Writer's Block (Complete)

Chapter 19

 

Alex held true to his word and slept in his old bedroom with both of our doors open. I insisted on turning the bathroom light on so there would be light in the house just in case I had to get up, it being a new place and all. He half heartedly argued with me but in the end left it on.

I couldn't lie to him and let him believe that I had everything figured out, when I didn't know what the future held for me, let alone for us, so I let him sleep in his old bedroom while I tossed and turned, my eyes finally closing around three.

The aroma of coffee sifted through the house bridging the gap between my dream world and the reality that I wasn't quite ready to go back to. The enticing incense of the dark roasted beans mixed with the smell of the freshly cut wood around me, forcing my eyes open. I snapped them closed even quicker as rays from the morning sun burned my grit filled eyes. It's safe to say, I didn't get enough sleep. I pity the person that pisses me off today. I think as I pull the covers over my head.

"Good morning," I hear Del sing, wishing she knew the meaning of boundaries. I groan at the sound of her healed shoes clip clopping across the wooden floors. I bought you a coffee pot and made some," She says just before my blankets are ripped off of me.

"Do you not understand that this is my private space?" I squeal at her pounding the bed with my fists as I speak.

"I do, and I also know that you have to get your ass up, get in the shower and get your ass to work," She orders with the same amount of anger that I was giving her.

"Fine!" I screamed before stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door. I look around the bathroom for a moment before opening the door and stepping back out. "I can't shower without curtains; the contractors are here." This time my words calmer.

"I'll take care of them," she winks on her way out of my bedroom. A few minutes pass before she returns. "Done, now go shower."

"Damn you're awfully bossy," I grumble on my way to the bathroom, the sound of Delilah's laughing following me.

An hour and a cup of coffee later, I'm on my way to the office following Delilah's black SUV into town. The warmth from the sun beats down on the arm that I have hanging off the door, warming my skin with the elongated rays that slip through the window across my legs. It's still early enough that the cool breeze that wafts off the water surrounding the island, cools my skin enough to keep the temperature from the sun's rays bearable as it whips through the car windows.

The soft sound of music filters through my car speakers just low enough to be maddening as the vocals can barely be heard but my mind is in another place, tangled in threads of memories, conversations and events from the day before, all of which leave me feeling empty and afraid.

A couple strolls down the sidewalk, taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather before the torturous heat becomes too unbearable to do anything outside that doesn't involve a dip in the cool waters of the ocean. I don't notice them or anything else for that matter as I pull into a parking spot close to the Sherriff's department.

I stumble out of my car, grabbing my coffee cup and my purse before kicking the door shut with my foot. My body moves on its own accord, making its way up to the entrance of the building with little knowledge as to what I'm doing, my body on auto pilot. I pull the door open and find myself stuck in place, the shock from the busy room in front of me weighing me down, gluing my feet into place.

When the shock wears off and I'm able to move, I step inside, letting the door slam behind me, the bang it creates as it closes makes the room grow silent and all heads turn to me. I smile nervously for a few seconds before I'm suddenly ignored, everyone returning to their work or crossbar conversations. The room feels congested and a lot smaller with all of these bodies filling it, but I try to ignore it as I step up to Alex's door, raise my hand and lightly tap.

"Come in," I hear him say, his voice sounding a little strained with a hint of agitation.

With the turn of the door knob and a slight push the door opens, allowing me entrance into Alex's office. He doesn't look up from his work when I enter, doesn't even acknowledge that he knows or even cares who has entered his office.

"Alex, I'm here, do you need anything," I ask and watch as his head slowly raises tearing his eyes away from the file he's looking at.

"I.... I guess I could use a cup of coffee and then I need you to run to the mainland today. I need you to do some shopping." He says, shuffling through files on his desk. "I have the list here somewhere," he says more to himself that to me.

"I'll go get you a cup of coffee. I'll get the list when I come back," I offer before leaving his office.

Weaving my way through the outer office makes me feel dwarfed in comparison to the large stature of these men. The coffee pot stands in the corner half full; wisps of steam leaking out of the top, telling me that the coffee is still hot. I pull the class carafe out of the coffee maker, while at the same time grabbing a clean coffee cup. The thick rich aroma of roasted beans floats upward tickling my senses, making me want to finish my coffee but work comes first. I think as I replace the carafe and spin on my heals to return it to Alex.

A large arm wraps around my shoulder, halting my advancement to Alex's office. "Trina, it's good to see you back to work. Would you believe we've had to make our own coffee?" Mason's mischievous chuckle only feeds my desire to retaliate. How dare he insinuate that the only thing I can do is make coffee?

I slump down just enough to remove myself from the arm that lumbers lazily around my neck before pivoting just enough to give him a side glance, "Oh yes master, I did sign on to this job to take care of you and all of your friends. Can I lick your feet when I'm done giving your brother his coffee?" I say giving him a painted-on pleading look. The sarcasm in my tone dripping off every word like blood, heavily weighted with its true meaning. I whirl around lengthening my strides to free myself from the chaos of the room.

When I enter his office, Alex's face is partly covered with a manila file folder, His brows furrowed, creating deep crevasses between them, making me want to lean over his desk and smooth them out. I twist slightly, just enough to shut the door, hoping to catch his attention but even the sound of the door closing doesn't bring his eyes away from the file. I drift to the side of his desk, replacing the filled cup of coffee with the empty cup, before turning toward his wall of photos, waiting for him to take the time to give me the list.

My hands connect behind me, both pointer fingers linked into the coffee cup handle, as I scan the photos, stopping on one of Alex and his two brothers.

They were pretty close when we were kids, well as close as three brothers can be when they don't live in the same home. Alex lived with his mom, while the other two boys went to live with their dad. They wanted off the island and following their father to the mainland was there way of getting just what they wanted. Not long after the Divorce Alex's mom bought the cabin where she and Alex lived, until she died.

Alex let out a long sigh, "Sorry, I'm a little busy today."

I spin around, smile and nod, knowing that anything else would just be a waste of time and energy, time he doesn't have and energy I don't have. Alex holds the list out for me to take and I do, then he hands me a credit card and his truck keys. "Take my truck just incase you find something that you want for the cabin. You'll need a way to get it home. Just put it on that card." When my mouth opened to argue Alex gave me a look that I've come to know well, the one that says you aren't going to win this argument, so I close it and do as I'm told. I turn and head to the door, thinking I'll just pay him back.

"Trina," Alex says my name making me shift my upper body to look back. "Do you want one of the guys to go with you?"

I lower my eyes, thinking about it. I don't know who I can trust in this building, other than Alex and he's way too busy, so I shake my head. "Oh wait, I almost forgot. I need you to take these DNA samples to the address listed so they can be processed please?"

"Sure, I say taking the medium sized box under my arm."

"Be careful," He says giving me a look I can't even begin to understand, before lowering his head back to his work.