My Christmas Stalker (3 page)

      “Come on, my goofy friend,” Whitley said with a grin. They linked arms and set off at a brisk pace to the subway.

       Their apartment was ten blocks away. They caught the subway just as it pulled into the station. Whitley clung to Nora. The walk from the store to home, especially the part of riding the subway, made Whitley nervous.

       They got off on their street and climbed up the stairs back out into the darkening sky. They walked halfway down the street, stopping to pick up a loaf of French bread and a bundle of salad greens at a local grocery store and then on to their apartment building. Nora slid her electronic key in the slot and the door click open. They lived on the third floor of the Sunrise Apartment Complex in apartment number 122. They shared it with two other girls they had met at the singles ward of Whitley’s church.

    Nora unlocked the door and they sighed as they flopped onto their floral fluffy sofa. Groceries and all.

    “What time do you think it will arrive?” Nora asked in a hushed voice. Whitley frowned.

     “Maybe they won’t really send us anything. Maybe it was all just a joke on us delivery girls.”

     “Oh, no! Don’t burst my bubble!” Nora sat up. “You are Miss Negative Nilly! The man said there was a gift, there will be a gift!” Nora’s hair bobbed up and down as she moved with frustrated movements. She went into the kitchen to put away the groceries and then she turned down the short hall to her room. “Call me when it gets here!” She shut the door.

     Whitley sat on the couch. She slipped off her shoes and stayed in her frumpy position. She couldn’t help it! She saw things realistically. She
never
won things! It was just not in the cards for her to have that kind of luck. She didn’t believe in fate or destiny or kismet or …whatever fantasy thinking others dwelled on. Oh, she had faith in things: in God in his heaven, that the sun would rise each morning and that bills came in the mail without fail each month! She lived in reality!

     Whitley rubbed her forehead. She was too stressed lately. Having surprises heaped on her was stressful in its own way. She had other things on her mind. She had rent to pay, doctor bills to cover from her strep throat last month, and she needed to put money into her savings. She still needed to decide if she was going home for Christmas or not. On top of it, Shawn Paterson was pressing for more than just friendship.

     It wasn’t that she didn’t like Shawn. He was nice enough, a little boring, especially when he talked about his work—a podiatrist! Who wants to talk about other people’s feet? Plus, she just didn’t get that
feeling
she just knew should come when she met the person she would marry.

     It was hard to explain. If she was supposed to marry Shawn she should know it! She was sure that she should feel differently toward someone that she would spend her Eternity with. His kiss was nice, but didn’t make her bones melt or her heart flutter. She had never been in love before, but she just knew it should be… super—awesome—wonderful! And she didn’t feel that way about Shawn.

    Whitley pulled herself off of the couch and collected her shoes. She moved down the hall into her room. They were lucky. The apartment was small, but had four separate bedrooms. Having your own space to retreat to was important in an apartment of young adult women!

     When it was five till seven Whitley knocked on Nora’s door. “Nora?”

     “Is the gift here?” Whitley rolled her eyes.

     “No! Look, I’m sorry for being such a fuddy-duddy.” Whitley apologized.

     “I won’t come out until it’s here!” Nora called from the other side of the door.

      Whitley shook her head and headed back out to the living room. The door knob shook, and then Britney and Karla entered. The two girls had been pretty good roommates. They all got along fairly well. Whitley and Nora didn’t have much in common with the two other girls, but once a month they got together for a rented movie, pizza and chocolate ice cream shakes.

     “Hey, guys!” Whitley headed to the kitchen. She would make herself a peanut butter sandwich—no jelly.

      “Hi!” Britney answered. Karla turned and fled to her room. “Don’t mind her. Darrin Brockman just canceled their date to the Christmas Ball. She just bought her dress yesterday, on sale, and they won’t take it back.” Britney and Whitley grimaced at the same time.

     “That’s harsh! I’m so sorry!” Whitley truly was sorry for the girl. Karla was a bit over weight and had self-esteem problems already. This was going to really give her a kick where it hurts.

     “Whitley?” Britney whispered her name. “Have you bought your dress yet?” Whitley shook her head no. “Do you think maybe…could you buy Karla’s dress from her?”

