Him ~ chapter four

By Maryanna Gabriel

      "I need help." I felt like I was croaking. The calm voice responded that they would be in touch in the morning. I felt better. It is a good rental agency that I work with. I slept.       

       My eyes snapped open before dawn and I ran to the phone. "I think that you need to get him out. Immediately." I was talking to a Case Manager in a different time zone. "It is not acceptable what you are experiencing. We will help him as best we can with the transition." I considered. "He is going to feel paralyzed. I don't feel badly though because he has a 14 foot trailor so he will be able to land on his feet," I said.     

        A day passed. Nothing. No movement. Two days. My nerves felt taut. I made a quick dash to the hardware for new locks. The Case Manager phoned again. "Is he going?" she asked. I replied, "No. Nada. Kaput. What is really worrying me is the wood. I don't want him to have an excuse to come back here. The wood has to go." She said she would try again. He was confused she said. He had hung up on her twice. They were offering him a discount on his next stay.

         I mulled. To think I brought him cake. Twice. I ran through my options. Scary dog? No. Really large person in my life who lifts weights and weighs 300 pounds? Don't have one of those. I thought of my walleyed handyman. He used to be a boxer. I gave him a call. Too busy to come. Of course.

       An email came. He said he wanted to talk. Then there was a knock on the door. Squaring my shoulders and telling myself I am very brave, I opened it.