Seen (ONC 2024)

Chapter 1: When a Door Closes

When I close my eyes, I can't hear any traffic. Not a single car. But, I swear the country is louder than the city. "Hope you enjoy the peace and quiet," Helen, my paralegal, had said when I left the office on Friday.

I'll definitely enjoy the peace: my Out of Office message is turned on, my ringer is turned off, and I won't need to deal with the Mass-holes on the Pike for a full week.

But there's not going to be any silence. There are so many insects and bird sounds, it's impossible for me to distinguish them from each other.

It's sort of nice, though.

It'll make a nice vacation soundtrack.

There is nothing here to disturb me. The nearest neighbor is half a mile away, and the closest town comprises a one-block strip with a gas station, a convenience store, and an ice cream parlor.

There's not even a Dunkin' for at least twenty miles!

I just finished unpacking my clothes, placing my toiletries in the bathroom, and putting the groceries away.

Now I can relax.

I walk to the living room and sit down on the brown leather sofa. On the coffee table, the owner of this rental has placed a binder about the area. I leaf through it.

Most of the local attractions have to do with skiing, which is not relevant in the heat of July. But there are some nice hikes. There is even a trailhead that starts on this property.

But my legs are a little sore from almost three hours of driving, so I think I'll save hiking for tomorrow.

I could always take a trip into town and grab a pint of ice cream.

Or, there is a stack of puzzles on the bookshelf. That might be meditative.

It's too hard to decide.

At least I know what I'll be doing tonight. The sky is going to be ridiculous. And I plan to spend my evening under the stars, sipping away my stockpile of Woodford Reserve while turning into a prune in the jacuzzi that's on the deck.

I stand back up.

Maybe if I can spot a bird, that would help me identify the different songs. I bet there are a pair of binoculars somewhere.

I go into the mudroom to look.

Daniel could identify each species of bird based on their songs, but guess who had a last-minute work emergency?

No, not me. Not the associate with an eye on making partner, but the guy who only shaves once a month and wears plaid every day.

But it's fine.

Totally fine.

I mean, it would've been nice to spend some time with my brother before his wedding, but I know how hard it is for him to resist a protest. Especially one about land development.

My mother told me to cut him some slack. He's running for the town board, so it's important for him to keep his visibility up. To remain engaged in local politics.

Not that Daniel has ever been disengaged from local politics. I'm actually surprised he hasn't run for office earlier. He's never shied away from expressing his opinions. But I guess he always enjoyed fighting the man more than being the man.

Secretly–or maybe not so secretly–I wonder if Emily had something to do with his last-minute decision to ditch me.

She's not exactly a fan of lawyers. Even ones who represent underserved LGBTQ youth.