Something Happened Read online

  “How about I stop by tomorrow? I can play some more games with her and give you some time to do whatever.”

  Suspicion flashed through her. “Why do you want to play games with a kid so bad?”

  Shep went pale then flushed. “Oh, god, nothing—I mean—not—I mean, nothing weird. I just…I miss my siblings. I like kids.”

  Shame flushed Rion’s face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply anything bad. I’m just really tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  Shep relaxed a little. “Oh. Well. You know, kids can do that.”

  “Yeah. Look, you can come over tomorrow if you want. But, Beckett starts school next week, so, it can’t really become a regular thing.”

  “No worries! I normally work during the day. I just have today and tomorrow off.”

  “OK. Cool. And thanks,” she added, belatedly.

  “No problem.”

  Rion shut the door behind him and turned to see Beckett watching her. “Did you have fun? The kid nodded. “Good.”

  ***

  Rion was hoping for a night of uninterrupted sleep, but she didn’t get her wish. She was ripped from sleep by a high pitched whistle. At first she thought it was a tea kettle, but her brain finally sorted out the sound. It was a small child screaming. Rion rushed into the bedroom, nearly tripping on her blankets as she launched herself out of bed. She found Beckett sitting up in bed staring at the window. Her brown eyes were wide with terror and her mouth stretch open to its limits.

  Ice ran through Rion’s veins as she turned to the window. She expected to see an intruder. A monster. A semi-transparent ghost. Braced for the worst she peered through the curtains looking for the outline of whatever had terrified the kid. She couldn’t see anything. Feeling childish, she realized she wanted to hide under the blankets with Beckett. She crossed the room acting braver than she felt. Beckett’s screaming trailed off as she neared the window. Her knees felt like noodles and her hands shook. With numb fingers she peeled back the curtains. Nothing. There was nothing on the other side. Two stories up, it would have been hard for anyone or anything to be outside, but it took a moment for that logic to sink in. When she turned back to the kid she was stunned to find her laying against the pillows as if nothing had happened.

  “Jesus!” Rion sagged with relief. It was a fucking dream. Rion would have laughed at the situation had she not still had so much adrenaline running through her system. Before she had a chance to calm down any further a frantic pounding from her front door nearly caused her to jump out of her skin.

  Beckett had returned to such a deep sleep that the knocking didn’t wake her. With her heart racing again for the second time in the last five minutes, Rion hurried to the door. She didn’t bother turning on any lights before she looked through the peep hole. In the dimly lit hallways she could see Shep standing in front of her door. What the hell? She cracked the door open and stared at him, unsure what to say for a moment.

  “Are you OK?” Shep asked. His long hair was sleep tangled and he had a red spot on his cheek that looked like it most likely came from being pressed into a pillow.

  “I-what?”

  “I heard screaming.”

  “Oh! Sorry. Beckett had a nightmare. Or something.” Rion opened the door wider before she thought better of it. She hadn’t planned on inviting him in, but Shep stepped forward when she gave him room to do it.

  “What happened?”

  “I just woke up to screaming. I ran into her room and she was sitting up looking at the window.”

  “Jesus.”

  “I know. It was terrifying.”

  “Nothing was there?”

  “Not that I could see.” They were both speaking quietly while standing in the dark living room.

  “Do you want me to check things out?”

  “Uh, no.” Rion wrinkled her brow at him but she wasn’t sure he could see. His overly enthusiastic need to be helpful irked her. She was calming down as the seconds ticked by and her heart no longer felt like a fleeing rabbit.

  “Oh, OK. How about a drink instead?”

  “What?”

  Shep laughed softly. “I’m assuming you aren’t going to be able to go back to sleep too soon. Not after a scare like that.”

  “You’re right,” she grudgingly admitted.

  “Do you like bourbon?”

  “I’ve had a glass or two in my time.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Shep smiled so widely she could see it even in the dim light.

