Chapter Four

Chapter four of The Life of MC and Me

Chapter Four

 

            With MC in the shower and all my chores done, I nervously dial Paul’s number. I worried that it was too late, but it wasn’t even nine yet. I was much too excited to wait. The phone only rang twice before he answered.

            “Hamper’s Butcher Shop, Paul speaking,” his voice sounds a bit tired.

            “Oh, hi Paul, it’s Kimberly. I hadn’t realized I’d be calling your work phone, I’m sorry.”

            “Kim!’ his voice picks up instantly. “Oh, don’t you worry, when I’m not at the store all phone calls go to my personal cell phone.”

            “So I’m not bothering you?”

            “I honestly don’t think you could bother me. You need something, Miss Lance?”

            “Paul, you can call me Kimberly, or Kim. I honestly don’t mind,” I had told him this many times, but for some reason he always addressed me formally. “I was calling to say that I’m accepting your dinner offer, if its’ not too late to accept it.”

            “Of course not, Kimberly. My family is excited to meet our best customer,” he chuckles in a low, happy voice. “Do you need to be picked up or anything?”

            “No, no, no, no,” I say quickly, suddenly scared. No one has set foot in my house except MC and me for the last few years. I try to back track quickly so he doesn’t get suspicious. “I’m not going to make you do that. If you give me your address and what time you want me there, I can get myself there, no problem.”

            He laughs, and I know I’m in the clear after a close call. He gives me his address and then tells me to be there in between 4:30 and 5. We talk for a few minutes after that, getting details on what exactly is planned. As MC comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hands, I tell Paul goodnight and hang up.

            MC walks down the hall, drying his hair with the towel he had in his hands. He gives me a lopsided smile. “Called Paul?”

            “Indeed I did. I’m about to call Jack and tell him I need the day off, so from tomorrow morning until four, I’m all yours.”

            He stops in his tracks as his is about to go down the stairs. “You. Take a day. Off?”

            “Yes, smart aleck. Now and then I’ll take a day off.”

            “Only on. Birthdays.”

            “Only on special occasions. I’d classify this as a special occasion.”

            He gives me one of his amazing smiles and continues down the stairs. Just before I’m about to go in the kitchen, he calls up, “Good for you,” to me.

            I smile to myself as I dial the phone and call work to tell them I need to take the day off. After a few minutes of arguing, they give it to me and I hang up. I go and make some tea. I also make MC a protein shake, a personal recipe from the lab. He really enjoys these, even if they smell foul.

            A dressed MC joins me in the kitchen. He gladly takes his shake and follows me out onto the deck. The sun has set, but it isn’t pitch dark just yet. The stars shine though, and the moon lights up the backyard.

            As we sit in the lawn chains and look at the stars, a calm presence washes over us both.

            “Anything you wanted to do tomorrow?” I ask him.

            “Not. Really. Relax a bit. I planned. To read.”

            “What book are you on now?”

            “The Lion, the. Witch and. The Wardrobe.”

            “That’s a very good book. Do you mind reading me some of it?”

            “Course not. Just. Ignore my. Stuttering.”

            “I hardly notice it anymore, MC. It’s second nature to me.”

            More and more stars come out as we sit there together. I reach over to him and pat his hand gently, in a motherly way. I look over at him as he gazes up at the fiery balls of light in the sky.

            When I took MC home with me, I didn’t realize it was going to change my life so much. I knew I’d never be the same, but I didn’t know it was going to change my life in such a good way. I thought I’d have to be always secretive, always looking over my shoulder to be sure that MC and I were safe. But, here in this home, is our safe spot. A small slice of paradise, filled with love, serenity, and lots of meat. I laugh out loud, causing MC to study me with interest. He begins to laugh as well, although neither of us are entirely sure why. Just laughing in a giddy happiness.

