Extraction (5 page)

“Come on, Zou,” Phoebe called. “Why are you leaving? Stay. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thrown the sand on you. Forgive me, please.”

The sand?

Crazy.

I hopped in my truck and took my ass home. I had no business on the beach, no business with Phoebe, and no business with her in my arms.

P
hoebe

W
hat did I say
?

I just wanted to get on the beach and grab some clams later, since there were a lot of clam beds the last time I came.

Goliath was so upset with me, it looked like he was going to transform into the incredible Hulk. I needed a ride home and the only person I could think to call was Kevin. He had helped me with the garden and he had said if I needed any other help, to simply call him. Since I was stranded out with nothing but clams, I decided to call. He was gracious enough and arrived within fifteen minutes.

Kevin insisted on walking me upstairs so he could carry the bag of clams. Before I went up, I knocked on Goliath’s door. I knocked a few more times until Kevin said, “Maybe he’s not home.”

“No, he’s always home. He’s mad at me, right now.”

“Well, let’s go,” Kevin said as he ushered me up the stairs.

“Yeah,” I mumbled and followed him.

All night, my body tossed and turned. It didn’t sit right with me that Goliath was upset. I shouldn’t have played with him like that as we were still getting to know each other. I made up in my mind that I would make it up to him.

Breakfast.

We’d have to do breakfast again.

The next morning, after checking in on Ollie, I started banging on Goliath’s door. The first ten minutes he didn’t answer. Sandra even came out of her apartment and yelled for me to stop. I yelled back that it was an emergency. She huffed and slammed the door. After ten more minutes, the door swung open and Goliath stood there tall and angry with bags under his eyes.

“What the fuck do you want now?” he barked. “I’m not in the mood for your shit. Don’t come barging in my place and I swear to God if you laugh, I will turn you over my knee and spank your ass.”

He looked so cute when his nose flared and he spoke through his teeth. My lips quivered as I tried to bite back my laugh and hide my smile. Goliath raised an eyebrow as if to see if I wanted to test him.

“I just wanted to apologize for yesterday,” I said when I was finally able to talk without laughing. “That was wrong and I know why you’re mad at me.”

“You don’t know shit,” he snapped back.

“Goliath,” I warned. “I do. I shouldn’t have done that but it's never too late to fix your wrongs,” I said as I walked inside, but he halted my progress with one hand to my upper chest.

“What fucking world do you live in, huh?” he snapped. “You think everything is all la la land in that head of yours. It’s all rose beds and gardening. Jewelry making and running away from life. You think you can just waltz your sexy ass in my place, like you pay rent here. You don’t fucking know me. I could be anyone. You’re playing a dangerous game little girl and you don’t even know it. I’m a grown ass man and you keep sniffing around me like I’m your new toy. I’m not, so stay the fuck out of my place. Stop knocking on my door and for fucks sake stop laughing.”

I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. No one had ever talked to me that way and the crazy thing was, his words hurt. Stung like nothing had stung before. The tears that had quickly formed, began to slowly trickle from my eyes. I wiped them away immediately and that was when I saw Goliath for the first time looking shocked.

It was too little, too late.

I took one huge step backwards, turned on my heel and sprinted to my apartment.

“Phoe…” I slammed the door, officially blocking Mr. Rude Goliath out.

A part of me wished I could have ignored his words and not have cried for the rest of the day but I did. Cried for most of the day, actually. He had a point, I didn’t know him and he didn’t know me. He didn’t know the world I lived in, so there was so there was no need to invite him inside any further than I had already tried. I really did try, but I was done. I would encourage those who needed it and accept encouragement from those who freely offered it. Uplift those that were ready for their transformation and be with people who wanted to be with me and would appreciate me.

The week had gone by and I made a point not to make too much noise or even laugh too loud when I was on the first floor. Ollie told me I was being ridiculous but he didn’t see Mr. Rude’s face or hear the way he spoke to me. Goliath had such disdain for me that I felt almost betrayed.

“He was having a bad day, I’m sure,” Ollie tried to imply.

“I don’t care,” I replied.

