Friday Night

            by Jennifer Cain

 

            He rang the doorbell.  He knew she would answer.  She was dressed in her nightgown and he could see the look of confusion through the bangs that fell across her face.  "What are you doing here?  It's freezing.  You better come inside."  He followed her inside.   He had told her everything.  He had opened up completely.  She was the only one who could help him.  Who loved him.  He needed her.  He wouldn't let her leave.  "I need some coffee."  He followed her into the kitchen and grasped the cool metal of the gun in his pocket.  There was only one bullet.  She was bent over looking in one of the lower cabinets for a mug.  He moistened his lips and pulled the trigger.

 

            Tuesday.  Mandy walked down the dirt path as Onix ran ahead, only stopping to sniff the occasional patch of ivy or tree trunk.  Her long brown waves were tied back with a green scarf that brought out the color in her eyes, and one could just barely make out the faded freckles still spattered across her nose from the summer.  Mandy had moved to the Uplands about a month ago, and while her friends back in Oregon were getting married and starting families of their own, her solitary walks had become her daily ritual in place of changing diapers and making love.  It was mid-February and shafts of sunlight shone through the surrounding pines as she walked through the park which divided the Uplands into upper and lower halves.  She found the chirping of birds overhead and cracking of twigs below comforting, and was glad that despite her urban surrounding in Berkeley, there was a rural refuge so close at hand.

            A sawing noise coming from overhead startled her and she looked up and then across the street to the house three doors down from hers.  One of the local gardeners was straddling a tree branch and waved to her.  He was the same one Mandy had seen through her bedroom window earlier as she was getting dressed to take Onix out; or rather the one she had felt watching her through her bedroom window before she looked outside.  Mandy could feel an uncomfortable chill run down her spine and averted her gaze.  She didn't know if she would ever get used to the presence of so many gardeners, painters, and builders.  She wouldn't mind if it weren't for awkward situations like the one she had encountered that morning.  It seemed that everyone in her neighborhood was constantly having their homes remodeled and embellished.  Port-a-Potties were often found outside various houses, and while walking down the street tidbits of Spanish could be heard as the employees conversed over their lunches or talked on their cell phones.  She understood, "Hola Senorita," but besides that she was at a loss. 

            Mandy came to the end of the park and crossed the street to the cutoff.  Technically her house wasn't on the Uplands since the front door opened onto one of the cut throughs that linked various parts of the winding neighborhood.  The stairs were steep and Mandy could feel her legs cramping as she reached the top.  Onix immediately headed into the garden and began digging next to the enormous lavender bush at one end of it.  He had started digging there a few days after the move and by now Mandy had given up on refilling the hole.  "We'll have to get that ugly thing removed, won't we?" she asked as she took the mail out of the mailbox and began to sift through it.

            "I wouldn't say it's ugly."  Mandy spun around to find her neighbor Tom coming down the cut through.  "If you pruned it, it could look quite nice.  Besides, it’s a piece of the past."  Mandy raised her eyebrows.  Tom was a historian.

            "I'll keep it just for you, all right?"  Tom smiled and Mandy felt the blood rush to her cheeks.  He was one of the first people in the neighborhood she had met upon moving, and she had immediately fallen for his deep blue eyes and blonde curls,  his morning stubble and goofy smile.  Both of them worked at home, so during the week they were often the only two residents out and about.  She couldn't keep herself from hoping that perhaps their budding friendship would turn into something more, and save her from growing into an old maid, a fear that often lurked in the back of her mind.  Maybe she too could soon subscribe to bridal and homekeeping magazines.  Mandy knew that Tom always went for a walk around ten and she tried to plan her day so that she was returning from a walk or grocery shopping when he came by.

            "What'cha got there?" Tom asked, nodding at the stack of mail in her hands.  Mandy looked down and laughed.

            "Ms. Mary Lenon RE: American Psychiatric Organization.  I told the post office to stop bringing her mail here ages ago, but they didn't have a forwarding address."  Mandy looked up smiling.  "Apparently she wasn't even the previous owner, but lived here some twenty or so years ago." 

