Chapter 4
Marley Matthews
A month later
"Hey, Ada, thanks for calling me back," I said to my sister on the phone. I had my hands full of bags and I awkwardly held the phone to my ear as I spoke. "Hang on. I'm setting some things down. H-hang on just a second."
"Do you need another five minutes?"
"No, it's perfect timing. I'm outside the store now. There's a bench here. I just had to set my bags down."
"Are you outside?"
"No, I'm still in this building. The first floor is this little mall thing. I'm inside, just not in a store."
"You're shopping?"
"Yes. I just got off work, and I'm shopping for Joan while I was out."
"Groceries?"
"No. It's Thanksgiving stuff—fall décor for her house and some things for the table. Some of it came from my store, and she asked me to go by another store, too. My hands are full. That's why I had to call you back. Hey, I was thinking about something for Mom for Christmas, and I wanted you to feel her out. It's a butcher block. It's heavy-duty, and it's really nice, like five hundred originally. I can get a deep discount and free shipping through my company. Do you think she would want that?"
"I can't believe you sell old-lady Thanksgiving stuff instead of cool clothes."
"It's home furnishings. That doesn't mean it's just for Thanksgiving, or for old people. We have cool stuff. Young people come in too… sometimes."
"What is it? Napkin holders and stuff like that? Who buys that? I can't believe you're not at Abercrombie anymore. I miss that. Your Christmas gifts were always the best."
"You'll still have Abercrombie this year. I bought your presents long before I quit. I have them wrapped and everything."
"Yesssss," Ada said "I can't wait. I can't wait for you to get here already. Do you have your ticket?"
"Yes, and it's weeks away. December twenty-second. We still have a week before Thanksgiving."
"Uh, that's too long. Why don't you come home for Thanksgiving too?"
"I can't. I could, but it's expensive, and I'm saving for a car."
"Mom said she paid for your Christmas ticket."
"She did, but she probably won't pay for another one, and even if she did, I still have to spend money. Traveling's expensive, even without the ticket. Mom paid for my ticket when I came home in the summer, and I still spent five hundred dollars. Besides, Nessa and Pa Frank are coming to Chicago for Thanksgiving."
"You guys are going to have a house full. I didn't know Nessa was going."
"Yeah, Frank's lecturing at a college up here in Wisconsin, so they decided to come here for Thanksgiving. Nessa's probably thinking she'll be a buffer between me and Joan's kids, which I appreciate."
"Are they mean to you?" She asked the question because she didn't know the half of it. I didn't like to complain, even to my sister.
"I wouldn't say they're mean. Suspicious is more like it. I'm close with Joan and Mitzy, and, I don't know… it just feels like they question my motives with… you know what? There's no sense in speculating what they think about me. I'm glad Nessa's coming, that's all."
"What about the creep that was shopping at Abercrombie? Is he still texting you?"
"I don't know. I blocked him. I had a co-worker who was being too much, too."
"You're just too popular up there in Chicago."
"No, I'm just too nice. I make conversations with people, and I'm just being normal and nice, but they think I'm flirting."
"Who are you going to meet at your new job, though? Do any guys ever come in there?"
"It's all I can do to keep my head above water over here with changing jobs and saving for a new car. I'm not trying to meet a guy right now. I sat across the table from a gorgeous guy the other night. We had a really nice conversation, and it didn't even cross my mind. I didn't even get his name. Y-yeah I did, I learned it, but I don't remember. It's all a blur because I went to an interview right after that, and I didn't want uhhh…"
"Want what?"
"I'm sorry. Hang on. I'm distracted. I thought I saw that guy you were just asking about. Preston. I thought that was him over there… I don't…"
"You don't what?"
"Hang on. Nothing."
"Tell me what's going on," Ada said.
"Nothing. It just looks like that same customer from Abercrombie. I think I saw him just now."
"The creep who had your phone number?"
"Yeah. I blocked him, but, oh, shoot, Ada, it is him."
"Look, he-he's got his back turned, so I can make a break for it and go catch the bus right now."
"Marley, are you scared of this guy?"
She sounded nervous so I did my best to calm her. "No, it's more of a hassle than anything," I said. "I'm gonna let you go and get out of here while he's turned the other way. I'm done shopping, anyway, I'll go catch the bus. Don't forget to feel Mom out about that butcher block."
Ada agreed, and I got off the phone with her as I stood and began making my way outside. It was cold out, but I didn't stop to tighten my scarf or put on my hat. I was carrying too many bags to stop and worry about any of that. Plus, it wasn't that cold outside. Or maybe I was just overheating because of seeing Preston.
I was instantly on the move. It felt a bit like I was being chased in a movie. He wasn't chasing me, and I wasn't threatened by him, but I certainly wanted to avoid a conversation. I moved quickly but smoothly, trying not to start running. There were several bus stops near me at the moment—I knew this because I worked two streets over, and I had the area scouted out.
I went toward the one that was located behind this building. I had used it before. I felt good because I thought Preston couldn't see me from the door. I made my way there and sat on the bench, knowing I would get on the next bus no matter which direction it was going. I didn't quit Abercrombie strictly because of this guy, but I got to avoid him as a result of quitting, and it was a bonus. I thought I would never have to see him again. I hated running into him. I peered out of the bus stop enclosure to see if he was coming, and I was relieved when I didn't see him. I sat there for a few long seconds before I peered around my enclosure again.
"Oh, God, help me," I whispered, meaning it and asking for God's help. "… please help me…" I continued, pleading as I saw Preston coming my way. "Just turn and walk the other way," I said, now pleading with the guy.
I felt hot.