    Whitley was a little surprised at the request. She looked down at her body. Then back at Britney. “I don’t think it would fit. Or I would be glad to help her out.” Britney frowned.

     “You’re right, sorry I even suggested it.” She turned and headed to her room just as the doorbell rang.

     “Doorbell!” Whitley’s heart leaped as her eyes swung to the clock. 7:00! She hurried to the door and looked into the peek hole. She could see a distorted man with two boxes under his arm. Whitley stepped back and her arms started flapping as she ran in place. She slapped her hands over her mouth even though she hadn’t made a sound. The bell chimed again.

     “Okay! Just breathe!” she said to herself. She pushed the chain in place. And then unlocked the doorknob. The door opened as wide as the chain would allow.

     “Yes?” She spoke between the small opening between the wall and the door.

    The nice looking young man on the other side of the door leaned forward to speak into the door crack. “I have a delivery for Nora Wolf and Whitley Spencer from Bella Noche`.”

     “Yes, of course. You can leave it at the door.” The man’s eyes widened. His eyebrows creased.

     “I need someone to sign for it?” His voice sounded uncertain.

     “Okay, slide it through the opening.”

     “Ah, I have explicit instructions to deliver these packages into the hands of the winners of Bella Noche`’s door prize.”

     Whitley stuck her arm through the door. “Okay.”

     “And which one are you?” the man asked his voice held a bit of frustration.

     “I’m Whitley.” she said with her hand hanging out the space between the door and doorframe.

      “Miss, do you think…you could open the door? I promise I am not some creeper trying to get at you.”  Whitley closed the door. Her cheeks were flaming red.

      A soft knocking sounded on the door. The delivery man’s voice was muffled as he spoke through the closed door. “Miss Spencer? Maybe Nora…er Miss Wolf would feel more comfortable answering the door?”

      “Just a second!” She called as she raced down the hall. “Nora!” Her flat hand pounded on the door. “It’s here! The prize is here!”

    The door flew open and Nora raced passed her out to the living room. The excited young woman stood looking around.

    “Where? Where is it?” Her hands were spread out, her eyes wide with confusion.

    “In the hallway!” Whitley staged whispered. Nora turned to look at the door.

    “Why is it out there?” She hurried towards the door. “Someone might steal it!”

    “Wait!” Whitley put out her hand. “There…is a deliveryman there, too!”

    “Oh, Whitley!” Nora puffed out an irritated breath.

     Whitley’s nervous reaction to living in New York City sometimes made her cranky. She had a fear of being attacked by the low life’s or some homeless person. Nora tried to reassure her, but it didn’t do much good. She was still paranoid and jumped at her own shadow half the time.

      Nora released the chain. Jeff Carlisle stood waiting with a smile on his face.

     “Miss Wolf?” Jeff asked. Nora struck a pose on the door.

     “Well, hello there, Mr. Deliveryman!” She smiled back at him. “You will have to excuse my friend. She gets a little nervous around strangers.”

     “Understandable.” He nodded his head in understanding. “New York can be a scary place.” He stared at the cute dark headed girl. She smiled and raised her eyebrows.

     “I understand you have a gift for me?” she asked, looking at the large boxes with a sparkle in her eye.

     “Uh, oh yeah!” He held up the clipboard. “First, I need to update your information for store records. We seem to be lacking Miss Spencer’s phone number. Is it the same as the one listed for you or does she have a cell phone perhaps?”

     “Oh, yeah sure. It is 555-2—”

      “No! Nora, don’t!” Whitley rushed to the door. “I’m sorry. I don’t like to give my number out to…strangers.”

     “Well, it is for store use only.” Jeff felt his cheeks reddened at the lie he was telling.

     “I’m sorry, but I’m not really a customer of the store and I probably won’t ever buy anything there,” Whitley stated quietly.

    “Well, my boss would really like me to get this information.” There. That wasn’t a lie. The warmth in his face cooled down a bit.

     “Well, if you have to have it…then…just take the gift back. I can’t let you have it.” Whitley stood with her arms crossed.

     “Whitley!” Nora hissed in a low tone. “Let the man do his job!”

      “That’s all right. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.” Jeff spoke up.  He handed the box to Whitley. “There you go, Miss Spencer.” Then he turned to Nora with a charming smile.