  If she was smart, she would lock the door behind and pretend she fell back to sleep before he returned. But, Rion couldn’t bring herself to do it. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. And, if she was honest with herself, she didn’t want to be alone. She grumbled, but turned the dim light on over the stove and pulled out a stool. It wasn’t long before Shep returned. He sat across from her and poured two short glasses half full with pungent dark liquid.

  “This is the good stuff,” Shep told her recapping the bottle and sliding a glass towards her.

  “I’ll have to take your word for it, I wouldn’t know good stuff from swill.”

  “You will in the morning,” he chuckled.

  “Are you planning on getting me drunk?” After the words left her mouth, Rion realized they sounded flirty. She ground her teeth in anger at herself. I do not need to encourage this guy. She refused to look at Shep as she took a sip of the drink. Involuntarily, she shuddered and hissed a fiery breath as the warm liquid burned its way down her throat. “Oh, god.”

  Shep chuckled. “You’ll get used to it. And to answer your question. No. I’m not trying to get you drunk. I wouldn’t do that. At least not like you mean it. If you needed to get drunk to go to sleep, I would help you do that. But then I would put you in bed and lock the door behind me.”

  He stopped rambling and Rion could see his cheeks darken. She didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t embarrass him further, so instead she took another drink. A few more sips and she realized she was growing accustomed to the smooth drink. She was also feeling warm and tingly. Shep must have noticed because he chuckled.

  “You’re starting to like it?”

  “Yeah, a little. I think I am.”

  He must have been feeling his drink too because Rion realized he was slurring his words a little. “Is Beckett on any medication?” he asked.

  “No. The doctor mentioned it, but her social worker and I both didn’t like the idea.”

  “Social worker?”

  “Yes.” Rion realized she had said too much and closed that line of questioning by biting off the word. She thought Shep had been slurring his words, but now she realized it was something else. “Where are you from?” she changed the subject.

  “Ah, no!” he grinned sheepishly. “My accent is coming out, isn’t it?”

  “I think so.”

  “That happens when I drink.”

  “Where are you from?”

  Shep hesitated. “The south.”

  Rion was amused to realize he apparently didn’t want to talk about himself either. “I just realized, I don’t know where you work,” she said, feeling merciful.

  He seemed relieved that she had changed the subject again. “I drive para-transport. You know, like busses for people who have disabilities.”

  “Oh! Well that must be interesting.”

  “It has its days,” he shrugged. Link had jumped onto the counter and Shep trailed his fingers down the cat’s back while he arched into it. “Beautiful cat.”

  “You like cats?”

  “Yeah. I had until recently, but he died a few months ago.”

  “Oh! I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks. I miss that guy.”

  They made more small talk for a while, but by three in the morning they were both drunk and Rion felt ready to sleep again. She showed Shep out and he promised he would stop by the next evening to play video games with Beckett after he got off work. Rion thought about telling him not to, but she realized she
was actually looking forward to it a little. It was a relief to have someone else with Beckett. The kid needed more interactions. More normalcy. But, she also couldn’t shake the lingering feelings of suspicion. How often to strange dudes want to hang out with a little kid?

  Before laying down again, Rion looked in on Beck one more time. Watching her sleep, it was easy to forget all the things she had been through. Her mouth was stretched on one side from the way her face was pressed into the pillow and Rion realized it was the first time she looked…like a normal kid. Her hair was ruffled and she could hear her puffing sleep breaths and Rion felt herself let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It wasn’t until she saw Beckett looking normal that she realized she had almost forgotten she was just a little kid. One who had been through a horrible trauma. Some anxiety eased in her chest as she tiptoed into the living room. Link was laying on her pillow and she laid her face down next to him. “Just give her some time,” she whispered to the cat. He looked skeptical, but after a moment he sighed and laid his head down next to hers.

