They’d just finished loading Alicia’s belongings into the trunk and back seat of Alyssa’s car when they walked over to where Nakia stood and said their goodbyes.
“Keep in touch,” Nakia said, patting the head of her dog as it stood beside her.
“I will,” Alicia promised.
“Come visit me from time to time.”
“I’ll do that, too.”
Oh God, thought Alyssa. I am not bringing her here so I can spend an hour or two in that God-awful smelling house. I’ll drop her off and go run errands while she’s visiting.
They were walking over to the car when a loud popping sound suddenly rang through the surrounding trees, and Alicia started screaming. She screamed and screamed, her hands shakily floating up to cover her ears as she ran around in circles.
Alyssa, who was about fifteen feet away, darted over and grabbed her. “Calm down! It’s ok. You’re safe. No one’s shooting at you.”
“God damn those rednecks!” Nakia shouted. “Over and over they’ve been complained about, yet they still won’t take their target practice to the range where it belongs.”
“That’s it, take a deep breath,” Alyssa encouraged as Alicia struggled to slow her breathing.
“I’m so sorry, honey,” Nakia said.
“It—it’s ok. You didn’t know,” Alicia said breathlessly.
Alyssa gently rubbed her back in slow circles.
“It just sounded so—”
“Yeah, I know, hun,” Alyssa said softly.
“I’ll be ok, though, and I’ll be back soon,” Alicia assured her friend, and then they climbed into the car and left.
They didn’t talk much on the road. Finally, Alyssa said, “Hey, are you ok there, buddy?”
Alicia looked at her and said, “Yes. I just hope there are no more reminders of such force like that, or at least not very often.”
Alyssa smiled and patted Alicia’s thigh, surprised at how firm it felt. She sensed that Alicia was trying very hard to hold it together and mentally put herself in her shoes. She’d been there too. She knew how scary it was—the day that sicko decided to fire at people in the path of his estranged wife. For all she knew, she could have been shot too, maybe even killed. But to imagine losing the last of your family and facing homelessness on top of it had to be truly agonizing. She may have saved Alicia from the streets and possibly even from killing herself, but to suddenly walk out of one life and into a new one—even if it ended up being better—had to be overwhelming.
“So,” Alyssa said, partly to make conversation and partly to understand her better, “what has your overall life been like? Would you say it was good, bad, somewhere in between?”
Alicia shrugged. “A mix of up and down, I guess. For a while there, it was rough sailing. I watched my dreams become nightmares, and then my nightmares become reality.”
“Then you’re certainly due for a break.”
Alicia nodded but didn’t respond. Alyssa got the impression she wasn’t sure that break would ever come. Then she remembered that she was responsible for Alicia, in a sense.
“Would it be ok if we went through your stuff together when we unpack? That way, I can give you suggestions on the best places to keep things.”
“Of course,” Alicia said. “Though most of it can just sit in its boxes. I only need the bare essentials right now anyway.”
They pulled into the driveway and got out of the car. Rayna was out front, as if she’d been expecting them at that precise moment. She slowly sauntered over and said, “Wow, you have a lot of stuff there.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that,” Alicia said.
“No, no, that’s fine.”
Turning to Alyssa, Alicia asked, “Do you have a particular place you’d like me to put the non-necessities? The shed or something? The boxes are marked, so I know what I need and what I don’t.”
Alyssa thought for a moment. “Nah, let’s just bring everything inside, go through it, then decide from there.” She wanted to see what Alicia actually had—not because she expected weapons or drugs, but because seeing was believing.
“Ok. Should we take them in now or later?”
“Now’s good.”
“Yes, boss,” Alicia said, giving a formal salute.
Alyssa and her mother, who insisted on helping carry boxes, laughed.
They piled everything on Alyssa’s bed.
“You guys feel up to a lunch break?” Rayna asked.
“Sure,” Alyssa said, while Alicia added, “That would be sehr gut.”
Alyssa and her mother both turned to her. “What?”
“It’s German for very good.”
“Oh yeah?” Rayna asked.
Alicia nodded.
“Wow. German, huh?”
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded in the hall, and Dan filled the doorway. “You ladies still looking forward to the swap meet we planned?”
Alyssa noticed the flash of anxiety on Alicia’s face as she and her mother assured Dan they still wanted to go.
“Don’t worry,” Alyssa told her. “We won’t leave you alone. You’ll come with us. It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah, being alone would probably make you nervous, huh?” Rayna added.
Alicia glanced between them.
“It’s ok to admit you’re not ready to be left alone,” Alyssa said gently.
“I definitely prefer being around people right now,” Alicia admitted. “But are you sure I wouldn’t be imposing?”
Both Alyssa and her mother assured her she wouldn’t.
“I’ve been to swap meets before,” Alicia said. “They’re fun. You never know what you’ll find.”
“That’s true,” Rayna agreed. “It’s not like a department store.”
They had soup and sandwiches for lunch. Later, Alyssa and Alicia went through the boxes while Rayna watched TV and Dan changed the oil in his car. Alyssa noticed that Alicia liked to hoard small knick-knacks—dolls and realistic animal figurines.
“Wow. You’ve got everything. Dogs, cats, horses, bears.”
“Between twenty and twenty-five animals,” Alicia said proudly.
Alyssa chuckled and admired a few dolls. “This one’s cute.” Then, “I love that dress. Imagine looking that glamorous.”
“Why?” Alicia said. “You’re better looking than any doll.”
Alyssa looked at her, lust unmistakable in her eyes. Cami was right, she thought. Wow.
She wasn’t bothered by it. Alicia wasn’t bad-looking herself. Still, Alyssa wasn’t sure what she wanted. It hadn’t been long since her breakup with Donte, and she didn’t want to start something she couldn’t finish.
Right now, Alicia’s stability mattered more.
Together, they decided what stayed and what would be stored.
“You know you can keep a doll or two in here,” Alyssa said.
“Oh, you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
Alicia chose two dolls and placed them on the dresser.
“We’ll keep your clothes in the suitcase for now,” Alyssa said. “And this week we’ll get you bins or drawers. Plus, any new clothes you need.”
Alicia dropped the shirt she was holding, her eyes filling with tears. She stumbled forward and wrapped her arms around Alyssa.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Alyssa said, stroking her curls.
“Ready for the swap meet?” Alyssa asked brightly.
Alicia nodded eagerly.
ns216.73.216.37da2
and then Add to home screen.