The Woman in the Windowsill
Eighteen

~~~

“How’d she take it?”, Camila asks.

“I didn’t stick around to find out. I’m pretty sure she didn’t take it well at all though.”

Camila and I sit atop a hill in lawn chairs overlooking the town. We decided to name the town Reckard. I look over and stare at her. She has her hair up in a messy bun and she has her eyes closed as she soaks in the sunlight. We decide to lay in the grass together as we watch the sun go down over Reckard Town.

“Did you give my parents my message? That I miss them?”, she asks.

“Yeah, I did.”

“How’d it go?”

“They thought I was a bit crazy. That I was on drugs. I think your father was ready to kill me.”

“I should have known that plan probably wouldn’t have worked. I just really wanted to get a network of communication between me and them. It was too good to be true, I suppose.”

“I bet they’ll come around. I’ll just be my usual charming self and they’ll come around.”

“That charm that won my father over?”

“The tougher the nut, the harder to crack. But it always cracks eventually”, I smile.

I watch her as she generates a ladybug and has it move from grass pedal to grass pedal before it makes its way up her finger and onto her hand. I generate a white horse and I order it to gallop in the distance. It’s strides are long and powerful. The horse freezes mid gallop as Camila signals for my attention.

“How was your first day at work?”

“It went alright”, I lie. “Ross was pretty excited for me to be back. I did the best I could. I was a little tired.”

“You didn’t get enough sleep?”

“I got plenty of sleep. I was here with you, remember?. Did I get any rest? None. I can handle it though”

“It’s really taking its toll on you isn’t it. Coming here to see me, and trying to balance out your personal life?”

“You are my personal life.” I reach out and hold her hand. It’s soft and comforting to the touch. “It’s just a little difficult is all. What in life isn’t difficult that’s worth living for?”

“You can cut down on the visits, you know. I’ll be alright?”

“It’s bad enough you need to wait weeks for me as it is Camila. If I miss a night, it sometimes almost jumps to a month for you that I’m gone. It’s fucked up. I don’t want you to be here alone.”

She sits there with her tongue in her cheek. She speaks up. “I might not be alone for long.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Something wonderful has happened. I’m pregnant Brett. I’m pregnant! We have a second chance at having a family!”

My heart begins to race. “Wow.” Now I begin to smile, and it turns into a grin. “Wow!”

I get up and lift her off the ground and we twirl atop the hill. Camila squeals and laughs until I put her down. She leans in to give me a long kiss and then caresses my face. “You’re going to be a Dad!”

“I already was a Dad.”

“Yeah, I know. But we have another chance. It’s going to be far, so far from perfect. But it’s something. It’s something!”

I give her another kiss. I stare into her big brown eyes for as long as I can. The moment is perfect. She glances off into the distance of the town and then back to me.

Then I wake up. It’s David.

“Get the fuck up”, he screams. He yanks me out of my bed and hurls me against the wall. “I told you not to fuck with her heart!” His eyes are filled with rage. He grits his teeth and his fists are clenched.

“David stop!”, I plead. He’s already thrown a left hook and it connects with the side of my head. Before I raise my guard he throws a cross and it connects with my nose and right eye. Everything goes blurry and I’m seeing stars. I feel myself thrown into my doorway. I can’t make out the words but I can sense the anger in my voice as David curses me.

“Listen to me!”, I yell out.

“You fucked up Brett”

“David, hear me out, please”

He begins to calm down. I sees and I feel as blood begins to gush out of my nose. It makes contact with my lips and I blow the blood off my mouth. I wipe it away with my sleeve as I stand up.

“Take a seat, David, I got to talk to you”

“This better be good Brett, she’s torn up”.

“This isn’t going to make sense, but just try your best to be understanding. As my best friend, just try your best.” I’m fatigued. I can barely even stand straight, coupled with the concussion I’ve received from the beating.

I give David my sales pitch. I tell him all about my dreams, and how I’m back together with Camila and that I’m happy. I tell him that this didn’t occur until after I started seeing his cousin, hoping that he’ll be understanding. I tell him about how I’m going to be a father. I also tell him about the effects of staying in Camila’s world has on my health. He listens to everything I tell him without a fuss, without an interruption.

He soaks in everything I tell him. He looks me right in the eye, which is now swelling. “So, is she like a zombie?”

I sigh. “No asshole, she’s not. She’s the same as she always was.”

“Dude, this shit would be so much more dope if she was like a walking corpse.”

I shake my head.

“Listen, Brett. You’re my best friend. I know you. I know you wouldn’t make up some bullshit lie like this.”

“It’s not bullshit David.”

“I believe you. I believe that you believe this. I really do. But this bracelet here?” He picks up my wrist and analyzes the rhinestone bracelet. “It’s not what you think it is man. You’re sick. You need help. Let’s get you to the shrink. He’ll help you out.”

My stomach sinks. “It’s not fake David. It’s real.”

“Have you listened to yourself Brett? You’re a smart guy, you can’t possibly believe all this can you? You’re sick. Have you seen your cat? When was the last time you fed him? I’m taking him with me. We’ll be back for you when you decide you have a problem and you need help.” He grips the bracelet and yanks it. Rhinestones fly everywhere and he throws the mangled wristwear across the room.

I don’t even think about it. I throw my right hand into his face as hard as I can and his neck buckles. He returns a right hook and it connects with my jaw.

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