Drake

A spider as big as a mouse, my ass. Something’s not right, I can feel it. But if those two want to pretend it’s not I’ll play along.

I get a ping in my email box when I walk through my front door. The smell of bacon hangs in the air and the cool dry air-conditioned air welcomes me home. The BLT’s I made this afternoon smell like a good idea again. They wouldn’t taste as good as they did earlier, though. Those I ate on the porch while I watched Tiana sweat in her sexy cut-offs and envied the fringe sticking to her legs.

I slip my phone from my pocket and open it. It’s an update from the training school for service dogs. Attached are three pictures of the little shit rolling around in the grass. It says he’s doing great and that they’re ready to see me in two weeks.

Am I ready for this? Fuck no. Do I have a choice? Another resounding no. Accepting this dog into my life feels like giving up. I drop my arm to my side and think of something else, something much better than going blind. Tiana.

I shouldn’t even be thinking about her the way I have been. I’m going to be a retired blind Marine someday soon. Starting something with her is selfish. Even I know that.

The weird thing is I’ve never considered “starting something” with anyone before. I have a lot of friends with benefits but no one has ever left a lasting impression. We fulfill each other’s needs and go about our lives. There are some who would like it to be more but they know it never will be.

I sit on the couch and respond to the email thanking them for the update. I want to add I’m not blind just yet but I don’t. I lean my head back and look up at the vaulted ceiling where a wispy spider’s web dangles unattached from a wide wooden beam. Fucking spider. I wonder if it’s as big as a mouse?

Now that I think about it more, that’s the stupidest story I’ve ever heard. I want to storm back over there and demand the truth but I don’t think bullying Tiana into telling me will work.

Maybe some reverse psychology? Whenever we’re together she’s defensive and abrasive with her words but her body betrays her. She blushes and fidgets, her pulse pounds on the side of her neck and her eyes dart away from me when I try to look into them.

Tomorrow morning I’m going running like usual but this time I’m going to wait for Tiana and apologize. Whether I’m trying to start something with her or not, I was an ass today. I owe her that much.

When she forgives me, and she will, I’ll work on getting her to tell me the truth about her Alfred Hitchcock Psycho moment tonight.

Now that I know what she doesn’t like, being called a firecracker and talking about the videos that sent her packing from New York, and spiders, I can focus on finding out what she does like.

* * *

Monday mornings are often my favorite day of the week because I crave routine, and after a whole 48-hour weekend of free time is almost too much. It’s early and I’m dressed to run watching out the window for Tiana to exit her house.

I don’t have to wait for long, she bounds down the stairs at 5:30 a.m. but she’s not alone. Jayden is five steps behind her. She doesn’t look happy when she stops to stretch by the hundred-year-old oak tree in their yard.

He isn’t speaking to her and she seems to be in a world of her own preparing for her run. Jayden hates to run. I know because I’ve asked him to join me a hundred times over the years. He does it at the gym on the treadmill. He considers it work that he must get done and I think of it as therapeutic and enjoyable.

Something tells me the fact that he’s running with her today is related to that scream last night. She’s afraid and it’s not of a spider.

She finishes her warm-up and starts off jogging down the street without a glance at her brother. He looks up and takes off after her a few seconds later. She’s already halfway down the block and she hasn’t even hit her stride. She’s quick and graceful like a gazelle dashing across the savannas and the urge to follow her is powerful.

I’ll try again tomorrow, there’s no sense trying to apologize in front of Jayden. He’ll only think I’m trying to get her into bed. I give them a fifteen-minute head start, I don’t usually leave until six anyway and I’m betting Jayden knows that and that’s why they’re headed out so early.

It’s warm out this morning, warmer than usual for this time of day. It’s going to be a scorcher I can tell already. I take off down the sidewalk at a slow jog and feel the stretch of my muscles lengthening with every stride.

It’s frustrating to run with a gray dot in the center of my vision. I can tell where I’m going from my peripheral but I’m always concentrating on my steps and surroundings where I used to listen to music, relax and let my mind go blank on a long run.

The people at Guide Dogs of America tell me it will be easier with my dog and I hope they’re right. I don’t want to be stuck inside on a treadmill listening to the TV while I run for the rest of my life.

I run through town where small shop owners are arriving to work and exit to a path through some woods that’s beautiful to run on. It’s not the way I usually go but I feel like mixing it up today.

Twenty minutes later I see two people running ahead of me. It’s impossible not to recognize Tiana’s lush round ass and Jayden’s battalion t-shirt and sloppy running form. They must be taking it slow. I can’t believe I caught up to them however unintentionally.

I didn’t think they would choose this route. It’s winding and rough and woodsy, all the things Jayden hates. Unless Tiana did it on purpose to torture her big brother for being so crazy lately. I can see the little firecracker doing that.

I’m closing in on them and I refuse to adjust my speed to hang back. At my pace, I’ll pass them and be out of their sight in a matter of minutes. They hear me coming and Tiana moves in front Jayden to allow me to pass in good running etiquette.

And pass them I do. Without giving them a glance I sprint by and hear Tiana’s heavy breathing hitch when she sees me. I wave over my head and continue not saying a word. I’m not interested in disturbing the bear today.

I’ll be out of their sight in no time with them going so slow. I can feel their eyes boring a hole in my back as I pull away. Within seconds Tiana is running next to me.

“Why are you following us?”

“I wasn’t. I run here often and frankly I didn’t think Jayden could hack it.”

I glance out of the corner of my eye without moving my head and find her pouting profile. God, I fucking love that bottom lip when she pouts. I can’t look any longer or I’ll end up with a king-sized woody out here in the woods.

“He runs every day.”

“Inside, on a machine that is flat and smooth.” Proving my point, I’m forced to jump over a rock on the scarcely visible path to keep from tripping. “Are we friends again?”

“No. We never had time to become friends before you shot your mouth off like a jerk.”

“About that,” I say slowing down a little but not enough for Jayden to catch up. He’s still far enough behind us not to hear. “I was going to apologize for that this morning but then you went and invited your brother on your run so I changed my mind.” She’s quiet for a moment. I think she’s considering my apology.

“He wasn’t invited, he invited himself.” She sounds irritated and I can’t help but smile.

“It’s not funny,” she says.

I force the corners of my mouth down. “I’m sorry again, you’re just very cute when you’re mad.”

“Speed up.”

Did she say speed up or shut up? Could have been either but she begins to move faster and I know she said speed.

“He’s going to catch up.”

“I don’t think so, running’s not his forte. Which leads us back to why the partner today?”

“It’s complicated.”

“I’m a pretty intelligent man despite my devastatingly good looks. I’m willing to listen if you want to talk but now isn’t the time. Meet me tonight at the diner.”

The corner of her lips curls up ever so briefly and I know I’m forgiven. Good, now we can move on to other things. Things I shouldn’t want but I do--oh how I fucking do.