“Phoebe, if you don’t do care about him, who will?” he asked.

“I have no idea but it won’t be me,” I said with finality.

I was over it all.

Completely.

One evening, later that month, I was doing some last minute shopping for the garden party we were throwing for those that supported our business. I forgot to get the onions and peppers for my specialty hamburgers. As I was rushing towards the produce section, I saw Goliath, grabbing yogurt from the top shelf. I immediately turned to leave the aisle, when I heard, “Phoebe?”

I kept walking. The footsteps close behind me caused me to speed up. They could have regular ole’ hamburgers for all I cared, I would not get those onions and peppers tonight.

“Phoebe,” he called again but this time tagged my elbow.

I tried to snatch it away but he had a firm grasp.

“Yes?” I put my nose up in the air.

“Look…”

“No worries, I heard you loud and clear. I’ve left you alone, now please do the same,” I whispered.

“Phoebe, I’m fucking buying yogurt for you,” Goliath said.

That was all he said as waves of heat radiated off his body.

I wasn't quite sure what to say to him at that point. As far as I was concerned, the damage had been done. So when my mouth fixed to tell him where he could go, I instead snatched the yogurt out of his hand and said, “Don't bother.”

Then I threw it in the cheese section, dropped my basket and left.

There was no need to invite him back into my world of la la land.

When it was time for the party the next day, at least thirty people attended including the dragon lady from the other upstairs unit. Occasionally, she stepped outside her abode and would grace us with her presence. A few times in the past, she had actually bought some of our produce.

Our menu included fresh salad, guacamole, chips, corn on the cob, turkey burgers, not my specialty ones but these were good nonetheless. We had fresh lemonade, beers, and some people brought desserts.

We didn't have a DJ, but Walt had a few mixed cd’s from the last decade. He often played them on his boom box during impromptu and organized events.

Kevin arrived earlier that morning to help me decorate the space. It was beautiful with lights running back and forth across the beams on the underside of the upstairs deck. He had been such a major help to me over the past few weeks with the garden and chauffeuring me when I needed to travel a far distance or across the sand.

Someone whistled loudly causing a hush throughout the crowd.

“Everyone, thank you so much for coming out tonight. This could not have been done without the help of our very own, Phoebe,” Rose addressed the crowd.

Everyone clapped and there were a few whistles and cheers.

“As you know, here in Lily, we pride ourselves on being self-sufficient within our little community and initiatives like this help us. Now, when we’re able to get land or acquire a greenhouse, we’ll be able to make this into the big success we know it can be.”

There were more claps and cheering.

“Now, let's eat, drink up, and save our regrets for tomorrow.”

“Yay,” we shouted.

“Speaking of regrets,” Kevin said as he pulled me into his body.

His face started to descend towards mine and when I was about to push him away, I was snatched back and away from him.

“What?” I looked confused as I tried to figure out what was going on.

My head swiveled to see an angry Goliath with a possessive grip on my arm.

“Goliath,” I called and wiggled my arm.

His head jerked from glaring at Kevin to look down at me, then his gaze moved to his fingers, tightly wrapped around my arm. They loosened, then he said, “We need to talk.”

“Hold on, excuse me.” Kevin stepped up with a hand raised. “Who are you?”

Goliath growled while I said, “This is my neighbor, Goliath. Remember, I made him mad and he wouldn't talk to me that day.”

Kevin looked at me and said, “That was over a month ago.”

My head nodded in agreement.

“We need to talk, now,” Goliath repeated and pulled me towards the back door.

“Phoebe?” Kevin started to follow me but I held up my hand to stop him.

“Don't worry, I'll be right back.” I didn't want there to be a scene.

Kevin stopped following and stood stark still, watching me with wide eyes and his mouth open.

When we reached the hallway, I paused as well.

“Not here,” Goliath growled.

“Listen, I don't have anything to say. So...,” I waved my hand in his direction, to gesture that he should continue speaking.

Goliath’s eyebrow slowly rose then he bent down, grabbed me around my thighs, and put me over his shoulder.

"Goliath," I yelled. "Put me down."

