Play Along

I screw up my face. “Oh, because you have never lied to me… Mr. Mac.” I sneer sarcastically.

He rolls his eyes. “If I am Mr. Mac, then you are Mrs. Mac. In fact,” he whispers. “You are the Mac Daddy of all Macs.”

I smirk. He’s got me there. I have told some porkies in my life.

He finally gets the sock undone and fiddles around before he takes them out of the sock and lays them out in the bottom of the locker.

“Holy fuck,” he whispers in amazement.

I smile proudly. “I did good?” I know I did, but I just want to hear him say it out loud.

He kisses me quickly on the lips. “You did great, babe.”

He points to the five smallest and I nod as he picks them up. I put my purse into the locker and he loads them into the change compartment.

I smile broadly and his hand drops to my hipbone before he kisses me again, his lips lingering over mine. “We should celebrate tonight.”

“What do you want to do?” I smile.

He shrugs. “Find a bar where they play that hippy song you love so much.”

I smile goofily at him as hope blooms in my chest. Another date. This is the first time that I can remember being truly happy. He knows my story, my fucked up story, and yet he likes me anyway. Nobody has ever known my truth about my life on the run and the shame I feel for having such an evil, fucked up father. Stace and I laugh, we have fun, and I have never had this sense of belonging before. It seemed to happen to everyone around me, but I always thought it was out of my reach. I want to talk to him, I want to tease him, and God I want to fuck him stupid.

But mostly, I just want to call him mine.

He loads the diamonds back into the sock, reties it, and then locks the locker. We gently kiss again and walk back out to the reception hand in hand. I pause and my eyes flicker over to the cranky receptionist. “Just a sec.” I drag him over to the desk. “Excuse me,” I call.

She looks up as if I am annoying her. This chick is so lazy. Do your job, stupid.

“Yes,” she replies flatly.

“I would like to add my husband to the safety deposit box, please.” My eyes flicker between Stace and her.

Stace frowns and he shakes his head subtly.

“Do you want him to have full access or just to be a double signatory?”

“Full access, please,” I state.

She raises her eyebrows as if surprised and then she stands. “You will have to sign some release documents granting permission. I’ll go and get them.” She gestures to the other office and pauses for a moment. “We normally have another girl, but she is off work today. Oh, and I will need your license and identification again, please.”

“Okay.” I nod as I take out my purse.

“I don’t need access,” Stace whispers as he takes my hand.

“Yes, you do.” I pause as I try to think of the right wording. “We both know that my days are numbered.”

His face falls. “They are not. Don’t say that.”

I reach up and cup his face. “He will get me. One day he will get me. I already know my fate. So in that instance, I want you to have the diamonds.”

“I won’t let that happen.”

I smile as a sinking feeling of dread fills the pit of my stomach. I have tried my hardest to not let the past week worry me, but the feeling of pre-empted horror awaiting me is overwhelming. “I will be ready for him when he comes.” I pause. “I’m going to give it my best shot.” I shrug. “You never know. Stranger things have happened, right?”

Stace watches me as a frown crosses his face. “How long have you lived like this?”

“Like what?”