Read 40 Something - Safety for Free Online Page B

She’s
probably at the library lost in a book. You know Jessica.”
    The library.
Right. The library. That’s probably where she is. Of course that’s
where my good, quiet, shy, bookish girl would be. I nod at Gus and
as he is getting his coat on, the back door opens and Jessica walks
in. The whole room goes still. Everyone looks at her without a
word.
    She’s alive. My
girl is safe. Home. And alive. Relief sweeps over me and in two
strides I’ve got her in my arms and I’m sobbing.
    “What?” Jessica
voice is in my ear and I am filled with love.
     
     

 
Sophie
     
    A couple large
men show up at 6:00 along with a drop dead gorgeous woman. She is
tall, classy, well dressed, and did I mention, drop dead gorgeous.
I feel like a gargoyle next to her. Lindsay is beautiful. This
woman, she is more than that, she is the kind of women powerful men
have on their arms. A woman who possesses a combination of old
fashion glamour with timeless grace. This woman is someone I’d
never be within a hundred miles of let alone in the same room
as.
    “Lindsay
darling. You’re looking gorgeous.”
    “Marissa. You
are impeccable as always. Thank you for coming on such short
notice.”
    “It’s what
friends do. Where would we be if we didn’t have each other’s
back?”
    Somehow her
voice has me visualizing her long, sculpted nails in Lindsay’s back
more than the two of them standing back-to-back protecting each
other. I’m not sure why. The tone? Something underneath it doesn’t
sound sincere. Something in the way she talks to Lindsay makes the
hairs on the back of my neck stand up, like they did before Craig
would have a temper tantrum.
    “This is
Sophie.”
    “Yes. Hello. So
what is it you need my dear?”
    She didn’t look
at me, like I am beneath her notice, like I’m the help and not an
equal. I instinctively look down at my toes and step back, out of
her way, out of her sight. I know I’m being silly. This is
Lindsay’s friend. I’m just paranoid and weird.
    “Sophie stop
being silly.”
    I can hear my
mother’s voice saying the words in my head. She always told me I
was just being silly whenever I tried to tell her how I felt. Here
I am at 40 and I still hear her voice admonishing me when I am
feeling uncomfortable, upset, bad, that I’m just being silly and to
stop it.
    I wonder what
voices my mother hears? Does she hear my grandmother’s voice?
Still?
    “Sophie here is
my new roommate.” Lindsay says.
    “Your roommate.
Well, how quaint.”
    “Yes. I was
getting a bit lonely and Sophie just moved here and is looking to
buy a place. You know this market is so hot it’s hard to find
anything decent. So until she does, she’s going to stay here.”
    “Buy a place
you say.”
    “Yes. She’s
looking for something bigger than my place, she has the two kids
after all.”
    “Bigger?”
    “Much.”
    “Well I will
have to keep my eyes open for you Sophie.”
    The woman is
extending her hand out to me and I take it, gingerly. I look to
Lindsay in a bit of shock. What is she talking about? I’m about to
contradict her when she puts a finger to her lips in a shhhh sign
and winks. Winks. Like we have some secret. A game of some kind. I
am confused. I don’t like lying. I want to say something. Lindsay
shakes her head and this gorgeous, classy, snob of a woman takes my
arm and leads me to follow Lindsay towards the rooms the kids are
in.
    “What do you
think Marissa? Olivia is 7 years old. Too old for the cartoony
stuff and princesses are out. This girl is not a girly girl. I
don’t want little girl.”
    “Pre tween.
Some bold colours, vibrant, and girl punk. Cutesy skulls that type
of thing.”
    “Perfect. I
knew you’d know what to do.”
    Marissa tells
us what she plans on doing with the room Olivia is using. I look
from Lindsay to Marissa back to Lindsay. I don’t understand.
    “Ah Lindsay.
What are you doing?” I ask.
    “Now, Wyatt is
10. He’s a star wars fan and likes to