Chapter 23
Riva stared in confusion and shock as Marcus carried Kitty in his arms like a baby. Or maybe it was like they were newlyweds coming home for the first time. Whatever it was, it was weird. Riva felt somewhat voyeuristic simply witnessing the spectacle.
“She sprained her ankle,” Marcus quickly explained, rushing past Riva and Windy and heading toward the stairs. “She needs an ice pack and to keep it elevated.”
“I’m on it,” Windy called out.
“And I’ll take her to her room,” he told Riva. “Can you get the door for me?”
“Yes, of course.” Riva raced on up ahead of them, but as she got to the landing, she remembered the deadbolt on Kitty’s door. She stopped. “Except that I can’t open the door,” she called out as she tried the knob. “I forgot Kitty installed a deadbolt.”
“I have the key right here,” Kitty said.
Marcus carried Kitty down the hallway toward Riva. Then, taking the key from Kitty, Riva unlocked the deadbolt.
“Please, ignore the mess, Marcus,” Kitty chirped. “The salon has been so busy this week, I haven’t gotten around to it.”
Riva pocketed the key, swung the door open, and gasped.
It looked like a garage sale gone amok. Clothing, shoes, towels, dirty dishes, and other unrelated miscellaneous items were strewn across the floor, bed, and chair.
“It’s a minefield,” Riva warned Marcus. “Be careful or you might need to be carried back downstairs.”
Kitty giggled. “Working girls are not known for good housekeeping.”
Riva moved ahead of them, clearing a heap of clothes to make room for Kitty. “Look, I found the bed.”
“No small feat.” Marcus set Kitty down gently.
Riva looked at Kitty’s feet. “Which ankle is sprained?”
“The right one.” Kitty frowned. “Can’t you see how swollen it is?”
“Oh, yeah.” Riva nodded. “It does look a little puffy.”
“Here comes the ice,” Windy called from the stairs.
“How did it happen?” Riva asked.
Marcus set Kitty’s oversized bag on the bed, then removed a pair of very high platform sandals from it. “These dangerous stilts are the culprits.” He dangled a sandal by its strap with one finger. “I can’t believe women of a certain age still choose to wear these things.”
“Not all of us do,” Riva corrected him as Windy walked in. Like Riva, she looked a bit taken aback by the jumbled mess.
“Not all of us are of a certain age,” Kitty told Marcus. “And when I’m too old for cute feminine shoes and expected to wear the kinds of clodhoppers that Riva and her friends wear, well, just shoot me.”
Windy flopped a bag of frozen peas onto Kitty’s foot, smiling as the patient let out a yowl of pain. “You’re welcome,” Windy said sharply, then turned and left.
Riva retrieved the deadbolt key from her pocket and held it in front of Kitty. “I’ll be keeping this,” she said, “until we have a chance to talk about the deadbolt you installed without my consent.”
“Why did you need a deadbolt?” Marcus asked Kitty. “Do you feel unsafe here?”
Kitty nodded with a dramatic expression. “I am unsafe.”
“Why is that?” Riva asked.
“It’s my ex. I think he found out I’m living here. I’m sure he’s been stalking me. In fact, that’s why I tripped and sprained my ankle. I was trying to avoid him.”
Riva fought against her skepticism. “Why’s he stalking you?”
“Because he wants me back.” Kitty sighed. “Thanks to my fatal charm.”
Riva wanted to laugh but wondered if Kitty was serious. She turned to Marcus. “How did you manage to find Kitty after her sprain?”
“We’d both been getting coffees at The Bean.
” He began a story about seeing Kitty trip outside the coffeeshop and how he helped her into his pickup.
But instead of listening closely, Riva’s attention was on the bedroom.
She was trying to determine if there was any contraband or any illegal activities going on in here, but nothing seemed to stand out.
Until she noticed the disconnected smoke alarm with batteries sitting nearby.
She picked it up and turned to Kitty. “Why did you take this down?”
“It kept beeping.”
“I changed the batteries in the alarms right before all the tenants moved in.” Riva glanced at Marcus, wondering how long he planned to remain up here. “Is it possible the beeping was due to smoke?” she directed to Kitty.
“I guess I should go,” he said as if getting the hint.
“Thanks for your help,” Riva told him, then wondered if she really felt grateful for having Kitty returned to them like this. Not that it was his fault.
“No problem.”
“My knight in shining armor.” Kitty extended her hand to him as if she were Lady Guinevere. “I will have to properly thank you for your chivalry later.”
“Uh, yeah.” He ignored her hand, nodding nervously. “See you all later.”
