Zeke.
Sue couldn’t understand the need for secrecy. She was willing to go along to a certain extent, but it didn’t make sense to her. One day, she decided to press him about taking her to his house.
“I wish I knew where you live,” she said wistfully. They were sitting at a table in the park, the heavy summer heat pushing down on them like a living force. She fanned her face with her hand.
“It’s about time I told you something,” he said, his mouth set in a tight line. “My old lady’s got some problems. She drinks. A lot.” He ducked his head.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sue said, immediately flooded with sympathy. “I had no idea.” She placed a gentle hand over his, but he pulled away.
“I don’t like to talk about it,” Zeke said. “But you can see why I’d rather not take anyone over to that house. It’s embarrassing. I never know what condition she’s going to be in.”
“It’s okay,” Sue said. “I understand. I’m so sorry you have to deal with that.”
A group of noisy children raced past, followed by a heavyset man with a handlebar moustache carrying a can of beer. "Slow down! Wait for me, dammit." He glanced over at Sue and Zeke, lost interest, and huffed on by, swinging his girth back and forth on thick stubby legs like a broken wobble toy.
Sue waited for him to pass before speaking again. "You could have told me before, sweetie. I would have understood. If only I would have known."
“Well, now you know.” Zeke’s eyes were hard. “I’d rather not take a chance on being humiliated.”
“Sure,” Sue said. “No problem.”
A light sweat glistened on Zeke's forehead. He wiped it on the back of his arm. "You just couldn't give it a rest, could you, Sue? Had to keep badgering me. Snooping and poking around. I hope you're satisfied, now that you've ripped my guts out." He stared unseeing over the thirsty grass browning in the hot sun.
"Zeke!" Sue scooted closer to him on the bench. "I wasn't trying to hurt you or embarrass you. I just wanted to know more about you. It's because I love you!"
"I saw you, you know. The other night."
"Saw me? What do you mean?" A chill settled over Sue.
"In the rearview mirror. Following me. Are you stupid enough to think I really wanted to go into that fishing shop? Look at me, Sue. Do I look like a fisherman?"
Sue turned away, heart beating rapidly. She'd had no idea he'd spotted her tailing him. Her curiosity was so strong; she had waited outside Re-Books and followed his car. She'd only wanted a glimpse of his house, to know where he went every night. A blush of shame spread over her cheeks.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried to play it cool, but her hands were trembling. It hurt to be called stupid, but she shoved it aside, knowing he didn't really mean it. It was the pain talking, not him.
"Sue." He clenched his jaw and gave her a hard stare. His gray eyes were like rock. "I left out the back, snuck around, and stood right behind your car. You were so busy watching the front door, you didn't even see me."
"Oh, god." Sue put her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. I wasn't spying on you. Really. I just wanted to know..."
"You wanted to see the shit-hole house I live in? That it?"
Sue groaned. "No, I ..."
“I’ll take you back to your car now,” he got up suddenly, waves of displeasure emanating from him, a moody darkness like a blast of cold air. Feeling stupid and rejected, Sue followed him to the van, watching the stiff set of his shoulders. He ignored her when she climbed into the van. No matter what she said on the short ride back, he would not speak until he dropped her off. She feared he would never want to see her again and she couldn’t bear it. But, at the last minute he gave her a sad smile. "I'll call you tomorrow." She sagged with relief.
His bizarre way of twisting things, the verbal pictures he painted in her mind, the sensations he was able to coax from her body all combined somehow into a toxic mix, a drug that sucked her in. No one had ever talked to her the way he did, and it simultaneously repelled and attracted her. He was a sickness for her, but she didn’t want a cure. Right or wrong.
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