            Our morning is a relaxing one. MC reads to me as promised, and I am overjoyed to hear him read short sentences without stopping. I cook lunch for us both, and we eat it out on the porch. We discuss work and how LB and JW are doing with the shots. I watch MC walk around the yard, examining the small flower garden. A small rabbit leaps out from the bushes near him, causing him to jump, but he soon recovers and crouches down, extending a hand to the animal. The rabbit has no intention of getting closer; it only stares with its large black eyes. The scene makes me chuckle, thinking of Lenny and his rabbits in Of Mice and Men.

            MC goes about his day, talking with me, playing the piano, drawing, and just enjoying his day. I sit and watch him, trying my best not to worry about my rapidly approaching evening. I try to sit in the living room and read, but find myself only looking at the pages as my mind wanders.

            MC walks up to my hair and holds out my black blouse and my favorite pair of blue jeans. “You should wear this.”

            I put my book down and take the clothes from him. “What made you choose this outfit?”

            “You’ll be comfy. Paul will like it.” He smiles and goes down into his domain before I can question him further.

            The clock reads 3:42. I really did need to get ready, but I seemed to have been ignoring the time. I get dressed in the outfit MC chose and leave my hair down. I decide not to fuss too much over myself, because I would be here for hours if I did. MC meets me at the door, hugging me and handing me my keys.

            “I feel like. I’m sending my daughter. Off on her first date,” he jokes.

            “I’ll be home by midnight, if not earlier.”

            He hugs me once more and nearly pushes me out the door. He is excited for me. I do my best to ignore my worries and make my way to Paul’s home. I arrive after what seemed like all too short of a ride. His house is bigger than mine, built on a vast expanse of land. There is also a barn and other small building on the estate. I make my way to the main house and my nerves begin to eat away at me again when I see four cars in the driveway.

            As soon as I park and get out of my car, Paul appears at the. “Right on time!”

            He jogs down the steps to great me. I do my best to smile but I feel it’s more of a grimace. “Thank you for inviting me.”

            “I’m just glad you finally accepted. Especially on a night like this! My parents, my brother’s family, and my sister and her fiancé are all here,” his excitement falters slightly. “I should warn you though. My niece has some problems talking. She was born with a tumor in her brain. They were able to operate and it went extremely well, but she has a type of aphasia because of it. I believe they call it Broca’s Aphasia? I’m not all too sure. But she is extremely sweet, she just has some trouble when it comes to talking.”

            “I’m familiar with the disorder,” I nod. Jack has had us look into this disorder, as well as countless others. It occurs from damage to the brain, causing them to have trouble speaking or understanding others. It sounds like his niece has only expressive aphasia, meaning she can only speak in single words or short phrases. Just like my MC. “If I’m making her too nervous I can go home.”

            “She’ll warm right up to you, I know it,” he gives me a reassuring smile and users me through the front door.

            The interior is humble but beautiful. The sitting room is full of comfortable furniture and tall bookshelves. There is knickknacks and pictures all around me. Photos of children chasing around goats and chickens; of dogs posing by their master, who I assume is Paul’s father; and family photos that grow in size as the children in them grown into adults and providing more children to take their place. My home has none of this, because my family hasn’t talked to me in years. I makes me feel incredibly awkward at first, but I admire how tight nit the Hamper family appears to be.

            “This must be Kim!” a tall and slightly plump woman appears from a hallway. She rushes to me and envelopes me in a tight hug. “Paul has talked about you nonstop for weeks,” she playfully elbows Paul.

            “Don’t start trouble, Ma,” he grins at me.

            She waves him off, and then smooths back her graying hair back into place. “I know how much you enjoy steaks, considering how many you buy, so we decided to cook some up tonight.”

            “I appreciate that Mrs. Hamper,” I try my best not to laugh, I only eat a steak maybe once a month. The rest goes to MC.

            “You can call me Dory, hon, and my husband Herb. Now come on into the dining room so you can meet everyone else.”

