The Grey Door Page 6

  “And you, Madame?”

  Sal giggled. “I’ll try the special,” she said. “I like new experiences. Don’t you, Grace?

  Grace focused on the menu. “I’ll have the chicken salad,” she said. “Dressing on the side, please.”

  “Grace bought a slinky, black dress,” Sal announced, “to-die for.”

  Paul’s eyes questioned Grace for more details.

  “Sal meant to say shopping makes me hungry,” Grace said, kicking Sal beneath the table.

  “Oui. Dressing on the zee side.” He bowed, catching her eye deliberately before hurrying off to place their order.

  Sal’s eyes followed until he was out of sight. “He was flirting with you.”

  “No, he wasn’t,” Grace argued. “He’s supposed to push the special.”

  “You’re insane. He was flirting with you!”

  “You were flirting with him!”

  “I know. Don’t tell John. He would be insanely jealous.”

  “Tell me again how you and John met?”

  Sal beamed. John was her favorite subject. She was the happiest married woman Grace had ever met. Hearing Sal talk about John gave Grace hope.

  “I told ya. We volunteered for Sierra Wildlife. A bunch of us made arrangements to go camping one weekend. Just so happened, I was the only one with tent-erecting skills. John is still impressed with my…my tent-erecting skills. Poor guy, for him it was love at first sight. I wasn’t interested in him for at least, hmmm… thirty minutes?” Sal laughed and blushed. “It was a wild weekend.” She peered out the window, remembering. “We’ve been blessed, John and me.”

  “You are a hard act to follow.”

  “You need to open your eyes, Grace. The world is going by.”

  “I’m not ready to go camping.” She straightened her silverware. “Jess stopped by last night.”

  “How is Prince Charming?”

  “He’s getting divorced.”

  “And?”

  “We’re friends, Sal. That’s all.”

  “Friends with benefits, I hope!”

  “God! That’s what he said!”

  “Sex is good for you. Keeps ya young.”

  “So do vitamins.”

  “Do you still have the hots for him?”

  “I don’t have the hots for anyone right now, Sal. I’m trying to get over losing Garret.”

  “Honey, can I be honest?”

  “Always.”

  “Don’t spend too long mourning Garret. Appreciate the time you had with him and move on. Life is short.”

  “You’re right,” said Grace. “I know, but there’s this aching I can’t seem to shake.”

  “It’s called love. And from the way he looked at you, from what I saw, he felt the same way. But he’s gone now. You’re not. I told John he has three months, and then he has to move on, or I am going to haunt his ass!”

  “He’d never find what he has with you.”

  “Don’t expect him to. But he can find happiness from what we had and go on to a new experience. The boys, too. I’ve warned them all! Now I’m warning you.”

  “Please don’t talk like you’re on your way out, Sal. Please tell me that you are going to be around to tell me how to fix oatmeal for my kids.” Her voice strained as she held back tears. “I’m being selfish. I can’t help it. You’re not only my friend, you’re the mom I—” Grace held her breath waiting to settle back into her body.

  The person who had momentarily taken over was a stranger.

  “Let me go when it’s time, Grace. Don’t be a pain in the butt.”

  It was Grace’s turn to peer out the window. Just when tears threatened to spill, Paul, the sexy waiter, arrived with their food.

  “Cherchez la Vache,” he said, placing the special in front of Sal.

  Grace’s French was rusty. Something about a cow?

  “Chien du Fromàge,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. Did he say “dog, made out of cheese?”

  “Anything else, ladies?” he winked, playfully.

  “I’m fine,” Sal answered. “Grace?”

  Grace looked for a reason to detain him. “Spoon? For the dressing.”

  “Ah, chèrie, you should smile more often,” he said, stretching across the table. He placed a spoon in her dressing, lingering long enough to leave his scent behind.

  “Suppose he wants a big tip?” Sal asked.

  “Oui,” Grace agreed, sniffing the air.

  ***

  When Grace arrived home, Sneaky greeted her at the door. She wagged her tail and demanded affection. Grace loved coming home to the dog.

