Chapter 5
Five
Melissa
The sun is shining bright and Tyler is well enough to spend some time outside. I should be focused on him, but I can't stop myself from looking out toward the horizon. In hopes that a motorcycle will be making its way down the road.
The last man who stepped into my life without warning ruined it. Light is two steps away from doing the same.
I know I shouldn't be thinking about him, but he's so ridiculous I just can't help it.
It seems like every time he shows up, he finds a way to make me laugh. I'm not even sure he means to do it.
It's not like me to get hung up on a man. They're all the same to me. To make matters worse is the fact that Light is truly not any different. He's self centered. Cocky. Not to mention impossibly arrogant.
Still, I find myself thinking about him more than I should be. I need to put him out of my mind. Focus on what's really important.
"Mom, look!" Tyler calls out for me and I turn in his direction. He's smiling but I notice that he's out of breath. This little outing into the yard isn't going to be a long one.
Tyler picks up a rock and swings a stick like a bat. The rock connects with the stick with a sharp crack before I can tell him not to do it. We may have a nice yard but it's not big enough for him to be doing that.
"Did you see, Ma?" he is extra excited and I don't have the heart to tell him that he shouldn't be doing that.
"Yeah buddy, that was cool!" I nod my head but at the same time I cringe as I think about where the rock could have hit on the house. I didn't hear any glass breaking. Thank goodness for the small miracles.
"Did you see how far it went? I think I'm going to be a baseball star." he smiles brightly at me and I return the expression. I'm glad that he has a dream even if his condition will make accomplishing that dream more than a little difficult.
I stand there in the yard for a few more seconds just watching him before I lose myself checking the perimeter for weeds and garbage. I might as well get some work done while I'm out here.
There's a few dead areas on the side of the house that tends to always sprout some weeds.
I make my way over there and sure enough there's a few patches that I need to clear up.
When I look on the ground I see that there are no more cigarette butts.
I clean them up after I found them out here the last time.
If there's no more out here does that mean that they've finally stopped coming around?
I can hope but I'm not going to hold my breath.
With a sigh I tilt my head back and let my eyes roam over the siding of the house. It needs a good power washing. The windows have a few extra cracks in the foundation.
And there's a fucking camera mounted in the very top corner of my house.
My heart hammers away in my chest. Is this the reason that no one has come back in the last day. Did they finally give up trying to torment me in person. Now they are just tormenting me electronically.
I run my fingers through my hair and quickly try to figure out my next move. I already found the address of a gun shop in town. The reviews say the process to get a gun is quick and easy as long as I don't mind paying extra. I mind.
I don't have any extra money to spend, at least that's how I felt last night but now that I see the camera in the corner I'm thinking that I might just have to sacrifice some more if it means I'll be able to protect myself and Tyler.
Looking back up at the camera I wonder if Deke or one of his people are watching me right now?
The camera itself isn't very high tech. In fact, It doesn't even look like there is any audio features on the small device. What's also strange is the angle the camera is in.
It's not pointing toward my front or back door. It doesn't look into the house. In fact the only thing it's pointing to is the electrical box and the small space in front of it.
The electric box.
"No the hell he didn't" Quickly, my fear turns to anger as I start to piece together another option on who might have installed this camera.
I didn't notice it in the days before and the only person that has been here over the past few days that might have had the time to install the camera is Light.
If I'm right and it is him who put this here, he's going to have so fast talking to do and after that I'll call the cops. The blatant invasion of my privacy is more than I can abide.
I don't care if he's a funny guy or not, there's absolutely no reason for him to do this.
With fire in my steps, I march into the house and grab my cell phone. My entire body is trembling as I dial the number on the card he left the last time he was here.
"Light Electrical, it's my job to get you turned on, how can I help you?"
I roll my eyes at his immature but witty greeting. Of course he'd answer the phone like that.
"Light, it's Melissa. Ah... the woman down the road who's..."
"I know who you are Melissa. What's up? Did something happen? Do you need me?" The question is out of his mouth so smoothly it catches me off guard. I'm sure he talks to everyone like this.