     “But you know, if you don’t mind, I have a few more questions before I deliver your package.”

     Nora smiled and wiggled her nose. “Oh, ask away. I don’t mind.” She leaned on the door frame with her arms crossed.

     Jeff stepped forward and gave her a tilted grin. “Would you mind if I used your personal info to call you sometime? I mean, if I am lucky enough that you are unattached, of course?” Nora smiled and winked at the handsome delivery guy. Whitley gasped in the background.

  “No way!” she whispered urgently to Nora.

  “Well, now, I don’t know? What credentials do you come with?” Nora eyed the guy from head to toe.

   “Well, I am the head of security at Bella Noche`. I am very trustworthy.” He grinned, leaning on the opposite door frame.

   “Hmmmm, need more information.”

     “I am an Eagle scout.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “My mama said I was her best kid?” Nora shook her head slowly. “I am active in my church.” She quirked her eyebrow.

      “Better.” Nora pursed her lips as she nodded.

   “I served an honorable mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Spain.” Her eyes widened.

   “You’re a returned missionary?” She looked a bit disappointed. “Well, Whitley will be so glad to hear that. Did you hear that, Whit?” She called over her shoulder. “He belongs to your church and he was one of those missionaries your church is so proud of!”

     “What was that?” Whitley came back to the door with a question in her eyes.

     “He says he belongs to your church and he served his mission, where was it?” Her eyes widened in question. She waited for his response.
     “Spain.” Jeff supplied.

      Whitley’s face relaxed. “Oh, yeah?”

      A bit of disappointment drilled into his stomach. Then his eyes relit.

    “So, have you two been friends long?” he asked.

      “Two years, five weeks, three days and…”she checked her watched. “Two hours and forty minutes!” Nora laughed. “The best thing that ever happened to me was meeting Whitley.”

     “Yeah, we are besties!” Whitley smiled as Nora put an arm around her. Jeff grinned.

     “A good friend is a great thing.” His mind was whirling. “So, Whitley, you planning on going to the YSA Christmas Ball?” Did he just see Nora’s shoulders droop?  He grinned at Whitley, but his senses were intune to Nora’s body language.

     “Yes, I have a date, so I’ll be going,” her soft voice answered. He glanced at Nora, who stood with her lip between her teeth.

    “You ever bring your friend here, to the activities?” He winked at Nora and he watched her inflate again. Her smile spread across her face.

    “Yeah, she drags me along to a lot of her church’s functions. They are pretty fun most of the time.” She tried to shrug nonchalantly. He took a deep breath and took the plunge.

     “Miss Wolf, I know we just met and all…but by any chance…would you be free to go with me to the Christmas Ball?” he asked with a nervous little boy look on his face.

     “Well…I…” Whitley jabbed Nora’s ribs. She gave her a sharp look. “I don’t even know your name!” Jeff stood up straight and stuck out his hand.

    “I’m Jeff Carlisle.” She slowly took his hand and he held on to it. “So, what do you say?” His charming smile played over his face. She glanced at Whitley whose eyes were twitching as she tried to signal her friend. She glanced between the two people. One with his face full of hope and her friend with her face all contorted.

    “Y…yes?” Nora’s voice quivered a little bit with excitement, her face breaking into a big grin. A rush of air left Whitley and her face was pinched. Jeff Carlisle’s face, however, looked like he had just received a Christmas present he had been hoping for!

     “Well, that is cool!” Jeff said smiling at her. Nora bobbed up and down at her knees.

     “You don’t mind that…I don’t belong to your church?” she asked nervously. Jeff squeezed her fingers that he still held in his. She pulled them away, embarrassed she had left them in his warm clasp.

     “Not one bit.” He leaned forward. “Besides, maybe I can teach you about the church and you might just join the church and then marry me.” He laughed at his own words—half joking, half hoping.

    
“He was joking right?”
Nora wondered.

     “Here you go, I almost forgot.” He held out the package. “For you.” He stepped away. “I will call you…later. Okay?”

     “Yeah. Sure!” Nora said, her stomach fluttered with the excitement of seeing the handsome delivery man again.

     “Maybe we can get together on a pre-dance date, if that’s okay?”