Beast in the Night

Chapter 6: Behind the Wall

Rhys closed his eyes as he felt the water running on his hands. The men’s room was one of the few places in the office he’d grown to like. It was one place he could think about whatever he wanted to think. His friends didn’t have to tag along.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and it was the same pair of blue eyes that was staring back at him; everything was the same as yesterday―the same messy brown waves with the same golden brown highlights and same button-up shirt (although, today he was wearing his favorite) and slacks.

But somehow, he felt that something monumental had actually changed within him.

And what could it be?

After he neatly washed the soap off his hands, he scowled when he saw that there was no tissue paper available. He hated it whenever something like this would happen. The tissue paper was part of this hand-washing routine. He hurriedly checked every cubicle to find one. He couldn’t possibly leave the comfort room without wiping away any water residue off his hands.

Damn, Jimmy forgot to refill the tissue paper again, he thought annoyingly.

He opened the second vacant cubicle and found what he was looking for inside when, suddenly, he heard the door to the men’s room opened and closed with a bang.

“I think this is all bullcrap, Peach!”

Rhys closed the door of the cubicle and peeked through the small door crack. The angry voice belonged to Sean Tedbald, their department manager.

“Is this what I am to you now?” Peach Williams, their department’s assistant manager, looked just as mad as she followed Sean inside and not really bothered at all with where she was.

“But we’ve already talked about this. Never call me on weekends,” Sean countered.

Peach took one step closer to him. “You are making me feel like a mistress!”

“Mistress? Of course, you’re my mistress!” Sean stressed. “Honestly, what do you think you call yourself?”

“Okay, let me re-phrase it then, Sean. You make me feel like a cheap mistress! I’ve given you so much that I think I deserve even a little bit of respect. I f*****g deserve it!” Peach shouted.

Rhys could see clearly how close she was to crying; her eyes were red with tears that were threatening to fall. He had heard about his bosses’ illegal affair, but it was his first time to witness them quarrel over it. He hated office dramas – or any kind of drama for that matter. Getting stuck in the cubicle and having to be the audience was just hard for him to endure.

Sean smirked. “You are not a child anymore, Peach. Since day one you knew that I’m a married man and that family would always come first. You can’t get into this kind of relationship and demand. If you want this to continue, if you want us to continue, then you should play by my rules.” He didn’t give Peach the chance to reply. He stormed outside without looking back.

Peach inhaled and gave her tears the freedom to run down her cheeks. She knew she couldn’t leave with puffy, red eyes, so she turned on the faucet and washed her face.

Rhys glanced at his watch. He was already missing from his desk for more than five minutes. He couldn’t wait for Peach to finish fixing herself and leave. So slowly and carefully, he opened the door and walked outside the cubicle.

His department assistant manager looked stunned to see his reflection from the mirror. “Rhys.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop at all. I was just getting some tissue paper when you and Sean barged in.”

“No need to explain, Rhys. I’m sure you didn’t have any intention to eavesdrop on us,” Peach said, assuring him with a smile.

Rhys threw the paper inside the bin and smiled back, allowing the awkward silence to set in as he was not sure of what to say next. Should he ask her if she was okay? But she obviously was not. Should he ask her then what happened between her and Sean? But wouldn’t that make him nosy?

“I know what you must be thinking right now, Rhys,” Peach spoke as if reading his mind.

“You do?”

“Yes, I know. I’m such a stupid woman, right? And I know how people in the office gossip about me.” She sighed. “But what can I do, Rhys? I am in love with a married guy. I know it’s not right, but there’s nothing I can really do about it.” She fixed her long chestnut brown hair, pulling it behind her ears.

“How come?” Rhys asked, confused.

“What do you mean how come?” Peach asked back.

“If you’re utterly aware that it’s wrong, and it’s making you feel and look miserable, why continue doing it? Why don’t you stop?”

“Stop doing what?”

“Loving,” Rhys answered. “Especially when you know that it’s not right.”

Peach smiled. “You can’t just stop loving someone, even if you know it’s wrong. Love doesn’t work that way. When you fall in love, you become helpless. You just can’t fight it. And all you really know is you need to be with that person.” Peach whispered and sighed.

If what you’re saying is true, then love would be one thing I would have to avoid. I cannot fall in love. If falling in love would only give me headaches and complications, then I would have to say no to it. I don’t even think I need it. I am not even sure if I can afford to fall in love right now. I have my own business in this world, which is more than enough to keep me busy. Rhys thought.

“Aren’t you in love with anyone right now?” Peach asked, looking curious.

He shook his head. “No, I’m not,” he admitted.

“Then, I envy you.” His boss smiled. “Rhys, can you just keep whatever you witnessed today to yourself, please?”

“No problem, Peach.”

“Thanks, Rhys. I truly appreciate it,” Peach said.

Love is such a complicated emotion, Rhys thought, looking at her walking out of the men’s room.

