It took most of the day to get all of their things inside and more-or-less where they belonged. Jacob had taken the SUV into town to drop off the trailer and pick up something to eat. Monica stood in the kitchen, unpacking boxes and talking to herself. It was something she had done since she was a girl, embarrassing as it was, she couldn’t help it. It was how she coped with things, how she sorted things out in her mind.
At a very young age, Monica frequently had what her parents had come to call her ‘night fits’, which included hearing voices and seeing things, including an imaginary entity she named ‘The Tall Man’. It was when Monica started having these hallucinations on a constant basis that her parents had taken her to the doctor. Paranoid schizophrenia, they said, a lifelong disease which requires special treatment and care. Monica’s mother was devastated to say the least, her perfect little angel not so perfect after all.
“It was hard to live vicariously through your child when the words lifelong disease were involved,” Monica said aloud as she placed various pots and pans into the cabinet. “It was hard to attend the goddamned PTA meetings when your daughter complains of seeing The Tall Man in front of her friends.” She slammed the cabinet in anger, stood and let out a little scream.
“Zach, honey, you scared me.”
“You’re doing it again, mom,” he said from the kitchen doorway.
Her face flushed, and Monica pushed her hair behind her ear. “Where’s your new friend?”
“Oh, you mean the royal Princess Jasmine?” Zach smiled. “She’s sleeping on one of my old jackets.”
Monica forced a smile. “It’s going to be a bit crazy around here for a while until we get settled in. Your dad starts his new job soon, and we’ve still got a ton to do around here, so I need you to help us as much as you can, okay?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“That includes taking care of that cat. Your dad is picking her up some food, a couple toys, and a litter box, which will most definitely be your responsibility.” Zach made a face at that, but his mother continued. “I think it will be good for you to learn how to care for somethi—” Monica froze in terror.
He’s not there. He’s not standing behind my son because he’s not real, Monica, you crazy bitch, he’s not real.
“Mom?” Zach turned to look over his shoulder. “Mom, what’s wrong?”
Monica closed her eyes and shook her head. “Sorry, I’ve got a killer migraine, and I’m starving.” She turned, careful not to look towards the spot by the stairs, and reached into the newly stocked medicine cabinet, pulling out a bottle of aspirin. She grabbed a glass from the box marked ‘DISHES’ and ran some water from the tap as she glanced out the window. She had never been so happy to see their old SUV.
Mercifully, Jacob had returned.
—
The sun had long set behind the dark forest surrounding the house before the three of them finally sat down to dinner of fried chicken and biscuits. The aptly named Princess Jasmine lay with her tail curled around her body, having enjoyed a fine dinner of Friskies and canned tuna.
“So,” Monica said, “how was town? Anything exciting?”
“Well, there was the traffic light, the gas station—oh!—and the grocery store.”
Zach laughed.
“Oh stop it,” Monica giggled. “It can’t be that bad.”
“You’re right,” Jacob said, taking a bite of chicken. “There was also the U-Haul place and the gas station/chicken joint combo.” He laughed. “So, Zach, did you get all of your stuff unpacked yet?”
“I’m working on it,” Zach said, eyeing his new best friend on the floor. “I was a little busy. Oh, and mom was talking to herself again.”
“Zachary!” Monica said.
“Just saying.”
Jacob held up a hand. “That’s enough.” And then, in an attempt to change the subject as quickly as possible, he said, “Work starts on Monday. I’ve got quite a few projects I’d like to get done around here before then, and I’m hoping to get some help from you, bud.”
“Sure, dad. Of course.”
“Projects, huh?” Monica raised an eyebrow.
Jacob winked. “It’s a bit of a secret. Oh, but that reminds me. I figured out where our royal friend slipped in. There’s a small hole next to the dryer vent, seems she climbed in through there. I’ll get some wood at the hardware store tomorrow and get it patched up.”
“Then she won’t be able to escape our castle,” Zach said. “Just like in the movie.”
—
After Zach had gone to bed, Jacob and Monica wasted no time breaking in their new bedroom. They both had a lot on their mind, but the sex helped relieve some stress, and Monica felt it was exciting, almost like being in a fancy hotel room. She lie on her back, digging her nails into Jacob’s arms as he increased his speed. Wrapping her legs tight around his back, she managed to forget about The Tall Man for a moment, she managed to forget the stress of the move, of Jacob’s transfer to the nuclear power plant.
“Holy shit,” she said, lying next to her husband in the near perfect darkness of their room. “I almost want to take up smoking after that.”
Jacob chuckled and rolled over, kissing her forehead. “Hey, about what Zach said at dinner. . .”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I just. . . I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
Monica sat up. “I don’t know,” she said. “I think it’s just the move is all. It’s just got me all out of whack. I can’t help but feel guilty for leaving Mom and Dad back in Augusta.”
“They’re grown, babe. They’ll be fine. Plus, we’re not even that far.”
“Five hours isn’t far?”
Jacob sighed. “I’m just saying. Hell, my parents live so far away they might as well be in another country. It’s just life. We can go visit them every once in a while, and they can come here, too. But you know this job is huge for us, especially since. . .” he trailed off.
“Especially since what? Especially since I can’t work?”
“Honey, that’s not what I meant at all, besides, you do work. You just don’t have to punch a time card like I do.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t call attempting to finish my first novel ‘work’, more of just something to keep me occupied.”
“You’ll finish it,” he said, smiling. “And you’ll be on every bestseller list there is. I can see it now: Monica Dresden, world famous author.”
“Yeah right,” she said. “Don’t you think you’re laying it on a bit thick? You already got in my pants.”
“That’s how you should know I mean it.”
Jacob kissed her goodnight, and promised that tomorrow would be better, but as she lie awake listening to his soft snoring, all she could think about was The Tall Man standing behind her son in their kitchen earlier that day.