A Singular Witness

Running to Keep Up

The first day of October was three degrees cooler than the last day of September, which aside from the simple swipe of another calendar page into the oblivion of the past, was the only significant change that occurred from one day to the next.  Quinn was a little slower to pack up the book she had been reading at the close of her shift at the library.  After clocking out she retrieved her bike from the bike rack on the south side of the building, making note of her own movements in the process, and taking her time as she rode home.

As she turned into her driveway she sensed something was different, and made a quick sweep of her surroundings in an effort to identify the change.  It appeared that someone had moved into the empty house on the corner, but it was up for rent so often that a new tenant hardly warranted notice.  Quinn parked her bike on the porch, fumbling for her key before she realized that the door was unlocked.  She was momentarily confused, certain she had locked the door behind her when she left for school that morning.

She walked into the house, slowing in the entry when she thought she saw someone move in the kitchen.  She craned her neck in an effort to see around the corner of the wall at the end of the hallway, but could not see beyond the kitchen's entrance.

"Hello?" 

Quinn swung her head around with a start when she heard a voice greet her in a low tone from the living room, to the side of where she was standing in the entry way.  Sitting somewhat apprehensively on the couch in the center of the room was the same girl who had opened the door at Toby's apartment.

Quinn felt real fury mingle with her shock.  "What are you doing here?"  She asked incredulously.

"Hey Sis, is that you?"  To Quinn's amazement, Hampton suddenly appeared in the entry of the kitchen.  He didn't look like he had the last time Quinn saw him.  He was about twenty pounds heavier than he had been, his skin ruddy and taut over a tight frame.  He wore a dress shirt and slacks, and striding confidently over to where Quinn stood, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly against his chest.  His eyes, no longer bleary and sunken in their sockets, lit up as they searched Quinn's face.

"What happened to you?"  Quinn asked, her voice breaking.

Hampton flashed a bewildered smile.  "I went to Rehab."

"Rehab?"  She asked, drawing out both syllables of the word.  "Why didn't you tell me where you were?  I worried sick about you.  I was seriously hoping you were still alive."

Hampton looked confused.  "They took my tablet when I went into treatment, but I had Leah get in touch with Toby, didn't he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"  Quinn asked slowly, a sickening static invading her brain.

Glancing over at Leah, who shifted uncomfortably on the couch, Hampton said, "I had been with Leah for awhile, but she found out she was pregnant and she sobered up, and told me she didn't want me coming around anymore.  I was in a bad place.  I was tweaked out all the time, always thinking someone was watching the house.  Dad had just died, and then I find out I'm going to be a Dad myself, but my girl doesn't want me around to screw up the kid.  I called up Dad's old attorney and he found a treatment program out in Arizona, but it was a minimum stay of ninety days, and no contact with the outside world while I was in the program.  Leah sometimes has seizures.  That's how we met; I was trying to talk her into selling me some of her meds.  Anyway, she can't take her meds while she's pregnant, so I had her call Toby to see if he'd help out while I was away.  I didn't know he would actually rent an apartment.  I figured she would just stay here.  I mean, surely Toby explained things."

Quinn hugged her arms tight around her chest, her cheeks burning.  "He didn't really have a chance to explain."

Leah chewed her lip while Hampton nodded slowly.  "Ah...Come on, Sis.  Toby is a stand up guy, and nobody knows him better than you.  He's the only person I could think of to call, you weren't around then."