by Karen Nappa
"We have to go out the back to see what she did," Sonja said.
"We did that already, baby," Derek replied.
"Oh, I guess I didn't think of that. I've been trying to work the security system, but I can't get it to show me the parking lot camera. Come back to the office. Maybe one of you can do it." Sonja turned.
Derek sat down behind the computer screen and started clicking around the program. It took him only a few minutes to find the right spot. "Here's the camera. Now, you click here to rewind the feed."
They took it back quickly to the point where only Sonja's car was left and then moved forward again. About an hour into the footage, a small figure wearing a hooded sweatshirt appeared at the corner of the building. They watched as the person methodically slashed the tires and then pulled a bag out of the dumpster and opened it over the car then repeated the action when appearing dissatisfied with the results from only one bag. When they were finished, the figure turned toward the camera and looked around. Derek said, "That's Angie. Got her, red-handed."
"Are you sure, Derek?" Paula asked.
"As sure as I'm sitting here with the two of you," he answered.
"Okay. I'll accept your identification. Maybe our techs can blow the image up a little for a better view. This is pretty small for court. We can certainly get her locked up for the vandalism as well as violating the restraining order. I'll see if we can't look a little harder to find her. Can you email me a copy of the footage?"
"Easily," Derek said. "Is there anything else we can do?"
"I'll get a team over here to see if she left any evidence behind. It looks like she's wearing gloves, but she could have left footprints. Otherwise, I suggest you two get out of here and save the car for tomorrow." Paula got up. "I'll wait out back for the lab boys."
"Let's go, baby girl," Derek said.
"I don't want to leave my car here like this," Sonja said. "What if she comes back later and does something more permanent?"
"You're going to have to have it towed anyway." Derek turned on his Dom voice. "It can wait. The cameras are still on. I doubt she'll be back tonight."
"Okay, if you're sure." Sonja got up, her arms wrapped around her body. "Can I have a hug, Daddy?"
"Always, baby girl. Always." He pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
Derek sat at his desk the next day with his head in his hands and pressed the heels against his eyes and rubbed. He couldn't erase the pain from what he was about to do. Despite the restraining order, despite the support from the police and his friends, Angie kept stirring up trouble. Derek couldn't and wouldn't risk Sonja's safety. Derek lifted his head and groaned as he considered the ramifications of breaking up with Sonja where his family was concerned. As he leaned back in his chair, it seemed to groan in sympathy with his troubles. His family was over the moon for Sonja now that his mother had abandoned the idea of more grandchildren. They were going to give him hell for breaking up with her so soon after he'd introduced her. He rose from the chair and started to pace the room, trying to come up with a plan.
He pushed himself away from the desk, stood up, and started pacing the room. Why did I tell Angie about Sonja? It's like I aimed a loaded gun at the woman I love! The idea of losing his precious, his baby girl, felt like an abscessed tooth—painful as hell! The idea of Sonja getting injured or hurt even more by Angie was unbearable. The worst thing about this was that he not only would lose her but, also, wouldn't be able to visit his friends at Club Indigo. Being there without Sonja or—God forbid—bumping into her on a Friday or Saturday night was unimaginable.
Derek resumed pacing. Their breakup had to be public, and they had to put on a good show, otherwise Angie would see right through it. After all, she was a cunning bitch.
"You can't be serious." Sonja scowled at Derek from behind her desk. "You're breaking up with me? Now?"
"Baby girl." Derek's low voice held an edge she'd never heard before. He stroked his beard and sighed. "Listen, by revealing your existence, I basically painted a bull's-eye on your back. I need to take her attention off you." He sighed again and looked at her wearily. "I could never live with myself if something happened to you because of me."
Of course, he was leaving. Everybody left her eventually. Her father, her mother, her grandmother, Colton. Even Carol had left her. Her eyes burned, but she wouldn't give in. She wouldn't cry. Not here, not now!
"Fuck her, fuck this, fuck you!" Sonja threw her hands in the air.
And the man had the audacity to scowl at her. "Language, baby girl."
