Shut In

Someone was knocking at the door. She snuck around to the kitchen window and peeked through the curtain. The visitor, catching the movement peripherally, turned sharply in her direction, almost catching her stare.

"Damn it!" she hissed to herself, "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" She wrung her hands, holding her breath, hoping they would get the hint.

BANG, BANG, BANG! Izzie practically jumped out of her skin at the sudden knocking right on the kitchen window, amazed at how it loudly echoed across the old linoleum. Her heart racing, she quickly slid down the counter until she was squatting on the floor, out of the site line of the intruder.

"Um...Ma'am?" the man queried, "Ma'am, can you come to the door, please?"

Long pause. "Aw, c'mon. Please just answer the door." he implored, and then more to himself, "I gotta take a whiz."

Izzie exhaled loudly, then snapped, "I'm not expecting anyone! I'm counting to ten and calling the police if you aren't gone!"

Another long pause and then his defeated voice again: "I know you don't have a phone......look, I'm going to find a bush or something...but I'll be right back."

Izzie listened quietly to the footsteps walking across the lawn and tried to steady her breathing. Shitestorm, she thought, How did he know I don't have a phone? Wait. What bush? Not my Gardenia bush!

She jumped up and looked out the window to find him still standing there and let out a banshee screech.

He jumped back and then a small smile appeared on his face. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." he winked, "I just needed to make sure it was you."

She ran her tongue along her top teeth and blinked at him. He raised his brows and moved his face closer to the glass.

"Smartass! You could give an old lady a heart attack!" she yelped and gave him a good look at her middle finger.

"Aw, geez, that's so not necessary." He raised his arms helplessly. "What on earth?" He seemed to ask of the sky. He turned back to her. "Can you come to the door, please? I...I have to give you some important papers."
"No way, uh-uh" Izzie gave one sharp head shake and walked away from the window. What could he want? She started to wonder. I haven't left the house in years. Terrence left me enough to keep a roof over my head until I...medical test results! That's it! One physical per year. Doc comes to the house. They usually mail the results, though. She turned back to him. "Can't you just slide whatever-it-is under the door?"

"Not this." he pushed, "I need a signature." He paused and looked stymied. Then, "It's about your car. Gray 1980 Cadillac Seville?"
She stepped out of his line of site again. Terry's car? "It's my late husband's car. It's been parked for years." her voice rose at the end, making her sound unsure.

"Parked, yes. Not in your garage, though." he continued, "Did you know you have over 10 unpaid parking tickets?"

She balked, "What?!! Not possible. I don't even know if that car runs anymore."

"Well, not now it doesn't." he offered.

She waited in silence, pondering his meaning, wanting him to continue, but the silence stretched on. "Well, I haven't been driving it!" she finally yelped.

"Right...of course." he said.

She waited again for more, but he wasn't giving information easily. "Well, what happened to my car?!" she demanded.

Silence.

Then finally he said, "If you open the door, I will tell you."

She felt a little panicky. No...no way. He's probably a burglar. Her eyes started darting around the kitchen, looking for a weapon.

Before she could even act, she heard a loud thumping and then cracking as her door was kicked in. Two men in white lab coats came rushing round the corner.

"Got her!" one yelled and then turned to Izzie, "It's ok. We are not going to hurt you." They both grabbed her at once.

Izzie lurched and twisted in their grasp, screaming, "What? No! Let go! Noooooo!"

The men dragged her out of the kitchen, through the living room and out the front door.

Neighbors had gathered in the street. She was carried past the man with the supposed papers and he looked as if he had begun crying.

"I'm sorry, Mom." he managed to sputter, obviously upset.

The two men in white loaded her into the back of their truck.

He could still hear her yelling even after they shut the door, but didn't turn to look.