            A shadow from the trees above danced across Tom's face, his eyes darkening momentarily.  "Really?" he asked and furrowed his eyebrows.  "I guess that means I wouldn't have known her."  He stepped to the side as a woman came running up the cut through, weights in hand, and watched as she continued up the hill.  Mandy could tell he was losing interest in the conversation.  When Tom turned back around his brows were still slightly knotted, and he looked down at the foot he was sliding back and forth on the ground.  Great, Mandy thought, while wracking her brains for something interesting to say, he's trying to think of a nice way to say he has to go. 

            Tom looked up at her and cleared his throat, pausing for a moment before continuing.  "Do you want to go out to dinner?  To a movie maybe?" 

            Mandy almost gasped from surprise and tried to conceal her smile of both happiness and relief.  "Sure.  Friday?"

            "It's a date." 

            Mandy watched as Tom walked down the rest of the cut through and crossed the street, heading for the park in the middle of the road.  His shadow disappeared among those of the trees.

 

            Wednesday.  Mandy walked a short way behind Onix.  She saw the worker up ahead and watched as Onix ran up to him.  He started petting Onix and speaking to him in a soft voice as he fed him a piece of his sandwich.  As Mandy got closer, she saw the red dirt smeared across his white T-shirt and the thought that it had a disturbing resemblance to blood flitted through her mind.  He looked up as she came by his side on the narrow side walk and she recognized him as the gardener she had seen in the tree the day before.  "A beautiful dog for a beautiful lady," he smiled.  Mandy felt her muscles tighten.  He laughed.  "Talking about beautiful, I could help you with that garden of yours.  Might even give you a discount."

            "No thanks." Mandy said coldly, "Come on Onix."  She tried to squeeze by him but he stepped in front of her.

            "What's the matter?  You don't like me?" 

            Mandy sighed.  "No it's..."  She didn't know what to say.  "I..."

            "At least let me get rid of that awful bush."  He motioned towards the part of the lavender that was visible from the street.  "For free."

            Mandy turned to look at it.  It was ugly and she hated the fact that Onix kept on digging by it.  She could use the space to plant something nicer, a cherry tree maybe.  She opened her lips to answer just as Tom's words echoed in her head and she hesitated.

            "Well?" The gardener asked impatiently.

            Sometimes you had to get rid of a part of the past if you wanted a better future, Mandy thought.  "Fine." she said.

            "I'll come by Saturday morning after I'm done with this thing."  He placed his hand on the trunk of the tree he was in the process of cutting.  "Will you be home?"

            "I don't know."

            The worker furrowed his brow slightly. "Alright, in that case I'll just need a key."  He saw Mandy's look of concern.  "Just in case I need to use the bathroom.  Get a drink of water."

            "Do you have a key to their place?"  Mandy said looking up at her neighbor's house.

            He turned his head to look at it too, pausing for a moment before answering. "Yeah."

            "Fine.  You can come by Friday night to get it."  A small smile appeared across the worker’s lips as he watched Mandy walk hastily away.

 

            Thursday.  It was raining outside.  Mandy put a pot of tea on the stove and sat down at the kitchen table, laptop in hand.  She was supposed to write something.  After all, she was a writer.  That was part of the reason she had moved from her quiet home in Oregon to the Bay Area.  She thought that perhaps a change in setting would inspire something.  But apparently it hadn't.  She clicked on the Mozilla Firefox icon hoping something on the wondrous worldwide web would inspire an idea.  While she waited for the internet to open, she sifted through the pile of magazines and newspapers on the table.  The pamphlet she had received from the American Psychiatric Organization caught her eye.  Mary Lenon.  Mandy looked up at the computer screen as the familiar twinkling tune signaled a successful connection.  She typed Mary Lenon into the search bar.  The first entry was a 1986 article from the San Francisco Chronicle, "Missing Person Believed to Be Runaway Bride."  Mandy jotted down the words runaway bride on the corner of one of the magazines.  That was a plot she hadn't thought of before.  She double-clicked on the link.

 

Twenty-six year old Berkeley psychiatrist Mary Lenon was reported missing on February 19, after a weeklong absence from work and reports from neighbors that they hadn't seen the young woman for several days..  Initial police investigations were inconclusive, but there was no sign of a forced entry.   Mary Lenon was engaged to Daniel Wilderbanks and was to be married on March 1.  She was to  join her husband-to-be in New York on February 21.  It is now suspected that Mary has fled as a runaway bride, as suggested by a patient.  Tho-

 

            Mandy started as the tea pot whistled.  She got up and poured herself a mug, and then stood sipping it by the stove as she watched the rain droplets bead up on the window before running down it in tiny criss crossing rivers.  A flash of color caught her attention and she looked through the rain to see the gardener prowling in her backyard.  Mandy leaned over the countertop and rapped on the window pane to get his attention.  What did he think he was doing?  He said he wouldn't be coming over until Saturday.  The gardener looked up from where he was hunched over and then jogged toward the window, motioning her to open it.  Mandy sighed in frustration and put down her mug before opening the window halfway.  She tried to shield her face from the rain blowing inside as she watched it splatter the counter.  "What are you doing?"