  “Let’s take a walk,” she said, rifling Sneaky’s thick fur coat. “Would you like that, girl?” The phone rang, interrupting their bonding. She recognized the number. Shit. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Remember me?”

  “Yes, I remember you. You’re the beautiful lady who lives on Redwood Street.”

  “Flattery? Hmph. Do better Grace. You haven’t called me in weeks. I’ve been worried. What’s going on? Are you eating?”

  “Yes, Mom. I’m fine. How about you? How’s Dad?”

  “He’s getting worse. Are you planning a trip down here soon? I could use some help sorting his things.” Silence.

  “I can try. I have a packed schedule. Will a weekend suffice? I would love to make it longer, but...you know how it is, Mom.”

  “Fine. Whatever time you have to spare would be fine, Grace Lynn.”

  Grace Lynn? “I was just about to walk my dog. Can I call you later?”

  “You have a dog?”

  “Yes, Mom, I have a dog.”

  “Your Dad didn’t like dogs in the house. I thought it cruel to leave an animal outdoors. It’s hot; it rains. It’s…cruel, that’s all. Where do you keep your dog?”

  “She stays in the house. She’s beautiful, Mom. Her name’s Sneaky.”

  “Is that as close as I’m going to get to grandchildren?”

  “Uh oh, Sneaky’s barking at something, Mom, I’d better go see what it is. I’ll call you.”

  Grace hung her head. Why did that woman still get to her?

  Let it go.

  The phone rang again.

  “Forget something?” She answered, expecting it to be her mom.

  “Yes, I forgot to tell you how beautiful you were the other night.” Jess’ voice caught her by surprise.

  “Great. I just got off the phone with my mom. Now you!”

  “Hello to you, too!”

  “Did I just sound bitchy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I’m practicing. I have to go down south, sort out Dad’s things.”

  “How about if I go with? I can help. We can go to Catalina.”

  “Catalina sounds nice. I haven’t been to the island since I was in high school.”

  “Let’s go then.”

  “I can’t spare the time, Jess. I just got back to work.”

  “Labor Day is coming up. We’ll make it a long weekend.”

  “I don’t know, Jess. I’ll think about it.”

  “Good. Now, how about dinner?”

  “Sorry, I’m not hungry, I had a late lunch with Sal. I’m taking Sneaky for a walk.”

  “I’m lonesome. Can I join you?”

  As much as Grace wanted to say no, she didn’t have the heart. “Sure. Meet us at the south entrance of Discovery Park. Bring a Frisbee.”

  ***

  Grace threw the Frisbee to Sneaky. Jess watched. At dusk, they walked to a nearby café, grabbed iced mochas, and were walking back to their cars when a passerby said something uncouth to Grace. Suddenly, Jess flew at him, ready to do bodily harm.

  “God, Jess, he’s rambling. He’s not in his right mind. Cool it!”

  “I don’t care, Grace. He can go talk to one of his shopping cart buddies like that! You are off limits!”

  “And you are acting possessive!”

  “And you should be more cautious with all that’s happened.”

  �
��Jess, I’m a big girl, I’m not stupid, and I know when to move away from the fire.”

  “I should have been there for you.”

  “Is that what this is about? You weren’t the hero?”

  “Oh, that’s right. I forgot. You had Gar—”

  Jess stopped. He loved her, wanted to be her everything. He knew better than to mention Garret’s name. He was acting jealous of someone who couldn’t defend himself from the grave.

  Grace walked away. He ran to catch up.

  “I need to get home Jess,” she said. “It’s been a long day. I need to make calls, do laundry, feed my girl here.” The dog began to bark. When Grace patted her flank, she noticed the dog’s fur stood up. Grace opened her car door and urged Sneaky to climb inside. “You better go, Jess.”

  “Okay,” he said, backing away. “Let me know about Catalina. We’ll have fun. Do you want to fly there? A friend of mine has a small plane. He’s always looking for an excuse to take a ride. We could take the ferry back into Long Beach.”

