Him ~ chapter seven

By Maryanna Gabriel

      I sped to the front door and locked myself in. Carefully I positioned myself so that I could see the yard. The last of the wood made an exit. Whew. I tried to concentrate on my life. What was my life? I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I picked up my knitting. Purl. Slip. My shoulders ached from knotted muscles. Hours passed. I stared at the card the constable had given me. I weighed the phone in my hand. It was decision time. I peered out the window. It was a small shopping bag but he was carrying it to the truck. One, only. Wait for it. Yes, here he comes with another small bag. Relief flooded my being. He was leaving. I phoned the Constable and left a message. "It's okay," I said. "He's leaving." 

      Night began to fall. He was still traversing back and forth. I tapped my foot. This is ridiculous, I thought. What is taking him so long? The place is the size of a button. Patience. The man is disorganized. A pack rat. The plastic bag collection alone is confounding.

     Somehow I managed dinner. At 8:00 pm there was a knock on the door.  Please, no. I backed into the kitchen with the phone and the number for the RCMP asking myself what I should do. Nothing. I am doing nothing. Knocking again. I waited. Five minutes later, more knocking.

     Something in me snapped. I was terrified. I dialed the RCMP number. I got that crazy city dispatch on the big island again.

    "Please send someone - I am so scared. This has to do with the call earlier today." I have a vague memory of them starting a new file number. A new file number? I hung up. The phone rang. A female constable was on the line. "Is there bodily harm ma'am?"

      "No. No. No bodily harm.The man is scaring me half to death." I barely recognized the sound of my own voice.

       "Can you describe the vehicle ma'am."

      "He is just pulling out, it is a truck. White. Oh my - he is turning. He is coming back around. He is pulling a trailor that is pea green, about 14 feet long....oh no, and he has just parked on the front of my property... please come." Was I whimpering?

      "We are on our way," she said.

       I breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank you." I hesitated in the kitchen, waiting.