  Five

  When Rion woke up Friday morning Beckett was already awake. She was watching TV—the news of course—with the sound very low. Despite how low the volume was, Rion was surprised that she hadn’t woken up. But when the first throb of her headache kicked in she grimaced, remembering the night of drinking with Shep. Regret burned her face. Both for how much she drank, and for doing it with Shep. She shouldn’t lead him on or encourage him. She had no intention of getting involved with Shep. She blinked at the TV as its light hurt her eyes.

  “Good morning, Beckett,” she croaked. Beckett looked over her shoulder but didn’t respond. “Do you remember the nightmare you had last night?” The kid shook her head. “Well, it was a doozy. You woke up screaming.” If Beckett was surprised she didn’t let on. “How are you feeling today?”

  She thought before answering. “Fine,” she finally responded before going back to the program.

  Rion sighed and decided to try sitting up. She needed to get on with the day. The lawyer Chambers told her about would be calling and she would feel more like a responsible adult if she was at least up and functioning for the call. She returned the futon to its couch form and started coffee. As she waited for it to brew she leaned against the counter drinking water. She’d had very few hangovers in her day, but she knew it was wise to hydrate. As she stared at the stove black flakes caught her attention.

  They were thin and papery and dusted the otherwise white surface. She leaned closer and touched one with her finger. It disintegrated instantly. She had to touch two more before her brain main the connections. Ashes. What the hell? She examined the rest of the kitchen, her heart pounding as hard as her head. She found more in front of the fridge and another, larger one resting at the edge of the top of the freezer.

  Wanting to see if there were more on top of the refrigerator, she pulled a stool out and froze when she saw two dark grey spots that looked like ashes ground into the top of the stool. She pulled the chair closer and climbed onto it. On top of the fridge were more ashes and dark grey cat hair. She turned and flopped onto the seat of the stool. Holy shit. Shock and dismay prickled her skin. Was it really possible that Beckett tried to burn Link? With a piece of paper? He must have hidden on top of the refrigerator again and she had pulled the stool out to reach the top, like Rion had just done. How the hell did I sleep through that? Bourbon, she growled angrily to herself.

  Her legs were numb when she slid from the stool and crossed into the living room. She stood over Beckett who either didn’t notice, or pretended not to. Rion’s hands shook as she looked down at her little sister. Fear, rage, disappointment, anger, and even guilt flooded through her. She felt like screaming at the kid demanding to know why she would try to hurt an innocent animal. But, she also felt like crying.

  Clearly Beckett was hurting. Maybe she is jealous of the cat? Maybe Beckett feels threatened by Link? Rion tried to recall showing any affection towards the kid and shame caused her to deflate a little. She hadn’t hugged Beckett once. The only time she had held her hand was when Beckett grabbed it leaving the hospital. Rion finally felt a tear slid down her cheek but she brushed it away quickly.

  “Beckett?” The kid looked up, tilting her head back until she could see Rion’s face. “Turn the news off for a second, please.” Beckett turned back to the TV, ignoring her request. “Beckett? I asked you to do something. Please.” There was still no response. Rion sighed. She circled until she was beside Beckett and lowered herself to sit on the floor next to the kid. She picked up the remote and Beckett finally paid attention to her. Her head spun so fast her hair whipped out in a circle around her head. Her eyes were narrowed and she glared at Rion. Rion was taken aback for a moment when a spike of fear shot through her stomach. She tried to regain control of herself. You can’t be afraid of a kid.

  “Beckett, please don’t ignore me when I talk to you.” They were both silent for a while and Rion got the impression they were in a standoff. She didn’t know what would determine a winner, but finally she got tired of waiting. “Did you get out of bed last night?” Beckett continued to quietly stare at her. “Did you try to hurt Link last night?” A glimmer of something passed over the kid face. It happened to quickly for Rion to interpret it. “Listen, I’m going to choose to believe you were sleep walking again. But, I think you are trying to hurt the cat because you are sad, or upset.” Beckett still didn’t respond.

