Duplicity

Mark followed her down the crowded street.  His perfectly manicured hands sweat as he walked behind the girl of his desire; she always had this affect on him.   He shifted his gaze, scanning the faces of the judgmental crowed that seemed to critique his every movement.  They saw his tall, strong frame, his dark brown, almost black hair, and his piercing green eyes.  It made him feel uncomfortable.  Even though he probably could have pulled off being a model for some reputable agency here in the Big Apple.  But the idea of having to pose nude, or close to it, was too much for him.  He thought of himself as a decent man.  He had high moral standards.  He went to church every once and awhile.  

            He closed in on the pretty woman who was scurrying dartingly through the crowd.   She seemed agitated.   She was wearing jogging pants and a loose blue sweatshirt.  Nothing was flattering about what she wore, but she seemed to be able to pull it off.   As Mark got within a foot of her he contorted his face into a pleasant smile and grabbed her shoulder.  She didn’t scream, but froze at his touch.  She tensed even more as she turned to see who it was.  Mark took note that she didn’t scream. That was good.

            “Mark! Jesus you scared the hell out of me!”  She lunged at him and wrapped her arms around him.   “I was calling you this morning. Where were you?”  She pulled back from hugging him and looked him in the eyes.

            “Oh sorry babe, I was at work.”  He looked closer at her and noticed she had been crying.  “What happened babe?  You look like shit!” He was too honest.  He wished he hadn’t said that.

            “…Uh…” She was thinking too much about it, Mark hated himself for being so honest with her, “Well its Fletcher.  I think he’s dead.  I found his collar but I couldn’t find him!”  She was sadder then Mark had ever seen her.  Fletcher was a disgusting red haired cat that Mark hated.

            “What?”

            “I think that someone has been following me.  Mark, I’m kinda scared.”  She looked at him, longing for him to help her.  Mark liked that.  He liked being the one to help.  He put his right arm around her to comfort her, his left hand shook violently, he put it behind his back and out of view. 

            He led her to his place so they could talk about what had happened.  The whole time he voice nagged on and on about that damn cat.  Mark felt a little irked that she seemed to love to tell him every little detail.  He detailed description of what she found that morning was filled it lots of “likes” and “umms” and other things that stupid blonds say.

            When they got inside his apartment Mark saw his chance to get away from her pleading him to believe that someone was stalking her.  What did she know about stalking? “Hey babe, just sit down and take a breath, it’s going to be ok.  Do you want some iced tea?”

            Before he heard her answer he went into the kitchen and started to grab a glass for the tea.  As he pored it her voice floated viscously through the air.  “Hey Mark give me extra ice.”  He went to the freezer and opened it.  “Hon, I just wanna see my cat again, I am like so alone without him!” He looked into the freezer and saw his mornings work.  Fletcher’s red body sat wrapped in plastic next the icemaker.  He grabbed some ice and dropped it into the cup of iced tea.  “I just like wanna see him again!” Her voice was sad.  Mark smiled.

            Mark made his way down the hallway back to where she was as the added pill dissolved into the iced tea.  “Don’t worry babe, you will see him soon.”