Page 74 of Property of Anchor

Pearl

Friday afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows of the haunted house.The job was done.Finished.Every wall had been transformed.Every detail of the grotesque and beautiful nightmare Anchor’s club wanted was now complete.

And now, we were packing it all up.

“Careful with that can, Jake,” I called, watching him lug a five-gallon tub toward the front door.“If you spill anything on the blood room floor, I will make you repaint it by yourself.”

“I’m never stepping foot in this place again,” he grunted.“I keep waking up thinking Bernice is standing at the foot of my bed whispering ‘Death comes for us all.’”

“She only said that once,” I laughed.

Jake shot me a look.“Yeah, and that was enough.”

Molly and Brian were already stacking rollers and brushes into plastic bins.Anchor stood nearby with his arms crossed over his chest, his presence like a furnace behind me.He hadn’t left my side all day.

“You good with everything?”I asked, glancing up at him.

“I’m just waiting for the part where you tell me it’s done so I can throw some money at your crew and keep you to myself.”

I smirked.“Almost there, Prez.Give me five.”

He did better than that, he stepped in and helped haul two bins out to the porch.I heard him cracking jokes with Brian, and by the time I got out there, he was handing each of them a crisp hundred-dollar bill.

“No way,” Brian said, holding it up to the light like it might disappear.

“Way,” Anchor said.“Appreciate you all helping out.”

Jake fist-pumped the air, and Molly actually squealed.I bit back a smile as they all said their goodbyes.They waved and headed down the path, their voices trailing off through the trees.

I heard the unmistakable shuffle and stomp of Bernice coming down the staircase behind me.She marched right up to Anchor, squared her eighty-year-old shoulders, and gave him a once-over like she was appraising livestock.

“You gonna let me hang around until Monday?”she asked.

Anchor blinked.“That’s fine.Not costing me anything.”

She patted his shoulder with a heavy hand.“Good man.You’re nicer than you look.Don’t let it go to your head.”

He actually chuckled as she pivoted and started her march down the path.

“Love her,” I whispered.

“I’m terrified of her,” he muttered back.

Dad was the last one out.He walked over to Anchor and offered his hand.

“Your crew did a hell of a job,” Anchor said.

Dad shook his head.“Pearl’s crew.I just sign the paychecks.”

My cheeks warmed.Dad turned to me, his eyes soft.“I think I know the answer, but I still gotta ask, are you staying?”

I didn’t hesitate.“Yeah, Dad.I’m staying.At least for a while.”I glanced at Anchor.“Found something here I didn’t know I was looking for.”

Dad nodded slowly.“Just like me and your mom.Love at first sight.”

Was it love?I didn’t know.Not yet.But it was something.Something deep and tangled and terrifying in the best way.

He hugged me tight and whispered, “You’ll always be my baby girl.”