had kissed a wet dog, and she was on a couch in a strange room. She took a calming breath, remembering how the previous evening had ended. She was on Jill’s couch, in Jill’s living room, dressed in one of Jill’s oversized nightshirts.
After spilling her entire story, Mae had sat holding her breath and waiting for Jill to either laugh at her or offer to pay for a cab to get the loony out of her living room. Instead, Jill had sat silent for a couple of minutes, apparently deep in thought. Then she’d stood and, declaring that they had gone through a difficult ordeal, commanded that they both get some sleep. She said they could take the matter up again over the dinner date Mae had promised her.
Mae rose slowly, careful to make as little noise as possible. She looked around for a clock. The green numbers flashing from the digital video recorder resting on the television read five twenty-six.
After using the bathroom, she moved silently into the kitchen. A quick search yielded a canister of ground coffee and filters for the coffeemaker. Mae started the machine producing the dark brew she was desperately craving and returned to the living room. She found her clothes from the night before neatly folded and stacked in a chair next to the couch. Mae decided that it would be safe enough to change back into her clothes in the living room, planning to duck into the bathroom if she heard Jill coming. By the time she finished dressing and folding the makeshift bedding, Mae was able to pour herself a cup from the not-quite-finished coffee pot.
Settling at the kitchen table, Mae checked her watch. If Jill did not make an appearance soon, she would have to find her own way back to her apartment. She expected fallout from her impromptu and ill-advised visit to the Arneson household, and the last thing Mae wanted to be was late for work.
She was trying to decide between waking Jill or leaving her a note and catching a bus back to the Uptown Transit Station, when she heard the sound of a shower running upstairs. Mae was most of the way through her second cup of coffee when Jill appeared, looking fresh, awake, and ready to face the day.
“Good morning,” Jill said as she took a travel mug from the cabinet and filled it with coffee. “Sleep well?”
Mae nodded over her cup. “Yeah, actually. I usually don’t sleep at all in strange beds, but last night was okay.” She decided not to mention the weird dream. She had piled a lot on Jill in a short time last night—there was no need to add more stress, especially since it was only a dream, nothing more.
“Good. I’ll drive you home. You shower and change, then we can get scones or something at Dunn Brothers before we head for work.” Jill gave Mae a stern look. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Mae finished her coffee and nodded in agreement. “Okay. It will give you a chance to ask any questions you might have thought of after we went to bed last night.”
The two women slipped into their coats and stepped into the unheated tuck-under garage.
Mae gave Jill’s vehicle a dubious look. “I’m reminded why you bus everywhere.”
Jill gave her a playful scowl. “Hush, you. You’ll hurt her feelings.” Jill reached out and patted the top of the rusty, red Ford Escort. “It’s okay, Maddy. Don’t listen to the mean woman, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Wait—Maddy?”
“Be nice,” Jill said as they both climbed into the cramped interior. “I’ve had Maddy since I was a freshman in college. She’s never let me down.” Jill turned the key. The engine whined, coughed and sputtered. Jill pumped the gas pedal and turned the key again. The whole car shook as the ignition finally took and the engine started. The smell of oil filled the car.
“Um…Jill?”
Jill gave her what Mae suspected was supposed to be a reassuring smile. “It’s all good. Maddy’ll stop blowing smoke before we reach your place.”
Mae checked her seatbelt as
After spilling her entire story, Mae had sat holding her breath and waiting for Jill to either laugh at her or offer to pay for a cab to get the loony out of her living room. Instead, Jill had sat silent for a couple of minutes, apparently deep in thought. Then she’d stood and, declaring that they had gone through a difficult ordeal, commanded that they both get some sleep. She said they could take the matter up again over the dinner date Mae had promised her.
Mae rose slowly, careful to make as little noise as possible. She looked around for a clock. The green numbers flashing from the digital video recorder resting on the television read five twenty-six.
After using the bathroom, she moved silently into the kitchen. A quick search yielded a canister of ground coffee and filters for the coffeemaker. Mae started the machine producing the dark brew she was desperately craving and returned to the living room. She found her clothes from the night before neatly folded and stacked in a chair next to the couch. Mae decided that it would be safe enough to change back into her clothes in the living room, planning to duck into the bathroom if she heard Jill coming. By the time she finished dressing and folding the makeshift bedding, Mae was able to pour herself a cup from the not-quite-finished coffee pot.
Settling at the kitchen table, Mae checked her watch. If Jill did not make an appearance soon, she would have to find her own way back to her apartment. She expected fallout from her impromptu and ill-advised visit to the Arneson household, and the last thing Mae wanted to be was late for work.
She was trying to decide between waking Jill or leaving her a note and catching a bus back to the Uptown Transit Station, when she heard the sound of a shower running upstairs. Mae was most of the way through her second cup of coffee when Jill appeared, looking fresh, awake, and ready to face the day.
“Good morning,” Jill said as she took a travel mug from the cabinet and filled it with coffee. “Sleep well?”
Mae nodded over her cup. “Yeah, actually. I usually don’t sleep at all in strange beds, but last night was okay.” She decided not to mention the weird dream. She had piled a lot on Jill in a short time last night—there was no need to add more stress, especially since it was only a dream, nothing more.
“Good. I’ll drive you home. You shower and change, then we can get scones or something at Dunn Brothers before we head for work.” Jill gave Mae a stern look. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Mae finished her coffee and nodded in agreement. “Okay. It will give you a chance to ask any questions you might have thought of after we went to bed last night.”
The two women slipped into their coats and stepped into the unheated tuck-under garage.
Mae gave Jill’s vehicle a dubious look. “I’m reminded why you bus everywhere.”
Jill gave her a playful scowl. “Hush, you. You’ll hurt her feelings.” Jill reached out and patted the top of the rusty, red Ford Escort. “It’s okay, Maddy. Don’t listen to the mean woman, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Wait—Maddy?”
“Be nice,” Jill said as they both climbed into the cramped interior. “I’ve had Maddy since I was a freshman in college. She’s never let me down.” Jill turned the key. The engine whined, coughed and sputtered. Jill pumped the gas pedal and turned the key again. The whole car shook as the ignition finally took and the engine started. The smell of oil filled the car.
“Um…Jill?”
Jill gave her what Mae suspected was supposed to be a reassuring smile. “It’s all good. Maddy’ll stop blowing smoke before we reach your place.”
Mae checked her seatbelt as
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