Work Text:
The incessant buzzing of the alarm clock finally pulled her out of a nice sleep. She stretched as she threw the covers off. It felt like her jaw almost broke in two as she yawned. Her soft steps carrying her in to the bathroom.
She finished pulling on her t-shirt and jeans as she turned to head down stairs to properly start her day. As she stepped in to the kitchen a cabinet tapped, “Good morning.” Her gaze shifted to the window over the sink as she walked. The sky was a glorious blue with small puffy clouds slowly drifting across it. “It looks like a nice day out there.”
She began making coffee in the percolator, it was an electric one but it was old. “It was a nice quiet night last night. Thank you.”
She started scrambling some eggs, after cracking them on the rim of the pan she put the shells on the counter nearby. When she turned to throw them away she discovered they were already in the trash by the back door. “Why thank you.” She said as she retrieved a plate from the cabinet.
The toast popped just as she was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She settled at the kitchen table and ate in silence enjoying each bite. She was thinking about the new book she was going to begin working on today. The cabinet tapped again. “Sorry, should I collect red flowers today?”
The cabinet tapped twice in seeming response. “Yellow?”
Again the cabinet tapped twice. “Some of the Earthwalker sunflowers it is.”
The cabinet tapped once this time. She stood up carried her dishes to the sink and picked up the squat glass vase. She put some water in it and placed it on the table. When she turned to walk to the back door it was already hanging partially open, “Pushy.” She laughed softly as the cabinet tapped twice and she continued out the back door to the large garden.
She walked passed the rows and rows of carefully maintained flower beds. Past the regular sunflowers to the dark orange Earthwalker type. Balanced on the edge of the railroad ties that formed the edging of the flower bed were the garden shears. She laughed softly again as she picked them up and carefully cut a nice dozen of the smaller sunflowers.
She smiled up to the sun as she stood up carefully cradling the Earthwalkers in her left arm while carrying the shears back to the covered shelves by the back door. She put them in their spot and headed back in. She stopped at the table and began arranging them in the vase. When she felt they were perfect she stepped back, “Perfect.”
She picked up her coffee cup to the sound of the cabinet tapping once. She turned to head in to her office, “Thank you.”
As she entered the office there was a soft chiming sound from the antique Tiffany lamp on her desk. “Good morning.”
She moved over to the mp3 stereo, “What shall it be today? Rock?” The lamp tinkled twice. “Polka?” Two more soft chimes. “Classical?” She smiled as the lamp chimed twice again. “You seem to have developed a taste for big band lately.” The lamp chimed once softly. The sounds of Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train filled the air as she moved over to her large wooden office chair.
She booted up her computer and sipped on her coffee.
The insistent banging in the kitchen pulled her attention out of the pages of the book she was working on. Her Tiffany lamp was the only light on in the dark house. She had a cramp in the small of her back from hours hunched over her keyboard. She glanced at the miniature grandfather clock on her desk to discover it was 7 o’clock. She saved her work and shut down the computer. “I’m coming”
The cabinet stopped banging.
She glanced over to the red leather wing back chair by the dark fireplace as she walked over to the stereo and shut it off. “Can you get the light?”
The lamp went off as she stepped into the hall, “Good night.”
She didn’t bother with the hall light as she walked to the kitchen. She flipped the switch on noting that the sunflowers were wilted. “I didn’t mean to get so wrapped up in my work, but it pays the bills.”
The cabinet tapped three times as she collected the flowers and threw them away before washing out the vase and placing it to dry in the dish drainer with the plate and fork from this morning.
“I know, I know. I need to take care of myself too.” The cabinet tapped once.
She grinned mischievously as she turned to the fridge. Her stomach rumbled now that she was paying attention to the fact she hadn’t eaten all day. “Guess I’ll just make a bowl of Ramen.” She stated matter-of-factly. The cabinet bashed twice.
She laughed loudly as she said; “Only joking.”
She put together a balanced dinner. After she finished eating she packed up the leftovers and washed the dishes. It was only 8:30 but she was tired. She flicked the kitchen light off; “Good night.”
When she got upstairs she could hear the floor boards creaking softly, “Evening.”
She stepped into the bathroom and began running a bubble bath in the antique claw footed tub. She stripped and shut the water off in the tub before climbing in to the modern surround shower stall. The warm water easing the tension in her lower back and shoulders as she washed her hair. As she was stepping out of the shower stall and reaching for her towel the bath tub was draining. “I think I am going to call it an early night. However if you keep it low there is the T.V. in the spare room.”
She collected her clothes and put them in the hamper. She flicked the light out and walked to her room, quietly closing the door behind her. She pulled on a half t-shirt and light shorts before tossing the covers back and climbing in. She was both looking forward to and not to the meeting with her agent tomorrow across the bridge in Memphis.
* * *
A loud crash from downstairs jerked her out of the nightmare she had been having. Her heart was already pounding from the dream when the kitchen cabinet bashed loudly. She pulled the nine millimeter out of the drawer in the bedside table. Her bedroom door was open and the house was quiet again as she creeped to the top of the stairs. The light in her office turned on but flicked off quickly again. She headed back to her bedroom and picked up the cell phone that was sitting on the table.
