Chapter 5 – Coming Together
A two-week paid vacation was exactly what he needed. At first he wasn't sure what to do with his temporary freedom. He sat upon the bar stool in his kitchen with the white walls and white counter tops. With a beer in his hand, he stared out his patio's sliding glass door. There was a small concrete patio slab with enough space for a gas grill, which he did not have, and room for an outdoor table with two chairs; also not in his inventory.
It wasn't that he couldn't afford the items, he could. He could also afford a large, fully furnished house instead of the tiny apartment in which he did resided. He just had no use for them and he didn't have anyone to share them with. At one time he had hoped that a certain someone would want to share her life with him, but she just couldn't settle down and she didn't want the life of a PTA mother or the expectations of being needed. Ada was too good at what she was and too skilled for a normal life.
Leon sighed while his right hand reached for the cell phone in his chest pocket. It had been two years and it was time to reconnect with old friends from his past and Raccoon City. What better time than now and what better place than Florida for him to spend his forced vacation?
Leon left the Interstate and pulled his black Mustang up to a vacant gas pump. He glanced around quickly out of habit to survey his surroundings. The busy Georgia "Texaco" displayed vehicles from just about every state in the United States and a few from Canada. He stepped out of the car and swiped his credit card at the pump and began fueling. He looked across the highway and noticed the nation's largest retail conglomerate. He shook his head and wished that he could see a small strip of "Mom and Pop" stores instead. He was surprised as the pump handle jerked and shut off the flow of pungent gas.
Climbing back into the sleek hot rod, he reached for his cell phone as he started the engine. He headed back toward I-75 and the steady flow of tourist traffic.
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A shrill ringing sound brought Chris into his kitchen and he emitted a string of curse words as he stumbled over a stool that his girlfriend had left in the way.
"Hello?" He tried to mask his displeasure from the person on the other end of the call.
"Hey, asshole. I'm about two hours from the Florida state line. That should put me at your place around 5 tonight, right?"
"Jesus, Leon," came Chris' bewildered voice, "Why don't you fly like everyone else? I could have easily picked you up in Tampa."
"I like to travel with my music turned up loud. Besides, this way you won't be able to throw some terrible party or have a house full of hookers."
Laughter burst forth from Chris and he replied, "You schmuck. Yeah, I'll see you around 5'ish. Later…"
Chris replaced the receiver and began loading the dishwasher, "Heather, why haven't you cleaned up this kitchen? Why do you think I keep you around?"
A tall, slender woman leaned against the doorframe connecting the kitchen and the sitting room. She gently pulled her camisole strap off her shoulder and licked her lips seductively, without saying a word.
Chris laughed and pointed the sink's spray hose in her direction as a warning. The young woman named Heather squealed and ran to another part of the house, untouched.
