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took a large step and positioned himself
in front of me. I almost crashed into him. Stopping abruptly, I snapped, “What
are you doing?”
    He tilted his head to look into my eyes. “Hey. I mean it,
I’m sorry.” He had the decency to look ashamed. “It will never happen again,
okay?”
    “Oh, it won’t because I’ll … ”
    He put a tentative hand on my shoulder, his expression
serious. “If anyone even thinks about touching you again, I will kick their ass
up and down the street.”
    “Great. That’s very comforting,” I couldn’t hide my sarcasm.
“Now get out of my way. I want to go home.” Thankfully, he stepped aside.
    “Where’s your car?” he asked, falling into step with me
again.
    I sighed and mumbled, “Auto shop.”
    “I would have given you a ride.”
    I stopped and faced him. “Listen, I’m all right. I don’t
need a ride. I can get home just fine all by myself. Go home. I feel safer without you.”
    “Ouch. That hurts,” he said, and although he claimed to be
injured, a little smile tweaked the corners of his mouth. “Come on, I feel bad
about what happened. Let me walk you home. If it makes you feel better, I can
walk behind you, like a shadow. You won’t even have to look at me.”
    Sighing again, I put a hand over my face, and, despite it
all, I started to laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”
    “But I’m cute, aren’t I?” He cocked his head to one side and
grinned.
    I shook my head at his arrogance. I was too tired to fight
any more. I let him walk me home.

6. Claudia
     
    On Monday, after two long lab sessions, I had just enough
time to make myself a quick sandwich before heading over to the Fayes’ house
for work.
    I was glad when Mrs. Faye told me that Toby was running some
errands and I wouldn’t see him until later. He had done his best to make amends
on the walk home, but I had mixed feelings about our interaction after that
last unpleasant night.
    I had to coax Mrs. Faye to eat. She managed a little, and
when she couldn’t eat anymore, I straightened up her bedroom while she flipped
on the TV.
    “Wow, a new television,” I said, admiring the small, sleek
flat-screen set attached to the wall on the other side of her bedroom.
    “Toby says everything in this house is so old and tired. I
guess he’s right. I haven’t had any interest in improving things around here
for a long time. Too long,” she admitted with a sigh. “Toby got the TV at work.
Said Mr. Bernbaum gave him a decent employee discount.”
    Everyone knew AB’s. The store had been around forever. I was
surprised Mr. Bernbaum had hired Toby. I’d heard he was very selective about
employees. I dusted her dresser, mildly interested.
    “How long has he been working there?”
    “He’s only been home about a month—since he found out I was
sick,” she said, lowering the volume. “He’s been in Florida for the last year
and a half.”
    “What was he doing for work while he was there?”
    “Let’s see,” she put her hand up and began ticking off a
list. “First, there was building houses, then landscape work, and then pool
installations,” she sighed. “He hasn’t quite found his niche yet. And now he’s
talking about the military.”
    “He’s going to enlist?” Boot camp would be perfect for an
aimless guy like him.
    Mrs. Faye raised her thin shoulders in a shrug. “He hasn’t
mentioned it since I told him about the re-diagnosis, and honestly, I’m glad.”
    “Re-diagnosis? You’ve had this before?”
    “I’ve been in remission for a few years. But these things
happen. It’s just a setback. I’ll be fine.” She waved her hand in nonchalance.
“I didn’t even want to ask Toby to come home.”
    “You shouldn’t have had to ask,” I blustered.
    “I didn’t. He came home on his own.”
    Embarrassed by my gaffe, I murmured. “That’s good.”
    “Yes, it is. But though I’d like him to stay, he won’t.
Being here only seems to make him restless. Too many bad memories, I