Afterwards (Editing)

chapter eleven

I didn't take a sick day. I was fine, well i wasn't but not as spooked as the first time. I had woken up and couldn't find the clothes anywhere. I had ripped up my apartment looking for them.

I think that not being able to find the clothes bothers me more that a visit from my dead brother. Because that meant it was just a figment of my imagination. Unless it was actually my dead brother haunting my dreams.

Dane doesn't notice. I guess i have been able to mask it well enough. He has known me for a year, the slightest things that are different in our car rides always spur questions.

Mrs. Kilder went back to her deep dark place. It's hard to tell if she even came out of it or if she was just being lazy.

"So, Tallulah," Dane starts, "How is your book." A blush creeps up my cheeks. I hate calling it a book. It sounds out of place. 

"Finished. Now i have to tear it to bits and then send it to a publisher," i tell him. I pull up to the shop. His  grease covered jeans make me uneasy about him getting the car's seats dirty but that has yet to be a problem.

"Oh that's exciting! Good luck. Have fun at work, Hutch," he says. I wave him off and he throws a greasy towel over his shoulder and goes to the opened car hood and helps Carter, the owner of Strain Mechanics Shop where Dane works, with whatever the problem is. His full name is Carter Strain henceforth Strain Mechanics Shop.

I drive to work and am greeted by a coworker as i lock Mrs. Kilder's car's door. 

"Hi," i say back and try to pull my hair out of my face. He opens the door for me and i thank him with a nod as i continue to struggle with my hair.

I lied before. Women are respected as greatly as men in literature. I just thought there was a bias. Not anymore, though.

"Rough night?" he asks me. I don't know if he means sexually or just in general. I decide upon in general.

"Yes," i say and slide onto my chair.

"I'm sorry," he says taking his black coat off and grabbing it in his hand.

"Don't be," i say with a shrug.

"Well, goody bye then, Miss. Hutch," he says with a small wave.

"Thank you," i say as i wave. He turns around and walks away. What was his name? I'm not very social at work so i never knew his name. Also, he does work all the way on the other side of the office and i'm normally not in so late. Either way i should have know what his name was. I'll be sure to ask someone else later. He was charming.

His name, i found out from Mr. Lilt the man who watches over me even though he is not the boss of this fine establishment, is Mr. Erik Doneson.

When i get home that night i check my apartment one last time. Mrs. Kilder was okay today. Nothing new. Nothing better. I don't find the clothes and i want to find them. I check the floor for daisy petals and recheck my hairbrush and hair. I don't find anything to indicate last night was not just a dream.

And that crushes me.

Because i miss my brother.