"Actually. I need to ask you something. Do you have any time to stop by today?" I'm not going to confront him on the phone. No I want to see his face when I ask him what kind of sick pervert he is.
"I'll be right over."
He hangs up the phone before I can tell him there's no need to rush. I guess he doesn't have any other customers today.
I pace back and forth right under the camera for a few seconds before I hear Tyler coughing in the back yard. Quickly, I make my way over to him.
"Hey, you okay?" I bend slightly, so I'm eye to eye with him and rub the side of his head. I do my best not to hover or be too over protective but it's hard to let him just be a kid when he can suffer a serious medical emergency at any moment.
"Mom..." Tyler complains and moves his head so I'm not rubbing his hair anymore. "I'm fine."
"Okay," I stand and place my hands on my hips, "You ready to go back inside?"
"Can't we stay out a little longer? I'll just sit."
All the anger flies out of my sails. Those big brown eyes are going to be the end of me one day. I can't deny him.
"Sure, Ty. We can just sit out here." I drop on the ground next to him criss cross applesauce and we just sit there looking up at the sky. I want to ask him if he's alright but I'm trusting that he'll tell me if he needs me. It's hard to just let all the worry go.
I'm not sure how long we are sitting there but my mind is dragged back to the present the second I hear the sound of a motorcycle rumbling down the street. Light is here.
Instead of all that anger I felt a second ago, my face breaks into a quick smile. I wipe the expression off my face. This isn't a social call. I brought him here so I can give him a piece of my mind.
"Give me a few seconds okay, I've got to go talk to the electrician." I pat Tyler's shoulder and push myself up from the ground.
Forcing the fury back into my body I storm over in the direction of the front door where Light is already making his way up the path.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He seems like he's out of breath, like he rushed to get here.
"What's wrong? Let me show you." I gesture with my finger that he should follow me and he does without question.
I stop by the electrical box and cross my arms over my chest waiting for him to fess up to what he's done.
He simply stares at me for a few seconds, "What?"
"Are you really going to stand there and act like you don't know what I'm talking about?" I squint my eyes at him and he shrugs his shoulders slowly as if he really is at a loss.
With a huff, I point to the camera that's over his shoulder.
He turns and sighs when he sees it before he looks back at me. "That's there for your own good."
The entire world goes red in my vision. He doesn't even try to deny it. "My own good. Are you crazy? I didn't give you permission to put that up there. What gives you the right to invade my privacy?" I hiss.
"This has nothing to do with your privacy and you know it." He's just as angry as I am. The only difference is I'm not sure why he is.
"No, I don't know it. Tell me what you're so sure I should know."
"You should know that those fucking wires weren't chewed through by an animal, you should know that whoever did it in the first place has continued to make appearances here, you should know that you're not fucking safe!" He snaps at me.
I'm speechless.
I thought I was doing a better job at hiding the fact that I'm being stalked and terrorized.
I open my mouth, ready to argue again, but nothing comes out.
Light takes a deep breath, scrubbing a hand over his face like he’s barely holding onto his patience. "Look, I didn’t do it to be a creep. I did it because if you won’t admit you’re being targeted, someone has to do something to keep you and that little boy of yours safe."
I cross my arms tighter over my chest. I hate that a part of me feels a little... grateful.
"Maybe," I mumble, refusing to look him directly in the eyes, "maybe it was a little bit of a good idea."
His mouth quirks up into that arrogant, crooked grin I already hate and know I'm in trouble for loving a little bit too much.
"A little bit?" he echoes, full of smugness. "Sweetheart, that camera probably saved your pretty neck more times than you know."
I scoff. "Oh, so now you’re a security expert? What’s next? Going to suggest I put up laser beams and landmines?"
His grin stretches wider. "I mean... it would work."
I roll my eyes so hard it hurts. "Right. And you could probably rig it up with some chewing gum, duct tape, and pure male stupidity."
Light presses a hand to his chest like I wounded him. "Ouch. You wound me. And here I thought we were bonding."