Sonja rose from her chair and placed her fists on her hips. "Oh no, you do not 'baby girl' me." She cursed again and ignored his disapproving glare. "First, you pull me into this age play thing, make me fall in love, and then, when shit hits the fan, you dump me."
"Baby." He flinched as he noticed her dead stare and held up his hands in surrender. "Sonja, listen." Derek sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "It's not forever. Just until Angie can be arrested and out of our lives."
She took a good look at him, and her anger and grief dissipated. She realized it was her own insecurity that was making her mad. Derek had helped her grow in ways she hadn't realized. She could trust him. This was temporary. She wouldn't doubt their relationship. He didn't want to do this. This was a stupid male thing, some Domly attempt to keep her safe. Sonja took a big gulp of air and settled back into her chair. She wanted to comfort him and draw comfort from him, but they had to talk first.
"What do you suggest?" she asked.
He looked up in surprise, and she raised an eyebrow. Did he expect a tantrum from her?
"We have a public breakup. Either Angie is somewhere lurking and watching or, what's more likely, she has her spies set up to watch us." Jeez! "I quit Club Indigo for now, and I avoid the café for a while."
"Won't she come after you even harder if she thinks you're available?"
Derek shrugged. "Maybe."
"It's a big maybe, Derek. Angie isn't rational, is she?"
Derek sighed and hung his head. "I don't know, baby. I need to get you out of the war zone. All the damage she's already done to the café, your reputation, and now your car is bad enough. I'm scared she'll come after you next."
"How is it possible she's running around freely? I don't get it. It's not like the police don't have any evidence against her." Sonja shook her head.
"They can't arrest her if they can't find her, baby girl."
"How is someone who is so obviously unbalanced also so smart?" Sonja asked.
"The two characteristics aren't mutually exclusive."
"Okay, I don't like it, but I agree. Let's get this breakup over with. How about I throw you out of the café?" Sonja stood up and tried to smile, but she knew it didn't reach her eyes.
Chapter 15
S uzie came into the office at The Sweet and Savory Table short of breath. "Sorry to be late, but it's just me today. Abby and Tim got into a big dustup this morning, and settling it took a while. Connor took Tim off for a hike, and I dropped Abby off at her grandparents'. We're hoping a day apart will help. They seem like oil and water together lately."
"That's okay. We only have one item on the agenda for today," Sonja said as Suzie got settled. Yvonne was joining them because of all her help recently. Although she wasn't on staff full-time, she was sharp and continued to prove her worth. Since she'd helped with the online defamation campaign, the three women had grown closer. Their bond was only getting tighter, as they all attended Club Indigo. Sonja marveled at the way their lives intertwined. She hadn't counted on that when she'd joined the private BDSM Club, but she welcomed the great group of friends in her life.
She forced her attention back to the matter at hand. "That business with the false online reviews showed us we're vulnerable. I'd like to do something special to find more customers as well as keep our regulars happy. I know our products are selling well again, but we need to keep innovating to attract new people," Sonja stated.
&
nbsp; Suzie nodded and smiled. "I agree, but somehow I haven't had much inspiration lately. All I seem to do is keep the peace between Abby and Tim." She sighed. "Teenagers!"
Sonja had no idea how it was to raise children, but from the tired look on Suzie's face and the strained expression on Connor's last night, she gathered the Carmichael household wasn't running smoothly these days.
"That sounds bad; I noticed—" Her sentence came to an abrupt stop as Yvonne shot upright. Sonja cringed as the girl almost poked her own eye out with the pen she had been chewing on. Yvonne blurted, "We could do a Dutch week!"
Sonja paused with her mouth wide open. Yvonne's cheeks colored an attractive shade of pink, and she mouthed, "Sorry."
Suzie studied her with a pensive gaze in her eyes and a cocked head. "No, don't be. Please continue, Yvonne!"
Yvonne looked from Suzie to Sonja and back. She took a deep breath and launched into her explanation. "I was thinking about Haarlem, my hometown, and my sister, Els. Els is my last living relative besides Tante Wilma," Yvonne told them. Both women listened with growing attention as Yvonne explained her idea. Neither Sonja nor Suzie spoke until she finished her monologue. "So I was thinking how I missed some of the Dutch foods, mostly de kroket."
