Read Online Running Northwest by Michael Melville - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Melville
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house.
It was a little cooler now than what it had been earlier when he and Daniel were out on the beach. The breeze had picked up somewhat and the surf had gotten much larger. Thomas loved the way the ocean smelled, the way the waves sounded as they hit the rocks and sand that lined the beach; the air smelled clean and new. He loved waking up to these sounds and he especially loved falling asleep to these sounds. It was entirely peaceful and always calmed him down no matter what his day was like or how stressful it was. The sounds of Miles Davis that were floating through the room made it all that much better.
Thomas grabbed the handle for the slider door and pulled it shut almost all the way. He took a sip of his tea, turned towards the bed, and sat on its edge. The huge mastiff Layla, who had been sleeping soundly on it, moved over and put her large head on his lap. He set the coffee cup on the table next to the bed and began rubbing behind the dogs’ ears and on the top of her head. With his free hand, he reached over, grabbed the picture of Sarah off the nightstand, and stared at it.
“Damn, we miss you, baby. Your son – our son – is getting so big and so smart. He is a wise ass sometimes. You would laugh your cute little ass off at some of the things he says,” he said, talking to the picture, something he would do on occasion.
He looked at her picture for a few more minutes and set it back down. He then reached for the other picture that was next to it, the one of the other woman from back in Michigan. He silently looked at it, and rubbed the tips of his fingers gently over her face. He sighed, put the picture gently back on the table, and then adjusted both pictures. He reached over, turned the light off and crawled underneath the blankets. He started rubbing Layla’s stomach after the dog had lain down with her back pressed against his side. He quickly started dozing off and a few minutes later Thomas was fast asleep.
F ive
She was lightly tapping her fingertips on the side of the wine glass that she had in her hand. As she looked down at the dark red liquid she sloshed it around inside of the glass, a million thoughts and feelings were going through her heart and mind while she did it. At the same time, she was avoiding eye contact with her friend Karen who sat next to her on the large couch in her living room. Stephanie was not used to having someone be so invasive about her personal business and her past. However, considering what her friend had witnessed earlier in the day while they were at work, Karen was not letting her get out of talking about the man in the picture, the man named Thomas. Stephanie had decided that it was easier to just go along with Karen and not try to fight her.
It was about 8:30 pm now on Monday night; Karen had gotten to Stephanie’s house around 7 pm and brought the Chinese food and wine as promised. As soon as Karen walked into the door, she was asking questions and expecting answers. Stephanie felt bombarded after an already emotional and stressful day.
As they ate, Karen got Stephanie to start opening up ever so slowly about Thomas. They were small questions at first that were easy to answer. Eventually she asked harder and more personal questions, questions that required a lot more thought and explanation on Stephanie’s part; and more honesty. Karen knew how to work Stephanie to get her to talk. Eventually it all started coming out as if a floodgate had burst open in Stephanie’s heart and mind. Soon Karen did not even have to ask Stephanie too many questions at all. Stephanie just talked and let it go and come out naturally from her heart. It had been years since she had been able to talk openly about Thomas with anyone. The few times she had brought Thomas up with her ex-boyfriend Jared it had ended in fights and crying and Stephanie always ended up feeling stupid.
Her life was different now, her mind was different and maybe her heart
It was a little cooler now than what it had been earlier when he and Daniel were out on the beach. The breeze had picked up somewhat and the surf had gotten much larger. Thomas loved the way the ocean smelled, the way the waves sounded as they hit the rocks and sand that lined the beach; the air smelled clean and new. He loved waking up to these sounds and he especially loved falling asleep to these sounds. It was entirely peaceful and always calmed him down no matter what his day was like or how stressful it was. The sounds of Miles Davis that were floating through the room made it all that much better.
Thomas grabbed the handle for the slider door and pulled it shut almost all the way. He took a sip of his tea, turned towards the bed, and sat on its edge. The huge mastiff Layla, who had been sleeping soundly on it, moved over and put her large head on his lap. He set the coffee cup on the table next to the bed and began rubbing behind the dogs’ ears and on the top of her head. With his free hand, he reached over, grabbed the picture of Sarah off the nightstand, and stared at it.
“Damn, we miss you, baby. Your son – our son – is getting so big and so smart. He is a wise ass sometimes. You would laugh your cute little ass off at some of the things he says,” he said, talking to the picture, something he would do on occasion.
He looked at her picture for a few more minutes and set it back down. He then reached for the other picture that was next to it, the one of the other woman from back in Michigan. He silently looked at it, and rubbed the tips of his fingers gently over her face. He sighed, put the picture gently back on the table, and then adjusted both pictures. He reached over, turned the light off and crawled underneath the blankets. He started rubbing Layla’s stomach after the dog had lain down with her back pressed against his side. He quickly started dozing off and a few minutes later Thomas was fast asleep.
F ive
She was lightly tapping her fingertips on the side of the wine glass that she had in her hand. As she looked down at the dark red liquid she sloshed it around inside of the glass, a million thoughts and feelings were going through her heart and mind while she did it. At the same time, she was avoiding eye contact with her friend Karen who sat next to her on the large couch in her living room. Stephanie was not used to having someone be so invasive about her personal business and her past. However, considering what her friend had witnessed earlier in the day while they were at work, Karen was not letting her get out of talking about the man in the picture, the man named Thomas. Stephanie had decided that it was easier to just go along with Karen and not try to fight her.
It was about 8:30 pm now on Monday night; Karen had gotten to Stephanie’s house around 7 pm and brought the Chinese food and wine as promised. As soon as Karen walked into the door, she was asking questions and expecting answers. Stephanie felt bombarded after an already emotional and stressful day.
As they ate, Karen got Stephanie to start opening up ever so slowly about Thomas. They were small questions at first that were easy to answer. Eventually she asked harder and more personal questions, questions that required a lot more thought and explanation on Stephanie’s part; and more honesty. Karen knew how to work Stephanie to get her to talk. Eventually it all started coming out as if a floodgate had burst open in Stephanie’s heart and mind. Soon Karen did not even have to ask Stephanie too many questions at all. Stephanie just talked and let it go and come out naturally from her heart. It had been years since she had been able to talk openly about Thomas with anyone. The few times she had brought Thomas up with her ex-boyfriend Jared it had ended in fights and crying and Stephanie always ended up feeling stupid.
Her life was different now, her mind was different and maybe her heart
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