Lying down in the camperized back of my truck, I reminisced about my day. I wished I could have been a fly on the wall when that jerk and my wife got home from the movie. I would have loved that scene, her all freaked out, and him all a-fluster.
I had followed them across town to the restaurant and then the movie theater, always being careful to keep my distance, even though neither of them knew I had a truck. They stood in the lineup for the movie outside the theater, Andrea looking smart in her red jeans. She had a nice tight ass and didn’t seem to be aware of the heads she turned. Suits me. But they had no business looking at her ass, and if she had responded it would have pissed me off. As it was, it pissed me off that Jim would let her go out dressed like that. He was so stupid. Didn’t he know men would gawk at her? What was he thinking? I had to get her back and get her under control again. This liberal shit wasn’t doing her any good.
I could have left once they were in the line, but I had plenty of time and a good vantage point from the parking lot, and mainly, I wanted to be sure they went in. As soon as Jim put his money down, I was out of there.
I took it easy, driving along the road by Comox Bay, enjoying the scenery at the estuary. It was quiet and I pulled in to the parking lot of the bird viewing area. It had a gazebo, empty now, where birdwatchers could get out of the rain while they glassed the marshes or took photographs. I was there to do neither, but after hanging out in a parking lot at the movie theater and restaurant for an hour, I’d felt the headache coming on. I was ready for some quiet time.
When my brother and I were little, I could count on the headache every time my drunken bitch of a mother slapped us around. As soon as she passed out, I’d go to the forest to get out of the house. The silence there soothed my pounding head.
The bench in the gazebo overlooking the Comox Estuary gave me almost the same feeling of relief. I listened to the sounds of the marsh. Ducks dabbled near the edges among the reeds, softly gabbling in duck conversations. A great blue heron stood along the far side of the tidal backwater, still as a statue. I watched him move cautiously, a long time between motions. If you weren’t paying attention you’d swear he never moved at all, but that was how he moved in for the kill. That would be me, stalking Andrea. One move, then nothing for a while. When she felt reassured that all was well, I’d make another move. She’d be more rattled with every event, until I had her terrified again, just the way she used to be when we were together in the cabin—the way she would be again one day.
It took about half an hour but my headache faded at last. I drove on towards Jim’s place just out of town. I still had work to do tonight.
I parked by the mailbox again and walked up Jim’s road. Even though it was still light out, there were enough bushes around Jim’s house that I didn’t worry about being seen. Besides the place was semi-rural and it wasn’t as if there were other houses close by.
The upstairs push-out window was open and it was no big deal to grab the stepladder lying beside the woodshed, get up on the hip of the first floor roof, and walk up it to the second floor level. I stepped in as easily as going through the front door.
I wished I could have seen her face when she saw the little potted orchid I had picked up from Home Depot. Her eyes would get huge and she’d remember me. Oh yes, she’d know it was me. She would have seen it by now and she’d know I was not giving up. Nobody was going to have the last laugh on me. She knew I was coming after her. And when I got her, I’d teach her she’d better not try leaving me ever again.
But first I was going to have some fun with her. Unnerve her. Punish her. Next time would be even easier. I would go through the front door or any door I chose. It had been easy to find a spare house key in the rack where Jim kept all his keys. I’d have a copy made and return the original next time. From now on I’d come and go as I pleased.