“Calm down,” she chided herself. “It wasn’t a wolf. They were both dogs. Stray dogs. Some moron let his stupid mutts off their leashes.”
Kali took a deep breath and then another. South Carolina hadn’t been a habitat for wild wolves since the 1960s. But if enormous wolves with sinister, red eyes had existed south of the Mason-Dixie line, Kali was pretty certain the animals wouldn’t have been hanging out in graveyards.
She probably should’ve been more upset about the bizarre encounter, but Kali sucked the life out of teenage boys on a weekly basis. Her lifestyle was a far cry from ordinary. It would take more than a mangy dog on steroids to scare her.
Firmly shaking the incident from her shoulders, she grabbed at her bag to readjust the load. What she got was a fistful of air. The book bag was gone, most likely dropped while running. But she wasn’t going back there anytime soon. Fear aside, Kali wasn’t stupid. The woods were going to be off limits for a few days. That would give the wild dog enough time to move on. Homework just wouldn’t get done over the weekend. Kali shrugged and wandered into the living room.
It was a complete wreck. Her parents worked demanding full-time jobs, and neither was much of a housekeeper. Her sister, Rosalyn, was an absolute slob. And Kali…well, Kali kind of liked the mess. The layers of their lives piled and scattered about reminded her of being at a dig site, unearthing some lost civilization. When any cleaning took place, it was a barter done for a greater good.
And true to form, Kali was only cleaning because a cool new horror movie was opening at the theater in town, and she needed wheels. Rozzy was older, so her needs took priority on a weekend. The only way for Kali to get dibs on the car was to clean house from top to bottom and then beat her sister to the punch in taking credit for it. She usually didn’t have to share the car, but Rozzy was taking a semester off from college. It was actually the third semester her sister had taken off from school, making everyone wonder if she was ever going back. A bit of a free spirit, Rozzy had commitment issues with almost everything. And though she and Kali had known each other since they were eleven and eight years old respectively, the two had never been close.
After a solid hour at work in the living room, Kali was done and moved on to the laundry. Of the three loads to be washed, most of the clothing belonged to Rozzy. An overwhelming stench radiated from Moses’ litter box in the corner. Kali cast a disgusted glance to where it sat, dangerously close to spilling over. The old urine clogged her nose and mouth, making her feel as if she literally tasted a cat’s butt. She wasn’t going to empty the box though. No matter how much she suffered, cleaning up after Rozzy’s stray was not on the “to do” list. It was not her responsibility. Kali didn’t even like cats.
She grabbed a basket of clean laundry and took a deep breath, savoring the artificial scent of fresh spring flowers. As she headed to the living room to start folding, her foot sank into cold and soggy carpet. Reflexively, Kali jerked her foot up. The movement wasn’t quick enough. Muttering a few colorful expressions, Kali took several hops away from what she thought to be spilled detergent. Balanced precariously on one leg, she tossed the basket aside and hunched over to inspect the damage. A dark yellow stain with seeping edges saturated the entire bottom of her sock. Her foot was almost to her face when the awful smell hit her.
“Rosalyn!” She screamed at the top of her lungs to be heard over the rap song playing from upstairs. “Moses pissed in the floor
……
again!”
The music muted and was followed by the sound of footsteps running down the stairs. Kali peeled the sock off with two fingers and held it so that when Rozzy rounded the corner, she almost put her face in it. Her sister turned away and wrinkled her nose.
“Yuck. Kali, that’s disgusting.”
“No,” she said and thrust a finger at the gray tabby in Rozzy’s hands. “
That
is disgusting. She peed on the floor and I stepped in it. I want to chop my foot off.”
Rozzy turned her body protectively, shielding Moses from another angry jab of Kali’s extended finger. Then she patted the cat’s head reassuringly. “She peed on the floor because her box is practically running over. Moses doesn’t want to step in it any more than you do. Do you, girl?” Rozzy rubbed the cat’s head soothingly. Kali gave it a death stare.
“If you knew her box was flooded with cat turds, then why didn’t you clean it?!”