Suzie looked puzzled. "Croquet sounds French to me. What is it?"
Yvonne smiled. "Oh, believe me, it's very Dutch, and we also make them in a smaller version, called bitterballen." At the raised eyebrows, she chuckled. "Yeah, I know it doesn't sound good in English, but it tastes great! Basically, it's a fried food roll; bitterball is the snack variety."
Sonja was doubtful, but her partner became more excited, always interested in trying new foods. "Let's try to make them and have a tasting at Club Indigo tonight," Suzie said. "We can also make two of the pastry dishes you mentioned."
Yvonne nodded. "I'd like that, but I have to call Tante Wilma. I hope she can manage today without me." Yvonne excused herself to make her phone call.
After an afternoon of experimenting in the café kitchen, Yvonne and Suzie decided on bite-sized beef bitterballen. Their first try had been an utter disaster. The balls had disintegrated in the frying pan. Yvonne had been ready to abandon the idea, but Suzie laughed it away and told her that 'shit happens'." They also made a batch of them with cheese filling, which had been Sonja's favorite, and Dutch hazelnut meringue cream cakes.
Later, Sonja watched Yvonne making the rounds through the main room of Club Indigo with a plate full of golden-brown balls the diameter of a quarter. She halted at James and Laura's table. Laura was looking stunning in her purple corset. "These have beef in them, but we have a vegetarian version, too."
James smiled at Yvonne and answered, "I'm impressed you remembered my preference, pet. I'd love to try those." He stroked Laura's neck along her collar as she turned her head to give him more access.
"We've also brought a sweet treat," Yvonne said with a smile. "I'll be back right away with the cheese bitterballen."
"I love it when you talk dirty!"
Chris embraced Yvonne from behind and chuckled as he steadied the plate. She tried to turn, but he halted her movement and whispered something in her ear. From the blush on Yvonne's face, she could guess. Chris would always be a big flirt, although he seemed pretty serious about Yvonne.
Yvonne managed an answer. "These are Dutch specialties. We're doing a tryout for The Sweet and Savory." She twisted out of his grip and pushed the plate between them. "And if you want to see my breasts, you can always negotiate a scene with me."
Laura chuckled behind her, and Sonja couldn't suppress a laugh as well. Whatever Chris had said in her ear, Yvonne was holding her own. Chris picked up a treat from her plate and popped it into his mouth. He chewed, closed his eyes, and groaned. As soon as he swallowed, his eyes popped open, and he scooped two others from her plate. "Delicious." He winked. "Find me when you've finished your rounds."
It looked like Yvonne was going to have at least one scene tonight. Sonja felt sad and missed Derek something fierce. How long would they have to be apart?
A week passed, during which Sonja was constantly reminded of Derek. She started to text him half a dozen times the first day, and bedtime without talking to him was a painful experience. She tried to finish reading A Cricket in Times Square , one evening, but dissolved in tears over the book. When a customer told her a new joke on Wednesday, she had it memorized to share with Derek before realizing that she wouldn't be seeing him. Friday night, Sonja was watching Frozen when she heard the unmistakable sound of Snuggles retching. She looked over and saw him ridding his stomach of water and bile all over his bed. He jumped out and down to the floor and continued vomiting.
"Snuggles! Baby! What am I going to do with you?" Sonja was off the couch and in the kitchen for rags to clean up the mess. "That's the second time this week you've spit up on your bed. You're throwing up all the water you've drunk. This is so not good. You have to stay hydrated, baby." Once she was finished, she offered Snuggles some beef baby food. He ate about a tablespoon before turning away. Sonja spent the rest of the weekend babying the cat. She fed him several small meals each day and hoped for signs of improvement.
On Sunday night, she called Suzie. "I might not be in to work tomorrow. Can you manage without me?"
"Of course. What's wrong? Are you sick?" Suzie asked.
"Not me. Snuggles. He's hardly eating anything and he keeps throwing up. I want to take him to the vet as soon as I can get an appointment." Sonja reached over to pet him while she talked. "I think it's something serious. He hasn't purred all day, and he doesn't want to be in my lap, either."