            "I just wanted to have a look around."  He stuck his face in the opening of the window and Mandy took a step back.  "I'm pretty much done now.  I just wanted to, you know, get a feel for the garden.  It has real potential.  Are you sure you only want me to get rid of the bush?  If you give me a couple more weeks I could have it looking real nice out here."  He paused and looked at the droplets of rain that had gathered on her crimson sweater. 

            "I just want you to get rid of the bush.  I have to get back to my work now, but I'll see you on Saturday."  She smiled, and the gardener ducked his head out of the way as she reached over to close the window.

 

            Friday Morning.  Mandy rolled over in bed and looked at the clock.  1:30 AM.  Friday.  In less than twenty-four hours she would be going out to dinner with Tom.  Mandy climbed out of bed, putting on a jacket as she walked downstairs.  Onix was asleep.  She needed to go outside and get some fresh air. 

            She trudged along the muddy dirt path in the dark, the streetlight just barely shining through the pines.  It was quiet and she could make out the sound of the twigs cracking beneath her feet, despite the moistened earth.  She came to the far end of the park and sat down on one of the rocks, gazing up at the stars.  Snap.  She turned her head to see a figure disappear into the shadows of the pines.  “Hello?” she called.  No one answered.  "Who is it?"  Mandy waited, straining her ears.  Maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her.  She peered into the darkness where she thought she had seen the figure disappear, and saw something rustle among the pines.  "Hello?"  She could feel her heart thudding in her chest, and stood up alert, gazing into the darkness surrounding her.  Why weren't they answering?  The wind blew through the trees and a pinecone dropped down beside her.  Mandy shivered and drew her coat closer around her, suddenly wishing that she had stayed in the warmth and comfort of her own bed instead of daring to go out at night.  Her house was three blocks away and the lurking stranger could be anywhere.  The sound of a motor startled her and she looked toward a pickup truck pulling away from the curb and making its way to Claremont Avenue.  She followed the path of its headlights, and stopped her gaze as they crossed over Tom's house.  It was one of the houses that encircled the far end of the park, and was only a short distance away.  She saw one of the downstairs lights turn on.  Taking a deep breath Mandy worked up the courage to move and quickly made her way through the park and across the street until she reached his doorstep.  She rung the doorbell, glancing back at the darkness behind her.  Tom answered.  He looked surprisingly awake.  “What’s the matter?” he asked as he gently pulled her inside. 

            “I was just out for a walk.  I couldn’t sleep.  And…and I thought I heard someone following me, and I didn’t know what to do so I just came here and…”

            “It’s alright,” Tom interjected.  “I was up anyway doing some work.  Could I get you something to drink?”

            “Some tea would be nice.”  Mandy settled down into one of the cushioned sofas as Tom disappeared into the kitchen.  She glanced over at the pictures on his mantle while she waited.  There was a picture of him with an older man and woman whom she assumed to be his parents, a woman about Mandy's age, and a waterfall.  Mandy looked back over at the picture of the woman, wondering who she was.  Tom’s sister?  No, it was probably a former girlfriend.  Mandy felt a hint of jealousy creep into her.  Tom must still care about her a lot if he had kept a picture of her on his mantle.

            Tom came back into the room holding two mugs of tea.  “Any idea who it was?” he asked.  Mandy was still caught up in her thoughts about the picture and for a moment she didn’t understand what Tom was talking about.

            “No.  It was too dark."  Mandy paused and thought, trying to remember exactly what had happened.  "I did see a truck.”

            Tom looked concerned.  "You're sure they were following you, though?  You don't think it was just someone else taking a walk, or a cat maybe?  There's a lot of them in the neighborhood and your eyes can fool you in the dark."  He handed her one of the mugs and a coaster.   

