A house of shadows

The lock clicked into place, a sound that usually brought me peace but lately only felt like a temporary truce. Darnell followed me inside, his footsteps heavy on the hardwood.

"Bathroom's in the same place it was hours ago," I teased, though my voice lacked its usual spark.

"I swear, I have the bladder of a toddler," Darnell grumbled, already retreating down the hall.

"I have no room to talk," I called after him. “My bladder is weirdly smaller than yours!”

 I moved to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, looking at the six takeout containers from Aditi’s we had tucked away earlier. When he emerged, I began pulling them out. "Take some of this home, Darnell. I can’t eat all of this before it grows legs."

He reached for two of the boxes. "Jessica will be thrilled. She’s obsessed with Aditi’s food, even if she finds it a little too spicy sometimes." He paused, his expression softening as he looked at me. "You’re going to be okay tonight?"

"I'm fine," I said, offering a small smile. "Really. Plus Vic will be here. I won’t be afraid of anything. Well, maybe the size of his big dick!"

“Gross,” Darnell chuckled. “The big ol’ one eyed monster!”

We just looked at each other and laughed so hard like we did when we were kids. God, it hurt my lungs and my ribs but laughing with a dear friend made it worth it.

We shared a brief, firm hug—the kind that carried the weight of years of friendship and a few months of shared trauma. As the door closed behind him, the silence of the house rushed back in to meet me.

I immediately dialed Jessica. It was a ritual now, a way to keep the peace in their household and mine.

"Hey, he just pulled out of the driveway," I said when she answered. "He should be home in ten."

"Thanks," Jessica sighed, her voice tight with a tension she couldn't quite hide. "Are you doing okay?"

"I’m alright, Jess. Darnell was just doing his duty—friend and off-duty officer combined. My neighbor, the nephew—the nephew of my now dead stalker—he’s finally packing up. He’ll be gone in a few days. Darnell just wanted to make sure there weren't any 'goodbye' surprises. My friend Vic will be here shortly for the night."

There was a muffled sound on the other end, a low murmur I couldn't quite catch. "What was that?" I asked.

"Nothing," she said, though the doubt was palpable. "I just wonder if he’s telling me the whole truth about how bad things are over there."

I leaned against the counter, closing my eyes. "He learned his lesson about keeping secrets from you, Jess. Honestly, he’s actually planning on spending more time with me over the next week, but it’s for your sake, not mine."

"What does that mean?"

I decided right then to stop the cycle of shadows. "He's planning on proposing. He wants me to help him find an engagement ring for you and get it right. I don't know the 'when'  or ‘where’ yet, so don't mention it, but he’s serious."

The silence on her end shifted from anxious to overwhelmed. "Oh. Thank you for letting me know."

We hung up, and I finally dragged myself upstairs. My bedroom felt like a sanctuary and a cage all at once; still smelling like sex and Vic. I stripped the bed with frantic energy, needing the physical labor to drown out my thoughts. I hauled the bedding down to the basement, started the wash, and then collapsed onto the loveseat in the corner of my bedroom. I was out before my head even hit the cushion.

Ninety minutes of dreamless sleep later, I woke up with a dry mouth and a stiff neck. I showered until the steam filled the room, dressed in clean loungewear, brushed my teeth and remade the bed with crisp sheets from the linen closet. I moved with a mechanical precision—dryer, kitchen, light dusting. I even tucked a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc into the fridge to chill.

I was just closing the fridge door when my phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Bob.

"Please be honest with me," my brother said without a greeting. "Were you truly planning on telling me that you were home after lunch?"

"I would have called eventually, Bob," I said, a familiar irritation rising. “Maybe not immediately after lunch today but may be another day or so once I settled in.”

"Why did I have to hear it from Vic?"

I groaned, the sound vibrating in my chest. I had hoped Vic would have the sense to keep his mouth shut. We’d both worked for Bob for years, and Bob’s 'no dating the staff' rule was legendary and strictly enforced where I was concerned.

"What else did Vic have to say?" I asked, my voice dropping an octave.

"He said you two have become close - friends actually. Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Nope. Nada. Zilch. Nein. Zero."

"Fine," Bob said, his tone shifting to something more clinical. "How are the ribs? And the head?"

"The ribs feel worse than the head, usually," I admitted, "but right now, my head hurts worse than my ribs. I have a little stress right now. Make sense?"

Bob let out a short, sharp laugh. "Makes perfect sense. Look, I know you and Vic are fucking."

My heart didn't just sink; it felt like it hit the floor and shattered. I couldn't breathe for a second.

"Relax," Bob continued, sounding strangely casual. "I’m friends with his boss, thanks to the restaurant industry. Since neither of you work for me anymore, it’s not my problem. As long as his wife doesn't find out, I don't care."

I swallowed hard, the chill from the fridge finally reaching my bones. "She knows, Bob."

There was a long, heavy pause on the other end of the line.

"Oh, fuck," Bob stated.

"Yeah, I know," I replied, the weight of the situation settling in. "She isn't happy about it."

Bob let out a heavy breath, shifting gears. "Alright, whatever. But what the hell is going on with Mike? Why do you have men constantly cycling in and out of your house?"

"The short version, Bob? Mike is Patrick’s nephew. When I called him out on it, he tried to play it smooth, but I'm not an idiot. Vince is the one who wanted me protected; he’s the one who pulled in Vic and Darnell." I sighed, leaning against the counter. "Vince is preoccupied trying to start something with Emily—the flight attendant who works with the All Blacks. He swore me to secrecy, threatened me with some truly embarrassing stories if I talked or told you so soon."

"Vince and a flight attendant? Figures. Plus he’s too old for you," Bob muttered, sounding satisfied with the explanation. "Is Vic spending the night?"

"He is,” I said. “Vic’s older than Vince.”

I could feel the next question coming. I knew Bob was about to ask when he could come over to 'check on me' or try to cheer me up. I beat him to it.

"And Bob? As much as I love you, cookies and ice cream won't fix this right now. But a few good fucks will."

There was a beat of silence on the other end as my brother got the hint.

"Message received," he said. “Love you. Be safe!”

“Glad you got it, bro,” I said. “Love you, too. I’d say, “You too!” but last I heard, you don’t have a stalker, dead or alive!”

“Have fun tonight,” he said.

“No need to tell me twice!”

We laughed for a few minutes then we hung up.