Chapters (26)
Plus, I can easily heat up as much of my payment casseroles as I want to eat in the microwave and take it back to my room where I watch TV by myself instead of having to listen to Meemaw try to make excuses for herself.
Over a week passes by in our uneasy cohabitation, which I mostly avoid with work.
But eventually, I notice that I’m running low on antiseptic wipes and have to stop everything to get more from the store.
“We don't have any of those in stock,” Charlie tells me. “Dr. Johnny used to pick up his own supplies when he went into the city or get them delivered.”
“Well, I’m not allowed to go into the city. And I don’t have access to any delivery services. Can you order some for me?” I ask. “I’m also going to need latex gloves, bandages, and some cotton swabs.”
Charlie raises his eyes to the side as if I’ve given him a complicated math problem to solve. “That sounds like a pretty big purchase.”
"And?"
He winces. “You’ll have to get Waylon to sign off on everything before I can put it in. It’s Saturday, so he might still be in his trailer.”
So that’s how I come to find myself returning to the place I refused to enter ten days ago.
I’m irritated that Charlie won’t just put in an order, considering this town is supposed to be some kind of utopia and having a well-supplied medical center benefits everyone. But people are waiting back at the medical trailer for me, and I won’t be able to do my job for long without wipes. So instead of going back and forth with the general store owner, I grit my teeth and walk toward Waylon’s trailer at the top of the dirt plus sign.
I mean, I can do this. Right?
Sure, the last time I was at his trailer, things got so heated between us, I actually considered giving into his crazy demands. But I haven't seen Waylon in a week. Only heard about him from other people. Constantly. Like he’s an unseen god, affecting everything we do.
Or the devil.
Either way, the attraction I felt before shouldn’t be an issue—especially considering how pissed off I still am about him setting my clothes on fire. I mean, I’ve been wearing the same outfit for several days straight.
And besides, it isn’t like we will be alone together. I’ll just stand outside his trailer and ask him to text Charlie or whatever to clear my much-needed purchase for his town.
With that thought in mind, I knock on his trailer door.
But Waylon doesn't answer my knock. A tall and slender woman does.
She has long red hair, high, perky breasts, and she's wearing nothing but a pair of pink lace panties.