"You take care of Snuggles and yourself. We can manage at the café. Call me with updates, please?" Suzie said.
"Sure." Sonja ended the call and returned her attention to Snuggles.
Monday morning, Sonja was on the phone to Dr. Phillips' office before they were open for more than drop-offs. She explained Snuggles' difficulties keeping anything down and got an appointment for 10:30 am. The morning passed slowly as she spent it with Snuggles next to her on the couch, alternating petting him with reading and worrying.
At ten o'clock, she loaded him into his carrier, once again scared because she could feel so many of his bones. They arrived at the clinic early, but Trudy was expecting them. "Hi, Sonja."
"Hi, Trudy. I'm glad you remembered."
"Sorry to see you here again so soon," she said. "Here comes Tom. We've got a room waiting for you."
"Hello, Ms. Madden," Tom said. "Right this way." Sonja followed Tom into a clean, bright exam room. "Let's get him weighed, and the doctor will be right with you."
Snuggles allowed Sonja to place him on the scale, and he hunched there while Tom got the reading. "Seven point two pounds."
"I'll get him something to sit on and then get Dr. Phillips." Tom reached into a cabinet behind him and put down a soft, fluffy towel on the counter next to the scale. Snuggles looked over at it and sniffed carefully before taking a tentative step onto the fabric. Tom left through the staff door, and Snuggles relaxed a bit. Sonja stroked him and reassured him that everything would be okay while they waited for the vet.
A soft knock preceded the entrance of Dr. Phillips with Tom at his heels. "I'm so sorry to hear Snuggles is having trouble eating. His weight is down almost a pound from last summer. Let's take a look, shall we?" Tom came around to the end of the counter and got a firm grip on Snuggles' head and neck. Dr. Phillips felt the cat's body thoroughly, checked his eyes and mouth, and listened to his heart and lungs. "I don't see any new teeth problems, so we can rule that out. I don't feel anything or hear anything suspicious, either. He's lost a lot of muscle mass. You say he's hungry?"
"Yes, he wants to eat, but he takes a few bites and walks away. Half the time, he spits that up a little while later," Sonja said. "It doesn't seem to matter what I offer him."
"We'll have to do bloodwork to be sure, but I suspect his kidney function is the problem. How much is he drinking?" Dr. Phillips as
ked.
"A lot, but he throws that up, too," Sonja said.
They talked a bit more about options, and Sonja decided that it would be wise to get information on Snuggles' kidney function before going any further.
Tom and another tech drew the cat's blood for testing. "I'll call you by the end of the day with the results," Dr. Phillips said.
"Thank you," Sonja answered as she put Snuggles back into his carrier for the trip home. "I appreciate all the time you've given us."
It was almost six when the phone finally rang. "This is David Phillips. Sorry to be so late getting back to you, but we had an emergency surgery earlier."
"That's all right, Dr. Phillips. What can you tell me about Snuggles?"
"I'm sorry, Sonja, but the news isn't good. His creatinine is 4.5 and his BUN is 62. His kidney disease has gone from chronic to acute. You have a couple of options. I know you're not interested in the kind of treatment that would interfere with Snuggles' quality of life, so we won't go into the extreme of a kidney transplant."
"Oh no, that doesn't make sense at all. Snuggles is already old, and the surgery would be awfully hard on him."
"I agree, but I have to tell you the possibilities. You can give him fluids several times a week, and we can try an appetite stimulant, but I think that's only delaying the inevitable. His phosphorus level is also high, which is making him nauseous even when he's hungry. You can just use the fluids to keep him more comfortable while you wait for nature to take its course, or you can euthanize him. Sorry to be so blunt."
Sonja sighed. "I've had him since he was a kitten. Do you have any idea how long he would last with the fluids?"
"There's no way to tell. Has he been any better since you were in this morning?"
"Not really. He kept down some of his food, but he doesn't look comfortable, even in his favorite spots. I'll have to think about it. I want to do what's best for Snuggles," Sonja said.