Chain Letter Omnibus by Christopher Pike

Author:Christopher Pike [Pike, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781442472167
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Epilogue

It was a fine day to move into a new house. Although the sun was warm, the afternoon continued to savor the morning’s freshness, the last traces of dew sparkling on the recently planted lawns, cool air pockets clinging to the shade and fanning Alison on each of her brief and repetitious treks from the moving van to the front door. As Mr. Hague, her new neighbor, had said, “It’s the kind of day Adam and Eve probably used to enjoy.”

Tony had reappeared this morning, looking fit and at ease, and she had been relieved. He was presently helping Mr. Hague, a jolly middle-aged man with a huge pumpkin head and an ingratiating laugh, maneuver an overstuffed refrigerator through a dieting front door. Tony had already helped Mr. Hague with three quarters of the house. In fact, had he not lent a hand, Alison figured her new neighbor probably would have had trouble unloading the drawers and cushions—which was OK, Mr. Hague was a most appreciative gentleman. She was looking forward to meeting his family.

“Can I help?” she asked, holding a box of books, standing on the walkway in shorts, the sun a sensual delight on the back of her bare legs, enjoying how Tony’s muscles strained and bulged through his sweat-soaked green T-shirt—he was such a hunk.

“No,” Tony breathed, positioning his body against the overloaded dolly for a burst of effort. “Ready, Mr. Hague?”

“What should I be doing?” Mr. Hague called back, hidden inside the house behind the bulk of the icebox. Tony looked at her and winked.

“Just step back,” he said, and flexing his biceps and using a bit of he-man magic, the refrigerator did a tiny hop and rolled into the entrance hall from where he was able to easily wheel it into the kitchen. She followed on his heels, depositing her burden on the couch they had earlier squeezed through the window. Tony unstrapped the dolly belt and walked the appliance into the proper corner while Mr. Hague stood idly nearby, shaking his head in awe.

“I’d like to say when I was your age,” Mr. Hague remarked, “I could have done that. But I was more of a wimp then than I am now.” He laughed and picked up the loose electrical cord. “But I suppose I can manage to plug this in.” He accomplished the simple task and reached for his wallet. “Let me give you a little something for saving me a couple of hernia operations.”

“You spared me my afternoon workout,” Tony said. “Let’s call it even.”

“Come, I insist, a few dollars.” Mr. Hague pulled out two twenties. “You can take Alison to dinner.”

She smiled. “But I’m on a diet.”

“How about when I have to move,” Tony said. “I get to call you?”

Mr. Hague scratched his big head, thought about that for a moment, and decided that that sounded fair. The heavy articles were all unloaded, and the three of them shared a pitcher of lemonade before Mr. Hague walked them to the door. Standing half inside, half outside, Alison glanced at the stucco ceiling.

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