Outside the light dimmed a bit when a sudden clanging jerked her awake. Disoriented from the sudden noise and the strong medication, she sat still, willing her mind to focus on what was happening. Only her thumb twitched nervously. As the minutes ticked by she began to relax, “just a dream,” she muttered, but the words barely escaped her lips when the clanging repeated. That sounds like the blasted doorbell but who would dare? She struggle to her feet, clutching the end of the sofa until her vision solidified enough to shuffle across the floor. Painstakingly, her arthritic joints protesting, she unlatched both deadbolts, the knob lock, but left the security chain in place. Opening the door she squinted in the gathering twilight.
“Hi,” a voice about waist level said. “My name is Dafydd. Like David but the Welsh way because my mom thought it was cool. What’s your name?”
“Go away.”
“That’s an odd name but ok. Ms Away, would you like some cookies?”
“No, brat. I didn’t say that was my name I told YOU to GO AWAY. So beat it. Where’s those idiot parents of yours anyway? I’d give them a piece of my mind for letting their son disturb an old woman.”
“Oh, sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean to disturb. I just wanted to share my cookies. I kind of don’t have a mom and dad, I mean, they’re dead. Long time ago. But my foster parents are super cool and Mama--that’s what I call my foster mom--helped me back cookies for people in the neighborhood and so I thought I’d bring you some even though she said you probably didn’t want any because everybody knows you don’t like people but I thought you don’t have to like people just cookies and so would you like some?”
She took a deep breath. “Um...”
“I knew it!” David said, “You do like cookies! They’re peanut butter chocolate chip, my favorite. I’ll just put them here on the table.”
And before she could respond he had brushed past her and walked toward the kitchen table keeping up a running monologue. How many years had it been since anyone had stepped into the house? She couldn’t remember but she felt her heart racing and that old sense of losing control coming back.
“It’s kind of dark in here, you should let in the setting sun. It’s super nice tonight, the breezes would help clean up the air. Do you keep it closed all the time? Kind of seems like it. Hey, are you like Miss Havisham? We just read that book in school and I thought of you because no one ever talks to you and you keep yourself shut up. But Mama said you were married once so I guess that’s not the same. But hey, I could be like Pip. Would you like me to come and visit every week? I have time because school is pretty easy and there aren’t too many kids that live in this neighborhood.”
Dafydd paused here and looked at her. He waited. She gripped the edge of the couch and said, “I don’t, I, I don’t, I mean I think, I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“Why?”
How much is contained in a single word? All the whys came flooding back, all the reasons for shutting herself off, all the people who had failed her, and more deeply the people she had failed.
“Because I’m a bitter dying old woman, kid, and you wouldn’t want to be around me.”
“It’s still Dafydd and everyone needs a friend. Please?”
She glared at him. Opening her mouth to say “No” she heard herself say, “Well, if you want maybe you could come around. Just once a week.”
“Great! Since you are getting old I can help out too. I like to help out!”
“Kid, I don’t need your help.”
“Well, maybe you don’t but your lawn does. I’ll bring the lawnmower next time and afterwards you can tell me some stories. Okeydoke, see you then!”
And without another word he was gone. She sat down, her breath coming in gasps, as if she’d just run a marathon. Before she could gather her thoughts the door opened and Dafydd’s head poked through.
“You never told me your name. What should I call you?”
“Ford. Ms. Ford.”
“Great. See you next Wednesday,” and the door shut again.