            “I don’t know.”  Mandy sipped her tea and the photo caught her eye again.  She thought it looked surprisingly like herself.  Who was she?  Tom saw Mandy looking at the picture, and reached over to take her hand momentarily. 

            “She was just a friend of mine.” he said hesitantly.  Mandy didn't remember having asked out loud, but she was exhausted and worried it might have slipped out.  In any case Mandy knew she must have been staring at the picture or Tom wouldn't have said anything.  He was trying to reassure her, and she felt bad for prying. 

            “I should probably get home.”

            “I’ll walk you.” 

            They didn’t talk on the walk home, and Mandy was acutely aware of the awkward silence between them.  She wished more than ever that she had just stayed in bed.  Tom probably thought she had made the whole story up in order to go to his house, and the photo incident hadn't helped.  Had she lost her Friday date?  Mandy was almost relieved when they reached her house.  She unlocked her door and stepped inside, turning to look back at Tom.  He stood looking at her in her nightgown, his blue eyes agleam with the light reflecting in them from inside.  “I’m sorry.” He whispered without meeting her eyes.  Mandy was surprised.  If anything she was the one who should be apologizing. 

            “Are we still on for Friday?” she asked tentatively. 

            Tom looked up abruptly.  “Of course.”

 

            Friday Evening.  The doorbell rang.  Mandy looked at herself one more time in the mirror before hurrying downstairs.  She opened the door.  It was the gardener.  "I came to get the key."

            "Oh, right.  I forgot."  Mandy reached inside her purse and handed him the key.

            "I thought I might get started today if you don't mind.  You goin' out?"  Mandy nodded.  "With who?...I mean, Sorry that's none of my business."

            "It isn't."  Mandy paused and looked at the gardener.  "His name is Tom."

            The gardener squinted.  "Tom down the street?"  Mandy nodded.  The gardener gasped and started laughing loudly, slapping his knee.

            "What?"  Mandy asked, both appalled and uncomfortable with his behavior. 

            The gardener stopped and stroked his chin.  "Nothing…I mean it's not very important, but if you really want to know…"  He looked up at her out of the corner of his eye.

            "Go on."  Mandy said impatiently.

            "I went to school with that kid."  He paused.  "Man, that was a long time ago…Well anyway I always felt bad for him because…" He paused again and Mandy raised her eyebrows, signaling him to continue.   "Well, ummm, I guess you could say he lost it a bit after his parents died."  Mandy knotted her eyebrows.  She had just seen a picture of Tom with his parents last night.  "He had to see psychiatrists."  The gardener stopped and looked back up at her, a small smile spreading across his lips.  "You wouldn't believe it, but for a while me and the other kids all were scared of him because we thought he was crazy and would, you know, kill us or somethin'.  But, I wouldn't worry if I were you…I'm pretty sure he's back to normal by now."  He winked.

            "Talking about me behind my back?"  Mandy and the gardener turned to see Tom waiting a short way down the cut-through, bouquet in one hand.  "Shall we be going?"

            Mandy smiled and nodded.  Before walking down the steps she looked back at the gardener and said sarcastically, "Very funny."

           

            Later Friday Evening.  Tom and Mandy walked down to Grasshopper.  "I didn't know you had a gardener."  Tom said. 

            "I don't.  He's just removing the lavender."

            Tom looked taken aback.  "But I thought you were saving it just for me."

            Mandy laughed and took his hand.  "Don't worry.  I'll remember you even after that silly old plant is gone.  Besides don't you think a cherry tree would look a lot nicer?"

            Tom smiled and squeezed her hand.  "Yeah, I guess so."

            While they waited for their dinner Mandy told Tom about her idea for her book.  He nervously sipped at his wine, and then fumbled with his napkin, watching the other couples around them.  Mandy worried that she was boring him.  "Well," she said, "Is anything new with you?"

            He smiled and reached over to brush Mandy's hair out of her face, caressing the side of her cheek and the back of her neck.  "No."  he said absent-mindedly.  "You keep on going.  I'm listening."  Mandy smiled and gazed into his deep blue eyes.

            When the waiter came over Tom ordered another glass of wine.

 

            Friday Night.  Mandy saw that the gardener's truck was still parked outside of her house when they got home and recalled the events of the previous night.  She felt a nervous chill go down her spine.  Had he been the stranger lurking in the park?  Why had he suddenly wanted to work tonight instead of tomorrow?  He had a key to her house.  Tom stumbled as he was going up the stairs and Mandy reached over to steady him.  "Why don't you come inside for a while?" 

