

She dabbed at her pants from where Tony had spilled soda on her earlier. The clumsy kid had tried to carry one soda too many on his tray, and Kelly had to pay the price. He spilled one all over her when turning around from the soda machine. Her black slacks took most of it.

The soda was sticky on her leg, making her uncomfortable. She had traded one terrible uniform early in life for another one in her early twenties. The black slacks weren't uncomfortable, but they hugged every curve from the waist down, and she felt far too exposed wearing them. There were far prettier women that worked at Friday's besides her, so she didn't have to worry too much about men staring at her. Still, she hated her uniform. The obnoxious yellow shirt was an eyesore as well. But it was a job, and it helped pay the bills.

She couldn't wait to go home and tear off her clothes. She also couldn't wait for the day when she could burn them.

She waited patiently near the front door when it was time to leave, and triple checked her purse to make sure her pepper spray was still inside. She left with a crowd of people and crossed the parking lot to her car. Creepy George invited her to yet another party, which she turned down. He would get the hint one day to leave her alone.

As soon as she stepped foot in her apartment she stripped down to her panties and bra and tossed her clothes in the hamper in the closet. She caught a glimpse of her scarred foot and looked away, a reminder of a night that would stay with her the rest of her life. She made sure to lock the door behind her. One of the bonuses of her roommate leaving her high and dry was being able to walk around the house completely naked if she wanted to.

There was a stack of bills on the coffee table. That was one of the drawbacks.

She freed her red hair from her ponytail and sat on the couch with a glass of water, still not bothering to get dressed. The apartment was quiet. The only thing she heard was the couple that lived next to her having sex on their couch, and that only lasted a few minutes. After working eight hours in a busy restaurant, quiet was what she needed.

She was alone at one in the morning on a Saturday. Work was an easy target to blame, but knew even if she didn't work nights she'd still be alone.

It was a good idea she'd sworn off dating for a while. Her last date was nearly a year ago.

It was a disaster.

The guy seemed nice enough. They met while she was working one night, and decided to have dinner. He kept giving her a strange look, then decided to yell in the middle of their meal, for the entire restaurant to hear.

“Hey! You're the one who got kidnapped a few years back!”

Kelly's pale skin had never been more red.

Whenever she felt sad at her lack of a love life, she remembered that moment.

Countless hours in therapy could barely set her straight after that horrible night. She still woke up screaming, and didn't need a man to complicate matters.

The phone rang as she channel surfed. She gave the phone an odd look, knowing it couldn't be for her. She didn't have any friends. It was probably for her old roommate. Not everyone realized she had moved.

She double checked the caller ID to make sure it wasn't her father, saying how much he missed her. Their relationship hadn't improved at all over the years. He still was never there when he needed her. She went through the entire aftermath of her kidnapping alone. After her kidnapping, it seemed like he spent even more time in the nuthouse with that boy Mason.

He called often now, though. She avoided him as much as possible. Was he trying to make amends for twenty-three years of neglect?

She didn't care. It was too late now.

She was relieved when she saw it wasn't him calling.

“Hello?”

“Is this Kelly Rierson?”

She tensed up. “Yeah it is. A little late for a phone call, isn't it?”

“I'm Officer Tate-”

She stood up from the couch and paced. “Are you serious? Look, my roommate
just
moved out. I know I'm a month behind on rent. But I picked up an extra shift, and I'm making better tips than ever. I'll catch up.”

“Miss Rierson, I'm not calling about your rent. I'm calling about your father-”

“Dad? I haven't talked to him in a long time. Is he okay?”

There was a long pause. “No, Miss Rierson. I'm afraid not.”

*****

Kelly had never set foot in a funeral home. She had to drive past two on the way to work, and the thought of a building dedicated to mourning, to sadness, was enough to bring a tear to her eye.

She would look at the people gathered in the parking lot, and knew they were in the middle of a dark point in their lives.

Now she was one of those people.

The funeral home was unsettling. Dark, somber colors. A family cried in a room to her left. Flowers and chairs lined the halls. A nicely dressed man guided people to which room they had to go to.

It felt like a dream. One moment in Kelly's life, her biggest concern was the rent.

Now she had to bury her father.

She felt strangely numb as people she didn't know constantly walked up to her during her father's wake and offered their condolences. They introduced themselves as doctors, fellow colleagues, even friends. None of them stayed long, and for that Kelly was thankful. She was happy with the moments in between visitors when it was just her and her father.

She didn't get a lot of that growing up, and she would never have the chance.

The room was a touch on the red side. There were more flowers and chairs, and paintings on the walls. Dad was in an open coffin, his arms straight at his sides, wearing a suit.

Waves of emotions constantly attacked her. She could only look at his peaceful visage for a moment before walking away crying, then repeating the process. There was anger for her father never being there. She was angry at herself for always being angry at her father, and at the drunk driver that hit her father on the highway, killing them both. There was sadness for the drunk driver's family.

So much anger and sadness.

In the middle of all the emotions were the circumstances she had to deal with. She never had anything to do with a wake or funeral before. Dad's lawyer, a man named Barry, was taking care of everything. Apparently Dad had set everything up ahead of time regarding his death. Barry would read the will after the funeral. Kelly nearly cried at the thought of her father sitting around with a lawyer, planning out his death.