  “I know you have been through a lot. But you can’t hurt Link. We’ll talk to the therapist about this on Monday. But in the meantime, I would appreciate it if you would talk to me.” Beckett still only watched her. “You can talk about whatever you want. Please. You don’t even have to talk about feelings. I would just like to have a conversation with you.” Beckett was still silent. “What is your favorite animal?” No answer. “Your favorite color?” No answer. “Do you feel safe here?” No answer. “Would you like me to get you anything?” No answer.

  Rion’s empathy was beginning to wear thin. “Look, Beckett. I would really like for you to try. Just a little. I’m trying really hard.” Her frustration was a brittle barrier between hope and anger. She rubbed her face and took a deep steadying breath. She knew she needed to give Beckett time, but it felt like they were getting nowhere. The kid had been with her for days and she had spoken maybe five words the whole time. She was displaying serious trauma and potentially dangerous behavior. “I just don’t know what to do, Beckett.” She watched the kid for any sign of feeling. “Look. If you try to hurt the cat again, I’ll take away the TV. No news. Do you understand?” Beckett was glaring at her again. “Do you?” Finally, the kid nodded, two short jerks of her chin.

  Rion heaved herself off the floor and began making a cup of coffee. She sat heavily on the stool after trying to brush off the ashes. She knew she should tell Chambers about Beckett’s issues at night. But she dreaded doing so. It felt like admitting that she couldn’t take care of the kid. Unwilling to admit defeat yet, Rion decided to discuss it with the therapist first. For all she knew, this was perfectly acceptable behavior for a child who had survived a horrific crime. Alerting Chambers might only make things worse, or convince Chambers that she was an unfit placement for her sister.

  She jumped when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number and almost didn’t answer it, until she remembered the lawyer. “Hello,” she answered on the fifth ring.

  “Miss Webster?”

  “Yes.”

  “My name is Aaron Smyth. I represent your father’s estate. Did Carolyn Chambers tell you I would be calling?” He sounded young, but pointedly formal.

  “Yes. She did.”

  “Oh, good. The reason I’m calling is I was charged with executing your father and his wife’s wills.”

  “Yes. I figured as much.”

  “Yes. Well. Would you have time to meet with me to get the paperwork signed and everything wrapped up?’

  “Sure. When?”
r />   “Well. I have time today. If you do that is.”

  “Uh, well…” Rion glanced at Beckett. She shouldn’t disrupt the kid’s life more by bringing a new stranger in right now. After thinking it over, Rion realized it probably wouldn’t be any more convenient in the following week. And Smyth needed to get this done soon it sounded like. “Sure,” she finally told him.

  “Great! How about noon?”

  Rion glanced at the clock. That would give her two hours to get ready. “That should be fine. Where is your office? We’ll have to take the train.”

  “We?”

  “Me and Beckett. I don’t have a sitter.”

  “Oh! Well, I can come to you actually.”

  “You can?”

  “Sure. I’m sure it will be easier for all of us.”

  Reluctantly, Rion agreed. She hung up the phone and made her way to the shower missing her old life a little. The one that didn’t require her to put pants on for most of the day. Nostalgic memories of laying around drinking coffee and watching trash TV tugged at her.

  Smyth arrived promptly at noon. When Rion let him in she was surprised to find he was older than she expected. Probably in his mid-forties. He was blonde, thin, and wore a plain gold wedding band. She imagined him with a house in the burbs, a pretty blonde wife, and 2.5 kids and she found it all very annoying.

  “Thank you for allowing me to come out today,” he smiled at her and she didn’t find it helped the tension at all.

  “Sure.” She ushered him to the futon and when he sat it must have been on one of the metal bars because he winced and adjusted his position.

  “This shouldn’t take long. I just need to explain the conditions and have you sign some papers and then you are all set.

  “Set with what?”

  Smyth tilted his head. “Your father’s insurance, which was a moderate amount. I’m sure you’ll be happy. Oh, and his house.”