Chapter Three

Reading the message from Randy promising to stop drinking was almost enough for me to text back. Sitting on the couch, staring at the black glass screen of my powered-off phone, I shrieked and chucked the phone across the room. Kyra, witnessing my outburst, quickly comes over to sit beside me, handing me a fresh cup of hot coffee.

“Talk to me hun.” My best friend consoles, patting my knee.

“He said he would quit drinking.” I sighed, dropping my head in my hand.

“Gee, that’s so thoughtful of him. How many times did you and I both try talking to him because his drinking was getting out of control?”

“Too many to count…”

“Exactly. But now he’s ready to admit it’s a problem when faced with potentially losing you? What about all the arguments and fights you guys had over it on top of the horrible things he would say to you when he was drunk?” Kyra points out, rubbing my back. “I don’t doubt he’s sorry, Leslie. But he made the choice of letting Katie walk through that door before drinking a single drop. That’s what he told Nick anyway. Did he plan on cheating on you? Maybe not, honestly probably not. The point is, Randy didn’t do enough to prevent it either and ultimately allowed himself to succumb to temptation.”

I’m so lucky Kyra is my best friend because she’s right. The events of last night never would have happened if Randy had simply refused to let Katie in. He is well aware that nothing good ever occurs when Katie is around. He didn’t take into consideration how insulting it was to let her into our home. If I had been home when she showed up at our door, I would have flipped out. Randy should have felt the same way after the terrible things she did to us.

Kyra sent him a text once we were done gathering his things, telling him to come pick up his shit, complete with a picture of the pile.

Not ready to face him, I leave before he arrives, driving to the nearest department store to buy a new bedding set. Kyra and I had stripped all the bedding off of my bed. I can’t stand the sight of my bed because of the images of Randy and Katie fucking each other that flood my mind every time I walk into my room. We took all the bedding behind the building and threw it away in the apartment’s dumpster. Pillows, sheets, blankets, all of them were furiously stuffed into the trash while I bawled my eyes out.

Shortly after arriving at the store, plodding along through the bedding aisles, my phone chimes with a message from Kyra.

He’s refusing to take his crap or leave until he see’s you in person.

Grabbing a taupe and cream boring patterned bed in a bag off the shelf, I threw it in the shopping cart on top of the pillows I had snatched out of a bin with a growl. I don’t have the energy to seriously pay attention to the plethora of bedding options available and choose something I would actually like. The bedding in my cart required the least amount of thought whether it would match my bedroom with its muted neutral colors and barely noticeable wavy stitched pattern.

I’m not in the mood for any of this shit. Shopping after experiencing such a stressful and emotionally draining ordeal is utterly miserable. As much as I want to get out of this store, I find myself dilly-dallying around, not at all ready to go home either.

***

A raspy male voice peels me away from my thoughts, announcing to the passengers over the PA system the current ETA to Thompson Island where I'll be meeting Kyra to give her Draco. Gathering my backpack and carrier containing a now snoring Draco inside, I prepare to exit the bus.

Kyra is already there waiting for me in the parking lot. From this point, I will get on another bus and travel around the island where I’ll be dropped off at Acadia National Park. From that point, I’ll pick a trail to go on and will either catch a bus later this evening or tomorrow morning once I’m finished hiking.

I spotted Kyra’s black SUV with all black trim and rims parked in the second row of the docks public parking lot. We both smile and wave, catching sight of each other at the same time. Opening the rear door, I slide Draco’s carrier into the backseat, who is now awake and frantically whining, scenting that Kyra is nearby.

“You sure you’re going to be alright hiking so far into the forest all on your own?”

It’s the first thing Kyra says to me when I climb into the passenger seat. Her lightly made-up face is stricken with concern. With her blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun while wearing her thick framed glasses, she looks especially serious, reminding me of a sexy blonde librarian.

Giving her my best attempt for a convincing, confident smile, I responded nonchalantly. “Of course I’m going to be ok. You know I’m more than capable of handling myself out in the wilderness.”

Sitting in the truck waiting for the next bus to arrive, Kyra sighs, propping her head up with her arm resting on the edge of the SUV’s door. “Yeah, yeah I forget you’re a hiking professional and outdoors woman now.” She snickers playfully. “Just promise me you’ll be careful and text me see what trail you decide to hike when you get there.”

“I promise to try and not die mother, and I’ll text you the trail name and approximate time it will take to complete it.” I responded with a grin.

“Okay, I know I sound like an anxious mother sometimes. I can’t help it though.” Kyra's voice softens as she speaks her mind. “You’ve just had a rough couple of years and I get that this is healing for you. I didn’t worry about you going into abandoned buildings or out into the middle of nowhere before because…”

Kyra doesn’t finish her sentence and doesn’t need to. Randy and I always went ghost hunting or location scouting together. Randy’s a big, strong guy who could handle just about anything. For the last two years, however, I’ve done this all alone. Kyra has every right to be worried about my safety. I’m a former semiprofessional ballet dancer who is barely five foot three inches tall and weighs all of a hundred and twenty pounds on a good day.

“It’s not the same without him.” I mumbled more to myself than aloud. “We had so much fun shooting and creating the videos together.”

“Have you thought of hiring someone part-time to go with you or help with making the videos?”

“I’ve considered it, but haven’t put out an official job posting or anything just yet.”

“Well, whatever you decide to do, you’re seriously knocking it out of the park for doing this all by yourself. You’re so talented, Leslie. Don’t ever let that go to waste. Especially because of a guy.”

After Randy and I went off on our separate ways, I discovered going for long walks in the woods aided in keeping my mind occupied and as a healing balm to my bruised and battered soul. I ended up making it a hobby of mine and often go out for miles-long hiking excursions.

I leaned over the center console and wrapped my arms around Kyra. “Thank you,” I whispered, giving her a tight squeeze. My appreciation for Kyra is multifaceted. I hope she knows how much she means to me.

Squeezing me back just as hard. “Anytime babe. Draco and I will be feasting on spicy chicken wings and French fries while binging on scary movies tonight.”