Beyond Denver

Chapter 17

The events of last night involving Mike touching me at the Bunker come alive like a lucid nightmare. Meggie sleeps at the back of Maroney's car, shattered like glass.

Is it my place to tell her everything and break whatever is left of her? No. Not now. She's already seen enough. She has felt enough. For a moment, it is like I can hear my own voice screaming like a distressed child asking for help, but then I can't find the help.

"Are you sure she okay to go back there?" Maroney asks me when he sees the huge co-op building. We are back downtown; the traffic has slowed down, at least.

"She has a dinner meeting to attend tonight, but I can't picture her going there," I answer honestly. Meggie is always welcome to my place.

"The dinner meetings in those co-ops are usually mandatory." Maroney seems to know how they operate.

Meggie's neighbor, Vicky, lives next to the co-op building. "If Meggie picks up the cat and the rest of the stuff, she can stays over at my place."

"What does she need?"

"The litter, cat box, and the cat only. I have fresh clothes." I looked at her lying in the back seat, her face covered under the dog's blanket. "Meggie?" I call her, but she refuses to move.

"What?" she barely can speak.

"Give me Vicky's key," I tell her, and she reaches out to her purse, giving her key chain. I believe one of the keys in her bedroom, and the other is Vicky's. I will have to test which one will fit into the lock.

Just as I'm about to leave Maroney's car, I see Margo walking down the street with two other girls from the co-op. I tell Meggie, and she hides even more in the back seat by covering her entire body with the blanket. "Margo is not stupid. She will see me entering Vicky's house."

"I can go then," Maroney offers.

I handle the key and gives him some instructions on how to get things that Meggie needs. Thank god I've been to Vicky's home with Meggie on more than one occasion.

"I don't want to go to that stupid meeting. Not today. I will puke if I see that super-duper spicy vegan food."

"I'm not vegan, but I'm vegetarian," I remind Meggie.

"At least you don't go overboard."

"Okay," I don't want to force her to speak. Before food, Meggie needs water in her system.

After Maroney turns on his headlight, he gets out and enters Vicky's house. He returns in less than two minutes with the cat box, a bag of litter, and Mr. Dude in his arms with a confused and distressed look.

"It appears that he has pooped a lot in the box in the course of two days. I dumped it all in the garbage at the garage."

***

Back at my apartment, I let the cat get comfortable and explore the environment, but the first thing he does is jumping on the windowsill right away.

"Looking through the window is their TV," Maroney claims to observe the cat.

"He usually suckles on the surface of a pillow before laying down," Meggie adds, her voice still deep. I tell her to take a warm bath before heading to my bed but then get distracted by taking pictures of Mr. Dude with my cell. By the time I shoot them, he rubs his legs and licks himself.

"Look at his cute and funny face," I tell Maroney, taking notice of Mr. Dude's mixed colors, a dark circle covering his left eyes and nose. With his eyes as big as a marble ball, the cat gazes at James Park down below.

"Where is the bathroom?" asks Maroney.

"At the end of the hallway, on your right." I point to the hallway.

"He is a keeper," Meggie says as Maroney is out of sight. I look at her seat on the dining chair. She looks like shit. "I hope he doesn't do the number two just before I'm heading to shower." And at that, I cover my mouth with my hands to avoid bursting into a loud laugh.

For a moment, she wants to crack in a laugh too, but I sense she is sick with every move she makes. A dark hollow has formed under her eyes. "He is better than Denver."

I hear the flushing of the toilet and the water coming from the faucet, "Want some tea? It usually makes me feel better," I offer her. I still want to laugh at her comment.

"No. I'm not a tea person."

"What happened in Mike's house?" I finally ask her.

"The obvious," she says. "Can't remember much, anyway," she shrugs. She doesn't know how much I want to punch Mike for dragging my friend to his house to spend the night countless times.

I won't tell her what Mike did to me last night at that deserted area at the Bunker. It is not the time now. Not while Maroney is here. I'm glad she is in a better mood despite all the happenings. From all, we still need to call the cooperative where Meggie leaves to say she is not going to make it tonight.

Maroney returns from the bathroom, and I remind Meggie to take a shower. We exchange glances, and I know what she is thinking. There is a smirk in the corner of her lips, along with her hungover. I can't laugh.

"C'mon, I'll get you a towel and clean clothes." Maroney sits on the chair as she stands up and walks with hesitant footsteps toward the bathroom.

"Yes, a shower will make her feel much better."

"I don't have clean underwear," she yells from the hallway.

I smile at Maroney as I answer her, "Don't worry. I have a few that I'd bought to myself but never used," I giggle and blush at my own words.

Next, she enters the bathroom, and I hear the water running.

I sit next to Maroney, "Would you like anything to eat?" I can't invite people over without offering anything to eat.

"No, I had plenty of food at mom's house." My eyes land on his spiky light brown hair, but it is the dimples in my cheeks that catch my attention right away. His eyes are a mix of light brown and green, and I can't distinguish their real color. My phone pops a text message, and I glance, so I don't sound rude. All I hope is not my mother again. She's been too much in the last couple of days, and I wonder what's up to her lately. I'm glad the message is not from her, but it is from Denver instead. My heart warms up inside my chest.

How is your day going?

I don't reply and instead, continue my attention toward Maroney. "So, tell me a little bit about yourself." He tells me out of the blue. It feels like a job interview.

"What do you want to know?" I ask. I don't have anything to tell him. My life has been pretty boring and without adventures.

"Anything."

"Then I don't know," I smile and press y lips together.

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?"

Go out? Is this really a date?

"You don't have to give me an answer now," he stares into my eyes, and there is a tiny knot inside my stomach. He exhales slowly before moving closer, and I have a feeling he will try to kiss me in the lips when the bathroom door opens, and Meggie's voice surfaces through the hallway, "Where is my towel, Cassidy?"

Oops. I stand up quickly through the awkward moment. Mr. Dude follows me with his marble eyes. "Sorry, Meggie, I'll bring it over." I apologize.