Stevan Mena - Transience

The manager, Ted, a shrimp of a man who made up for it by shouting when he spoke, passed behind her, making sure to admire her shapely rear end.

“The sugary cereals go on the bottom shelves Laura. So the kids can see it? Beg their mothers to buy it?”

“What do you think I’m doing?” Laura looked up — the handsome man had left. As Ted reached the end of her aisle, she flipped him the middle finger.

“Eyes in the back of my head!” Laura knew he hadn’t seen what she did, he just knew everyone hated him and assumed it. She pulled boxes off the shelf and turned their labels to face front, pushing the newer, fresher dates to the back.

“Laura?”

Laura crawled back out from under the shelf and looked up again, this time at Amy, a cashier with braces and her hair in a bun. Amy liked to time her 15 minute breaks to coincide with Laura’s, so she could bum cigarettes.

“There’s a phone call for you.”

“For me?” Laura sounded nervous.

“Yeah, from the hospital.”

“I’m looking for Rebecca Lowell, she was admitted here?” Jack said. He drummed his fingers impatiently as the admitting clerk looked up Rebecca’s name on her computer.

“Pediatric wing, 4th floor,” the woman said. Jack pushed off the counter towards the elevator. He tapped the up button relentlessly until the door opened.

He entered the pediatric wing, spotting Laura at the other end, pacing. She seemed deep in thought, biting her nails, still wearing her Super Saver apron. Jack knew that slow despondent creep across the floor. It reminded him of that day. The worst day.

He slowed his pace, not wanting to add additional stress. Were they more acquainted, he’d have opened his arms to offer a consoling hug. Instead he put his hands in his pockets and attempted to look as non-confrontational as possible. He called out to her:

“Ms. Lowell?”

Laura furrowed her brow. “What are you…?” she trailed off.

“ I tried to find you at your job, they told me you were here.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

Jack looked into the room where Rebecca was sleeping, a nurse was adjusting her IV.

“I was just about to ask you.”

Laura’s shoulders drooped, she exhaled exasperation.

“She got into a fight. Bunch of God damn animals.”

“Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. When I find out who it was, they’re gonna be missing a few teeth.”

Jack looked at his shoes, searching for a way to somehow segue into his other question. He didn’t want to corner her, make her feel ambushed, but time was short.

“Ms. Lowell, we found a body — a girl, down by the Twin Rivers.”

Laura covered her mouth. “I’m sorry. Is it—”

“No.” He rubbed his chin, unsure how to proceed. “The location we found the body… the circumstances, they match Rebecca’s account.”

“Account? What account? I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.”

Laura shook her head irritably. “Look, I told you, there’s no way Rebecca could know anything about any of this.”

“I agree,” Jack said. Laura’s head jerked up. “The girl we found… was murdered about 10 years ago. The victim’s name was Carmen Muniz.” Laura’s face went pale. She turned and looked in at Rebecca, asleep, helpless.

“Carmen…” Laura cupped her nose and mouth, absorbing it.

“She was 19. I visited her mother’s home this afternoon. I saw a picture. You knew her, didn’t you?”

Laura nodded, still stunned.

“So, you can understand, I have a few questions I need to ask.”

Laura kept nodding, not taking her eyes off Rebecca.

“Ms. Lowell, I think all of these murders are connected, which means this guy has been killing for a lot longer than anyone suspected. Whatever you know about Carmen — her disappearance — I need to know.”

“I don’t know anything about it. We lost touch. I—”

“Then how does your daughter know so much? You see my dilemma.” Laura took a few steps, putting distance between them. “Look, this guy is still out there, another girl is missing. If you know something, if you’re protecting someone?”

Laura looked at Jack like he had grown two heads.

“Mrs. Lowell?” a third voice interrupted the standoff.

Laura turned to see the doctor who’d calmed her down earlier, when she burst into the room in hysterics upon seeing Rebecca all wired up.

“Yes?” Laura said, her priorities shifting, tuning Jack out.

“I’m Doctor Harris, we spoke earlier.”

“Is she okay?”

Jack took a courteous step backwards.

“She’s doing fine. She had a seizure. Has she suffered any before?”

“Yes, several.”

“For how long?”

“Just the last few months really.”

“Is she on any medication for them?”

“…No,” Laura said, guilty.

“Well, I’d like to keep her here a little longer, for observation. Run a few tests, try to get a more definitive answer for what’s causing them.”

“Can I see her?” Laura asked. Doctor Harris acknowledged Jack with a look, then turned back to Laura.

“ You can.” The doctor walked Laura into the room. Jack watched from the doorway.

Rebecca tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep. A nurse stood at her bedside, monitoring her vitals. Tears dripped down Laura’s cheeks as she gently grasped Rebecca’s small fingers.

Everyone listened closely as Rebecca’s words grew clearer, more pronounced. Laura couldn’t make any sense of it, but recognized some of the words. She’d heard them before. Jack watched intently.

A Hispanic orderly entered the room, wheeling a very large garbage can on a cart. He retrieved a small trash container from inside the bathroom and dumped its contents. He replaced the plastic bag and set it down beside the toilet.

“What’s she saying?” Laura asked.

Doctor Harris shook his head, unsure. “I don’t know.”

The orderly turned his cart towards the door. “She’s praying.” All eyes turned to him, then back to Rebecca.

“Praying?” Laura asked, her face a question mark. Jack didn’t speak Spanish, but understood a few words. As they listened, Rebecca’s speech grew more audible and clear:

“Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros, pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte. Amen.” Rebecca repeated the phrase over and over, louder and louder. Laura watched with wide eyes.

Jack quickly withdrew his notepad and started jotting down what she was saying. He wrote the same sentence twice before he recognized she was repeating herself.

“Does your daughter speak Spanish?” Jack asked.

“No.” Laura said quickly. Doctor Harris listened, confounded by what was taking place.

“What about your ex-husband?” Jack asked.

“He can barely speak English, much less a second language.”

The doctor leaned over Rebecca, taking her pulse, holding her head to see if she was feverish. He whispered something to the nurse, who drew the curtain around Rebecca and Laura with one quick swipe, cutting Jack off.

Jack stormed into Leonard’s office, the secretary following right behind him.

“I’m sorry Doctor Hellerman, he wouldn’t—” Leonard held up his hand.

“It’s okay, Mary.” Leonard had been expecting Jack. He waved her away and she closed the door. Jack stood across from his desk, rain dripping off his jacket.

“Something very strange is going on here,” Jack said, his gaze intense, the same he used on suspects during interrogations. Leonard had to avert his eyes. He spun his chair 45 degrees and looked towards the window at the falling rain.

“I risked my practice by confiding in you, Jack. I was trying to help you.” Jack saw the morning paper on Leonard’s desk, he picked it up. On the front page was an article about Carmen. The headline read: Body of girl missing 10 years found. Underneath the headline was a picture of Carmen, the same graduation photo Jack held in Carmen’s bedroom.