Chapter 32 [Ana]

“Ana, give Mr. Cooper a sponge bath.” My boss tells me.

         “I’m on it!” I yell, with fake enthusiasm. A big fat old guy with thinning hair walks up to me.

         “Hi, Mr. Cooper.” I say, smiling at him. He smiles and looks at me. He’s missing almost all his teeth, and he’s drooling. This is going to be great.

 

         After I get him out of his clothes, I snap on some rubber gloves, and get to work. I rub the sponge all over his back.

         What if this was Drew? I can picture him with his shirt off, his lean but muscling body showing. I’d have a sexy nurse outfit on and start rubbing him all over….

         “Bobby!” I hear a voice behind me.

         “DREW!” Mr. Cooper says. Without any warning he shoves past me and hugs Drew.

         “Whoa there Bobby, I can feel your mini cooper!” He says, laughing, and pushing Mr. Cooper off him.

         “Alright Mr. Cooper, your done.” I say. Drew helps him back into his clothes. And practically shoves him out the door. Then he closes it, trying to look seductive.

         “Why are you here?” I say, crossing my arms.

         “Mr. Cameron told me to come down here, and see if you needed help.” He says, in a low tone. He raises his eyebrows up and down, and grins at me.

         “Nope. I’m good. Why would he send you anyways?” I ask.                  “I’m kind of a favorite around here.” He says. “Everyone loves me.”

         I laugh. “Not everyone…” I say, under my breath.

         “Ouch. You know, Ana, you seem kinda tense. Maybe I should give you a sponge bath.” He says.

         I scowl at him.

         “Come Ana. At least let me take you to dinner sometime.”

         “Hell no.” I say.

         June suddenly open the door to the room.

         “Drew, get over yourself. Ana, someone’s here to see you.” She says.

         We walk upstairs, and there, by the front desk, stands a man I’ve only seen once in my life before.

         I’ll always remember the day. I was at the park with Kris, and we were having a picnic. It was a beautiful day out, and everything was perfect. I was lying on Kris’s lap, and he was petting my hair. We were making up back-stories about each person that passed us. At one point, we saw a middle-aged man, power walking through the park. We said that he was walking through this same park earlier that year, and that he saw the love of his life. He was afraid to talk to her, because she was so much younger and she was beautiful. He admired her from afar. That’s when he realized he needed to get in shape. That’s why we was power walking.

         I remember a dragonfly flew past me, and I jumped up and freaked out. He asked me why I did, and I told him dragonflies were gross and scary.

         “Well, next time you see one, think of me. Maybe it’ll be less scary and gross. Because you love me!” He said, and then he started tickling me. Playfully, he tackled me to the ground.

         Later, we were walking in the subway station. We had his arm around my neck, and I had mine around his waist. I was leaning my head against him.

         That’s when I saw the man that I see today. He was standing on the subway tracks. Me, being dumb, tried to help him.

         I told him to grab my hand and reached out to him. After a while, he got mad and pulled me in. I guess I was annoying him. Kris quickly pulled me out though. And he squeezed me tightly, practically shoving my head into this chest. I remember he smelled like flowers and man. I thought I was just about to loose my life, and it was maybe the most scared I’ve ever been. But Kris was there for me. Once he released me, he starting begging the guy to grab his hand and come out from the tracks. He wouldn’t budge. I was shaking like crazy. And then I saw the subway tracks coming. Kris and I weren’t in contact anymore. I could hear him breathing heavily. Or maybe that was me. I looked to the subway, and back at Kris. But he wasn’t next to me anymore. I looked down, only to see him on the tracks. The man had pulled HIM onto the tracks. The last glimpse I saw of him alive was when he shoved the other guy into the crack of the tracks so he wouldn’t be killed. The subway crushed into him, and I screamed.

         And now, here he is again. He’s standing in the lobby with flowers in his fat, clammy hand. The man’s hair is thinning. He looks Jewish. And has a fat gut. He’s short, too. Needless to say, he’s ugly. He’s wearing a cheap looking suit.

         “Ana Johnson.” Is the first thing he says. “You might not remember me, but you and your husband, you saved my life. I’m Steve.” He extends his sweaty hand to me, as if he wants me to shake it. I just look at it. I can’t even speak. I feel Drew’s presents behind me.

         “Look, You don’t know how I’m sorry for what happened to your husband.”

         I want to correct him. I want to say out loud, “He was my fiancé. He was going to be my husband until you killed him.” But still, I can’t speak. Drew steps in front of me.

         “Hey man, I don’t think she wants to talk to you right now.” He says.

         “Excuse, I’m talking to the nice lady, not you.” Steve says. Drew responds by punching him in the face.