“Kali, really, it’s not that big of a deal. You’re already doing the laundry. Toss that sock in and I’ll get the litter box cleaned up.”
Feeling her temper flare, Kali took a deep, calming breath. Then she flung the sock at her sister. “How about you throw it away for me? I’m going to go wash my foot with bleach.” She turned and marched up the stairs, stopping at the top of the landing. “Don’t forget the carpet or I’m telling Lisa!”
Kali changed her mind about the bleach, but took a hot shower. She winced as she held her foot beneath scalding water, not satisfied until the appendage was a steaming prune. Her mind wandered to Cal, but she yanked it away. Five hours post breakup was no time to get weak. She would go to the movies alone, as planned.
Out of the shower, she decided to go ahead and get changed for later. As she dressed, someone knocked softly at the room door. Rozzy poked her head through without waiting for a reply. Her face was contrite. It was about as close to an actual apology that Rozzy would ever get. Not that it mattered. Moses would continue in her evil little schemes until the cat’s miserable little life came to a tragic end.
“I finished downstairs, but I’ll have to wait until tonight when Mom and Dad come home to get litter. Moses is all out.”
Not thinking anything her sister had said required a response, Kali said nothing.
But the door didn’t close. And Rozzy continued to hover. “Did something happen earlier? Your reaction downstairs was a little over the top—especially for you.”
Kali glanced up from choosing a suitable nail polish and shrugged. “I got chased by a couple of stupid dogs.”
“That’s random. Were you hanging out in the cemetery again?”
“I wasn’t hanging out. I was taking a shortcut.” She settled on Midnight Ride. Nothing was simply called black anymore.
“Whatever.” Rozzy waved her hand in the air like she was anxious to change the subject. A few moments passed when she didn’t say anything. Then she snapped her fingers loudly as if suddenly remembering something. Her demeanor abruptly brightened. “I think it’s about time I baked another disaster cake.”
Rozzy walked over and flopped onto the bed, grinning perkily. “Come on, it’s your favorite. Don’t you want to taste the warm, gooey caramel and fudge blended deliciously together in a sweet mixture that melts in your mouth?” Licking her lips, she moaned. “It’s as good as sex. Don’t you want some?”
Kali bit her tongue, trying to remain uninterested. Rozzy’s charm probably stemmed from an ulterior motive. But Kali wouldn’t find out the motive until later. “Will I have to clean up the kitchen afterwards?” she asked dryly.
Rozzy raised her hand and solemnly swore, “I will clean the dishes afterward, scout’s honor.”
A smile tugged at Kali’s lips. “One: you were never a girl scout. And two: that is your left hand.”
Rozzy giggled and slid off the bed. “Okay then, I’ll give you my word.” She practically skipped out of the room.
Kali stood up and went to the mirror. Brushing her hair back into a signature low ponytail, she put on mascara and lip gloss. Then she stopped. Pressing her hand against the cold glass in what was her custom, she whispered, “Who are you?”
The mirror was silent. In the last nine years, she had never gotten an answer.
Pulling a soft grey, wrap-around sweater over a tank top, she smoothed her hair one more time before trotting downstairs. Rozzy was leaning over the countertop eating a bowl of cereal. She lifted her head when the third step creaked. “I heard them pull in a while ago. They’re outside feeling each other up or something.”
Making a face, Kali went to the window. “Yeah, they are.”
The Metts were both in their early fifties. In a way, Kali thought it was cute how much they were still attracted to each other. Rozzy had been conceived early on with no trouble, so it came as a shock to them when their OB announced that Lisa would not be able to have more children. Defiant or hopeful, the two kept trying. When dark haired little Kali had shown up in need of help, they’d chosen to adopt. Or so the story went.
Kali left the window. “That’s going to spoil your dinner,” she said, looking at Rozzy. Her sister replied with an indifferent shrug. Kali noticed that Rozzy had also changed. She wore a pair of these-make-my-butt-look-great jeans and a blue sweater that perfectly complemented her mocha complexion. The attire was a bit overdressed for dinner with the ‘rents.
