Drifting Through The North Star - Chapter 10
Back into the swing of things! The weird chapter title comes from a Frank Zappa song. Let me know if you're finding the developments interesting or not, but the plot starts building here.
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I Might Be Movin’ To Montana Soon
Kelli didn’t remember driving to work that morning. Her mind was too occupied, her emotions too livid. Her morning Internet session turned disturbing and set off that deep panic within. Granted she knew much of the blame was hers, but that wasn’t going to stop her from having some words. Maybe I’ll like living in a shack in Montana. She flew open the back door as soon as she got to the store to find Joe at the desk munching on a donut and reading the paper.
“You posted the interview and lyrics on your MySpace page?” She didn’t even give Joe a good morning.
“I told you there were others that wanted to see it.”
“It’s got 50,000 hits in three days. How many conspiracy theorists are out there?”
“I’m not sure. I have over 1300 friends, so I guess the word spread.”
“1300 of you think Buddy Holly is still alive?”
“No, I think that number is closer to 1000. The others are on the fence.”
Kelli grabbed her throbbing head. How did she get into this mess? “You can’t give me up as the one who gave you that article.”
Joe tilted his head in confusion. “Uh, not that I would, but why the worry?”
Kelli took in a deep breath, fighting to reel in her failing emotional control. She didn’t want to lose it in front of Joe. “Joe, this isn’t going to be limited to MySpace. People are going email links all over the place. It could be 50,000 times 10 by lunchtime.”
Joe smiled. “Yeah, pretty cool, huh? It’s important to get the word out.”
Kelli threw up her arms and turned around. She didn’t know what else to do. It was a harmless joke. How did it get so much notoriety? She felt Joe place his hand gently on her shoulder.
“What do you think is going to happen? It’s a harmless joke.”
Kelli turned around, thrown again that words in her head came out of his mouth. How does he do that? She felt the burning in her cheeks, but mustered a small yet unconvincing smile. “You’re right Joe, I’m overreacting.” Kelli took a few steps away, but Joe grabbed her arm.
“Kelli your anonymity is safe with me. You won’t get caught.”
Kelli frowned, bothered over his assumption. “Caught? Do you think I’m hiding?” She stopped, for she wasn’t prepared for explanations yet. She backed away and shook her head. “You’re right, I shouldn’t be worried. Ignore the outburst. Just call it one of my emotional days.” The quiver in her voice over the last sentence forced her to bite her lip. She couldn’t break down in front of Joe. Then she’d have to tell him what’s really going on.
“Kelli, maybe you should take some-“
Their conversation was interrupted by the ring from the front door. Kelli’s eyes widened when she saw who it was. “Excuse me,” she said to Joe and went to greet the new customer.
“Were classes cancelled today Steven? You’re normally not in this early.”
She noticed the glazed look in Steven’s eye and his weary smile. He took a few uncoordinated steps forward. “Steven, have you been drinking?”
“Yep.”
“A bit early in the day for you isn’t it? Don’t you have to work tonight?”
“Yep.”
Kelli glanced at Joe, who watched them with suspicious eye. She discretely pulled Steven over to a quiet area. “What’s wrong? You can tell me.”
“Felt like drinking today. Felt like seeing you.”
“Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
“Yep.”
“Steven, you need to go home and sleep this off so you’ll be ready for work this evening.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Did you drive or walk over here?”
“Drove.” He weaved back and forth.
“You drove? That’s so-“ Kelli cut herself off. She knew it was pointless to give responsibility lectures to a drunk. She took in a deep breath, calming her frayed nerves. “Give me your keys. I’m sure Joe will let me drive you home. I can walk back.”
He nodded slowly in agreement, but Kelli could tell with his contemplative pause after reaching in his pocket that he wasn’t ready to surrender his vehicle.
“Keys Steven, or I’ll look for them myself.”
He smiled. “You just want to feel me up.” He pulled out the keys, and with an unsteady arm handed them to her.
Kelli took them and eyed Steven to make sure he wouldn’t fall flat on his face. “I’ll be back. Stay here.” She walked over to Joe. “I gotta take him home.”
“No shit,” Joe said. “Can you handle him by yourself?”
“Yeah, he’s not a violent drunk.”
Joe flipped his skeptical glances between her and Steven, who was having a hard time standing without wavering. He let out a small sigh in defeat. “I’ll cover it. Get him to bed.”
Kelli went back to Steven and gripped his arm, guiding him outside to his car. He walked erratically, but in the right direction. She helped him in the passenger seat before taking her place behind the wheel.
“Steven, have you ever started drinking this early on a weekday?”
“Need a nap,” he said slurring his words before drifting off. Kelli felt lucky he only lived ten blocks away. She didn’t want to think what could have happened if he’d driven farther. As with her drive to work this morning, her mind was so preoccupied before she knew it they were there. She parked the car in front of Steven’s apartment and gave him a nudge. “We’re here.”
