Kates' friends Part 2

Kate wandered to and fro, the shopping bags pulling at her hands. She was watching the police cars at her building. It was the middle of the afternoon, what could they be doing there?

“So d’you think it’s them?”

Kate jumped. “Geeze woman don’t creep up on me like that.”

“Well do you?” She persisited.

She wasn’t sure, it could just be routine canvassing because someone had been broken into but equally it could be trouble, with a capital T. “I don’t know. They’ve been very quiet for a long while.”

“Yeah well you know what they say, when things are very quiet?” the woman raised her eyebrows.

She sighed. “Yeah,” she knew exactly what was possible and that was exactly what she wanted to avoid. Maybe she’d go for a walk and come back later. She stared at the cars, just a small panda, it could have the local plod possibly even just specials, but definitely not the armed response unit that at least was sure but still two cars it was a bit suspicious. It could still be them. She turned around and started walking away from home.

“Arrr wise move, don’t get involved.”

She rolled her eyes, couldn’t she just leave her alone. She looked at her watch, it was three o’clock; not a bad time to go for a walk and she could do with some exercise, okay so she’s already had a run today and she did have her shopping, but it would be nice to get some fresh air.

“So where’you off too?”

“Just around.” Now she was being rude this was no good. All she wanted was to be left alone, was that too much to ask.

Andrea fell in step beside her. “I can do that.”

She stopped mid stride, looked at her and then shrugged. “Sure, why not, but I’m not feeling very chatty right now Andrea. You might be as well carrying on with what you were doing.”

Andrea shrugged. “Wasn’t doing anything. So where too?”

No well you wouldn’t be would you. Please could you just leave me alone I could really do with this? She started walking again.

“So do you think it was them?”

“I’ve no idea.”

“But you’re not going to find out so you must suspect something.”

“No Andrea, I just don’t want the hassle. They have no idea where I live so it’s very unlikely to be them. I just can’t be bothered talking to the police right now.”

A few more steps. “Well what else could it be. They’re always trouble...”

“Yes well, they don’t know where I live so...” She hutched the bags in her hands.

“Well they could have found out. They did last time didn’t they? Came looking for you, caused all sorts of trouble.”

Kate sighed mainly because Andrea was right, in fact Andrea was invariably right when it came to them but it would be nice if occasionally she would just not say what she was thinking.

The fact was that her past more or specifically two people from it, had come looking for her repeatedly and they had indeed caused lots of trouble for her when they’d found her, but that was two moves ago and she hadn’t seen hide nor hare for them since then. So no it was not them, it couldn’t be them and that was that. So why was she walking, head down, and shoulders slumped trying to blend into the cracks in the opposite direction and hoping to God that none of her neighbours would spot her.

Yes well that was the question? She fingered her right eyebrow or rather more specifically the fine 3 inch scar that ran right next to it. Fear that was why she was leaving, pure and simple. A deep seated, I want to throw up and run for it fear, a I’ll kill anyone who tries to stop me fear, and it was her fear that made her walk, less obvious than running. No the police anywhere near her home was a bad sign and she wanted no part of it. Okay, so maybe she was getting a bit carried away but better safe than sorry. Life was good right now and there was no reason for it to be anything other than normal for the police to be there. It was just routine. Yet still her blood was pumping hard, her stride purposeful and her hands were shaking. She looked up for just a second to ascertain where she was and then head down she walked on. It didn’t take long before she was in the park, she could slow down now, she was far enough away, they couldn’t see her here, except that she couldn’t slow down.

“You don’t seem very calm for someone who’s sure it isn’t trouble?”

No really. Kate stopped. “Of course I’m not calm. There’s police outside my home and I have no idea why? I find that scary given the dealings I’ve had with them in the past.” She cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah you might remember some of them. None too pleasant were they?”

“Hey, not my fault. I’m just saying...if you think it’s all good why are you walking so fast?”

No it wasn’t her fault, but she didn’t help. Andrea had always wound her up, got her thinking all confused and made her feel scared, or more precisely that she should be scared of something, of what she’d never really worked out, but usually when Andrea was around she just felt scared of everything and everyone. Not good if you have the police breathing down your neck. You never really look innocent. “I just don’t like it, okay. I don’t want to be asked any questions and if I’m not there then they can’t and it’s all good. So give me a break okay?”

“Okay, keep your shirt on.”

Yes keeping the shirt on would be good in the middle of the park when you’re trying to keep a low profile. She kept walking, left, right, left, right. Owww, bugger my shoe. She dropped her shopping and hopped a few times. She looked around saw a bench, picked up her shopping and hobbled over and sat down. She took her shoe off trying to find the offending stone that had gone straight through the sole and then she was crying.

“Hey...”

“I can’t do this Andy, I just can’t.” Still holding her shoe she cried into her hands. “I just want to feel safe.”

“Hey I know”

Kate looked at her. No you don’t know, you really don’t “I just want to go home and to be safe.” She put her head down as the tears tumbled from her eyes. She let them flow. When they started to slow she began to think about what she was going to do: she couldn’t stay here.

Right so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to go home and its’ going to be safe, because I’m going to make damn sure it is. She jammed her shoe back on, picked her shopping up and started walking. Seconds later she turned around and went in the opposite direction. One more lap of the park and then home.