  “We’ll see, Jess. Right now, I can’t commit. Besides, I need to talk to Mom, see what she has in store for me. I haven’t seen her in months.”

  “Fine.”

  Jess looked angry. Grace wasn’t used to him acting this way. He was usually jovial, light. What changed? Was it his divorce? Whatever was going on with him did not give him the right to be so cantankerous. Words she spoke earlier came back to her: He’s controlling, Dr. Meltz.

  ***

  Jess removed his shoes by the back door, picked them up, and placed them neatly by the kitchen entryway. He tuned into the hum coming from the electrical appliances. So quiet, he thought, until the floorboards creaked under his weight. Just then, he heard a scratching noise. He stopped to listen. The scratching stopped. He smiled. She’s awake. He walk to the end of the hall, unlatched the door, and poked his head into the pitch-black room. Jenna moaned and struggled against the restraints. He switched on a small light and went to her side. He found a sock nearby to shove between the restraints and the headboard. “God, babe! You’re marring the fucking cherry wood!” His fingers squeezed her jaw with enough anger to kill her. Not yet. He hated being alone.

  When darkness came, he slipped on his shoes. His day was far from over.

  ***

  Grace stripped off her clothes and turned on the shower. She walked around the room naked, oblivious to the tantalization she caused the person at the other end of the Bushnell power view binoculars. They were small enough to fit in a pocket, yet powerful enough to catch the tiny bumps that formed on her skin before she stepped into the steaming water. All that could be seen were the swells of her breasts and her shoulders. However, the person watching from afar imagined her bent forward, washing her smooth, creamy skin and the opening between her legs, wet and ready for penetration.

  Bubbles oozed from the sponge, slid down Grace’s shoulders, and melted in the hot spray. Suddenly, she heard Sneaky bark. The sound chilled her to the bone, and her skin prickled.

  “Stop the paranoia,” she scolded herself. “It’s over!” Probably a racoon. Occasionally, they roamed the neighborhood at night, looking for food. Sneaky could smell one a mile away. Of course, she thought. It’s trash night. I forgot.

  She peered out the bathroom window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scavenger. Nothing there. Tempted to stand on tiptoe, she refrained. I need a taller shutter. When the house was remodeled, the plumber replaced the old tub with a Jacuzzi that sat four inches higher off the floor. For reassurance, she measured the top of the shutter with the top of her breast. Just barely. She opened the window a few inches to let out steam. Could be taller, she concluded.

  While bending down to turn off the faucet, a slight breeze carried the scent of Indian summer ambrosia. She inhaled night blooming jasmine, oleander, peonies, freshly mowed grass, and something unfamiliar. What? Instinctively, she smelled her skin. She flipped the cap on the liquid soap and took a whiff. That’s not it. She untwisted the cap on her new shampoo. She sniffed, letting the fragrance settle in her nostrils. She sniffed again. No. What she smelled was more like—aftershave. Shivers ran up and down her spine. She dried herself off quickly.

  She pulled the new “Get-Over-It!” T-shirt over her bare breasts. The material felt soothing against her clean skin. The shirt was long, the cotton, thin and perfect for when the sun went down and the delta breezes cooled the night. She rummaged through her drawer, slipping into pink-lace panties and a pair of terry shorts. She tightened the drawstring below her naval and padded barefoot down the stairs.

  Sneaky waited impatiently by the door. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  The dog barked incessantly.

  “Hang on! Let me get the trash.” Grace hurried from room to room emptying small cans into a plastic bag. Once the handles were tied in a knot, she slipped into flip-flops and began to unfasten locks. Before the door opened all the way, Sneaky bolted for the bushes. Grace didn’t understand. The critters would be the other way. She followed Sneaky to find out what was so urgent. She realized the dog’s fur was standing up on end. “What’s the matter girl?” Suddenly, Sneaky turned, hunkered down, and began to growl. Grace began to tremble. “What is it? You’re scaring me!”

  When the man stepped out from the shadows, Grace jumped, gasping for air. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I was—”

  “Frighten? Jess, you scared the hell out of me!” The dog continued barking viciously.

