“Yeah. Just headachy and sore,” I said.
“That’s so odd and not like Gretchen at all. She’s so calm.”
I wasn’t sure what she was insinuating. That it was me who caused Gretchen to buck?
“She is.” Calvin nodded. “But we were down by the river, and I’m thinking an animal or something spooked her.”
“Well, sorry that happened.” Charlotte briefly glanced at me. Her eyes were tight and her brow was furrowed. She relaxed her face, returning her focus to Calvin. “I’ve got work, so I better get going. But I’ll see you Saturday.” Her hand grazed his arm as she walked past him.
“See ya, Char.”
“Saturday?” I looked up at Calvin.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Actually, I forgot about it myself. Char planned a get-together with my friends and family for my birthday. You’ll join us, right?” He said it in such a casual way, but his eyes widened while he waited for my answer.
I really wasn’t interested in meeting Calvin’s friends and family. It felt like something a girlfriend would do, and I was just his houseguest. But with how he was looking at me, I knew I couldn’t say no.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” I smiled.
“Perfect. Let’s get you home.” He grinned and led me across the parking lot.
Home? It wasn’t a home to me. It was a house, a dwelling, a building with four walls and a roof. There was a difference between a house and a home—but Calvin had already decided what it was for me.
My eyes sprung open, and for a moment, I forgot where I was and who I was. I blinked several times, my surroundings slowly coming into view. On the walls of the living room, the dead animals loomed over me. Their carcasses and black beady eyes stared directly at me as though they were taunting me. I must have fallen asleep after we got back.
“Calvin,” I called out.
The house was silent.
I called his name again, this time a little louder. Again, I was met with silence. He wouldn’t have left me here, not with a concussion. Would he? I heard a growl like the sound of an oversized cat. My body ached, and I sat up on the couch, snapping my head in all directions, trying to find where it was coming from. From my peripheral view, I saw something move. The head of an elk on the wall. I had seen it move, twist its neck toward me. I watched, waiting for it to move again. Was I going crazy? Standing from the couch, I stumbled toward the wall of creatures, staring at each of them. The low growl grew louder. My eyes went to the head of a mountain lion hung in the center of the far wall. Its mouth was frozen open, fangs permanently on display. The house creaked and groaned.
“Calvin,” I yelled.
Again silence.
The wall cracked, splitting from the ceiling to the floor. I took a step back, and the house began to shake. I nearly tumbled over, but I held my hands out to steady myself. All at once, the animals broke through the wall. They leapt through the air, their bodies now fully intact, no longer mounted heads. Claws extended, teeth bared, horns and antlers aimed, ready to strike. I screamed and fell onto the coffee table. Crack. I threw my arms up in front of my face, trying to protect myself from them.
“Grace!”
My eyes shot open. I swatted my hands through the air. Calvin grabbed my arms and held them. “Grace, you just had a bad dream,” he said, trying to calm me. “You fell asleep.”
My breaths were short, panicky. I could feel my heartbeat in every part of my body. My eyes went to the walls of the living room. The animals were still there, mounted, staring at me with their cold, dead eyes.
“Are you okay?” Calvin asked. I looked up at him, focusing on the specks of brown that dotted his green eyes. I hadn’t noticed them before. I inhaled deeply and nodded several times.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“It’s all right.” He pushed a strand of hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. “We all have bad dreams.”
He was right. We all did have bad dreams, but I always believed they were warnings, the subconscious trying its best to alert you that something in your waking world was amiss.
Calvin helped me lie down and repositioned a fresh ice pack under my back. He tucked the teddy bear beneath my arm.
“You didn’t have him here to protect you,” he said with a smile.
I rested my hand against my forehead. “How long was I out for?”
“Couldn’t have been long. I was just cleaning up after dinner.” He gestured to the coffee table. “And I brought you these.” A glass of red wine and a Lindt chocolate bar were set out for me.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I’ll be right back.” He quickly disappeared into the kitchen.
I sipped the wine and popped a piece of chocolate into my mouth. It melted instantly and paired well with the dryness of the merlot. Calvin had cared for me nearly all day, never leaving my side for more than a few minutes—well, except after dinner apparently. He brought me Tylenol, fresh ice packs, and water. I asked him earlier if he’d ever cared for someone because he was a little too good at it. He said no. But I thought he was lying. Maybe he had taken care of his parents.
I sipped slowly, peering over the rim of the glass to keep an eye on the mounted taxidermy. I knew it was just a dream but it felt real, and sometimes there wasn’t a difference between the two.
Calvin strolled back into the living room holding a glass of wine and a bottle of lotion.
“Did you talk to your brother about my car?” I asked.
My mind kept going back to that. There was nothing worse than feeling stuck. The mounted animals reminded me of that. Actually, I didn’t feel stuck—I was stuck, just like them. Maybe that was the warning.
“No, haven’t been able to get ahold of him yet, but he should be here tomorrow,” Calvin said, setting his glass of wine on the coffee table.
I chewed at my lower lip.
“Don’t worry, Grace. Let’s take your mind off of that.” He smiled. “Massage?” Calvin held up the bottle of lavender-scented lotion. His cheeks reddened to the same shade of merlot we were drinking.
“You did promise.” My voice was low.
He smiled and knelt beside the couch while I rolled over on my stomach and pulled my shirt up. I heard him take a deep breath, and even though his hands weren’t on me, I could feel them there like burns on my skin. I pulled my shirt farther up past my bra clasp. He swallowed hard, making a gulping sound. I slid my shirt up over my head and tossed it aside. I could practically hear his heart beating, fast and loud like the applause of an overenthused audience. I tensed up when the cold lotion splatted against my skin. His hands pressed against me, first gently and then he applied much more pressure, working up and down my back. This was clearly not his first massage. The hairs on the back of my neck stood, and my heart raced. His touch stopped at the clasp of my bra and then his hands worked their way back down. I undid the clasp, letting my straps fall down my shoulders. His hands left my body for a brief moment and then returned, pushing on my skin, moving up and down and side to side.
Several pounds on the front door interrupted us. Calvin jumped to his feet, and I quickly sat up and redressed. Goose bumps covered my skin, but they had nothing to do with the temperature of the room.