Steven jerked awake and smiled at the sight of his home. “You want to come in? I got plenty of Southern left.”
“Steven, its 10:30 in the morning. You need to get to bed, and I need to get back to work.”
“Suit yourself.” He struggled to get out of the car. Kelli got out, came over to his side, and helped him out. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”
Steven pulled him arm away. “I’m fine.” She watched him stagger inside and go sluggishly up the stairs and into his apartment. Once the door shut behind him, Kelli decided he was on his own from this point forward.
She turned around and headed toward the bookstore, the events racing through her head. She rarely saw Steven outside of his bookstore visits and Friday evenings, so she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and chalk this up to one bad day. After her morning, she could relate. Everyone deserves an out of character moment.
After walking for a block, Kelli noticed something didn’t feel right. She couldn’t explain it, but it was like someone was watching her. She looked backward to see a black car a good distance behind. She smiled and shook it off, accepting cars drive in residential areas. Three blocks later though she looked again to see the car maintaining the same comfortable distance. Cars should be going faster than 5 mph. She again dismissed her paranoia, for maybe the car was looking for a specific house.
Two blocks later the car was still following, so she ducked into a nearby coffee shop. With new coffee in her hand, she watched through the window the car roll slowly by. The driver, a woman, gazed toward the shop and then continued to go by. Kelli watched the car turn left and disappear.
“Is something wrong?” The clerk asked.
“No,” Kelli replied with a forced smile. “I’m just admiring the view. Thanks for the coffee.” Kelli left the store, for someone calling her out on suspicious behavior heightened her uneasy feeling. She looked around and didn’t see the car, taking in a sigh of relief. I just need to get to work and calm down. I’m getting paranoid.
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Kelli didn’t get a chance to get her coat off. The second she entered the store, Joe held out the phone receiver for her. “It’s Charlene.”
She rolled her eyes, wondering what this time. She needed to finish her coffee and read something. She felt drained.
“Yeah, what is it?” Kelli asked with irritation.
“Kelli?”
Kelli could tell something was wrong by the edge in her voice. “Charlene, what happened?”
“It’s nothing terrible. I hurt my arm. Can you come to the Urgent Care on 4th street and get me? I don’t think I can drive.”
Kelli turned to Joe and saw his concern. His eyes gave her the permission she needed. “Sure, I’ll be right there.” She hung up the phone. “Thanks Joe.”
“Just go on, and make sure she doesn’t come in today. We can handle it.”
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“Can you hold on a minute?” The receptionist told Kelli as soon as she asked for Charlene. Kelli watched her walk to the back counter and tap the doctor’s shoulder, pointing her way. The doctor nodded and made his way over.
“I got a question about your friend if you don’t mind,” he said.
“Sure.”
“Is Charlene having trouble with a boyfriend?”
“She doesn’t have a boyfriend.”
The doctor’s skeptical look told Kelli he wasn’t convinced. “I only ask because we get a lot of battered women cases in here. Her left arm is bruised badly at the back of the forearm.” He pointed to the exact spot on his own arm. “That’s usually an injury we see when a person is holding their arm up to protect something from hitting their face.”
“I don’t know of anyone that would do that to her. Was she attacked?”
“No, she said she fell. She doesn’t have a falling type injury, but I’ll let it go for now. Take her home and make sure she rests. I’ve given her something for the pain.”
“Okay,” Kelli replied, watching him leave with confusion.
Within a few minutes Charlene came out of the exam room and into the lobby. Her eyes were cast downward in complete embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I’m such a klutz.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. Accidents happen. Come on, let’s go home.”
On the way home Kelli wanted to ask exactly what happened, but she knew Charlene was still too shaken and likely wouldn’t give her a straight answer. Kelli thought about pushing for an answer, but being that she was riding the same ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ express, she knew that prying wasn’t the right thing to do. Playing along would be better. “Where‘d you fall?”
“It was stupid. I was at a friend’s house and tripped on the steps on the front porch. It didn’t hurt at first so I got into my car and started driving, but then it got worse so I pulled right into the Urgent Care when I saw it.” She let out a shaken sob.
“There‘s no reason to be so upset,” Kelli said trying to be comforting. Given her already shaken frame of mind, she was impressed with her acting.
“You’re right. I just don’t take pain well.” Charlene wiped her eyes with a kleenex and looked out the window, eyes lost in a solemn stare.
I bet you don’t. They both stayed silent the rest of the way home.
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Kelli flipped through the phonebook, trying to remember the name of the place Steven worked. He said it once, but it was so generic. She wanted to make sure he made it in okay. Judging by the no answer at his apartment, he probably did, but she needed to know anyway. The name eventually jumped out at her. Luckily there weren’t too many group homes in Sidney.
A man on the other end answered curtly. “Yeah, what?”
“Um, I’m looking for Steven. He’s an attendant-“
“Yeah, well I’m looking for him too. He should have been here fifteen minutes ago. He better get here and relieve me are I’m gonna end up killing these retards.”