            I follow her with Paul behind me down the hall she appeared from. The dining room held a long, dark wooden table that looked like it would’ve been an antique. Around the table were seven people, four adults and three children.

            “Paul, you introduce your family while your father and I finish up dinner,” Dory disappears into what I assume is the kitchen.

            Paul first introduces his older brother, Derek, who could’ve been his twin other than the fact that he had blue eyes where Paul’s were a darker green. Next to him was Derek’s wife, a thin woman with brunette hair named Michelle. She looked like a trophy wife, but I was told she works as a lawyer and went to Harvard. Then there was their ten-year-old twin boys, Jeremy and Clark. At one head of the table was five-year-old Molly. Her brown hair was wildly curly. Her wide mouth was in a smile that seemed to never leave her face, constantly showing off her small, widely set teeth. When she met my eyes, she quickly hid behind her hands but still peaked at me. Next to her was a woman who looked very much like Dory. This was Paul’s sister, Nicole, and her fiancé Jared.

            Everyone greeted me warmly. Paul pulled out the chair next to Jared so I could sit and then he took his place next to me.

            “Paul speaks very highly of you, Kimberly. Of course, my husband does as well since you are their best costumer,” Michelle smiles brightly at me.

            I nod and manage a smile of my own back at her. I was already getting nervous again. I realize that this is the first time in the last ten years since I’ve been in a social group. My life has been my job and MC for the last decade.

            “Paul says you’re a scientist?” Derek inquires.

            Again, I nod. “I’m working on improving the quality of life for people.” This was what I was instructed to tell people if I was ever asked. This is such a broad topic that it can let people assume whatever they want to about my job.

            “That’s a noble career. Far more noble than cattle farming,” Derek chuckles to himself.

            Paul and Derek get into a discussion about their farming, and I take the chance to retreat into myself so I can observe the group for a moment. Nicole and Jared are in their own conversation, while also playing with each other’s hands. The twins are pounding away on some hand held game; Michelle warns the boys that they have five more minutes to finish up and put them away.

            Molly is trying to gawk at me without me noticing. I give her a more genuine smile and she hides again, but this time with a fit of giggles.

            “Who’s hungry?” a man dressed in a Hawaiian shirt comes in through the sliding glass door that leads into the backyard. In his hand is a large platter of freshly grilled steaks.

            “Kim, this is my father, Herb,” Paul announces.

            “Oh, our star customer has arrived!” Herb booms with laughter and a smile that is contagious.

            “Hon, she has been here for ten minutes,” Dory appears yet again, this time holding a large bowl of salad and a tray of steamed vegetables.

            “My humblest apologies for making you wait, Miss Lance,” Herb sets down the meat and begins to serve the table.

            The twins’ games disappear under the table and their eyes widen with an eagerness I have seen in MC’s eyes when he is extremely hungry. Dory asks if I would like any of the sides, and I take a bit of both. Soon the whole table is digging in, with a humorous conversation covering up the sounds of our silverware scraping the plates.

            “Paul said he had some trouble in wrangling you to be here,” Herb winks at me from the head of the table. “But that’s not surprising, this boy couldn’t even lasso a post when he went to cowboy camp.”

            Paul blushes. “I went there when I was six. The lasso was bigger than I was.”

            “When I was your age, I could lasso a sheep running past me and tie it up before you could even blink,” Herb again laughs and the whole table, Paul and myself included, laugh with him.

            “Now Herb, you be polite. Don’t go on and on with your ol’ farm stories,” Dory pats his arm.

            “It actually sounds like a lot of fun,” I admit.

            “Tell the one about the pig in the hayloft, Dad,” Nicole requests.

            As if it was rehearsed, Herb launches into his story as Derek and Paul groan. It’s a detailed story that he obviously loves telling. Evidently, his two sons where left to feed the pigs, one got out and somehow, God knows how, the thing ended up in the hayloft. Derek and Paul spend three hours attempting different tricks to get the swine down, but it eventually panicked and fell off into a large pile of manure, then ran off again. Herb made them look for it for another two hours and spend yet another hour scrubbing it down once they found it. By the time he was wrapping up his tale, our plates were clean and our bellies full.