*          *          *

“Coffee’s ready,” Ydith said, hobbling around Emily’s kitchen the next evening. She pointed at the coffeepot on the stove. “And, thank you for your willingness to talk about Jimmy.”

“You’re welcome, and thanks for the pizza,” Emily said, pointing at the box of pizza on the kitchen table. She took a seat opposite to Ydith.

“Well, you could have just told me earlier, you know. I would have brought some groceries, too.”

“Buy me groceries? You’re not my mom, Ydith. Filling my refrigerator isn’t your responsibility.”

 “Your mom?” Ydith faked an appalled look on her face. “How dare you? I know I’m not your mom, and I wouldn’t dream it.”

Emily smiled. “I promise you I’ll pay you back.”

“Nonsense, child.”

She grinned. “I’m serious.”

“And I’m serious too, Ems. You don’t have to pay me back. I mean, you wouldn’t want me to pay you back all the homework you did for me back in college, would you?”

Emily giggled. “Right.”

“Look, I’m your friend, okay? I wouldn’t mind buying you breakfast or dinner the same way you didn’t mind helping me get through to my two years in college,” Ydith said, taking the pot and pouring coffee into two mugs on the table. “How’s work?”

Emily started munching on her first slice of pizza. “Fine. How about you?”

“Busy as usual, but they moved me back to the clothing section, so it’s pretty chill for me.”

“Great.”

“Oh, hey, speaking of great, I saw a fine ass stud in the hallway on my way here.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Ydith grinned. “Of course, you do. He was tall, and his ass was tight, a well-defined jaw with a little bit of scruff lining it. He was hard to miss, and I saw him enter the door next to this place.” She then pointed on the wall. “He lives right there,” she whispered.

“Oh, you saw Rhys?”

“Well, if you don’t have any other guy in this building that fits the description I just told you, then yes.”

Emily narrowed her eyes at her friend. “He’s the only guy who lives next door. He helped me with my door the night that I moved in,” she informed her. “And I sort of owe him a few fruits and veggies.”

“And did he get your number? Are you friends with him on f*******:? And unlike you, does he have an i********: account?”

Emily shrugged. “I don’t know. And no, he didn’t get my number. Why should he?”

“Come on, Ems. You two are friends, aren’t you?”

“I don’t really know. I stay in my apartment, he stays in his. We only ever talked twice.”

Ydith rolled her eyes. “You’re such a loser.”

“I thought you came here because you wanted to talk about Jimmy,” Una reminded her, trying to change the topic.

“Yes! Right! So, he’s out again tonight. I tried to ask him where he was heading, and he told me he’d be out with his friends. I really think he’s just using his friends as a cover.” Ydith frowned. “I know he’s got his hands full, with his actual work and his music career he wants desperately to take off, but what about me? How about my needs?”

Emily took a sip of her coffee and asked, “Is that why you were easily distracted by Rhys? Because you’re having another situation with Jimmy?”

“No, not really. Your next-door neighbor is just really hot. Plain and simple. Any woman would notice him right away.  I know I did. I mean, come on, I had sudden dark thoughts with his unruly hair alone. No, I am not going to deny at all that I find him really attractive. I do love Jimmy’s long-slicked black hair, but your neighbor’s on a totally different level of hotness.”

“Ydith, Forget about Rhys. He’s just a distraction.” Emily sighed and looked at her. “Listen, I’m your friend, and I have seen you and Jimmy fought before. You had cheated on him before, and he had done the same thing, but those third parties never broke your relationship with each other. So, I’m guessing that what you guys are going through right now would also pass. Both of you will get through this. All you need to do is to talk it out and come up with a solution. Just fix your schedules, I guess.”

“Oh, Ems, I guess you’re right.”

“Maybe I am.”

“Can you at least...smile?” Ydith asked.

Emily looked up at her, briefly smiled, and took another sip of her coffee.

They continued to chat about Jimmy and Emily’s new work when they suddenly heard a knock on the door.

“What the―could it be him?” Ydith asked excitedly.

“I don’t know.”

Emily got up from his seat and walked over to the door and pulled it open.

“Good evening, Emily,” a smiling Rhys greeted her.

“Good evening.”

“I dropped by the store on my way home and brought something for Bunny. A bag of Timothy hay and a pack of baked apple treats.”

Emily eyed the plastic bag in his hand. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Why don’t you ask your kind neighbor to come on in, Ems?” she heard Ydith called out from the kitchen. “Does he like pizza?”

Rhys smiled. “You’re having a pizza party?” he playfully asked.

“No, not really. Just having pizza for dinner. Would you like to come inside? You can give those to Bunny herself. She loves having some visitors drop by.”

“Sure.”

Emily led him into her tiny living room. “There she is.” She pointed at a sleeping Bunny inside an indoor cage.

“Nice to finally meet you, Bunny,” Rhys smiled at Bunny, who quickly opened her eyes at the sound of his voice. “I brought something for you.” He placed the bag on the center table.

“She says thank you,” Emily said. Then they heard a cough in the background. She turned to see Ydith grinning in the small corner of her kitchen. “I-ah, that’s my friend over there, Ydith. Ydith, this is Rhys.”