Kelli sympathized, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Bad day, huh?”
“You said it sister.”
“Okay, I’ll stop by Steven’s place. I’ll do what I can to get him there.”
The other end clicked with no appreciation. “Joe, I’ve got to-“
“Let me guess, another personal emergency.”
“Sorry.”
“Fine, I’ll close up. Just remember, you owe me.”
“You’ll never let me forget.”
As Kelli worked her way over to Steven’s, she couldn’t believe the day she was having. It was if the world was falling apart around her. She was reminded of her old life; playing the stable one, always there to pull people out of a crisis. Here she is miles away from that yet the mantra followed her anyway. Sometimes nature won’t let things go.
She got to Steven’s apartment and started the long walk up the stairs. She had no idea what to expect, but that didn’t intimidate her. This wasn’t an unfamiliar situation. She knocked and predictably got no answer, relieved to find the apartment unlocked when she attempted to open the door. There was no sign of Steven, but music came from the bedroom.
“I’m walking on sunshine, woooah, I’m walking on sunshine, woooah, I’m walking on sunshine, woooah, and don’t it feel good!!...” She scowled over spotting Steven fully clothed and passed out on top of the bed, feet hanging off the edge, yet pleased he had enough frame of mind to pass out on his stomach. She pushed the button on the radio harshly to turn off the crappy song. “Steven, if that horrible song didn’t make you get up, I’m not sure what will.”
She gave him a nudge. “Steven, you need to wake up. Time to go to work.” He shocked her by popping up on the second try. His eyes were bloodshot and glazed, and the pale skin and mess on the bed were all signs he wasn’t doing too good.
“I’m calling the group home. You can’t go to work.”
He wearily shook his head and rose to his feet, unsteady in his stance. “No, I can’t call in. I’m doing a 12 hour shift. It’s too late for them to get someone else.”
“How in the world are you going to care for a group of people that can’t care for themselves? You can’t take care for yourself right now.”
“It’s the night shift. They’ll be sleeping and I’ll have help in the morning. Give me five minutes.”
Kelli stared at him with intense unwillingness to help him perform another deeply irresponsible act. “If you go to work drunk, they’ll fire you.”
“There’s a Mountain Dew and Red Bull in the fridge. That’s all I need.”
Kelli folded her arms. “So this has happened before?”
“Drinks please?”
Kelli huffed and went into the kitchen to retrieve said beverages while Steven changed his clothes. She picked up the empty fifth of Jack Daniels off the floor, wondering how full the bottle was this morning. She cleaned up a few things and turned around to find Steven standing behind her, dressed and ready to go.
“You’re not my maid.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, handing him the beverages.
He slammed down the Mountain Dew and picked up his keys off the counter.
“Gotta go.”
“No you don’t. I’m driving. You’re still drunk. I can pick you up in the morning. When’s your shift done?”
“7:00 am and no you’re not.”
She grabbed the keys easily from him. “Your reflexes are a little slow. Come on, time’s wasting.”
“Fine.” He grabbed the other can and they went down the stairs and out to Kelli’s car. Steven wouldn’t talk the entire way, resting his head on the cool window. Kelli’s mind wandered as she turned onto the rural road.
“Mom, get up. We have an appointment.”
“Cancel it.”
The words were barely comprehensible. Kelli noticed the empty bottle of Jack Daniels lying on the bed beside her.
“Alcohol’s a depressant Mom.”
“Takes the edge off.”
“One drink. Not one bottle. The doctor already told you what could happen if you drank too much with your meds.”
She rose herself up slowly, the woozily sunk back down.
“Crap, not again.” Kelli placed her fingers on the side of her mother’s neck. “Oh come on Mom. Your pulse is thready. Haven’t you learned by now?” Kelli grabbed the phone from the bedside table.
“Yep, me again. Same place, same reason.” She hung up the phone and looked at her mother is disappointment. “Ambulance is coming Mom.”
Kelli pulled up to the modest looking home in the countryside about ten miles out of town. Steven got out without a thank you and by the way he was walking she could tell he was still inebriated. Another attendant came out of the house and Kelli heard some of the four letter words thrown Steven’s way while he walked inside. Must be the guy on the phone. Luckily he was too pissed and didn’t notice Steven was drunk. That or didn’t care.
Kelli watched the other man get in his car and leave. She started to leave as well and caught the headlights in the rear view mirror. They came from a car on the road a small distance back. Sure it was dark out, but the car looked black. She wanted to believe her imagination was still at work, for it was hard to be conspicuous on a country road. Would someone following her be that stupid? She noticed the other car kept a good distance behind her the entire way home.
She got out of her car and watched the other one drive by. Black, same make as before. Kelli watched the taillights disappear into the horizon and sighed. Great, I’m being watched. She went into her apartment and turned on the computer. Just in case, she needed to become familiar with Montana.