"You thought wrong," I toss back, but the sharpness is gone from my voice. I can't help the small laugh that bubbles out of me. I hate it. I hate how easy he makes it, how he cracks the shell I try so hard to keep intact.
Light leans a little closer, dropping his voice. "For real though... you’re welcome."
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling again. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks... I guess."
"Don’t strain yourself admitting I saved your ass," he teases.
"Trust me," I mutter, turning away before he sees the way my face warms, "I’ll lose sleep over it."
He chuckles low and easy, the sound surprisingly soft coming from someone who looks like he bench-presses motorcycles for fun.
For a moment, there’s a lightness between us that feels almost normal. Almost easy.
Then Tyler coughs in the backyard.
Both of us stiffen at the same time, our heads whipping toward the sound.
Without a word, we’re moving, racing across the yard toward him.
I get to Tyler first and drop to my knees in front of him. Light isn't far behind. He stands back though, probably unsure of where he should be. "What's going on Ty? You need a treatment?" I ask, putting my hands on his face and lifting his head so he's looking at me.
"No, I'm okay." Tyler wheezes.
He's not okay. My poor boy probably will never be okay.
"Tyler, don't lie to me. You know what happens if we let it go for too long. Now do you need a treatment?" I ask again, wanting to keep this his decision.
Tyler pouts slightly before he slowly nods his head. My feet move on their own. Within seconds, I'm up and rushing into the house to get his medication.
"Can I do anything?" Light questions as I make my way for the back door.
"Just stay with him for a second, I'll be right out."
I make my way into the laundry room, right near the entrance of the back door and pull out Tyler's spacer and inhaler. I shake the medication in my hand close to my ear so I can check how much medication is left. It's not much but should be enough to get him through this time.
As I put my hand on the back door I can hear Light and Tyler talking, I know I shouldn't eavesdrop but I'm curious.
"Yeah, I used to like playing baseball when I was a kid too. I was shitty at it....oh crap, sorry little man. Don't tell you mom I cursed. She'll probably black my eye."
Tyler chuckles, "Yeah, she's intense like that."
I scoff and lean closer to the door, not wanting them to know I can hear what they're saying.
"She means well. She's smart." Light says in my defense.
"I know but sometimes I wish she would be like the other moms. I mean I'm big now, almost nine." Tyler complains.
"Believe me, the ones with the other moms wish they had a mom like yours. Hell I wish I had a mom like yours." Light continues.
"Yeah, I guess..." I hear something thump on the floor, something small probably a rock or something, "So.
..." Tyler hedges and I can tell he wants to ask something but is a little embarrassed.
That's how he starts out asking me for anything he wants.
He's such a good kid. Even with all the medical troubles I'm truly lucky to have him.
"What's up?" Light questions.
"Well, I mean I don't really know how it works but I know I've seen you come around a lot. Are you and my mom like boyfriend and girlfriend?"
I slam my hand to my mouth to stifle the gasp. This is not how I saw the conversation going.
Light takes it in stride though, he laughs loud, "Boyfriend and girlfriend. No way. Actually I'm pretty sure your mom hates me."
"Then why do you keep coming back? You don't like my mom?"
"Just checking on things, besides it's fun to tease her from time to time. She's cool."
My cheeks burn and I have to bite my lip to keep the shit eating grin from expanding on my face. He thinks I'm cool.
I don't need to be concerned with how he feels about me.
I've got more than enough trouble with the men in my life.
Shaking my head and straightening up I walk out of the back door with Tyler's medication.
I act as if I didn't hear any of their conversation.
It was private and there's no need for me to address it.
Tyler gets into his trained position while I connect the albuterol inhaler to the spacer, shake it once again and press it to his face so I can deliver the medication.
Light moves a little closer to watch what I'm doing and Tyler looks up at him as if he's embarrassed. He hates when people see that he's sick.
"That mask is cool as hell, you look like a super hero." Light jokes and Tyler lights up laughing.
My eyes raise up to settle on Light's face.
He jokes. I smile. Things could be so easy between him and I, but I know if I let him in... I won't recover.