It was late the night of January 5th, that I was awaken by the combination of my doorbell ringing, knocking on my door and a man rapping on my living room window and yelling.
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I pulled myself off the couch and looked to the window. I could see someone peering in.
It looked like Peter Maynard.
I tried to be invisible, but he saw me, somehow, in the darkness.
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"I sees 'im," he yelled to someone.
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A second later, John Maynard appeared in the window.
He too, was yelling and waving to me.
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"Shit," I muttered, as I pulled myself to my feet.
"What day is this?"
I felt like crap and probably looked worst.
I dragged myself to the front door. As I opened it, I could see the tractor parked in front of my house.
Peter and John obviously were ploughing the roads.
The storm seemed to have subsided.
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The two men came inside the house, stomping the snow off their feet outside, on the veranda, before entering.
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"You looks like shit, Will boy," John commented, as he closed the door.
"Sheila be so worried about you, boy.
Where did you disappear to, New Years?"
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"I suddenly got sick," I lied.
"I threw up in the bathroom, before I left and I just went home."
I took a coat from the rack near me and put it on, shivering, as I did.
"I have been curled up ever since. This is the first time I have really moved since that night."
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Peter put his hand over his mouth.
"Well, boy, I hopes its not contagious," he joked.
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I forced a smile.
I was sick, but it was from a massive hangover.
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John patted my shoulder.
"We was all worryin' 'bout yo, Will. Sheila and Henry be beside demselves."
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I nodded.
"Please tell her I am sorry."
I took a deep breath. I really was.
"I will call her in the morning, I promise."
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John nodded.
"You could least answer yer phone, Will."
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"I know," I nodded, apologetically.
"But I have barely had the energy to even feed the cats and in honesty, I don't even know where my cell phone is. I think I might have lost it in the snow on the way home."
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Peter laughed.
"Den youse can kiss dat phone gudbye den, Will."
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"Well, I will go to Corner Brook in the morning and see to getting another one."
A sudden way of nausea overtook me and I quickly sat on a chair in the foyer, my head, literally, between my legs.
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"You okay, Will?"
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I nodded, holding up my hand.
A few moments passed before I sat back up, leaning against the chair.
"I have to go and lay down, guys."
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Peter nodded.
"Git well, Will."
He looked at John.
"I will meet ya in da tractor."
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John nodded.
"I bes right dere, me son."
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John waited until Peter left and then he crouched down in front of me.
"Whats be really goin' on, Will."
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"I just told you. I am really sick."
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John nodded.
"I can sees you are sick, me son, but it ain't no flu or nuttin'. Dis place smells like a brewery."
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I took a deep breath, nodding.
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"What be it, Will?
Is it me sister? I know she's can be a bit of a pain in da arse, but she really loves ya, you knows."
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"I know."
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"Then da truth, Will."
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I shook my head.
"The truth? I don't think you would believe me, if I did tell you the truth, John."
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"You could tries, me son. I am pretty understanding and I believes you do owe me an explanations ...
and if not me, den you do me sister."
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I had to agree.
"Yea. You are right, John."
I stood up, shakily.
"Let me get cleaned up, tonight and I promise that I will come to see you guys in the morning and I will explain everything."
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John nodded, his hand on my shoulder.
"I will be holding you to dat, Will. I believes youse is a man of your word, so I will be 'specting you in da morning, at Sheila's.
Say around 9 fer breakfast?"
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I nodded.
"I will be there."
I hugged the man
"Thank you John. You are indeed a friend."
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He nodded and then gave me a strange look.
"And clean up, me son. You stinks like a sewer system."
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I laughed slightly, closing the door behind him, as he left.
I heard the horn of the tractor and watched through the living room window, as it pulled away.
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I staggered to the nearest bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror.
I did looked like shit.
Spirit and Ghost sat in the doorway to the bathroom, looking up at me.
"I know," I sighed.
"I am a schmuck."
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I swear they both nodded.
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"You guys are no help."
I went to the kitchen and opened some food for the cats. I was not even sure when I had fed them last.
By their reaction, it had been a while.
I watched them eat for a moment, then headed back down the hallway to my bedroom.
I quickly undressed and got into the shower.
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I really had been a jerk.
I had something good with Sheila. Something real. Something that could be forever.
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The warm water seemed to bring me back to life.
I brushed my teeth.
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I did love Sheila. At least, I thought I did.
I certainly loved the time we were together and we did connect on many levels, but ...
was it all that I wanted and needed?
Losing Whisper had put a new perspective on my relationship with Sheila.
I wondered if I lost her, would I react the same way.
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I was disgusted by my own answer.
I probably wouldn't.
I would never want anything to happen to Sheila, but if we broke up, I don't think it would have the same effect, that losing Whisper had on me.
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I scrubbed myself from head to toe.
I though about shaving, but decided against it.
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By the time I was out of the shower, I had a new agenda.
And it did not include breakfast at Sheila's in the morning.
I dressed and went to my safe. I kept plenty of cash in the safe and I took it all out, putting it into a briefcase, on my bed. I took some other documents and identification with me as well.
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I paused for a moment, as I saw the ring case, that I knew held the engagement ring I had planned to give to Sheila.
I wiped tears from my eyes.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, genuinely, as I closed the safe.
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I quickly packed some clothes and a few personal items.
By the time I brought the suitcase and briefcase to the kitchen area, I had a plan, of sorts, in mind.
It was not a perfect plan, but I would work out all the details as I went along.
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I looked at my two cats.
"You guys want to go on a little trip?"
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They simply sat and stared at me.
I was praying to myself that they would dance. That they would give me the sign, that I wanted, a sign that my daughter had returned, but they didn't.
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I had already started my Rav4.
Looking out my window, I saw that it was all cleaned off and had a clear access to the road.
Obviously Peter or John, or both, had done it for me.
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I quickly brought the suitcase to the car, along with the briefcase and a cardboard box with some snacks and such in it.
I got the cat carriers for my cats. They both went in the same carrier.
"Gonna be a bit crowded in there, guys."
They curled up together.
They were certainly good cats.
I decided that I would let them roam when I got on the road.
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I put down the seats and even put in a small cat pan.
I looked at both of them, as I let them out.
"Don't stink me out."
I took extra litter, just in case.
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I went back to the house and adjusted the heat, so that it would keep the house at a constant temperature.
I was on an automatic payment system with all my utilities, so there would be no problems there.
I left on the outside lights and a light in the living room.
I would do something about security at a later date.
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When I got in the car, Ghost and Spirit were sitting in the front passengers seat.
"Buckle up," I told them.
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I started out of my yard and down the road.
I didn't even look in the rearview mirror.
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And I had no idea where I was going.