Love You Enough

Secrets

Standing outside of a beautiful, grand house partially covered in ivy stood a small, angry figure. Out of their coat pocket, an envelope was retrieved and shoved roughly into the mailbox. They slammed it closed and walked down the sidewalk. Fast, and looking over their shoulder, they raced to a sporty looking car sitting at the end of the block. As soon as they were tucked inside, the car sped off down the street.

"Long day?" The driver asks.

"Hmm..kind of"

"An odd route to get home, isn't it?"

"It is but I like to take it though. There are lots of pretty houses and it's safe to walk around here alone"

"Yes, that's true" he says. "I know a couple people who live up this way"

"Really? Anyone I might know?"

"Oh yeah" he says with a chuckle. It's silent for a moment, and it's kind of awkward. He doesn't wish to elaborate aloud but Lindsey and Stevie have just bought a house on that road and have yet to move in. 

The silence is suddenly broken. "I appreciate the lift, Mick."

"No problem, Carol. I know the last time we spoke didn't go well and you really got me in trouble with Stevie but we're friends and that's what friends do. They help each other, right?"

"Right"

"So you started a new job?" Mick asked, making small talk.

"I did. A modeling job, but it will be short lived. I will have to find something else"

"I could try to get your secretary job back for you" he offers.

"Oh could you? That would be perfect!"

"I will do my best but I can't promise anything"

"Thank you. I appreciate it"

"Don't thank me until it's done" Mick says firmly and she nods. He finally ends up at her apartment complex and drops her off. "Good evening"

"Don't you want to come inside?" She asks.

"I don't think so, dear"

"Come on. We could have a little drink, dinner. I'll cook" Carol offers.

"Alright, alright" Mick turns off the car and gets out, following her up the stairs. She unlocks the door and he walks inside, ducking under the door frame in his platform boots. He looked like a velvet priest, like something no one had ever seen and it amused him the attention he would get. It made Carol feel special to be in his presence but he was second to Lindsey.

"Make yourself at home" Carol said. "Glass of wine?"

"That would be great" he said.

She prepares him a glass of wine, pulling a small bag of white powder from her coat pocket and dumped a portion of the contents into his glass. She swirls the wine, watching it dissolve and brings it back to him.

"Here you go. Drink up." He lifts his glass with a nod then takes his first sip. Carol looks a bit disappointed. I spent a lot of money on this shit, it better work. She changes her clothes quickly, then goes to check on Mick. She smiles from the doorway. "Perfect" She checks his pulse and he's still alive but definitely out cold.

She moves down the hallway, feeling pretty pleased with herself. Carol unlocks the spare bedroom and shuts the door behind her. She flicks on the light and pulls a couple of photos from the back pocket of her jeans. On the wall, are possibly thousands of polaroids and clippings of Fleetwood Mac. Stevie's face has been cut or scribbled out with marker, X's over her eyes and mouth. She choices a place for her newest captures and thumbtacks them to the wall. Immensely proud, she stands back to look over all she had gathered. A few moments later, she locks the door to the room and goes back to the living room. She must have been gone for an hour or more without realizing it because Mick begins to stir. His eyes flutter open and he looks around, disoriented.

"Well, hello sleepy head! You must have been tired!" She says with a sickenly sweet smile.

"Yeah...I guess I was" he says, sitting up a bit straighter from where he had been slumped into the cushions of her couch.

"Hungry? I can start dinner?"

"Um...no thanks. I, uh, I think I ought to be going" He tries to stand but he feels rather light headed. A headache comes roaring up the front of his skull and he grabs his head, wincing.

"You should stay, you don't look too good" Carol says with fake concern.

"No, I'm fine" He checks his pockets to make sure he has everything he came with and bursts through the door. He walks slowly down the stairs, a little weak in the knees and his body heavy. He can hear Carol calling after him but he doesn't turn back. Something odd happened in there and he doesn't quite understand it. 'You've got to find a balance between the coke and pot, ole boy' he thinks to himself. He gets to his car and sits there for a moment before starting back to his house.

---

He tries his best to replay the events of the day but his mind is totally blank. Sitting on his own couch now, he calls a buddy at the studio in hopes of getting Carol's job back. She is his friend after all and he made a promise to try.

After a few minutes on the phone and very little convincing, success! He ends one call just to begin another, telling Carol she can start again in a week or so, just long enough to finish up herself modeling job. She is so very grateful and Mick feels better now that he's been able to help her.

Meanwhile~~~

The phone rings and Carol picks it up. Mick has gotten her job back and she smiles broadly.

"Thank you, Mick! Oh I'm so grateful! You're one in a million!"

"It's no problem at all, darling. Take care"

"Yeah, you too. Goodnight"

"Goodnight"

Carol hangs up and is literally jumping for joy. She laughs to herself as she stirs her dinner cooking on the stove, becoming quite hysterical. "I cannot wait to see them again....both of them." She says to the empty room. "They won't know what hit 'em!"