            As Dory begins to gather plates and the leftovers, I stand and do so as well. Paul begins to protest, telling me that I am a guest and shouldn’t have to help with the cleanup, but his mother hushes him.

            “She’s a grown woman, if she wants to help out your ol’ Ma then she can,” Dory shook her head once, as if knowing that there would be no word against her now.

            I smile and follow her with my own load of dishes. The kitchen is large and full of appliances and tools. Dory shows me where to put the dirties and lets me clean the food off of them before she rinses and puts them in the dishwasher. Soon enough the dishwasher is humming away and we are preparing the desserts: a fresh apple pie, vanilla ice cream, and homemade whipped cream.

            “I used to do all the cooking growing up, and I guess I liked it or else I wouldn’t’ve kept on making homemade meals nearly every night for the past thirty years,” she sighs happily with a small laugh. “I’m guessing you must like to cook too?”

            I nod, “I don’t really make anything homemade like you do, but I prefer to buy everything fresh, it’s better for us that way.”

            “Oh, do you live with someone, dear?” Dory looks up at me, pausing in her task of scooping the ice cream into a large glass bowl.

            Panic welled within me, and I can only hope that it didn’t flash across my face or that I didn’t pause too long before answering, “Oh, no I meant the collective ‘us’, as in humans in general.”

            If she was curious about my reactions she didn’t show it, because she nodded wisely and went back to the ice cream. “Oh, yes, I’m sure with your job you must know what would be the healthiest choices for us.”

            As I rambled on about my fake job, my nerves and feeling of guilt ate away at me. These people didn’t deserve to be lied to. The Hampers are all amazing, all full of love and open arms to nearly complete strangers. I took smaller plates from a cabinet that Dory directed me too, grabbed the whipped cream, and followed her back into the dining room.

            “Meemaw! You made. My. Favorite!” Molly was the first to notice us and her face brightened as if a light had turned on inside of her.

            Dory kissed her on the head as she walked by and served Molly the first slice of pie, and gave her both ice cream and whipped cream on top. Molly, despite bouncing in her seat from excitement, waited until everyone else was served before taking a huge bite from her own plate. She smiled with chipmunk cheeks at both Dory and me.

            “Now Kimberly, tell us about yourself. I’ve been dying to get to know our best customer. If Paul likes you this much then I’m sure you must have some amazing qualities,” Herb smiles earnestly at me as he eats, and the rest of the table follows suit.

            I want to squirm from being looked at by so many people who are expecting me to tell them about myself. “I, uh, don’t really know where to start,” I manage to say. Everything about my life is secret besides the fact that I am a regular at Hamper’s Butcher Shop.

            “I’ll start the ball rolling for you,” Herb chuckles. “Do you have family living out here or are you living here for business?”

            “I’m originally from Colorado,” I say sheepishly. “I did move out here for college and found a good job right after I graduated so I just stayed.”

            “If that the job you have now?” Derek asks.

            “Yes, but I was in a different department back then,” I smile softly, remembering that I started out as a lab technician, not long before Jack noticed my talents but long before he brought me to the basement levels of the hospital. It had to have been only six or so months before I got the “promotion”, but it felt like longer. And the time from then until now feels like an eternity.

            “Moving up then!” Herb grinned with pride at me. “That’s impressive, given your age. How old-”

            “Herb, I know you aren’t about to be rude to this young woman, who is our guest,” Dory glares at him, but with soft eyes that show she isn’t truly angry at him. With Herb’s personality it seems impossible for anyone to be mad at him for long, if at all.

            “Oh, it’s okay, Mrs. Hamper. I’m twenty-eight. I got the job about eight and a half years ago. I graduated early.”

            “Smart, beautiful, and she loves steak,” Nicole teases. “Paul, you better not let this girl go or I think daddy would have a heart attack.”

