Deadly Dosage (19 page)

     My hair looked passable for shopping. It still
smelled of Lloyd’s shampoo but it was useless to try to cover it with
hairspray. Once my teeth were brushed, I’d be ready to go.

     I flopped on my bed, dug my cell phone out, and
called Autumn.

     “Hey, Sunny, ready to go?”

     “Be done in five minutes.” I paused. “Guess who’s
here.”

     “Hmm, I give up.”

     “Sam.”

     “Sam! What the devil is he doing there?”

     “Entertaining Brandi. See, you never should have
moved out.”

     “God, did he say anything to you?”

     “Told me Lloyd got what he wanted and he’d never
call me again.”

     “What an asshole. Tell him to leave.”

     “He’s Brandi’s guest, not mine.”

     “Jeez, what a goat fuck.”

     I laughed. “Where’d you pick that up?”

     “Alan. He’s a bad influence.”

     “Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?”

     “I’ll let you drive to mom’s place tonight.”

     “Okay. I’m hanging you, see you soon.”

     “Bye.”

     I put my phone back in my handbag and zippered it
closed, then I got up and opened my bedroom door. The bathroom was free, so I
went in and brushed my teeth and applied some lipstick.

     Brandi and Sam were eating at the table when I
came out. I noticed she was wearing my silver charm bracelet again. The woman
had no respect for other people’s property.

     “Brandi,” I said in a reprimanding tone, “I don’t
mind you borrowing my jewelry, but I’ve told you more than once not to wear
that charm bracelet. It was a present from my dad on my sixteenth birthday, so
not only is it sentimental; I don’t want anything to happen to it.”

     She looked at her wrist and played with the
charms. “Sorry, Sun. I forgot. I’ll take it off after breakfast.”

     I walked to the table. “You’ll take it off now
and I’ll put it away.”

     Reluctantly, she unclasped the hinge and removed
the bracelet. She dropped it into my open hand.

     “Thanks.” I turned and went back into my bedroom,
where I hide the bracelet under my bras. Lucky for me she couldn’t squeeze into
my cup size, so she’d stay out of this drawer.

     When I returned Sam was gazing at me over the top
of his coffee mug. I didn’t have a clue what he was thinking nor did I care.

     “Going out?” asked Brandi.

     I already had on my jacket and my scarf. “No, I’m
just cold,” I said sarcastically.

     “Oh.”

The sarcasm was lost on her
but not Sam.

“Well,” she continued, “if you
do go out, can you pick up a bottle of shampoo for me? You know that stuff you
bought last time. You’re almost out.”

     “Sure. Need anything, Sam?” Like a new place to
hang out.

     He gave me his bedroom eyes. I remembered them
well, and he was confusing the hell out of me. I wasn’t sure if he considered
me a challenge now that I was dating someone else or he had motives unknown to
me. One thing was certain; he was using Brandi to get to me. I didn’t trust him
or his newfound kindness.

     Sam seemed pleased with himself. “Just be safe,”
he said sweetly.

     I heard Autumn’s car horn beep downstairs.
Without responding, I opened the door and left.

Autumn put the visor down to block out the blaring
sunlight as she drove. “Now tell me this again? Sam’s trying to seduce you?”

     “Yes! First, he’s naked in my bedroom. Then he
offers to fry some eggs for me. And finally he tells me to be safe, while giving
me this lusty look.”

     “Do you think he wants you back?”

     “I don’t know what he’s up to. He never tried to
get me back, just jumped into bed with Brandi.”

     “Would you go back with him?”

     “I didn’t want him when I had him! He’s got the
looks all right but he lacks manners, respect and he’s a manipulative ass.”

     “So the answer is no?”

     I gave her my ‘are you serious’ expression.

     “Okay, okay. So the guy’s a ferret. Maybe you
should—”

     “What?” I threw my hands up in the air. “Move
out? He won’t give me my damn key back.”

     “How about a restraining order?”

     “It’s not like he’s threatening me. Besides, I
can’t stop him from seeing Brandi.”

     “What if—”

     “No Autumn, he already knows she’s a slut.
Another guy won’t matter.”

     “How did you know what I was going to suggest?”

     “I know you.”

     She shrugged and turned into the mall parking
lot.

     “Park over by Sears,” I suggested.

     Autumn drove around until she found a good
parking space. No big sales going on, so the mall parking lot wasn’t as packed
as usual.

It was four o’clock by the time Autumn and I returned
to my apartment. That gave us three hours before we had to meet at the
restaurant.

     “Do you want to come up? I could get ready and
follow you home. We have plenty of time.”

     “No, I think I’ll go home and soak in the tub.
I’m sore from carrying all those packages.” She reached into the backseat.
“Don’t forget the airhead’s shampoo. Of course if I were you, I’d replace it
with Nair.”

     “I’d probably use it by mistake.” I gathered my
packages and opened the car door. “Expect me around 6:15.” I slammed the door
closed and waved.

     I managed to get the door open without dropping
anything on the floor, which was amazing. Autumn convinced me to buy way more
than I could afford. Chances were good I’d return half of it before the end of
the week.

     Looked like I had the place to myself. I checked
the answering machine after I took off my jacket. One message. Spring telling
me not to forget about tonight. I deleted it and gathered my bags, which I took
to my bedroom and tossed on my bed.

     I undressed quickly, and slipped into my robe.
Just in case Sam appeared, I didn’t want to be caught without clothes on.

     While I waited for the water to heat up, I
cleaned the sink, replaced the soap, and scrubbed the toilet. I clean when the mood
strikes me, or if I’m angry. In this case, I have a few minutes to spare.  