Greg and Lisa pushed through the front door. “Hey, girls,” they called in unison.
“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, Greg. Hey, Lisa.”
“The house looks great,” Greg immediately acknowledged, and set his briefcase by the door. Lisa set her laptop on the counter.
They were an attractive couple, but Lisa was the true star in the looks department. Dark hair full of thick curls had barely begun to grey. Through diet and regular exercise, she had managed to keep her figure in the svelte shape of a woman twenty years her junior. Rozzy got her looks mostly from her mother, but she religiously straightened her naturally curly locks each morning with a flat iron.
“Thanks,” Kali quickly said to establish credit. “I got home a little earlier so I could have everything nice and tidy before you guys got here. I know how hard you work for all this stuff.”
“That was very sweet of you, dear.” Lisa walked over and planted a kiss on each of Kali’s cheeks.
“Now if only we could get you to bring home straight A’s instead of B’s,” Greg chimed in. “B’s won’t get you into law school.”
“I’m not going to law school.”
Greg sighed. “I imagine the standards to be a professor in archaeology are somewhat rigid too. You need a PhD to dig in the dirt.”
Remembering she needed to ask them for the car, Kali held her tongue and nodded. Greg opened his mouth to say more, but Lisa came to the rescue...sort of. She patted her husband’s face. “Kali has another year before she has to decide. And then it will simply be between the D.A. and the defense.” She ended the statement with a proud smile.
Kali rolled her eyes heavenward. Rozzy laughed into the cereal bowl. Kali cleared her throat. “Um, you guys, I know tonight is usually when we all go out together, but I have my own plans this time. And I really want to use the car.”
A mixture of surprise and relief briefly crossed their faces. “Do you and Callan have a date?” Lisa asked.
“No. We broke up.”
“Again?” Lisa made a sympathetic noise. “You two will work things out.”
“I don’t want to work things out.” She gave them the same excuse she had given Cal. “He’s going off to college. He should have a college girlfriend.”
“So no more Cal and Kali, huh?” Greg slapped his knee. “That’s a smart decision. Good for you.”
Lisa stared woodenly at her husband. “Don’t be so insensitive. Honey, what happened? Do you want to talk about it?”
All three of them fixed their eyes on Kali and waited expectantly. Rozzy had no idea of the reputation her sister had gained during high school. At the end of sophomore year when Kali’s rendezvous with boys had dramatically increased, Rozzy had already left for college. It was amazing how fast a great social status could be reduced to cinders.
“Ah…no. I don’t want to talk about it. I would like some time alone though. I thought I might catch a movie tonight.”
“That’s sounds great. Why don’t you two girls go together?”
“Uh, actually…” Kali began to protest, intending to reiterate the “alone” part of her statement.
But the Metts weren’t having it. They seemed eager to get their girls out of the house. “Kali, you don’t need to be alone at a time like this. You and Rosalyn should go together.” Greg pulled out his wallet. That caused Rozzy to pay closer attention. He proffered a single bill. “Here’s fifty bucks. Get dinner afterwards.”
Rozzy grabbed the money without hesitation. “Thanks, Dad!” She turned to Kali with a wink. “It looks like it’s you and me, sis. I’ll go get my shoes.” Then she bounded up the stairs.
Greg and Lisa stood looking at Kali expectantly. “Well, why are you still standing here? Go have some fun.”
Kali sighed, already knowing her night would be anything but fun. “I need car keys.”
“Oh, right.” Greg searched his pockets. “Go ahead and take my SUV. It’s Friday. All the weirdoes will be out, and I want you girls to be safe.”
Barely able to contain her disbelief, she took the keys from his outstretched hand. She had been expecting to get Lisa’s ride. Greg never let them drive his luxury car unless he was in it. They weren’t mature enough, he always said. But if Greg wasn’t thinking those things now, Kali certainly wasn’t about to bring them up. “Thanks!” she exclaimed, grinning with an appreciative nod.
“Let’s go, Roz!” Greg turned and shouted toward the stairs. “Don’t make your sister wait for you. It doesn’t take two hours to put shoes on.”