            I blush and glance over at Paul, who is wearing a broad smile that makes him look shockingly similar to Herb.

            Eventually, the conversation steers to new topics, either because they have gathered enough information about me, or because they realize how shy I am and are trying to be polite by keeping me out of the lime light. Molly comes over to me, asking to sit on my lap and I gladly let her perch up on me. She isn’t too heavy and is rather small for her age, in my opinion. This could be due to her health problems, or it could simply be her genetics. Michelle smiles at me with a smile so full of warmth it feels as if I am sitting next to an open hearth.

            Nicole and Jared announce that they should be going, and are given hugs and fond farewells from everyone as they leave. Dory even sends them home with leftovers. Michelle, Dory, and Herb depart into the kitchen to finish cleaning up and putting everything away. The twins bring out their games as soon as their mother is out of the room, but Derek doesn’t seem to care. Derek and Paul begin an easy conversation about sports, gently teasing each other’s teams.

            Molly turns in my lap to face me, still folding, unfolding, and refolding the cloth napkin that was on the table in front of me. She pauses her work and looks up to meet my eyes, “Are you. Paul’s. Fiancée?”

            I smile and blush, “No honey, I’m just a friend.”

            “Baby, remember, people usually become girlfriends and boyfriends before they are fiancées,” Derek corrects her then grins at me, “Her aunt and soon to be uncle have gotten her confused. Since they are fiancées then everyone who is together must be unless they are married.”

            Molly stuck her tongue out at her dad, “I know. That.”

            “So Molly, are you going to school yet?” I ask her.

            Her excitement fills her face, yet again turning on that bright light inside. “Yes! I start. In the. Fall! Kinder. Garden!”

            “How fun, I’m proud! Did you go to preschool too?”

            “I did! My. Teacher. Made me. Take. Talking. Lessons. With her.” Molly didn’t seem upset by this. “It was. Hard.”

            “But did you enjoy it?”

            “She was. Nice. I had. Fun. Learning. She said. I’m doing. Better. Than before.”

            “I think you are doing a great job. Keep on practicing and it’ll keep on getting better for you.”

            Molly smiled triumphantly at this went back to folding her napkin. I smiled at her with motherly pride, thinking that she is very much like MC. It’s a long time before I realize that the room has fallen silent. I look up to see Derek and Paul looking at me with a kind of awe and honor. I also see that Michelle, Dory, and Herb have returned and are giving me similar looks of praise. Again, my cheeks flare and I advert my eyes to the wall, floor, anything that I can feign interest in until my blushing dies down.

            “You certainly are good with kids,” Michelle says, sitting back in her spot next to her husband.

            “Thank you,” I whisper.

            “You would make a great mother,” Dory says, seemingly to herself. I appreciate the judgement from her, because she is one of the best mothers I have met. It’s honorable to stand up to her quality.

            The night continues on with stories from Paul’s youth, discussions over recent events or sports, and once in a while I would be asked a question about myself that I would answer with as much truth as I could. It was ten o’clock before Michelle and Derek announced that they need to be going too so they can put the kids to bed. The twins reluctantly put away their games and said their goodbyes to their grandparents. Molly had fallen into a deep sleep in my lap, so Derek lifted her from me and carried her out to the car. I finally gave my goodbyes to Herb and Dory, who informed me to come back anytime for anything, even if it’s just to say hello. Paul walked me out and to my car.

            “Thank you again for coming, Miss Lance. It was nice to get to know more about you,” he had his hands shoved into his pockets and seemed like he was trying to make me stay longer. He placed himself between me and my car, but I didn’t think this was a conscious action. He looked happier than I had ever seen him, and that childish smile on his lips made something stir within me. I realized I was happy too, albeit with some left over nervousness from the day but happy and glad that I accepted his offer.

            “You really were amazing with Molly; I’ve never seen anyone adjust to her like that. Usually it takes people time to understand her and make sense of her,” the look of awe returned to his face.

