Chapter 37: Moira Rose
We pull into the parking lot of Raya’s apartment complex, and I put the truck into park. Both of us sit there for a moment. There’s a knot in the pit of my stomach. Several windows are broken in the building from this vantage point. There are young kids playing alone in the parking lot. And the only businesses we passed on the way here that I saw were pawn shops and check cashing places with bars over their windows.
"This isn’t the safest place for her, is it?" I ask, looking out of the driver’s side window.
"She hasn’t had any problems." Her father says, dodging the question. When he realizes it, he goes on. "No, it’s not. But the safest place in this city would include security and a doorman and a very high price tag that an internship can’t pay for. Auraya adapts really well to her environment, and she’s very friendly and kindhearted. I think that earns her a kind of respect and loyalty wherever she is."
I can’t argue with that. I mean... I can. And internally I am. Raya’s sweet demeanor is not going to ensure her safety from people who would wish to do her harm. But I can’t argue with her father’s depiction of her, and maybe it has helped keep her safe so far.
We get out, and I follow her dad to her apartment. The building is clearly not cared for or maintained like it should be. There are cracks in the walls, and the carpet is filthy. I wonder when the last city inspection was for this structure.
It’s sweet though, because Raya’s door has a wreath hanging on it and a welcome mat below. I know exactly which door is hers before her dad even approaches it, and that place in my chest begins to ache again. I have to clear my throat and wonder why that is exactly. I guess it’s just the way Raya seems to brighten this little entry to her home without even being present.
A cartoon princess comes to mind who talks to animals and sings joyously at every turn. Maybe if I look closely, I’ll find evidence inside that she isn’t even real at all. Perhaps this is all some grand hallucination. Maybe I’m finally losing it.
Inside, everything is super clean and tidy. It would feel like we’ve entered a different building entirely if it weren’t for the crack spidering across the living room ceiling.
Just from the kitchen alone, I can tell that this isn’t the apartment from my dream, and I feel strangely... disappointed. The layout is completely different. Really, I could have gathered that from the outside. The apartment in my dream was sleek and modern, which is not something one would find in this part of the city.
A cat mews and runs into the room, quickly rubbing against Will’s leg, and every hair I have stands on end. The apartment may be wrong, but this is the exact cat from my dream. I know it. Not only do I know it, but the cat seems to know it as well. It runs over to me next and purrs loudly, rubbing its neck and head on my leg and marking me with its scent.
"Is the cat this friendly with everyone?" I ask, staring at it like its an alien creature for another beat before I lean down and offer my hand.
"Maybe she’s started warming up to strangers. I remember when I first met her, she hid under the couch the whole time," Will chuckles and opens a cabinet to retrieve the cat food.
Hmmm. Interesting. Do you know me, kitty?
"What’s her name?"
"Oh, I always forget. Something Rose." He pours the little food pellets into the bowl, and Something Rose scampers off to go eat, leaving me to watch her black and white tail swishing happily in the air. "It’s from a TV show. One of the characters only wears black and white. It’s a comedy where the wealthy family loses all of their money and the only thing they have left is the little town they own that was actually bought as a joke..."
"Oh my god," I chuckle. "The cat’s name is Moira Rose?"
"Yeah, that’s it. Moira."
I have a good laugh at that. "She’s a great character."
"I haven’t seen it. Raya and Rory were always trying to get me to watch it."
"It’s worth it, if you ever get around to it." I have to smooth my beard, trying to tame the grin on my face. Well, I know Raya has a good sense of humor. "Do you think it’s okay if I use the bathroom?"
"Sure. It’s the first room on the left." He points to the hallway.
"Thanks."
The hallway is short with what appears to be a closet opposite the bathroom and a bedroom at the end. The door to the bedroom is open, and Raya’s bed is visible with its neatly made sheets. There’s a quilt covering the lower half, two pillows in the center, and a stuffed bear tucked perfectly between them. It’s definitely not the bed from my dream, but it’s adorable.
When I get done in the bathroom and come back out to the kitchen, a flicker of light catches my eye, and I notice a small hole in Raya’s wall right above the refrigerator.
"No fucking way," I growl and bury my face in my hand. I’m going to be sick. That or I’m going to kill someone.
"What is it?" Will asks, his face twisting in confusion.
I grab a chair from under the table and push it against the cabinets. Hopefully it can take my weight. When I climb up, I see a shadow pass by the hole and then something cover it up on the other side. From a distance, it might not even be recognizable. But I’m tall, and I happened to be walking into the kitchen at the right moment.
When I climb back down, there is so much disgust and rage flowing through my body that it’s hard to breathe. Because when I look back down the hallway at exactly where that hole in the wall is pointed, I am staring directly into Raya’s bedroom.
