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MADELINE
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This trick still hasn’t gone to the store. I woke up early enough to see the sun because my sister made promises. Yet she is nowhere in sight. I heard her right when she left this morning, didn’t I? She wanted to hang out, to cook dinner together, and catch up. Honestly, I could use her right now. Where is she?
Looks like she isn’t here. Should I utilize the credit card I have in my pocket? I mean, it is ‘somewhat an emergency’ if not a full-on one. “Okay, Mal, I am going out to look for you. Guess I’m on my own for dinner tonight.”
Where to go, where to go? Hmm, I stand in the courtyard, looking up at the fading sky when approaching footsteps break my concentration. My head snaps to the sound, thinking it might be my sister finally showing her face. But no, it’s Paul. Does this dude not have any friends or something? He is like the male equivalent to my sister. Although she is never around, and he always is.
“What do you want, Paul?”
“Figured I would catch you on your way home from work. You changed already?” he asks, stopping to stand next to me.
Right, I keep forgetting that he thinks I am Mallory. Of course, I haven’t corrected him and the clothes I wear belong to her. “You got me!”
“Are you busy right now? I thought we could talk.” What is up with him and his talks?
“Always busy, Paul. Never a dull moment in my life. Not sure if there is anything we need to talk about,” I state.
That goes right over his head. “About last night...”
I swivel to face him so fast he almost falls over. “Last night? Paul, there was no last night. As far as you know, nothing happened, and you didn’t see anything. Got it.”
“No, I hear you.” He stumbles for a moment, trying to think of what to say next. “It’s just...”
“End of discussion. Remember, if anyone comes asking, you didn’t see me at all. Now, care to take me to the store? This place is bare, and I need some food.”
His brow furrows, but he shakes it off. I need to watch my mouth. He thinks I am Mallory, so maybe I should try sounding like her from time to time.
“Right this way, my lady.” He motions for me to step ahead of him. Great, is my evening really going to be spent in the eighteen hundreds?
“Thank you so much. You are always such a gentleman.” Ugh, that was too damn fake!
Paul basically refused to wait in the car while I went into the local Tom Thumb for some much-needed necessities. I load up the cart with all my favorites: Twinkies, Oreos, Fruity Pebbles, whole milk, some apples to give my diet the balance it needs. I throw in some pasta and marinara sauce because spaghetti was always a meal both my sister and I loved growing up. This way, if she complains about me using her card, I can always say that I was getting us dinner. The dinner she promised to get and didn’t deliver. I can’t use the cash I have in case she gives me the boot.
“Wow, Mal. You must be on a real junk food kick. I’ve never seen you get this stuff.” Paul eyes my cart with an odd frown on his face.
“Really? And when was the last time you went grocery shopping with me, Paul?” This is a real question because I have no idea if he has ever accompanied Mallory to the store or not. Maybe he just stalks behind her in a hoodie as she walks down each aisle.
“Um, no. I know we haven’t shopped together before. I was just saying that this isn’t like you. When I’ve seen you bring bags in, they are always filled with frozen dinners and packaged meals. Also, the only fruit I have ever seen you with are bananas.”
Yeah, that’s a stalker comment if I’ve ever heard one. “I just want to splurge a little. Plus, it’s that time of the month. If you know what I mean.” Fuck! Mallory would have never said that to anyone. I go down the feminine hygiene aisle and toss in a box of tampons, so my point gets across.
After our little shopping trip, Paul tries to help me inside with the bags, but I stop him once we reach the top of the stairs. “I can take it from here.”
“It’s no trouble, Mal. I got it,” he insists.
I can’t let him inside. What if Mal is home? There would be no explaining my way out of that one. “Really, hand the bags over. Thank you for the ride, and goodnight.”
I unlock the door, pull the bags out of his grip, and give him a death stare. There is no arguing with my death stare.
Kicking the door closed behind me, I call out, “Mal, I’m back. Feel like spaghetti tonight?” Her bedroom door is closed. I don’t remember it being closed before. In fact, it wasn’t because I went in there to get the clothes I am currently wearing. “There are several options for dessert.”
Nothing. How long was I gone? I look at the clock on her oven while putting the food away. It’s only half-past eight. Way too early for anyone to call it a night. I guess she does have pretty long days. The girl works herself to the bone. Maybe she came home and saw that I wasn’t here and cried herself to sleep. She should feel bad for breaking her promise to me. I wasn’t the one that was late.
Wait, she didn’t bring home any food. Oh, so she did forget about me and our dinner plans. What a bitch! I don’t feel bad about using that card now. Perhaps I should use it some more before she finds out I have it. Where to go? What to do?
Oh, look her phone! She must be off tomorrow because I know what happened the last time she left her phone out here. No way would she risk being late for work again. How someone would be late after going to bed before nine at night is beyond me.
I snag the pack of Oreos along with her phone and move over to the couch. The laptop is gone. All good, that search engine was cleared before I shut it down the other night. She might be in there right now, online, ignoring me. Her loss. It’s been almost a week, and she still hasn’t made any time for me.
Face recognition still works. Not many apps are open this time. Must have been a busy day for Mal. Explains why she passed out on me. Oh, well, I prefer Oreos and solitude. Not! A few texts were exchanged during the day between someone named Berkley. Is that a chick or a dude? I can’t really tell from the text because they are sleep-inducing. They talk about this Dr. Pratt a lot.
As I am browsing her search history, a text comes in. An instant message from Dr. Kent Pratt flashes on the top of the screen. I click on it immediately.
Saving your number and making sure you have mine. Winking face emoji.
Oh, so this is new, new. Guess she is finally over Shawn. Good, because he was obviously over with her long ago and there is no going back now. Should I reply? If I do, then she will see it.
Ah, I see you are up. Thought today might have kicked you in the butt. I can’t wait for tomorrow night.
Shit! She has that stupid ‘read receipt’ on. Oh, well. Might as well reply now.
What happens tomorrow night?
I get to have dinner with you. Did you forget already? Don’t tell me you are having second thoughts.
Wait, do they work together? Is this even allowed?
What would HR have to say about that?
I don’t think it’s a problem with them. If it is a problem with you, we can always keep it between us.
Oh, so my sister can be your dirty little secret. Okay, Madeline, this isn’t your life we are talking about here. This is the prim, proper, and always perfect Mallory. No one is trying to keep her a secret. Well, unless they are married. She probably knows the answers to all the basic questions, so I’ll skip right past them.
Where are you taking me for dinner?
The three dots appear as soon as my message goes through.
I haven’t thought that far ahead. Is there a place you had in mind?
No, I like to be surprised. That’s a lie. My sister hates surprises. But Mal might need to know how to dress. I need to know the attire.
Just casual, nothing fancy. Not yet.
This guy is a doctor. He better not take my sister to Burger King. He’s probably just one of those people who call themselves a doctor but only has a Ph.D. Alright, I’m over this already. Shutting her phone down, I place it back on the counter where I found it and bring the TV to life. I got her Netflix password from her laptop the other night. Finishing a line of cookies, I log in. Look who gets to have a You marathon tonight.