Oil and Water | Terry Silver

Chapter 3: Oil

Most of the time, more like all of the time, Devan spent her time working. She worked long hours and when she had time off, she was still working. She almost never ran into her new neighbor, but Miss Henry always talked about him. Anytime she saw her, she talked about him. After a while, she thought her ears would start bleeding. No offense to Miss Henry, but Devan had her own life to contend to.

Whoever Miss Henry thought she was going to date, well, that was very unlikely. Miss Henry had not had a good date in some time. The last man she had, well, she scared him off. She could remember the screaming, but it made her wonder what that woman had done to scare the man off.

Unlocking the door to her apartment, Devan slowly pushed the door open. "Dotty, a little help." She pushed the door farther open with her foot, setting grocery bags down. "Dotty," she repeated and looked back at the dog who stared at a man walking down the hall.

Surprisingly, it was her neighbor. Devan raised a brow, checking her clock that was on the wall. That was right, it was nine at night. She had just gotten off work, it didn't take long for her to lose track of time. "Dotty," Devan hissed and the dog finally turned and bolted back to her.

From Devan's hiss, Terry looked right at her. "You seem to be out late."

"Late shift, but same to you," Devan said as she moved some of her groceries inside. As she did, Terry walked up behind her and grabbed more plastic bags that sat on the floor.

"Let me help you."

"You don't have to," Devan quickly remarked as she sat down some of the bags on the counter. "Dotty can get them."

Terry smiled at her, "I insist." As he entered, Devan could feel her stomach sink. Maybe it was working in a hospital that made her nervous, all the horrifying murder cases and rape cases that she had seen in the past, maybe it was the news, but it felt like this was an opportune moment to kill her.

Would anyone actually want to kill her? She figured Dotty would come to her rescue, but Dotty seemed almost lost. First time she had ever seen something like that, but the dog honestly seemed lost. However, Terry placed the bags beside the ones she had already placed and smiled. "I'll show myself out."

Devan blinked once or twice before shaking her thoughts from her head. "Hold on, I really appreciate you helping me, Mr. Silver. Dotty seems to be... lost." She glanced at the dog who continued to watch Terry.

Strange dog, she had never acted so aloof the entire time she had her, not even as a puppy.

Terry stopped in his tracks and turned to her, still with his charming smile that had seemed to have won over Miss Henry. Then again, what didn't win over that woman? She seemed to fall for anything and everything. "You can call me Terry, we are neighbors after all. We'll be seeing a lot of each other."

That comment alone made her sick to her stomach, but Devan nodded in return. "Right, well, I do appreciate the help..."

Part of her said to ask him to stay for dinner to thank him, but the other part said to think of all the murders that happened the same way. The price to work in a hospital, she saw everything and anything in her line of work.

It was just lovely, but sickening at the same time.

Great pay, great insurance, horrid memories. There was so much in between-ness, but she did love her job.

"One more thing, Miss Henry means well. I can imagine she talked your ear off, that woman scares most people off." Devan laughed some, rubbing the back of her neck.

Terry smiled at her, heading for the door. "She is an interesting lady. Have a good night, Devan." He smiled at her one last time before exiting her apartment.

Finally, Devan could relax. She rolled her shoulders back and leaned against the counter. Something about that man didn't sit quite right. He said he was a karate instructor, but not where. Devan hated fighting, self defense or not. It was never something she ideally wanted to learn, she was more focused on book studies then street studies. Not to mention all of her health problems.

Still, it was common courtesy to ask where he was working. After all, he knew where she worked and her line of profession. There was one hospital in the entire city and while she was one of many Cardiologists, she was the only one with the name Devan.

Slowly, Devan started unpacking her groceries. She shot a glare back at Dotty who stared at the door. "What has gotten into your this time?" She grumbled, "you have never had a single problem listening to me when I ask for help so why now?" She shook her head, placing her groceries in cabinets and in the fridge. She wasn't quite comfortable with asking Terry to stay over for dinner.

The two of them had just met the day before that, she was definitely not quite at that point. Hell, at this point, she was even more skeptical. The way Dotty was acting, would the dog even protect her if something did happen?

Devan sighed, "of all the things that could have happened," she murmured. "I would have much preferred to keep him out of my apartment..."