            “I’ve worked with people like her,” I admit, feeling like this wasn’t exposing too much of my real work. “I’ve been listening to people who speak just like her for a long time.”

            “You still impressed me. You impressed my parents too. They both love you as much as I do,” he laughs.

            His laugh falters once he realized he has let the cat out of the bag, but he recovers as if he hadn’t slipped up. My cheeks burn, and the desire to love and be loved burned inside me as well. MC loves me like a mother or a sister, which is more than I could’ve ever asked for. But Paul offers a different type of love, one that I feel is innocent and pure. I wonder if he thinks he has found his soulmate, or true love. It seems to odd to me that people are able to think in this way. I have been ruined by my job, unable to really accept “love” as something that is anything more than a crazy notion made up by people who are ignorant of the world’s dark sides.

            However, here I am wanting to fall in love with Paul.

            I look up into his eyes, trying to portray all the mixed feelings I have so I can let him decide what he wants to do to help me put them in order. He could simply wish me a good night and let me continue to be his best customer, but never again asking me on a date. To just be friends, or even just butcher and customer, would be worlds simpler than if I were to venture down this road I hadn’t ever expected coming to. He wouldn’t have to be concerned by my secrecy about my work, about my home. I wouldn’t ever have to lie to him, why would I have the need to when all I would talk to him about is what meats I need to buy? I would never have to decide what would become of MC if Paul does come into my life.

            My heart feels panicked at the thought of all of these difficult choices, and I inch around Paul to get into my car.

            Paul’s large but gentle hand caress my cheek and turns my eyes back to him. He smiles at me for a moment, savoring it. Then before I have time to even begin to think through what the look means, his lips are pushing against mine.

            The kiss was short, but in that time I am filled and overwhelmed with so much panic, excitement, and a thousand other frustratingly mixed emotions that I thought I would become a splatter of Kimberly all over Paul’s lawn.

            Paul is the one who pulls away, still smiling with eyes as soft as rabbit fur. His hand lingers on my arm like he might pull me back inside so I can stay longer. “I hope you had a good night, Kim. Let me know if you’d like to hang out again sometime.”

            I try to respond, but all that comes out is a high sort of squeak. This makes him chuckle, but he lets go of my arm and opens my car door for me. I get in and try to slowly exit and not peal tires and throw gravel at him so that I leave ruts in the drive. My speed is harder to control when I get onto the main road, varying from ten below and ten above the limit. I surely would’ve been pulled over if any police officers happened to see me, but I make it home without any interruption. I manage to miss my driveway and have to back up and try again.

            MC greets me at the door and immediately sees that I am in a panic. He begins to scowl. “What did. He do?”

            I laugh nervously. “He introduced me to his family, we had dinner, and he kissed me goodnight.”

            MC’s face turns from a scowl into deep confusion. “You’re. Upset. Because. You got. A kiss?”

            I again laugh and start to play with my hands. I am full of nervous energy and I’m unsure of how to use it. Mc makes me jump as he starts laughing a full and hearty laugh that I’ve never heard from him. It doesn’t have a trace of huskiness or throaty hoarseness that I’m used to. In this moment this is the most alive I’ve ever seen him.

            “Only you. Would be. This upset. By a guy. Liking you,” MC says when he has regained some composure.

            I shrug, smiling with joy over MC being so alive and from schoolgirl-like feelings towards Paul. “He won’t understand my life. I can’t have you, my job, and Paul. He doesn’t fit into the puzzle,” I explain, trying to embrace my words but the elation I have diminishes them.

            “And who says. You can’t?” MC demands, seeming right through me as always. “You’ll make. It work out. You’re good. At working. Miracles.”

            MC hugs me tightly, nearly erasing all of my panic. His confidence in me gives me hope, but miracle-worker or not, having Paul in my life won’t be easy.

Author's Note

Please give me any and all feedback