The woman, Edna, recognized me immediately, which felt weird since we’d never met. “Alyce, hurry!” she exclaimed, taking my arm.
“Where?” I asked.
“My office,” she said, in a tone that hinted I should know where she meant. But I didn’t, so I hurried to keep up with her. Behind me, I was aware of Zachary following, which probably wasn’t a good idea. But I’d deal with him later.
I followed Edna away from the lobby doors and down a side hall. When we reached the end of the hall, she turned and opened the last door.
At first all I saw was a typical office, with a desk, shelves stacked with files and books, and metal cabinets.
“Where’s my mother?” I asked, looking around but seeing only an empty desk chair and some papers and random objects scattered on the floor.
Edna pointed underneath the desk, and that’s when I saw Mrs. Perfetti huddled into a ball. Her hair, usually held back in a tidy bun, was loose and tangled around her wide-eyed face.
“Alyce!” she cried shrilly. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I moved closer, bending toward her.
“They might get you! Come under here or they’ll find you!”
I glanced uncertainly at Edna, who just shook her head at me. “Mrs … Mom, what’s going on?”
“Shssh!” She put her finger to her lips. “Don’t speak too loud, you never know who’s listening. They’re watching and now they’ll get you too, like last time. Hurry and hide with me! I won’t let them take you!” Her voice rose hysterically.
I glanced around, for a moment expecting a Dark Lifer to grab me with shiny gray hands. But I only saw Alyce’s mother, Edna, and Zachary.
Zachary came up behind me and whispered. “Is she on drugs?”
“No!” I said, a bit too sharply because I felt guilty for wondering the same thing.
“Then what’s wrong with her?” he asked.
“She’s had some panic attacks before, but nothing like this,” Edna said. “One minute she was fine, helping a nice young family open an account, then suddenly she rushed out of the room and locked herself in the bathroom. I calmed her down enough to get her to come in here, but that was over an hour ago. If she doesn’t get herself together quick, I’m calling 911.”
“Please don’t!” I cried, glancing anxiously at Alyce’s mother, who was rocking back and forth in a pitiful ball underneath the desk. I had no idea what to do, but I knew Alyce would never abandon her mother. So I said that I’d handle this. Then I reached out a hand to Mrs. Perfetti. “Everything will be okay,” I told her. “I’ve come to take you home.”
“Home?” She blinked.
“Yes. Just take my hand.”
She shifted her legs, rising slowly to grasp my fingers. Her hand felt so warm and small in mine that I felt strangely protective toward her.
But suddenly she jerked away, her hands flying to her chest.
“No!” she screamed at me. “Keep away!”
“What’s wrong?” I cried.
“Evil is here with us!” She turned chalk pale and stared at me with terrified eyes. “He’ll steal your soul and take you away!”
“Don’t be afraid. You’re completely safe,” I said in my calmest voice.
“But you’re not! You can’t trust him!” Mrs. Perfetti rose her arm like a sword with sharp accusation and aimed it directly at Zachary. “He’s the devil!”
11
Zachary may be a lot of things … but the devil?
This was so absurd, I almost laughed — until I saw Zachary’s scowl and realized that he was not amused. There was nothing else to do but end the date ASAP, so I told Zachary to leave. I expected him to argue, or at least ask if I needed a ride back to my car, but sadly, no. He’d had enough — too much, in fact — and I couldn’t blame him.
My first date as “Alyce” was a total failure.
Her mother wasn’t the same “Mrs. Perfetti” I knew and avoided. Her eyes had an unfocused glaze and she spoke all whispery, like a little girl. When I asked for her car keys, she obediently handed them over.
Then I turned to Edna. “I’ll take her home now. Thanks so much … you’ve been great to my mother. She’s lucky to have a loyal friend like you.”
“I am her friend, but … ” Edna’s wrinkles deepened as if she was struggling with her own emotions. “But it’s hard when she gets like this. Please convince her to see someone. To get help.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said, although I wasn’t sure what kind of help she needed — a doctor, a shrink, or an exorcist?
I’d known Alyce more than half my life, yet had never seen her mother so out of control. I mean, Mrs. Perfetti was all about control — from the spare cleanliness of her house to the tight leash on her daughter — yet according to Edna, this wasn’t the first time she’d gone freaky. What was going on? Was it some sort of mental breakdown? Or was Zachary’s guess right and Mrs. Perfetti had a drug problem? That would explain the paranoia and devil hallucinations. I didn’t think she was an alcoholic, because she preferred tea to wine and I hadn’t smelled liquor on her breath. Then there was another possibility — darker and scary.
I led Mrs. Perfetti out to her car because no way could she drive — not when she kept murmuring about “the devil” and moving like a zombie. I hated to leave Junkmobile on a downtown street, but it was more important to get Alyce’s mother safely home. I could get the car later.
Mrs. Perfetti fell asleep on the drive, and I had to lead her by the hand into the house like I was the adult and she was the child. Seriously weird. After years avoiding any contact with Alyce’s mother, I was now her caretaker. I eased her onto the couch and handed her the remote control. I hoped she’d fall asleep watching CNN so I could go back to my room and consult the GEM.
“Alyce, what’s for dinner?”
I stopped mid-step, turning back toward the couch with a sinking feeling. “Um … dinner?”
“Can you heat up tomato soup and grill a tuna melt for me?”
Her request wasn’t issued in the commanding tone from last night; she was still using a whiny, little-girl voice — like she was literally someone else. I didn’t want to believe there were supernatural reasons, yet I found myself staring at her suspiciously, searching for telltale grayness around her hands or fingernails. But I couldn’t find any hint of a Dark resident lurking inside her, only a sadness that lingered around her like a gloomy fog.
As I smoothed mayonnaise on wheat bread and slapped on cheese, I kept sneaking peeks into the living room, puzzling over Alyce’s mother. She’d turned on the TV, but instead of flipping to CNN, she watched the cartoon channel. Not really watching, though, since her gaze was fixed on the closed window blinds.
Sighing, I flipped the sandwich over, worrying that I couldn’t handle this Temp Life assignment. Finding a boyfriend for Alyce seemed simple enough and while the gallery had been a little boring, I’d sensed a connection between Alyce and Zachary. I’d even started to imagine Eli and I double dating with Alyce and Zachary. But Alyce couldn’t exactly date someone her mother thought was the devil. Either Mrs. Perfetti was completely off her rocker with hallucinations or she could see something that no one else could … was Zachary a Dark Lifer, too?
But I’d touched his hand, and there wasn’t any gray glow or tingling heat. Maybe I was the one hallucinating, imagining that Dark Lifers were everywhere. Besides, from what Edna said, Mrs. Perfetti’s problems had been going on for a while, and this wasn’t the first time Alyce had had to come for her mother. It was just the first time I’d known about it.
Bending to turn off the stove, I caught my reflection in the glass oven door. “Who are you, Alyce?” I whispered sadly. “Did I ever really know you?”