I'm guessing if I handed Jenn this saying at this moment she'd give me a fat lip. Wait, she's non-violent. I remember that now.
She'd scorch my ears!
Secrets at Midnight
Leona Palmer Haag
Chapter 49
Starving, Matt asked, “Did you girls enjoy your
bubble bath?”
Plopping Katie into a chair, Jenn said, “The second
time around. The first attempt was a disaster.” She opened a container.
“Chicken Alfredo?”
“If it's not hot enough I can zap it.”
She stuck her finger into the sauce. “I missed
having a microwave at the cabin.” She handed it to Matt and waved him toward
the microwave.
“I missed steaks. Next time we go camping we’ll
plan better. We'll drive in, drive out and barbecue T-bones.” The microwave
beeped. He pulled out the steaming sauce and returned to the table.
“Sounds good, except this is my kind of camping so
you’re going alone next time.” She poured sauce over noodles. “Oh—here’s a
thought—or take Grandma Monica,
instead.”
Chuckling, he served himself salad and passed it
along. When they were well into their meal he said, “What exactly happened?”
Jenn’s fork momentarily paused. “Delayed stress?”
She shoved the bite into her mouth and concentrated on chewing.
“I don’t need blanket excuses. Explain exactly what you experienced.”
She swallowed slowly, sipped her drink, then softly
said, “It’ll sound stupid.”
“Let me decide.”
“It felt like someone was watching me. I panicked.
I knew all the doors were locked, but I knew
someone was watching me. You know what I mean by that, don’t you?”
He nodded. “A sixth sense. Sometimes accurate.
Sometimes not.”
“You’re right. You checked every inch, but no one
was here. It seemed like having a bad dream repeated while awake.”
He leaned back in his chair and studied her. She
tore off a piece of breadstick and handed it to Katie, then faced him. He
leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. “I've been having a recurring
nightmare myself. In it you're wearing nothing but a towel and holding your
gun. I die. My dream nearly came true this time, but how close?”
She whispered. “I was terrified. I could have sworn
someone was watching me. I couldn't let whoever was in here get Katie, so I
went for my gun—and then you came in.”
He reached across the table and grasped her wrist.
“How close did you come to shooting me?”
She pulled free. “I'll never take another bubble
bath without a gun.”
“I've never intended on seeing you in nothing but a
towel. Next time we go shopping I'm buying you a robe. I don't want my
nightmare coming true. Today was too close. And I don’t like looking down the
barrel of a gun, kid.”
“I didn’t shoot you—okay! And that robe, make sure
it has a pocket for my gun and maybe I’ll keep it there!”
“Gun,” Katie mimicked.
Jenn crammed a breadstick into her mouth to hush
her.
End Chapter 49
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