I could feel my face burning up. I didn't know if it was fear or anger, but I was hot. I did not want this guy to come to my bus stop. I squinted down the street and saw a bus in the distance. It was a long way off, and just coming to a stop, but at least I saw a bus.
The guy was still walking toward me. It was a busy section of the city, and I glanced around, noticing a cab on the adjacent corner. I reasoned with myself that I might do better to take a cab since it would be faster than waiting for this bus. I stood up, leaning against the side of the kiosk and putting my bags in front me as a barrier. Preston was coming, and I braced myself.
"Hey, Marley, I thought that was you!" he said, waving and coming toward me at a good pace. "You quit Abercrombie! I didn't know where you went off to."
"Yeah, it's been a few weeks." I glanced longingly at the cab. I didn't want to leave the corner. It was light and open there, and I would have to leave the safety of the kiosk to go to the cab.
"Do you need a ride somewhere?" he asked. "I have a car parked near here, and I'll take you anywhere you want to go."
I let out a nervous laugh. "Oh, no, thank you. I was just about to go over there and get into my ride."
"What ride?"
"I have a car over there."
He laughed. "Then why are you standing at a bus stop?"
"I don't know. Habit. I'm riding with someone, and I thought they were picking me up here."
It was at that moment that it hit me that I had no other choice but to take a cab. I could not wait for this bus. Nothing was stopping Preston from getting on the bus with me, and that was something I could not risk. I had to ride in a private vehicle. I felt flush when I realized I had no other choice but to walk away from him. I would have to cross the street and walk the better part of another block or so to get the cab, but that started with one step.
I turned and forced a smile at him.
"It was good seeing you," I said in a cordial tone since that was how we said goodbye in Texas.
"Marley, come on girl, give me something. You know I like you. Don't make a brother beg."
"I'm sorry?" I said, feeling agitated and pretending not to hear him.
"I said give me something, baby girl. I'm trying here."
He was trying to be cool, and I hated to be mean, but he was too much. I couldn't open the door for more conversation. I had already been subject to extended conversations with him at my old job, and I had learned my lesson. I couldn't give him any sort of opening.
"Happy holidays!" I said with a little smile and wave in his direction.
I knew I needed to just go for it and walk away. There was a break in traffic, and I took a step out from the covering of the bus stop and onto the sidewalk. I had my hands full, and I adjusted my bags, feeling like something had fallen. I took a step but then glanced behind me. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I looked all around, on the ground, and at the bus stop bench. Preston saw me glance back, and he made a dramatic, swirling motion with one hand and bowed with a flourish.
"Until next time, my queen," he said.
Uhhh, he was smiling at me with an odd, dramatic, screwed-up expression, and he was just too weird.
I was so happy to be headed away from him that I didn't look back—not right away.
I crossed the street, heading to a cab.
As I approached the cab, I glanced back at Preston who was still looking at me. He held out a hand toward me, making a face like he was longing for me. I watched in disbelief as he made a grabbing motion with his hand and then brought it toward himself as if he were clinging to me. The sight of it made me nauseous. I turned and went directly to the cab.
I opened the back door and got in with no hesitation, pushing my bags awkwardly into the backseat with me.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I have a fare coming. I'm waiting for someone."
"How long will they be? Can you possibly take me down the street to another bus stop, just a few blocks from here, and then swing back here to get your person? Please? Or let me just wait in here and ride with them?"
"I guess I can take you up the street. I was a few minutes early."
I smiled thankfully at the driver in the rearview mirror. I must've looked as relieved as I felt.
He said, "Are you in some kind of trouble?"
"No, it's just a weird guy back there, and I'd like to drive away, if possible. It would just help me so much. Even if I could just go to another bus stop a few blocks from here."
He pulled into the street, and I sighed with relief and looked back, seeing that Preston had turned and was now facing the other way.
"If we can just go a block or two this way, and then hang a left. I'll probably go to a bus stop on Michigan, but you don't have to take me that far. We're already good once we get past this block."
I relaxed the rest of the way, knowing we had left Preston in the dust and that he had no idea which way I was headed.
The cabby took me to a bus stop on Michigan. I tipped him for being so nice. I felt dazed as I sat at the bus stop with my bags, I considered getting an Uber or another cab home, but I was used to the bus and I had already spent my coffee money on taking the cab this far.
It took forty minutes and two different buses for me to get home, but I made it. I was proud of myself for the clean escape. I wasn't scared of him. He was more annoying than anything. Besides, Chicago was a big city, and I figured I might never run into him again.
Joan's store manager, Patrick, was at our house when I made it home.
Mitzy was curious about all of the bags I had brought home. She was all over me, and it took me a few minutes to get over the chaos of coming in the door and giving Joan her things.
I had been home for roughly five minutes when I realized I couldn't find my scarf.
The hours that followed were horrible.
I, indeed, did not have my scarf. I retraced my steps, taking an Uber to the shopping center and then to the bus stop where I had run into Preston. I knew it wouldn't be there. I had specifically checked behind me when I walked away from him. I had a gut feeling that it was on one of the busses. I used an Uber, to track down the buses and to see if there was a scarf left behind. Finding them was a tall order.
I found one of the busses, and I went into it and looked all around the seat where I had been sitting. The Uber driver was accommodating and he followed me from one bus stop to another so that I could take my time to look. I scoured the thing. I asked the passengers if they had seen a colorful striped scarf, and they had no idea what I was talking about. I looked all up and down the aisles of and under the seats, but nothing. I got off of that bus feeling deflated but still hoping it could be on the other one.
I tracked the second one down, and nothing.
I had gotten to know a lady at the transportation services during my pursuits, and she assured me that it could still turn up.
I waited by the phone all night and I never got a call back from her. I called her again later, but I got a machine because the office was closed.
I cried quite a bit that night.