  “It’s okay, girl.” Grace moved between them. “Damn, don’t ever do that to me again! Don’t you have a phone?”

  “I’m sorry. Calm down. Here, let me take the trash.”

  Jess tossed the bag in the can and wheeled it to the curb. “Fuckin’ dog,” he mumbled. Grace took the dog inside. When he returned, she was waiting on the back steps.

  “Jess, you can’t just drop by here whenever you feel like it. I expect you to call first. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  “Sorry, for the third time. I was driving by. I thought I’d stop and ask if you wanted to go for ice cream.”

  Grace’s fingers combed through her damp hair, pacing the length of the deck. She couldn’t figure out why she was over reacting when, alas, it occurred to her, “You’re going crazy by yourself, aren’t you?”

  His hands slid in his pockets, one toe shuffled in front of the other. His chin dropped to his chest. “I’m not used to being alone.”

  Grace sat down on the step. Jess sat beside her.

  “New shampoo?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She smelled her hair. “Do you think it smells like aftershave?”

  “Not really. Maybe.” He moved closer. “You smell good.” He nuzzled her neck with his nose.

  She froze. It’s him. His aftershave. “Stop, Jess. It was a question, not an invitation.” Inside the house, Sneaky whimpered. Grace rose, “I better let her out.”

  “Big mistake. You’re not showing her who is boss.”

  Grace didn’t listen. Instead, she opened the door. “Sit,” she commanded. The dog obeyed immediately and sat between them. Although she wasn’t quite sure how to manage the dog’s dislike for Jess, she felt safe.

  Jess watched Grace’s breasts giggle when she moved. The thin T-shirt stretched across the most beautiful mounds he had ever laid eyes on. As he read the words strategically placed, he recalled how her soft flesh felt against his cheek: warm, the taste salty-sweet. He wanted to lay her down and take her the way he did that night, the night she needed him. His groin ached thinking about it.

  “Get Over It?” he questioned, pointing to her shirt.

  “I bought it today when I went shopping with Sal. I liked the color.” Her nipples hardened. His stare was penetrating. Invasive.

  She wrapped her arms across her chest. “I need to go in now, Jess.”

  “Something I said?”

  “I was on my way to bed before I remembered the trash. It’s been a lon
g day.”

  “Fine. I’ll go home. Alone. Catch a rerun of Law and Order on TV.

  “Poor baby.” Grace jutted her bottom lip.

  “You’re really broken up. I can tell.”

  “Call first next time.”

  “Sure.” He kissed her on the cheek and tried to pull her close.

  She twisted her body giving him the cold shoulder. “Goodnight.”

  During the night, her sleep was interrupted by fragments of disturbing images. Her subconscious ruled her dream world.

  Candy pulled the trigger; Grace screamed. Jess’s face loomed in the background.

  ***

  The wind caught the door as Grace barreled into the old Victorian. Dr. Meltz poked his head out of his office to see what caused the clatter.

  “I should have known it was you!” he laughed. “C’mon in. You have…,” he checked his watch, “exactly forty-eight seconds before I charge you as a no-show!”

  “Sorry. I overslept. Lousy dreams. I got here as soon as I could.” Grace hurried into the office and shut the door. “Jess stopped by again, last night…unannounced,” she said, catching her breath.

  “What did you do?” Dr. Meltz settled in his chair.

  “I asked him to call first next time.”

  “Was he okay with that?”

  “He better be. I won’t put up him showing up whenever he feels like it. My hair was wet!”

  Dr. Meltz’s laughter released some of her tension. He knew Grace was meticulous when it came to her hair. He could tell she had other things on her mind though. The angry expression on her face while talking about Jess invading her space was replaced with a new emotion. He waited for her to collect her thoughts.

  “Mom called. She wants me to go down there to sort through Dad’s things. I don’t know if I’m ready.”

  “What’s the hurry?”

  “According to her, his Alzheimer’s is worse, and now his white count is elevated. They’re running tests.”