Relieved to have Kitty’s undivided attention, Riva asked if she’d been smoking. “In case you didn’t read your rental contract, that’s not allowed.” Riva picked up the alarm and reinserted the batteries.
“I was really stressing over my ex,” Kitty said. “I left the salon early. I was on the verge of a panic attack. My buddy Marty brought me a joint to help me relax. The alarm went off and Marty took it down. I guess we forgot to put it back up.”
“Is Marty the one who installed the deadbolt?”
“Yeah. That was his idea. Sorry I forgot to mention it, but I didn’t think you’d mind. I just wanted to be safe.”
“Is your ex dangerous?”
“He might be.” Kitty’s gaze moved downward. She was fidgeting with her jangly bracelet, turning it round and round.
Riva cleared off the chair and sat, carefully studying Kitty. “Please explain.”
“Well, my ex, my first husband, Danny claims he still loves me. I’ve managed to avoid him, because if he’s been drinking, he says scary stuff like if he can’t have me, no one can.”
“Some people act out of character when they’ve over-imbibed.” Riva nodded at Kitty. “Even you.”
Kitty’s expression grew cloudy. “Are ya gonna kick me while I’m down?”
“I didn’t think I was kicking you. Just calling it like I see it.” Riva was determined not to cave to Kitty’s manipulation.
Kitty’s eyes grew moist. “What am I going to do, Riva?”
“About what?”
“Everything.” Kitty let out a sob. “I’m such a god-awful mess of a girl.”
Riva studied her. Was this sincere or just more manipulation?
If Laurel was right, if Kitty really was a narcissist, it was most likely manipulation.
But what if it wasn’t? “For starters, Kitty, you’re not a god-awful mess.
You’re more of a Kitty-awful mess. And for the record, you’re not exactly a girl anymore.
According to my calculations, you’re only a few years younger than me. And I haven’t been a girl in years.”
Kitty pouted. “That’s your problem, Riva.”
“I don’t see it as a problem.”
“Fine. But just because you’re content to grow old doesn’t mean I have to be.”
Riva rolled her eyes. “You know the only problem I’m having right now is directly related to you.
You’ve broken so many rules of the rental contract that I’m pretty sure I could evict you this moment.
Your housemates would be glad if I did. But I’d prefer to give you a couple weeks’ notice.
Long enough for your ankle to heal and for you to find another place to live. ”
Kitty blinked her big blue eyes and then began to cry. “Women always end up hating me. I should’ve known it would happen here too.”
“No one hates you, Kitty, but we’re tired of all the drama you bring to the house. We’re tired of your excessive drinking, weed smoking, deadbolt installing, and smoke alarm disabling. Not to mention leaving the bathroom filthy.” She kicked a shoe out of the way. “And your less than tidy bedroom.”
Kitty had tears streaming down her face now. But they seemed like crocodile tears to Riva. She wasn’t buying it. “What am I going to do?” Kitty sobbed. “I can’t live at the salon. I can’t afford an apartment . . . You’re throwing me out on the streets?”
“Don’t be silly.” Riva could feel herself softening. “You must have friends? Women who work for you? Someone with a spare room you can use?”
Kitty shook her head and wiped her nose with the edge of a rumpled sheet. “No one wants me. It’s the story of my life. I overwhelm everyone, Riva. I scare people away.”
Riva considered this. “That’s kind of true, Kitty. You do frighten people.”
“Women are intimidated by me and the only men I seem to attract are the wrong ones. I don’t know what to do.”
Riva took a deep breath. “Have you ever tried to change?”
“Change?” Kitty looked like Riva had just suggested she shave her head.
“I’m not talking about outward changes.” Riva frowned. She thought less flamboyant clothes, makeup, and hair might help, but she wasn’t going there. “I’m talking about inside changes.”
“I’m not following you.”
“Well, in my case, the inward changes are associated with God. Knowing he loves me, has a plan for my life, wants to lead me . . . all of that changes my interior. And that makes me see my world and the people in it differently.”
“Which explains why you’re such a Pollyanna Goody Two-Shoes.”
Riva shrugged. “I suppose it might look like that to you. Although I don’t think I’ve been very Pollyanna-like. Not since Paul died. But I’m trying to make a comeback.”
Kitty seemed to soften a little. “You really loved your husband, didn’t you?”
“Yes. He was my soulmate, my best friend. I still miss him and he’s been gone a year and a half.”
“Lucky you.” Kitty let out an exasperated sigh.
Riva pursed her lips. Kitty’s lack of sensitivity was a bit disturbing.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean you’re lucky that your husband died.” Kitty wiped away some tears. “It’s just that you’re telling me about something I’ve never experienced. And in all likelihood, I never will, so it’s kinda like rubbing my nose in it.”