Fear and Loathing in Baltimore COMPLETE

The first thing that struck Wade was the smell of the old house. He hadn’t been there in years but the place still smelled of dust and moth balls. Once upon a time it had been a comforting smell, one that meant happiness and Allison. But now it was just depressing and he wondered how long they would have to stay. The two of them walked into the house quietly, as if afraid to wake the dead. Most of the furniture he had remembered was gone and the few large objects that were sitting around were covered by enormous white sheets. The whole house appeared to have died with Mrs. Vernan-Williams, as if no one was proper enough to live there following her death.

“Grandmother left me the house but I’m insisting that her lawyers sell it. I couldn’t imagine living here without her.” Allison glanced around the room as she spoke. Wade noticed that she seemed different in this house. Less sure of herself and a bit uncomfortable in her own skin. he wondered if it was the house or the light blue suit she wore. Both appeared to make her uneasy.

“Is the lawyer supposed to meet you here?” Wade was uncomfortable as well. He could imagine Allison’s grandmother glaring at him as he escorted her granddaughter into the enormous house. She had tried to accept him but never could bring herself to fully welcome Wade Walker into her family, no matter how polite and decent he tried to be. Now he felt like a trespasser in her home and wanted nothing more than to get out.

“He’s supposed to,” Allison answered, glancing at her watch. “I guess he’s running a little late. I’ve never met him before. The firm said he was new. I guess he’s just not that punctual.” She turned to Wade and saw him shift his weight back and forth on his feet. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his black wool jacket and he seemed uncertain as to where he should stand. She couldn’t help but remember the first time he had stepped up to her home. He was so sure of himself. So arrogant and pushy and it had excited her. Now, they were both out of their element and felt no need to hide it. She walked over to him and put her arms around his waist. “I’m glad you came with me today. It’s somehow easier with you here.”

He smiled and gently kissed her. She knew exactly what to say and he felt his muscles relax.

“Hello Allison. Long time no see.”

The voice startled them both and they turned to see the lean figure standing in the doorway leading to office. Wade felt his anxiety double as Allison straightened out her suit before speaking.

“Hello Baldwin.”

He sauntered up to them, moving like liquid. Wade wondered how it was possible for him to look so comfortable, so at ease, in this home. But he was relaxed and confident, two words that had escaped Wade in that instant.

“It’s been so long, Allison. I must say you look lovely.” His teeth were painfully white as a smile stretched across his face. He had aged well. Still long and lean, he now had a presence about him that exuded nonchalance. Wade watched as he gracefully extended his hand to Allison, retaining that distinguished presence Wade had never seen before. The last time he had seem him, Baldwin had been an awkward and prudish teenager who had made an art-form out of false pretenses.

Allison smiled back as she shook his hand. Wade could tell it wasn’t her regular smile. There was something strained there. “Thank you. You look well Baldwin. What a surprise to see you here.” Her words were a jumble as she tried to come over the shock of seeing him. Baldwin Van Tussle was the last person she expected in this home.

Baldwin grinned like a politician before taking a sideways glance at Wade. His eyebrows rose before slowly falling into a furrow as Wade’s presence registered in his mind. “My my, if it isn’t Wade Walker, of all people? Or is it still Cry-Baby?” He snorted obnoxiously and Wade felt a sudden urge to break his jaw.

“No, it’s Wade now,” he said with a stern nod. His plan now was to remain silent until Allison finished whatever business she had here.

“Hmm, finally realized how ridiculous that sounded, huh?” His grin exuded a phony charm and Allison could see the tensions rising between both men. “I must say I’m a bit surprised to see the two of you together, after all this time.”

“We just ran into each other yesterday,” Allison answered quickly, not quite sure why she felt the need to explain herself to Baldwin. Perhaps it was just being in her grandmother’s house. “I bumped into him at the…where he works.” If Baldwin didn’t know where Wade worked, she certainly wasn’t going to add fuel to the fire and let him know Wade worked at a gas station. As it stood, it was a fruitless attempt.

“Ah, yes, I heard you were working over at Al’s Gas and Muffler,” he said, lifting his chin. “You’re really setting the world on fire, aren’t you?”

Wade took a step forward, not sure whether to attack with words or fists, when he felt Allison’s small, warm hand on his thigh. It was enough to hold him back and he stood behind her, keeping his eyes to the floor.

