Letters to the Star Whisperer

-37-

           

Thursday, was a different day. It was his day off. He thought that Aspen was going to be at work, but he overheard her on the phone talking to someone. "It's just one of those days," she said, sitting on the bed, talking into the phone. "Thank you for understanding."

              Ethan didn't go into her room. He instead waited downstairs for to come down. He was waiting for her to come down, to make eggs. After about 45 minutes, he didn't think it was going to happen.

              He tried to make eggs. Putting oil in the skillet, he put five eggs in the bowl with onion and garlic. He cut up the spinach and added the seasoning. He poured it into the skillet, and then tried his best to flip and cook the egg completely. He tried a little bite when he was finished.

              "Awesome!" he said, completely proud of himself. He looked around the kitchen, suddenly feeling lonely once again. He put half the eggs on another plate and headed upstairs. He knocked on Aspen's door. He thought he had heard a noise so he went in.

              She was laying in bed still, covers over her head. "I made Super-Duper-Amazing-off-the-wall-freaking-Awesome-eggs." Ethan took a bite off his plate and then put hers next to her bed. She didn't move. He tried again. "You got to try them. They are the bomb! They are freakin, awesome."

              "Not hungry," she mumbled. She didn't even peek over her covers.

              Ethan kind of felt lost at that point. He looked around, seeing the dogs in the doorway. "Hey, your dogs, they're waiting by the door. Do you think they need to go out?"

              He put his plate down on one of her bookcases, then petting the dogs. She didn't even say a word. Something seemed wrong.

              "Hey, are you sick, or something?" Ethan asked.

              She uncovered an inch of her head. "I just want to be left alone today."

              Ethan looked around the room, then to her, cocking his head. "You sure you're not sick or something? I mean, are you okay? What's wrong?"

              "Just tried."

              "You're not acting like yourself."

              She quickly uncovered her covers from her head, and then yelled so loudly that Ethan thought that the Earth was shaking. "Leave me the fuck alone!" Then she threw her plate at him, barley missing him. He had felt the wind off the plate. "Get out of here!"

He held his hands up, trying to protect himself. He had felt numb, feeling his heart sink all the way to his stomach.

              The look in her eyes was nothing like he had seen before. They were red, clouded with hate. It was as if he had done something to hurt her. He had no idea what he did. He didn't know what to say, so he ran out the door, closing it quickly behind him and ran downstairs, taking the dogs with him, and went outside were it was safe.

              His breathing was very heavy. He didn't want to go back in, not with her being angry with him for no reason. He tried to think what all he had said to her in the last 24 hours.

She was okay last night, she was laughing and they were having a good conversion. Was it something that happened between her and Jane? Or was it work? Did she have a fight with someone he didn't know about?

              He figured in the end, it was best to give her space. He started to walk up the hill, having the dogs follow him. He was going to go down the street for a walk, to cool off. The dogs were excellently trained without a leash.

Before he went on the sidewalk, he heard a little old ladies voice call for him. "Ethan," Joy called from the doorway. She had actually called him by his name. Though usually when a landlord had called for his name, it wasn't good.

              He walked over to her anyways. She had seemed to be in a good mood, so he wasn't too nervous. "Hello," Ethan said as he approached her.

              She gave a smile as the dogs started to sniff her. "I'm glad I caught you. Are you busy?"

              "Um, no, not really," Ethan shrugged.

              "Do you think you could help me?"

              He nodded. "Yeah, what do you need?"

              "I have some boxes that need to be taken to the basement. It's heavy, and I was going to wait til my son got here this weekend, but I really need them to be out of my way," she said, walking into the house. Ethan followed and saw the boxes all over the front room. There were about seven or eight, and did look too big and heavy for a little 85 year old woman to handle.

              "In the basement?" Ethan asked.

              "Oh yes, if it's not too much trouble," she said with worry. "I don't want to be a bother."

              "You're not a bother, Joy," Ethan said, picking up the first box. It felt like there were rocks piled in it, but he didn't complain.