AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nature mostly, just sketches and scribbles. What do you do for fun?”
She sighs and props the stick against the firepit. “I’ve recently been looking for new hobbies. You saw my beginner crochet abomination, but I haven’t given up on that yet. I’d like to learn an instrument, but I can’t decide which one. I like to read, and I go to a lot of concerts.” Her expression fills with joy. “That’s my favorite thing. I have a group of friends that I met online years ago. We meet up at different music festivals and concerts. I saw Blue Orbit a couple of months ago.”
Blue Orbit is one of my favorites, though I haven’t seen them in concert. I haven’t been to a live show since I was in my early twenties. “Have you heard their latest album? They went in a different direction.”
“I have! I love it. I can’t wait to hear it live,” she says, beaming at me.
“Is that the genre you prefer? Rock?”
“Indie rock, some folk rock and blues. Some of the hard stuff is good, but I’m not really into metal. How about you?”
“I listen to a little bit of everything except country.”
We spend a good hour discussing our favorite bands and songs before the conversation switches to books we’ve read and shows we’ve watched. By the time we’ve relit and smoked the remainder of the joint she brought, it’s almost midnight. The evening hours that can often torture with the way they drag have moved by effortlessly. Too quickly.
I could spend forever here, listening to her laugh light up the night.
My day starts with a call I’ve been waiting for but always dread. “Mr. Shaw?”
“This is him.”
“I’m calling from Doctor McAllister’s office with your test results.”
I want to believe her peppy voice means good news, but I’ve been fooled before. She can give devastating news in that same tone. “I’m ready,” I sigh, and the seconds seem to stretch out as the sound of papers shuffling fills the brief silence.
“The ultrasound results look good. There’s some minimal regurgitation that the doctor said he talked to you about before, but it hasn’t progressed. We’ll continue to monitor but he isn’t concerned at this point. Everything looks the same as it did on your last visit.”
“That’s good,” I breathe, relieved.
“Yes, it is. I’ve called in your prescription refill. Continue it as usual. You know the routine by now. Moderate exercise is fine but nothing too strenuous, and if you have any symptoms or anything changes, let us know. Otherwise, we’ll see you in six months.”
After thanking her, I call my mom to set her mind at ease as well, then head outside into the bright afternoon sun. There’s nothing that needs to be done today that can’t be put off until tomorrow. I’m just going to enjoy the day.
My intention was to take a walk through the woods, but the sight of Calli turns my steps in her direction. She leans against the huge trunk of a tulip poplar tree behind her cabin, holding her metal detector. Shadows shift and dance across her face, courtesy of the sunlight filtering through the foliage as she holdsa hand over her mouth. The sound of laughter leaks through her fingers and cloaks the soft crunch of my footsteps, allowing me to remain unnoticed.
The sight of her joy is as beautiful as she is. My opportunity to admire her discreetly is cut short by my laugh when I see what has her so amused. A few yards away, at one of her bird feeders, a squirrel desperately tries to climb the pole. Its tiny paws scrabble at the slick surface, but only halfway up, it begins to slide back down. Her head whips around, and she beams at me.
Christ, look at her. Tendrils of sun-streaked hair float on the slight breeze as pale blue eyes meet mine, gleaming the gray of burnished metal in the light. The way she makes me feel is almost indescribable. I’m so drawn to every inch of her. Her laugh lightens something inside of me, loosens my chest and brings a smile to my lips every time I hear it. She makes me long for things I’ve long ago given up.
“I greased the pole,” she snickers. “Watch.”
The squirrel tries again and after hitting that halfway mark, starts to slip again. Instead of scrabbling for purchase this time, it simply holds tight and makes a steady descent.
“I didn’t know a squirrel could look defeated,” I remark as it gives its bushy tail a swish and ambles away. “But that one looks devastated. I’m a little embarrassed for him.”
“He has a whole forest he can forage without terrorizing my birds.” She glances over at me. “What are you up to today?”
“I was going to take a walk. Have you found any treasure?”
“I don’t know who lived here before, but they must’ve thought planting bottle caps would grow more beer because those bastards are everywhere. I was heading back to the creek. Want to try it out?” she asks, holding the detector up.
“Let’s go.”
A smile bursts across her face, and she hands it over, then picks up the small shovel. We head down the trail, in silence for a bit until she asks, “What do you do in the barn all night?” She responds to the look of surprise on my face with a sheepish shrug. “I’m not spying on you. I see the light still on when I get off work sometimes.”
“Sweat mostly. I should get the air conditioner fixed.”
Her flash of a smile is half-hearted, but she doesn’t pursue it. I don’t like how her expression changes, her posture tensing up as we walk. In her silence, I can almost feel the anxious thoughts running scenarios in her head. She once suspected my cooler contained body parts so who knows what horror she’s dreaming up.