She moved in to the closet and called the police.
“Emergency; Fire, police, or ambulance?”
“I need the police.”
There was a pause; “Police how can I help?”
“There is an intruder in my house. My address is 1392 Jimtown Rd. Jennette Arkansas. I’m upstairs in the closet of my bedroom. I am armed with a nine.”
“Stay calm ma’am I’m sending state police now. Can you tell how many are in the house?
“I’m not sure at this time but I could go check.”
“No ma’am that isn’t necessary. Officers are almost there. Is there a security light?”
“No, but the front porch light is on.” She watched as the dim light from the front porch came on to fill the window of her bedroom.
Sound exploded downstairs as she heard screaming begin.
“What is that noise, ma’am? Who is screaming? Are you the only occupant home or is there someone else?”
“I’m the only person living here. I would guess it is the robber screaming.” She could hear the sirens growing closer.
“Do you have a dog?” the operator sounded worried.
“No ma’am I don’t have a dog, though I have been thinking about getting one.”
“Then why is the robber screaming?”
“Well that would be hard to explain and you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you anyway.”
“I would believe you ma’am.”
She scoffed audibly over the phone; “No ma’am you wouldn’t. The officers are right outside now so I will let you go.”
“Ma’am please stay on the line until the officers have apprehended the suspect.”
She huffed; “Fine.”
She listened as the officers called out and the house went quiet. She dreaded the mess she was going to have to clean up but she was grateful to still be alive.
“Ma’am are you still there?”
“I’m here.”
“The officers are requesting that you come out of the closet slowly and put your gun on the bed.”
“Alright.”
“I’m going to open the door now.” She called out loudly before opening the door.
When the door was open her bedroom light was on and there was a state police officer standing there with his gun drawn and pointed in her direction. “Ma’am if you could step out slowly and put your gun on the bed, with the cell phone, please.”
“Yes sir.” She took slow soft steps out of the closet and carefully put her gun on the bed with the barrel facing the wall away from the officer. She then hung up the phone and placed it next to the gun.
“Now step away from the bed, please.” The officer had a serious look on his face so she complied quickly.
“Thank you. Now we have the suspect in the car if you could come and see if you could identify him.” He said as he put his gun away.
“Yes sir. I can try but I probably don’t know him.” She preceded the officer out of the bedroom in to the hall. She paused at the top of the stairs and smiled reassuringly as the floor board creaked. When she got downstairs the light was on in the living room. Where it appeared the majority of the mess was located. She stopped at her purse on the table behind the door.
“I’m guessing you will want I.D. Is it alright if I reach in my purse to get my wallet?” She asked the officer who seemed to be staring at something in the kitchen at the end of the hall.
“Hmm? Oh yes that is fine.” He replied glancing in her direction before returning his attention to the kitchen.
She opened her purse and pulled out her wallet. Once she had her I.D. she laid her wallet on the table turning to hold her I.D. out to the officer. He was nodding slightly as she held the I.D. under his nose. “Here you go, officer.”
He blinked once as his hand came up automatically to take the I.D. He looked at the picture and name as he got more excited, “You’re Carol Knight?”
She rolled her eyes and sighed softly as she plastered the ‘oh you’re a fan’ smile on her face. “Yes, Sir. I am.”
With his next words he completely confirmed that he was indeed a fan, “I’m such a big fan. I know it sounds a bit cliché but I’ve read all your books like 100 times.”
“Thank you.” She replied. “I love meeting fans. Just not necessarily in my pj’s.” She laughed nervously but kept the fake smile in place.
“Oh! I am so sorry. I didn’t mean… I mean… Umm… Right this way Ma’am.” He was blushing hard as he indicated that she should precede him out of the doorway.
She smiled a little more genuinely at the officer before she stepped out and walked toward the squad car that had 3 other officers standing around outside of it. The dome light was on and a man about 40 was sitting in the back. She had never seen him before and quickly told the officers so. That seemed to satisfy all but the officer who had been dealing with her all along.
“Let’s go back inside so I can get your details and story for the report.” He suggested with a gesture toward to the house.
“Ok.” She smiled as she lead him back in the house to the kitchen.
When she turned the light on in the kitchen the cabinet tapped very softly. The officer glanced at it then at her. “So how long has Edith been with you?”
She jerked around to face him full on their eyes meeting for the first time. She felt the moment of recognition run through her. He was a Guardian too.
“Edith? Is that her name? I always wondered. What does she look like? Can you hear her?” She clamped her mouth shut to keep it from overwhelming him with questions.
He laughed self-consciously, “I take it you’ve never seen her? Yes her name is Edith. She is about 4’9”, the cabinet banged loudly, “sorry 4’10” with silver white hair and bright green eyes surrounded by the warmest smile wrinkles. I would guess and please do let me know if I am wrong, Edith, that she was in her late 70’s,” he paused to make sure there was no argument with that, “when she died.”
“Oh, Edith, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. You look like my Granny.” She smiled in the direction of the cabinet.
She turned to look at the Officer and finally glanced at his name tag, “Officer Champion, there are 2 others who live here that I haven’t met…” She petered out not really knowing if she should presume of him.
He smiled warmly at her, “I would be honored to introduce you. And it is Thomas.”