Chapter Thirteen

I had a big smile on my face all the way to work—but it disappeared as soon as I got there.

Mrs. Abdul was leaning against the counter, groaning. The baby was coming.

She looked terrible. She was sweating and every so often she’d open her mouth as if she was going to scream, but no sound came out. It made me think I never wanted to get pregnant.

A couple of minutes later, Mr. Abdul came racing in to take her to the hospital. He told me to lock up the store when my shift was over. He wouldn’t be back that night.

I was really freaked out. I hated seeing Mrs. Abdul in so much pain and I was scared there was going to be something wrong with the baby. I just hung around, chewing on the end of my hair and worrying. A couple of customers came in, but time seemed to take forever.

Then Kyla called and took my mind off the Abduls.

She didn’t even say hello.

She just said, “Question: Where does Devin live?”

“I don’t know.”

“I do!” I could hear her doing her little victory dance. “At least I think I do. Dad was hunting with Uncle Bill and they found an old car parked out by the radio tower. They said this pale, skinny kid was staying there. He acted all strange when they tried to find out what he was up to. I immediately thought ‘Devin!’ Who else would be crazy enough to hang out in the woods during hunting season?”

“It doesn’t surprise me,” I said. Although it actually did. Devin told me he hitchhiked here. Why would he lie about having a car? I was starting to think he’d lie about anything.

“That’s not all. The guy told Dad he was a biologist doing field research. He claimed his baby blue 1994 Fiesta was his mobile lab.” Kyla snorted. “Even my dad isn’t stunned enough to fall for that. Can you believe that guy?”

“No,” I said. “I can’t. Not anymore, at least.”

Then I told her all about Devin and the Google search and the pictures of me at the beach and everything. For a while I had to put up with some snarky comments from Kyla like “Oh, well, I can see why you thought Devin would be perfect for me!” But she came around.

She loved the part about me telling Devin off. She was cracking up. Apart from my little brother, I never tell anyone off.

She was enjoying it too much. I tried to distract her.

“Yeah, well, it was a day of many important firsts for me,” I said. “I yelled at someone, and I got roses from Leo!”

“Yeah, right,” Kyla said. “Now I know you’re hallucinating. Leo’s a nice guy, but he doesn’t do flowers.”

“Well, he did today!” I was almost singing. “He even added a little note.” I recited it from memory. “‘We’ve both done things we regret. Let’s work it out. XXXXX.’”

“XXXXX?” Kyla said. “C’mon, Frances. Leo doesn’t do kissy-kissy either.”

I said, “What are you saying?” although I didn’t really need to ask.

“Yoo-hoo! Time to wake up!” She said it in her crazy-old-lady voice. “Those roses are from Devin.”

I tried to deny it. I argued with her. But I knew she was right. I bet, somewhere inside, I knew the flowers were from Devin all along. I just didn’t want it to be true.

All I really, really wanted was for the guy to get out of my life. He was like a stain or a rash or a wart that you just can’t get rid of.

I didn’t know what more I could do. I’d told him to go away. I’d told him to leave me alone. How much clearer could I have been? Why was he still bugging me? Couldn’t he get it through his thick skull that I didn’t like him?

Kyla said, “You’ve got a stalker on your hands, Frances.”

That’s not what I wanted to hear. It really annoyed me. Typical Kyla, I thought. Always blowing things way out of proportion. Anything for a good story.

“Quit exaggerating, Kyla. It’s bad enough as it is.”

“I’d call the cops if I were you.”

“Oh, please! And tell them what?” I said. “‘He gave me flowers. Arrest him!’ Sure.”

“What about him taking those pictures of you?” she said.

“There’s no law against that either. It’s not like I was naked or anything,” I said.

“I don’t know, Fran. I don’t like the sound of this guy. He makes up stories. He follows you. He won’t take no for an answer. There’s something wrong with him.”

“Duh! Obviously. But being nuts isn’t illegal.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous,” Kyla said. “At least according to my bible.”

She meant People Magazine. She’s a junkie.

“I read this article a little while ago about celebrity stalkers. The guy in it said something like ‘Sure, they’re crazy—but crazy isn’t stupid.’ That’s what makes them so dangerous. Stalkers are insane and smart.”

“I could say that about you, Kyla. But I wouldn’t have you arrested. Unless you don’t quit it, that is.”

“I’d be worried, Fran. Who knows? Devin could get violent.”

“Shut up!” I said. “Now you’re just trying to scare me.”

“I’m not,” she said. “I’m just warning you.”

“Look, the guy’s not a stalker. He’s just pathetic. He’s never done anything violent. And anyway, even if he did, I’m a big girl. I could probably take him.”

Kyla started laughing.

“Oh, right! There’s a fight I’d love to see. Devin the Creep versus Frances the Klutz.”

She was howling. She could barely catch her breath. Kyla knows what a spaz I am.

“I can just picture the two of you, flailing away at each other! It would be better than the WWF. No! NO! I’m wrong! It would be the WWF. By which, of course, I mean the Weirdo Wrestling Federation! We’ll get Devin a cape and a mullet, and we’ll get you one of those little silver leotards and a boob job. You’ll make millions.”

It was so stupid I had to laugh too.

After the day I’d had, I needed it.

And the day wasn’t over yet.