My view was upside down but I assumed he was taking me to his apartment. A door opened as I continually hit him in some attempt to force him to put me down and then my world was righted as I landed on something soft.

His couch.

I immediately went to stand up, but he sat down next to me and put a hand on my chest, preventing me from barely lifting my butt off of his sofa.

"Who is that guy?" he growled.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"That guy. The one that was about to lay his lips on you. You were about to push him away. Who is he?" Goliath said with measuredly dwindling patience.

"A friend," I replied.

"A kissing friend?" One of his eyebrows rose.

"Really, Mr. rude neighbor, who left me at the beach. You don't get to question the people in my life. Okay? Remember, I'm in my world of la la land." This time, I was able to successfully stand up. "You wanted to be left alone. I have effectively left you alone."

Goliath looked up at me for a bit, then he pulled me back down but this time I was on his lap.

"What...?"

"Shut up and let me talk," Goliath said through his teeth. "For once, let me talk."

"Oh, no." I was shaking my head. "You talked. I let you talk one good time and you told me to leave you alone. You asked what world I lived in. That you were a grown fucking man. Remember, that talk?"

I wasn't looking for an answer, so I tried to get up again with no luck. Goliath's hands were firmly around my ribs as he held on tight. His face was contorted like he was confused or in pain. I tried not to care because there was not a care in my world of la la land according to my rude neighbor.

Goliath's hands began to move up my body, around my back, and to the back of my neck.

"What are you doing?" I was squirming on his leg.

"Stop talking, please," he begged.

The man looked like he was in physical pain. The bags under his eyes were dark, his hair was unkempt, and the facial scruff was much longer than a five o'clock shadow but not quite a full grown beard.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked.

His forehead fell against my shoulder as he pulled me into him. Against my first thought, my arms slowly wrapped around him for a hug. He was clearly going through something and needed a hug. I guess he had no friends and I was the only one that had inserted myself into his life, as he put it.

"It'll be okay," I tried to sooth him. "This will pass."

His head shook in the negative against me, then he mumbled.

"What?" I asked, reminding me that I sounded like him.

"It won't be okay," he said when he pulled back and loosening his grip on me.

"Nothing is forever," I said.

His pain-filled eyes looked into mine, then he pulled me towards him and whispered, "Tell me this was your plan? You set this whole thing up and now you're done playing. Right?"

Goliath's eyes were wide with need and desperation.

"What are you talking about? The garden party? Yes, that was planned. Everyone was invited. Rose put one under everybody’s door and gave the same invitation to all the neighbors. So..."

"No, not the fucking party. I don't give a shit about that stupid party. I'm talking about you. You fucking with my head. You planned this, right? Come in, invade my life with your bubbly shit and fuck with me," Goliath spoke through his teeth.

"No, no." I was shaking my head but his grip was getting tighter. "No, Goliath. It was no plan. I..." I didn't know what to else to say.

He thought I came into his life to fuck with him.

"You were just lost and in a dark place," I blurted. "I wanted to bring you light, I guess, but I've stopped. Okay?"

"Don't," he groaned. "Please, don't stop."

"What?" I gasped.

I was all sorts of confused. One day it was stop all contact and now if I heard him correctly, he didn’t want that to stop.

"I may be nice and all but I can take a hint, Goliath. I'm not a naïve little girl, like you think, and I'm no one's door mat." I tried to back away from his searing eyes. "I've lived that life of doing things for other people out of obligation. Now, I do things for me and because I want to. I'm free, don't you see. I..."

He cut me off by placing his fingers over my lips.

"Shh," he said.

The heat from his fingers traveled slowly through my body, causing a distant flutter in my stomach. I hadn't felt that feeling in such a long time, it was almost foreign. A liberating one but still foreign.

I closed my mouth and Goliath sighed as if my talking was causing him some sort of anxiety.

"Just don't stop. Okay? Can you stay?" he asked.

Stay?

I went to answer but his fingers remained on my lips so I shook my head.

"Phoebe, don't stop. Just stay," he was almost begging.

He seemed broken, as if he were on the edge of something very dark. I'd been there before and that was the feeling that utterly scared me to change my life.