            Tom looked at her slyly.  "Yeah…alright," he said.  She led him inside; she wouldn't feel safe without him.

            Mandy took off her jacket and slipped off her shoes.  "I'm going to go get something to drink," Tom said and made his way straight into the kitchen.

            "Don't you think you've already had enough?" Mandy called after him.  She walked over to the window and peered outside, wondering how much longer the gardener would be there.  He was really starting to creep her out.  First asking for a key, then prowling in her yard, perhaps following her in the middle of the night, and then making up dreadful stories about Tom.  She felt her blood rush with anger and had half the mind to go outside and ask him to leave right then and there.

            Tom came back into the room and offered her a glass of scotch.  "I'm alright." she said.  "Wait-"  But, Tom had already tipped the alcohol from her glass into his mouth. 

            "Don't worry." Tom said jokingly, as he saw Mandy's look of concern.  They sat down on the couch and Tom put his arm around her.  "I always wanted this."

            Mandy smiled.  "Yeah."  He leaned in to kiss her and Mandy could taste the alcohol on his breath.  When they drew apart Mandy locked eyes with the gardener, who had paused from his work for a moment and was watching them from outside the living room window.

            Tom licked the corner of his mouth and turned his head toward the window to see what Mandy was looking at.  "Why's he still here?  You didn't ask him to stay, did you?"

            "Of course not."  She held the gardener's gaze and after a few moments he turned around and went back to the lavender bush.  "He said you were crazy."  She laughed. 

            "But, you don't believe him, do you?"  Tom asked worriedly.

            Mandy sighed.  "You've had too much to drink," she said nudging his side.  She narrowed her eyes playfully.  "Although I suppose right now someone might mistake you for a lunatic escaped from a mental asylum."

            Tom's face had grown pale and he had slid away from her on the couch.

            "I'm just kidding," Mandy laughed, leaning toward him in an attempt to pull him back.  "Stop acting crazy.  I'll just close the curtains and then we can…talk." 

            "You're not supposed to call me that." Tom said, twisting his mouth, a mix of fury and hurt creeping into his eyes.  "You're not supposed to call me that, Mary.  You're supposed to help!"

            Mandy paused and sat up straight.  Drawing her hand away from him.  "Maybe I should take you home."

            "I don't want to go home."  Tom wailed, tears of frustration budding in his eyes as he clenched his fists.  "There's no one there.  I want to be with you."

            "Alright."  Mandy said as she got up to close the curtains.  Why did first dates always have to end in disaster for her? 

            She felt Tom's breath on the back of her neck and turned around slowly.  His eyes were fixed on her intensely.  "I love you." he said.

            "I love you too Tom." Mandy answered, rolling her eyes.

            "Stop that!"  Tom slapped her, and Mandy gasped as she touched her hand to her burning cheek and took a step away from him.  "Don't do that!  Stop lying!  I always tell you the truth and you never tell me anything!  You're supposed to help me!  I won't let you leave.  You're not supposed to love him.  You're supposed to…to…"  Tom's eyes were scanning the room wildly, and now Mandy began to feel truly scared.

            "Tom,"  she murmured.  "Just calm down."  She backed slowly toward the front hallway, looking through the crack in the closed curtains.  The gardener had finished removing the lavender and all that was left was the dark hole where it had once been.  Where was he? 

            Tom stuck his hand into his pocket and drew out a gun.  Mandy drew in her breath sharply. 

            "Don't worry.  I won't hurt you.  I just don't want you to leave.  You're the only one that can help me.  I just don't want you to leave."      

            "Calm down." she stammered as she reached the front door, Tom following her aiming the gun in his outstretched arm.

            "Stop walking towards the door!" he screamed, "I'm not gonna let you leave!"    Mandy halted. 

            Onix started barking. 

            The door swung open and hit her hard from behind.

            She stumbled towards Tom.

            "There're bones!" the gardener gasped as he stepped in.

            Tom pulled the trigger. 

            Mandy screamed and closed her eyes. 

            She waited. 

            Nothing happened. 

            She opened them and saw Tom starring at the gun.

            "What the fuck is going on?" the gardener yelled.

            "There was only one bullet," Tom stared at the gun in awe, "for Mary."