She gave Barry the lawyer a small wave as he poked his head in the room once again. She appreciated the fact that he checked up on her. No doubt a request from Dad.

The viewing hours were nearly over when two men walked into the room. They strolled over to the book near the door and signed their names. She was annoyed at first, just wanting to go home and cry alone.

Surprise hit her when she recognized one of them.

Same close blond hair cut, same strong build. He hadn't aged much at all, except for a little more experience behind the eyes. He wore a white shirt and tie instead of a blue uniform. She'd seen him a lot after the days of her kidnapping, and owed him her life.

“Officer Brian?” she asked. “Is that you?”

He smiled. “Hi, Kelly. Please, just call me Brian. Wow, you've, uh, grown.”

Her weight was fine, so he was either complimenting her figure, or just very uncomfortable.

She looked at the man next to Brian for the first time.

He didn't look at her. His eyes were locked on Dad, just fifteen feet away. He looked to be about her age. Very attractive. Short black hair and dark brown eyes. Well muscled, but slouched a little. He looked a little pale, like he'd been sick.

She didn't think he was related to Brian. They looked nothing alike. Brian looked like he'd just left work. His friend looked like he lounged around all day in jeans and a black tee shirt.

Kelly tried to subtly get his attention with her eyes. She flashed Brian a smile, then looked back to his friend again.

Brian got the hint.

“Mason, buddy?” he said, nudging Mason's shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Hearing his name was like a punch to the gut.

That old bitterness started to rise up once again. She held onto it like a long lost friend. It was far easier to be bitter than it was to cry.

Mason shook his head and looked into Kelly's eyes. He had vomited in the bathroom just ten minutes before, and felt like he could again. His emotions were causing him physical problems.

He couldn't believe Doc was gone. He almost fell to the floor when Brian called him. It took standing in the same room with his dead corpse before it finally became real.

At odds with his grief were the butterflies in his stomach from being in the same space with Kelly again. He knew she would never know it, or probably even see it the same way, but they went through a very traumatic experience together. He was with her in that dark, terrifying basement. No one else could say that.

It was silly, but he felt like they had some kind of connection.

Kelly felt no such connection.

“Hi. I'm Mason Thomas.” He extended his hand. “I've heard a lot about you. I've always wanted to meet you.”

She didn't shake his hand. All of those lonely nights at the dinner table came rushing back to her. All because little Mason had a screw loose. She had no idea why he was at Yingling, and didn't care.

“I wish I could say the same.”

The tension was thick. Mason let his hand fall to his side. Brian looked around awkwardly. He wanted to stay with his best friend, but saw Barry motioning for his attention.

“You gonna be okay?” he asked Mason. “That guy is signaling me over there.”

Kelly turned around. “That's Barry, my father's lawyer.”

“Yeah, I'm fine,” Mason said, looking at Kelly and Brian both. “I won't be long. I just want to say goodbye to Doc.”

Kelly scoffed at the nickname.

The three went in different directions. Brian walked over to talk to Barry. Kelly sat in a chair against the wall while Mason slowly approached the open coffin.

She crossed her legs and smoothed her skirt. She double checked her panty hose to make sure it covered the scars on her foot. The biggest scar, the one that stretched from her big toe almost to her ankle, was nearly visible. She uncrossed her legs and moved her bad foot behind the other.

She didn't mean to eavesdrop. The room was small and everything was so quiet.

“Now
you
get to mind slide, Doc,” Mason said. “I always liked the Eiffel Tower, myself. I'll miss you.”

Kelly narrowed her eyes and stared at Mason's back. He seemed sane at first glance, but she reminded herself he spent a long time in her father's care at the nuthouse.

Strangely, he was the only one of her father's patients that showed up to pay his respects.

That eased her bitterness. Just a little.

He turned around and caught her staring. She stood up and walked toward him. He actually flinched and backed up a step. They moved away from the coffin. She stood next to him and watched Brian and Barry talk on the other side of the room.

How did Brian and Mason meet? It had to be through Yingling, no doubt after the kidnapping. Her father spent a lot of time with Mason, and Brian spent time after the kidnapping with her father. They probably bumped into each other somewhere along the way, and became friends.

Did Mason know of her kidnapping?

“The funeral is tomorrow,” Kelly told him, an edge still in her voice. “At ten in the morning.”

He swallowed and nodded. She intimidated him. The truth was simple. He wasn't good with women. He was not the dashing, confident man that took charge of a room.

“I know,” he muttered.

He wiped a tear from his face. Kelly caught him out of the corner of her eye.

“You knew my father a long time.”

“We had a...weird relationship.”

She gave her father a quick glance and felt the familiar sadness she carried her whole life.

“Well, whatever it was, it was more than we had.”

Mason looked at her. He remembered Doc's face on the night of her kidnapping. The pain, the fear in his eyes.

“He loved you. You know that, right?”

She smirked sadly and shrugged. “If you say so.”

Brian walked back and stopped when he saw Mason and Kelly. He looked surprised to see them standing together.