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Uh oh, Jaime thought. All the sudden he had a real bad feeling about it.

CHAPTER 12

TODD MEETS SKY

Todd opened the door to see Shannon standing there with a girl. A beautiful girl, twenty or so, with long bright-red hair, a white dress and a black leather jacket. Bright red hair, like Raggedy Ann and like Lenore.

“Hey, dude,” said Shannon, grinning and stepping inside without being invited. The girl stood still, looking straight at Todd, as if puzzled and trying to remember him from somewhere. He’d definitely never seen her before. “C’mon in, kid,” said Shannon, reaching back for her hand, leading her forward. Todd waited for Shannon to introduce her, but he didn’t. He was embarrassed at the state of his place and at his own appearance, dressed in his bathrobe with a t-shirt underneath it, both of which he’d had on for some days, and his own hair was likely in bird’s nest condition.

“Hey,” said Todd. “Have a—” He was about to say “Have a seat,” but Shannon had already sat on the sofa, which was cluttered with dirty laundry Todd had accumulated there a few days ago, intending to take it down to the basement to wash it.

“Sorry the place is a mess,” he said. The girl was still standing there, looking intently, it seemed, at Todd. The red hair was still getting him.

“Typical bachelor housekeeping,” said Shannon, grinning. “Looks like my old place. Hey, girl, sit here,” said Shannon, grabbing a bunch of the clothes and looking around for a place to put them. Todd came up and took them from him, as if apologetically, and placed them on the floor beside an armchair that he then sat down in.

“Dew’s out in the car,” said Shannon. “He’s wiped out. Long night.”

“Huh,” said Todd.

The girl sat next to Shannon, close, looked around with a blank expression, turned and looked straight at Todd again. He was surprised when she spoke.

“Can I use your bathroom?”

“Sure,” said Todd, and Shannon nodded. “Yeah, that’s good.” That’s good? Todd pointed out where the bathroom was, first door on the left down the hallway, and she went, leaving him and Shannon alone.

“I tried to call you on the phone a while ago,” said Shannon, “but no answer.”

“Yeah. What’s going on?” he asked in a low voice.

“I wondered if you’d do me a favor.”

“Okay.” He nodded in the direction the girl had gone, puzzled Shannon could mean anything to do with her.

“Yeah, her. She needs a spot. Plus, I figured maybe you could use some company.”

Todd stared at him for a moment, until Shannon shrugged comically, raising his shoulders and spreading out his hands. At that, Todd laughed incredulously.

“Well, man, we were trying to think of a place for her to crash, so, I figured here might work out.” He took out a pack of cigarettes, put one in his mouth and lit up.

“Where’d she come from?”

“I ran into her tonight at the Grasso, and she’s a real nice girl and all. You’d like her. I thought about you right away when this came up, ’cause I thought you might, you know, like her and stuff.”

“She’s not a customer, is she?”

“No, no. The customers were no-shows. I’ll catch up with ’em, though.”

It occurred to Todd his shit-clogged pants were still on the floor of the bathroom. He blanched.

“If you don’t want to, though, that’s cool,” said Shannon, sounding rather disappointed.

“Well. I don’t know, man.”

“If you don’t want to, I can take her back to the Grasso, probably. Well, actually, it’s closed. I can’t take her home with Roni there, and Dew doesn’t really…”

Todd heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door opening.

“She can stay here,” he said.

“Oh, really?” Shannon grinned. “For a minute I thought you weren’t enthused.”

“I’m not enthused, but it’s okay.”

“Awright, great,” said Shannon. “I don’t think you’ll be sorry, man.” He laughed, but Todd didn’t join in.

The girl stepped back into the room. “Hey, there she is.” Shannon looked her over and glanced back at Todd, raising an eyebrow and nodding in comradeship.

She sat beside Shannon. “Can I get a cigarette?” He offered her his pack of Camels. “Oh no, not those again.”

“I have some Marlboro Lights,” Todd said.

“Oh, really? Great.” He jumped up, went into the next room where the TV was and where he usually smoked as well as drank. He found just a crumpled empty pack beside the ashtray, went into the kitchen to get some out of his carton. He wondered what they were saying in the living room. Now, dammit, he was kind of worried she was saying she doesn’t want to stay. Not that he really wanted her to, but he also doesn’t want to get rejected by a girl like that. Old stuff about girls, from high school and like that. So stupid, he thought, returning with the pack and bringing the ashtray and lighter along too.

“Thanks,” she said, lighting up, red hair hanging as she lowered her head to the flame.

“Say,” said Shannon, “I talked to Todd just now, about the arrangement and all, and it’s cool with him if it is with you.”

“What is? To stay here?”

Todd felt a pull of dread in his chest. She was going to say no.

“Yeah. You need a place, right?”

“Ummm.”

“It’s cool, you know. He’s safe. He’s a gentleman.” He leaned forward and slapped Todd on the shoulder, making him wince.

She looked at Todd and smiled, her lips closed, and said nothing.

“Just for, whatever, a few days, or whatever you guys want to do,” said Shannon.

“Okay,” said the girl. “Thanks.” Her face brightened. Her eyes were as green as her hair was red. Todd suppressed a need to clear his throat.

“Awright, well, that worked out then,” said Shannon. “Well, man, hey, I gotta split. Roni’s going to be wondering where I am and shit.” He stood. “So, like, give me a call, you know. You got my number.”

“Yeah,” said Todd.

“Well, hey,” Shannon rose, grinned. “Take it easy. Sky, you behave, sweet thing.”

What did he say? Sky? Todd went to the door and opened it. Shannon went out, turned and gave him a thumbs-up before continuing down the walk. Todd thought he might have winked, too, but wasn’t sure.

Closing the door, Todd saw that the girl—Sky?—had stretched out and had her eyes closed, her head lying on her arms on the shoulder of the sofa.

“Say,” he said, “I’m sorry the place is a wreck like this, I was just going to straighten it up. I wasn’t…” He was about to say “expecting company,” but didn’t.

“Oh, don’t bother,” she said, opening her eyes and smiling at him.

“Could I, umm, get you a pillow?”

“Yes, that would be nice.” He’d see what he had in the bedroom. It wouldn’t be in a clean pillowcase.

“Oh, say, did Shannon introduce us? My name is Todd.”

“Yes, he said that. I’m Sky.”

“Sky?”

“Ummm-hmmm,” she said sleepily.

“Okay. I’ll go get that pillow.” He did, and when he returned, she already had her eyes closed. He left it softly on the floor in front of the sofa, sat down and watched her.

Sleeping beauty. But that red hair, so much like Lenore. He fretted. He shouldn’t have let her stay.