Rhys walked over to Ydith and offered his hand for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, Ydith.”

“Have some slice,” Emily offered, filling in next to him.

Dressed in a white shirt under his leather jacket and dark jeans, Ydith looked at Rhys like he was an exquisite statue in the middle of a museum right in Emily’s kitchen

“Nice to meet you, too, Rhys. What a lovely name,” Ydith said, smiling from ear to ear, shaking his hand.

Emily looked at her, studying the expression on her face. “Ydith brought me dinner and to talk about her boyfriend.”

Ydith raised her eyebrows and then blinked. “Right! I do have a boyfriend…whom I highly suspect is with another woman right now.”

“You don’t know that,” Emily argued.

“Of course, I do.” Ydith insisted, then she turned to Rhys. “Do you have a girlfriend right now, Rhys?”

Taken aback by her unbridled question, Rhys just smiled her and then shook his head.

“Are you f*****g sure about that?”

Baffled by her reaction, he looked over to Emily.

“You have to forgive Ydith. She could really be tactless sometimes.”

Ydith furrowed her eyebrows. “What are you talking about?” She looked up at Rhys and grinned. “Why don’t you join us for dinner? We’re having pizza and coffee. Not really the best combination, but we’re coffee addicts. So…”

“Maybe some other time. I’m going out…meeting an old friend of mine,” Rhys politely declined

“Are you meeting Linda?” Emily suddenly asked.

Rhys looked at her, perplexed on why she thought he was going out to meet Linda? “No. Another friend of mine. From way, way back.”

“Cool.”

“See you around, and nice meeting you again, Ydith,” he said and left.

Ydith soon shrieked when she saw the maid door closed. “Have you touched his hand?”

“What?”

“It’s so f*****g firm and gentle at the same time. Hell, I’m having dark thoughts of him again.”

“You are gross, Ydith,” Emily said, taking her usual seat at the table.

Ydith looked at her in disbelief. “Geez! Don’t act prude, Ems. And besides, it’s totally acceptable to have dark thoughts over guys like that. It’s not gross at all. It’s human nature.”

“He’s utterly attractive, all right. But I think he’d really appreciate it if you’d keep your dark thoughts to yourself. And need I remind you that you are still in a relationship?”

“About that… why on earth did you have to tell him I came here to talk about my boyfriend?”

Emily shrugged. “Because it’s the truth.”

“You want him for yourself, am I right?” Ydith teased.

“No.”

“Of course you do! After your crazily intense relationship with your crazy-ass ex-boyfriend, you need a man to fill the void.”

“No, don’t. What I need is money and not another crazy-ass man. Bunny and I ain’t got no time for that.”

Ydith rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

*          *          *

Leaving his apartment building, Rhys was all smiles as he walked over to his car. It wasn’t really his fault that he and Emily had thin walls between them, and it wasn’t his fault at all that he heard some of what was spoken about him.

He drove into the night. He was going to see someone, but contrary to what he told Emily and her friend, he wasn’t meeting a friend. He was going to see someone from his past, but definitely not a friend.

When he reached Sanford, he rolled down the window and let the breeze flow into his car. The night was running late, but he was confident he would still find him that night. He trusted The Writer to be really damn good at finding his targets for him. The person behind the obituary was even smart enough to contact him and aid his cause through the local newspaper, leaving bread crumbs for his to decipher, concealing their dealings in plain sight.

As he continued to drive, Rhys’ mind wandered off to Emily. And his dream. From the bits of the conversation he heard between Emily and her friend, it was clear that his next-door neighbor was nothing like the woman in his dream. And he was glad for that fact as it could only mean he wouldn’t have to try hard enough to keep his distance.

But was buying Bunny some treats and making small talks with Emily keeping his distance?

Rhys sighed and shook the image of Emily that suddenly crept in his mind. No. He had to focus his mind on something more important now. Or someone, rather.

Randy Dahl.

He turned right at the next road then entered a dirt road. Looking around, he saw a mostly deserted field except for some houses off in the distance. A mile later, he finally saw the flashing neon sign.

The Old Fork.

Rhys pulled over somewhere far enough not to draw any attention toward him. He dug his hand in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a vial. Carefully, he took the cap off and quickly drunk the yellow liquid inside. Then suddenly, he growled.

Pain. That was all Rhys could feel in his body. An overwhelming and unbearable pain, very different from the kind of pain he felt whenever he let his wolf take-over. No. This particular pain wasn’t just physical, but emotional and mental too. And it wasn’t the first time he had felt this. He had to go through this whenever he had to mask his scent and hide the beast from being detected by the others like him.

His fingers gripped on the steering wheel; his breathing was labored, his wolf was fighting the drug, as it usually did every time he had to sedate it.

After a few minutes of struggles, he soon started to calm down. And as soon as he was ready, he climbed off his car and walked down the muddy road to The Old Fork bar, where Randy Dahl was a regular customer.