“Baldwin, can you tell me what you’re doing here?” Allison asked, letting him hear the irritation in her voice.

Baldwin finally took his eyes off Wade and looked at her with the same fake smile. “Why, I’m your grandmother’s new lawyer, of course.”

“What? You couldn’t possibly…”

“You’re grandmother and I formed quite a kinship her last few weeks. I visited her often and after some time she asked me if I would handle her final wishes for her.”

“She put you in charge of her will?” Allison was confused. Her grandmother had formed a strong disliking towards Baldwin and it was a shock to hear that in her last days he was the one she had come to trust.

“Yes, and I was honored to accept her offer. It was quite generous.”

Now things were clear. “She wrote you into her will, didn’t she?”

The corner of his mouth turned up and Allison felt a sickness rise in her stomach. “Like I said, the offer was generous.”

Wade could see Allison’s body stiffen under her suit. Her hands formed two small fists and for a moment he was certain she was going to hit Baldwin. Her jaw was tight and her voice deeper as she addressed him. “I was told there were some papers I needed to sign. Can we just take care of that so we can leave?” Baldwin’s shoulders seemed to shrink a bit at she said “we” and that made Wade feel better.

“Of course, I have the papers in the office,” he said, holding out his arm. She walked towards the door with Wade following behind her. Wade took two steps before Baldwin placed his hand on Wade’s chest, stopping him. Wade looked down at the hot hand pressing against his white t-shirt, sending a shot of fire through him. If Baldwin didn’t move it fast, he was going to lose it, he thought.

“Sorry Walker, this is confidential business. Only next of kin. I’m afraid you’ll have to cool your heels out here.”

Allison looked at Wade and smiled warmly. “I’ll be right out.” And hee watched as the two of them walked into the room, Baldwin throwing him a cool look before slamming the door.

*********************************
This is taking to long, Wade thought as he sat on an armchair covered by an enormous white sheet. It truth, Wade had no idea how long he’d been sitting out there. Without a watch or a clock in the room, it would have been 20 minutes or three hours. All he knew was that it couldn’t possibly take that long to sign a couple of fucking papers. Something was going on in that office and it was making him feel uneasy.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Allison. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He trusted her implicitly with his heart and soul. It was Baldwin he didn’t trust. He never had. And he couldn’t help but conjure up horrifying scenarios of what might be occurring behind that closed door.

Wade swore to himself he wouldn’t make a scene. Those days were long gone. He now knew what the consequences would be of picking a fight with Baldwin and he wasn’t about to waste anymore time behind bars. That was for certain. So he chose to tap his leg, bounce his knee, play a drum rhythm on his chest. Anything to keep him from running through that door and grabbing Allison.

But as the minutes passed on he was convinced there was something wrong. After the anger he had seen in Allison’s eyes, Wade felt certain she wouldn’t have wanted to spend more than ten seconds in Baldwin’s company. Something or someone was keeping her in that room against her will and Wade couldn’t bear it anymore. He stood up, paced for a moment before making a direct line for the door to the office.

As he stood outside the thick, soundproof door, he could hear the muffled voices on the other side. No sound could get through this, he thought. If I can hear them, someone must be yelling. Without a second thought, Wade pushed the door open and came to see what he least expected.

Baldwin was slumped over the desk, doubled over, his arms hugging his stomach. Allison stood at the other side of the room, her fist in the air like a smoking gun. Wade couldn’t believe it. Allison had beaten him to the punch. Literally.

“You ever come near me again Baldwin I’ll…”she was so flustered she couldn’t get the rest of her threat out. She noticed Wade standing in the doorway and finally lowered her fist. “Your papers are signed. Wade and I are out of here.” She brushed past Wade as she walked out the door, not looking back at either of them. Wade turned to follow her, his pulse racing when he heard Baldwin grunt something behind him.

“You know Walker, I don’t know what it is she sees in you. You’re a loser. You always have been and loser and you’ll always be one.”

He looked so pathetic keeled over, still gripping his wounded belly that Wade wondered if it was even worth it.

“I’m a loser, huh?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” he snarled back.

Wade smirked. “Well, if I’m a loser, how come I got the girl?” He didn’t let Baldwin answer. He walked out of the office feeling stronger than he ever had in his life.