I kept on with my walk, finishing along the outer path that skirted the park. There was a small jungle gym that Mason would play on one day when he was older, some soccer fields, a little bathroom and concession stand area that was only open on weekends, and even a small pond toward the end of the trip.
By the time I finished the full loop, I felt tired and calm again. I’d forgotten all about the paranoia and was content to push Mason along, talking to him every once in awhile, but mostly just losing myself in my own thoughts.
As I turned along the path to head out of the park and back toward my parents’ house, I hit a little bump. “Oops,” I said, checking on Mason. “You’re okay, little guy?”
He just smiled up at me. The kid was completely resilient. He only ever cried when he was hungry or needed to be changed. Otherwise, he was the calmest baby I’d ever seen.
I started pushing his stroller again, heading back home. I passed through the gate that closed after sunset every day and walked along the uneven sidewalk, trying to be as careful as I could with Mason.
And then I got that feeling again, like someone was following me. I glanced back and saw someone walking along quickly, gaining on me.
I felt my heart leap in my chest, adrenaline taking over. I started to walk faster, trying to stay ahead of whoever was coming closer to me. I glanced back, but he was grinning at me. I moved quicker, walking fast, pushing Mason faster along the sidewalk. I spotted the house up ahead and risked looking back. He was getting closer and seemed to be waving at me.
I practically started jogging. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing, but for some reason I didn’t want that guy to catch up to me. I was afraid, I realized, absolutely terrified. I started jogging faster, pushing Mason along.
I made it to the driveway and up along it. I fumbled at the door for my key and realized that my parents both were out.
“Excuse me, miss?”
I looked up, terrified. The man had followed me all the way from the park, even though I’d been running from him.
“I don’t have anything,” I blurted out.
He looked at me strangely. “You dropped this.”
In his hand was my wallet.
Relief washed over me. “Oh my gosh, thanks so much. It must have fallen off when I hit that bump.”
“No problem. Are you okay?”
“Fine,” I said, laughing. “I thought you were a mugger or something.”
He smiled at me. “Can’t be too careful.” He was taller than me, broad and handsome. He skin was dark and his dark hair was cropped short. I guessed he was Indian or something like that, though he spoke perfect English. He was a few years older than me and was dressed in really simple khaki pants and a polo shirt.
“Take care,” he said and then turned and walked away.
I watched him go for a second and then unlocked the door, feeling foolish. I didn’t know why I felt so paranoid and strange, or why I would run from a perfect stranger. All the guy wanted to do was return my wallet.
I opened the front door and pushed Mason inside, closing it and locking it behind me. Even though I knew that guy wasn’t chasing me to mug me or something, I couldn’t help but still feel a little uneasy. I was a single mother alone in a big house with just my baby. Anything could happen.
I sighed. “I’m being silly,” I said to Mason as I lifted him from the stroller and walked into the kitchen. “Mommy is paranoid today. I don’t know why.”
He just squirmed and giggled.
I got a glass of water and sat down with him at the kitchen table. I sipped the water, thinking to myself absently about trying to make some new friends at college. That was pretty tough, especially with a baby. I was only a year older than most of the people in my classes, which was no big deal at all.
The phone started ringing suddenly, yanking me back out of my thoughts. I stood up, Mason in one arm, and grabbed it with my free hand.
“Hello?” I answered.
There was silence on the other end.
“Hello?” I said again.
I was about to hang up, but I heard something. It was someone breathing heavily on the other end, like they were running or something like that.
“I can hear you,” I said. “You’re breathing really loudly.”
No response, just more breathing.
That feeling of paranoia was back again, and with a vengeance. I was so thoroughly creeped out that I just hung the phone up, not caring if it was an important call.
“So weird,” I said out loud to Mason. He just squirmed in my arms like always.
I carried him out to the living room and strapped him into his bouncy chair. He rocked back in it while I started to make myself something to eat. I was trying to forget about that creepy call, but it was pretty difficult.