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The calls continued into the next day. By noon, Craig had two more hang-ups. The afternoon was quiet and then when Mandie came home from work there were two more. He was getting quite frustrated and didn't know what to do. As he and Mandie were sitting quietly, each reading their own book, listening to relaxing music the phone rang again. They both looked at each other and then at the phone. It rang two times, then three, then four ... Neither of them moved. The answering machine picked up and the caller waited a moment and then hung up.
"Okay, this is too weird!" Craig said getting up out of the chair, tossing down his book and pacing around the apartment. Mandie set down her book and watched him. "From now on we don't answer it, we let the machine get it. Got it?" She stifled a giggle and nodded.
"Ok, Then what? I mean, that person could call constantly but what are we going to DO about it?" He stopped in front of her.
"You mean, like we should get the cops involved or something?" He asked and then snapped his fingers. "Hey, great idea!" He glanced at the phone. "Tomorrow, I will do it tomorrow. Until then, do NOT pick up the phone. We'll teach that bastard to call here." He went over to the answering machine and changed it from answering on four rings to answer on two. He then grabbed his book and flopped back down in the chair. Mandie went back to reading but Craig couldn't help but feel he was being watched. He felt goose bumps pop up all over the back of his neck. He looked around at all the windows in the room. It was quite chilly out so he knew they were all closed and he locked them himself last night ... He looked into the dark bedroom ... He glanced at the front door. It wasn't locked! He got up quickly and locked it. He wasn't afraid, it was just an eerie feeling. And as adrenaline started to flow slowly through his veins he thought about how he would mess up the caller if and when he was found. He sat and tried to relax but he was annoyed. He fidgeted in his chair until Mandie scolded him. They went to bed around 10 and while Mandie fell asleep right away, Craig lay awake, staring at the ceiling. He thought about what kind of freak would call someone's house incessantly and hang up and never say anything. Someone who wants to know when you're home and when you're not he deduced. Perhaps someone was casing the place for robbery. A thought struck him and he panicked. He was leaving tomorrow for New York and Mandie would be here alone. He sat up, feeling a little nauseated. How could he leave her knowing someone was casing the place? He got out of bed and paced. He glanced over at her as she lay there sleeping peacefully. He didn't want to disturb her so he went back into the living room. He looked at the clock on the mantle. It was almost midnight! He went into the kitchen and poured a glass of milk. When he was going through that 'bad dream' phase of his life, his mother always brought him a glass of milk and it calmed him down. He still drank it when he was upset and it still seemed to calm him down. He spied a cookie jar on the counter and reached his hand in and grabbed one. He leaned against the counter and munched the cookie and sipped the milk. Just then the phone rang. He jumped a foot and ran to it. He picked it up and said angrily into the receiver, "Look you motherfucker, stop doing this because if I catch you I'll kill you." No one responded, he listened to the hissing of silence on the other end and then an audible click. He hung it up as Mandie padded out of the bedroom, rumpled from sleep.
"Was it they?" She said yawning. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
"I am not going to New York tomorrow." He said softly in her ear. She pushed him backwards.
"Oh yes you are!" She said sternly. He shook his head.
"No way, not with this weirdo on the loose." She broke from his grasp and now it was her turn to pace.
"You are going Craig! You have been waiting for this, the other guys will absolutely flip if you don't go!!!" He shrugged.
"I don't care what they say. I can't, in good conscience, go and leave you here." He wouldn't tell her about all the reasons he came up with earlier, he didn't want to scare her. She sighed and placed her hands on her hips.
"Craig, I'll ask someone to stay with me. I'll be okay! I can defend myself." She looked seriously at him. He softened. She was so cute standing there, hands on hips, half asleep. He approached her and pulled her back into the bedroom. He just wanted to snuggle with her. He didn't want to think about contracts, or hang-ups, or Drew's attitude, or danger, he just wanted to be close to her. They crawled back into bed and after snuggling very close, went back to sleep.
