Robin Alexander - Pitifully Ugly

mind that sketched them.”

“What, what were they of?” Hailey asked wide-eyed.

1

Robin Alexander

“Creepy-looking figures mostly. Some were cloaked, others

had long dark hair that covered most of their garish-looking faces.”

“You threw those out first, right?” Hailey moved closer.

“I’m enjoying the closeness, but I’m afraid I’m going to get

you sick, too.” I scooted back, Hailey scooted closer.

“You’ll take care of me?” she asked with a smile.

“Pinky swear,” I said as I squeezed hers.

“Okay, is there more?”

I nodded. “Unfortunately. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Hailey nudged me with her foot. “Now go on.”

“A week after I was all moved in, I climbed into bed and

read for a while. As I reached to turn off the lamp, it sounded

like someone stomped the attic floor above my head. It shook

the house. I sat there frozen as whatever it was marched over my

bedroom and the living room and came back.”

Hailey looked as terrified as I did that night.

“I called Kalen and told her what was going on. She and

Todd only lived a few blocks away, so they got there in a flash.

The stomping noise was still going on as they pulled into the

driveway but quit when they walked up on the porch. Neither

of them believed me, but I wouldn’t let them leave until Todd

agreed to take a look around the attic. We went into the hallway

and were about to pull down the ladder when the noise happened

right above our heads. It shook the whole house and Kalen turned

as pale as a sheet.”

“What was it?” Hailey asked as one leg moved over mine.

“We don’t know. It took me and Kalen nearly twenty minutes

to get Todd to go up the ladder. He searched the whole attic and

didn’t find a thing.”

Hailey shivered. “Could it have been someone on the roof?”

“Todd didn’t think so, and neither did I. It sounded too close.

Needless to say, I stayed with Kalen and Todd until I found this

place. They lived in that neighborhood for another year, but Todd’s

friend couldn’t keep anyone in the house.”

Hailey looked at me long and hard as she bit her lip. “Do you

mind if I stay with you again tonight? Purely to make sure you’re

okay,” she said with an impish grin.

14

Pitifully Ugly

“No,” I said seriously. “You snore.” I couldn’t help but laugh

at the indignant look that crossed her face. “Of course, you can. I

was going to ask you to stay after the first thirty minutes of that

movie, and that had nothing to do with my illness, either.”

I woke during the night feeling like I was trapped between

two blast furnaces. I nudged Fuzzy with my elbow. She grunted

in response but was kind enough to move to the foot of the bed. I

pushed the covers off my back so that I could continue spooning

Hailey. She felt so good in my arms, yet it was painful. We were

just friends, and the sweet torture was becoming unbearable.

1

Robin Alexander

Chapter 26

All geese are evil bitches.

Hailey went back to work the next day, but she brought me

dinner each night. Sometimes we’d watch TV together. Others

we’d sit in the courtyard and entertain Fuzzy. I was getting better

by the day, and there was no excuse for her to lie in bed with

me. We were closer than we’d ever been, but still the friendship

barrier seemed firmly in place.

“Do you have plans for Saturday?” I asked one evening when

we were in the courtyard.

“No, but I wish I did. It’s supposed to be sunny and warm,”

Hailey said with a smile.

“I was thinking about going to the park. We could pack a

lunch and make a day of it.” I took a turn bouncing the ball for

Fuzzy. “It’d be something all three of us could enjoy.”

“I would absolutely love to do that. What can I bring?”

The sparkle in her eye sent a thrill through me. “Just you,

Fuzzy, and tennis balls.”

I half expected the weatherman to recant on his forecast

and tell us to expect cold wind and rain. Louisiana winters were

nothing if not unpredictable. It could be warm enough for shorts

one day, and the next, you’d need a coat. But the forecast was

dead on, and I dressed in shorts and flip-flops with a sweatshirt

just in case it was cooler than expected.

Hailey had the same idea with a pair of cargo capri pants and

a T-shirt and a hoodie draped over her arm when I picked her up.

1

Pitifully Ugly

“What’s in the bag?” I asked as we drove to the park.

“A half loaf of stale bread for the ducks.”

I looked at my side-view mirror and smiled at Fuzzy as she

rode in the backseat with her head protruding from the window.

Her nostrils were flaring as she took in the scents around us.

“How does Fuzzy feel about the ducks?”

Hailey pushed her sunglasses up onto her head in an attempt

to tame her hair that was being whipped around. “She’s good

about leaving them alone now, but when she was a puppy, it was

a nightmare. I had to take her to a professional trainer to teach

her to stand down. She’d get so focused on catching one that she

wouldn’t listen to me at all.”

“Do the ducks eat out of your hand?”

Hailey looked at me with a grin. “You’ve never fed ducks?”

I shook my head. “My mom couldn’t swim, she was terrified

of the water, so we never went anywhere near the park lakes as

kids.”

“You’re in for a treat then,” Hailey said with a satisfied

smile.

We picked a nice sunny spot near the lake to spread our

blanket. Fuzzy got reacquainted with the Frisbee, and we ran

her until she sprawled out in the grass and gnawed a hole in it. I

impressed Hailey with lunch, which consisted of chicken salad

sandwiches, fruit, and a nice bottle of red wine despite the meal.

“Couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, could we?” Hailey

leaned back and basked in the sun. “Perfect day, perfect company,

everything is just perfect.”

“I’m glad you’re happy with it.” I stretched out on the blanket

and rested on my elbows.

Hailey looked over at me, and her expression grew serious.

“This past week…it’s really been special.” She turned suddenly

when a rejuvenated Fuzzy nudged her arm with a ball. I heard

something to my right and looked over to find a lone duck quickly

making its way toward us. I grabbed the bread and tore off a

piece, and the duck gained speed.

“Talk about the ugly duckling.” I held out the bread.

1

Robin Alexander

“Oh, Shannon.” Something in Hailey’s tone made me turn

and look at her. “That’s a goose, and they’re kinda mean. Throw

the bread away from us.”

I pulled my arm back to make the toss, but as I turned, the

goose was standing next to me. Apparently, the withdrawal pissed

it off. I was too stunned to move when it lowered its head and

started hissing. That moment of hesitation cost me. The goose bit

me on the leg. “Ow, shit.” It came at me again, and when I put my

hand out to block it, it bit my hand.

When Kalen and I were kids, my mother was the all-star

quarterback of house slippers. Kalen mouthed off once about

having to take a bath, and Mom hit her from across the den. That

was the closest thing to spankings we ever got.

I suppose all those years of watching mom wield a slipper