     The room was steamy by the time I finished
cleaning, and it helped clear my sinuses.

     I jumped in the shower, stood under the flowing
water, scrubbing my hair with my new, organic shampoo free of chemicals—a must,
according to Autumn. Personally, I thought she read too many magazines, but I
bought it to shut her up. Now I regretted that decision. The more I washed my
hair, the more tangled it got. By the time I was rinsing, it had become one
gigantic knot.

     I grabbed my cheap, waxy conditioner. A minute
after working it through with my fingers, the knot was gone. Brandi could have
the new, expensive shampoo.

     When shopping, I couldn’t resist purchasing a
fluffy navy blue towel, like the one I used at Lloyd’s house. I needed a new
towel and this one reminded me of him. Of course, if Sam were right about him,
the towel would get eighty-sixed pronto.

     Nothing like a shower to clear one’s head. I put
the fan on and headed back to my bedroom in bare feet.

     I dumped the contents of my shopping spree on my
bed. Two pair of jeans, a burgundy button-down sweater, a sterling silver heart
and key necklace with matching earrings, a sixty dollar, black leather clutch
purse clearance price ten dollars, and sparkling gold eye shadow.

     Swell. Nothing I could use tonight. I studied my
closet at great length, finally settling on a pair of gray wool slacks and a
pale pink, belted, cowl neck sweater. The slacks were wrinkly from being shoved
haphazardly into the closet. I slid the ironing board out from under my bed and
set the iron at hot.

     The phone rang so I walked out into the kitchen.

     “Hello,” I said.

     “Hey, heard you got back together with Sam?”

     Donna’s words caught me by surprise. “Sorry…what?”

     “Sam told Chuck you took him back.”

     “Why would…he’s crazy!”

     “You didn’t?” she sounded perplexed. “But, Chuck
made plans with him. A double date for us on Friday.”

     “Donna, I don’t know what games he’s playing, but
I did not make up with him.”

“Wow. Chuck told me Sam was
real happy.”

     I felt sick to my stomach. “Listen, Donna, I have
to get ready. I got that get-together with my sisters tonight. Can we do lunch
tomorrow?”

     “I can’t. I promised Chuck I’d go bowling with
him.”

     “Taking a vacation day?”

     “Huh? It’s Sunday tomorrow.”

     “Oh. I’m a bit frazzled. I meant Monday.”

“Sure. We can go to that
fast-food Italian place. I love their all-you-can-eat breadsticks.”

     “Yeah, anything. Thanks for the heads up.”

     “Sunny?”

     “Yeah.”

     “Are you okay?”

     “I’m not sure. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” I hung
up and rubbed my forehead. Just forget it, I said quietly.

     I returned to my bedroom and ironed my slacks. I
turned the sweater inside out and ironed it as well, and then I turned off the
iron and unplugged it. I opened my top drawer that held my bras and underwear.
There, in the middle, sat a square gold box with a pink ribbon around it. I
untied the ribbon and opened it. Inside, on a pillow of cotton, sat my charm
bracelet, cleaned and polished. I immediately noticed the new charm. A delicate
white gold, filigree  heart with a quarter carat, round diamond in the center
connected to another solid gold heart that rested behind it. The second heart
was engraved in a script font. I was afraid to read it. I took it to my bed and
sat down. It was getting dark, so I turned on my bedside lamp. And I read:

Summer,

Your heat consumes me.

I need you always.

Will you marry me?

Sam

     I read it again. And again. And again.

     The phone rang and I jumped, dropping the
bracelet in my lap. I picked it up, and placed it gently on my pillow and ran
into the kitchen.

     “Sunny, can you come a little earlier and bring
your curling iron? Mine isn’t working.”

     “Yeah, that’s fine.”

     “You sound out of it. Were you drinking?”

     “No. Just a bit of a shock, that’s all. I’ll tell
you when I see you.”

     “Not now?”

     “No, I’m running behind schedule. I’ll bring it,
Autumn.”

     “Okay.” She hesitated. “Bye, Sunny.”

     “Bye.”

     An ill-timed proposal. I didn’t know what to make
of it and it was more than I could bear. Tears pooled in the corner of my eyes
and slid down my cheeks.

     I walked back into my bedroom, wiping my eyes. I
replaced the bracelet in its box and re-tied the ribbon. For now, I placed it
in my handbag and continued to get ready.

Just after six, I pulled into Autumn’s asphalt
driveway. She lived in a neighborhood that sprung up in the seventies, when
contemporary designs were all the rage. The house style was unique on the
outside and spacious on the inside. It offered a stone fireplace, a family-style
kitchen and two bathrooms, complete with ceramic tile. Alan loved everything
about it. Autumn wanted to gut it. They compromised and updated the kitchen
cabinets and carpeting.

     I knocked, rang the doorbell, and waited. A
minute later Autumn opened the door, half-dressed.

     “Sunny, just come in, you don’t have to knock.”

     “That’s rude. Besides, I don’t want to
accidentally walk in on you and Alan playing hide the salami.”

     “That’s a laugh. He’s been working so much
overtime I hardly see him. Did you bring the curling iron?’

     “Right here,” I said, holding up a plastic
grocery bag. I followed her into the bathroom and plugged in the iron.

     “You look pretty. Is that the new eye shadow?”

     I looked in the mirror, judging my appearance for
myself. Not bad considering I had been crying. “Yeah. Goes on pretty nice too.”

     “I couldn’t decide what to wear.”

     I followed her to the bedroom. “Do you like
this?” She held up a sheer white blouse with flouncy sleeves. “Or this?” She
held up a tailored jacket and short- sleeved tunic.