A Date With Fate

by Tracy Ellen

  Seeing Anna’s astonished start at this statement, I smiled and reassured her. “You heard me right. So, what did you do? You forced his manly pride and backed him into a corner. You saw his refusal to swear to God as him lying. Then you took off all mad, but only after you guys fought like wolverines about it first. You were feeling crushed and played, and why not? Poor baby, that was too bad of Reg to expect blind trust from you after Eve of Destruction took off. Since then, the two of you have done nothing but snarl and snap every time you see each other. Did I miss anything?”

  I snapped my fingers. “Oh yeah, and you hooked up with a new man.” I laughed delightedly thinking about it now. “Reggie is really all up in his manly pride picturing you in his porno imagination doing circus sex acts with poor Jim of the undetermined package size. Now did I forget anything?”

  Anna was giggling hysterically while dabbing at her running eyes and nose. I could only hope it was with a different tissue. After a bit, she calmed down enough to peer in the little mirror to poof up her hair.

  “Great, I look like crap.” She turned a hopeful gaze my way. “You really think that’s why he wouldn’t swear to me? I’m mate material now, not a sister?”

  “Yep, I really think you could be Playmate of the Year.”

  Anna’s horribly red-splotched face broke out in a beatific smile. “Okay, I’ve got a boyfriend I don’t like more than a friend. I’ve barely kissed him. I definitely haven’t done circus sex acts with him, you dirty girl.” She grinned and hugged herself. “But I really, really, REALLY love the idea of Reggie not knowing this and being as miserable as I’ve been.” Anna paused to savor this thought, her gaze far off and the gloating grin stretching her lips. This is why I love supporting my friends. I twiddled my thumbs patiently. “I’ve fallen half in love with your numb nuts of a brother. He probably hates me about now. Even Aunt Lily suspects how much I like him. Did I tell you she caught me blubbering in my hysteria over him that night when I got home? Talk about a lowering moment! Can you imagine the friggin’ lecture on chasteness and jezebels I had to suffer through at one in the morning?”

  “No, and if you try to tell me, I’ll punch you in the mouth.”

  Anna started laughing. She was all smiles now. “Yet strangely enough, I am happier than I have been in weeks. So yeah, I think that about covers it.”

  I grabbed my purse. “Perfect. Can we go spying now? I’m weak with hunger. I could possibly eat a small pony--should a slow one cross my path anytime soon.”

  Anna snapped the visor up, still grinning. “I’m buying. How does a Shetland sound?”

  “Hairy, but I’ll take it.”

  She giggled. “Deal, but one more thing first.”

  I whined pathetically, “What now?”

  Anna, leaning my way across the jeep, presented her face to me sideways. I gave a beleaguered sigh and leaned her way. I pressed the side of my face to hers.

  “Cheek!” we said in unison.

  Chapter IX

  “Zombie” by The Cranberries

  Saturday, 11/17/12

  3:00 PM

  After several more conversations concerning the mystery of the missing Cheryl, several more one-sided conversations about the wonder that is my brother, and several hours of walking around in St Paul, we drove home to Northfield.

  Turning into Bel’s parking lot, I cruised by an older model, white Dodge Caravan that had its motor running. It was idling in a space near the entrance to the street. I caught a glimpse of a big man seated behind the wheel. I didn’t know the van or the man, but I absently reasoned he was waiting for someone in Bel’s, perhaps his wife.

  The lot actually only had two parked cars besides those I recognized as belonging to our various employees. Even on a Saturday, late afternoon could be a slow time in the store. There was still another two weeks before the holiday season officially began after Thanksgiving.

  I parked Lady Liberty in the garage. I glanced at my phone and saw a voicemail message from Crookie. After listening, I updated Anna.

  “Crookie reported Cheryl missing with Jack in Northfield. After that, he went to the Edina police, too. Turns out he knows one of the cops there; he’s the husband of a co-worker. Oh, and he’s coming over tomorrow night for dinner.”

  “Awesome,” Anna beamed, “it will be so nice to see Crooks! I’m relieved there’s an official search now for Cheryl, aren’t you? I can’t stand her, but I’m really curious to find out where she’s been all this time.”

  I absently nodded my agreement. I was checking out a text message I had missed from Luke earlier in the afternoon.

  Yes. My turn

  The meaning of the words ‘my turn’ washed over me. For a few moments, I was adrift in the seductive world of wondering what Luke may choose for his turn at a fantasy. Pornographic imaginations must run in my family. Greedy, impatient girl that I am, the next thought was how long he’d make me wait to find out. Then I laughed softly at the brevity of his text.

  Anna smiled in inquiry at my laughter. “What?”

  I slipped my phone in my purse and shook my head. “Men. You gotta love ‘em.”

  Anna looked dubious. “You do?”

  Chuckling together, Anna and I toddled towards the back entrance door of the store, agonizing over who felt the most bloated from all we’d eaten. We each carried a handled bag stacked with takeout boxes from our ventures on Grand Avenue to share with our staffs.

  Anna bumped me with a shoulder and a knowing grin. “I noticed Luke’s truck is no longer parked down the street.”

  “Huh. Guess he must have finished his business in that alley.”

  Anna griped, “Oh, come on! Maybe one of these days you’ll tell me something about your love life for a change, Anabel.”

  “Sure, that could happen.” I agreed easily. “I’m telling you upfront, you’ll be bored to tears. It’s not like I do nudie extreme-baking like some people I know.”

  Laughing, I darted out of the way of her swinging purse and ran for the back door. I happened to glance in through the glass before pulling the door open. What I saw caused me to gape in stunned shock. I stood rooted in place, unable to look away for a few, frozen seconds.

  I slammed myself against the wall on the side of the door and hissed at Anna, “Quick, come over here. Don’t go in front of the door.”

  Anna ran up and backed against the wall next to me. Her eyes were huge as she took in my shocked face.

  I opened my purse and fumbled for my cell. I held up my hand before Anna could speak.

  I punched 9, saying to her, “Listen, some guy is in there and he’s got Larissa. I saw him shaking and hitting her. Stella’s up front. Everyone else I could see is okay, but the guy is screaming.” I paused to talk into my phone. “Jack, 911 at Bel’s. I think it’s a domestic. He has my employee and he’s hurting her. Stella’s in there, Jack. I saw it through the back door...really? Where? Well, then fucking HURRY!” I threw my cell into my purse and dropped it to the ground.

  Jack was a few minutes away. There was a frat house fire by St Olaf’s. I knew my eyes were huge, too. I couldn’t seem to blink. I was speaking way too fast; the words pouring out of my mouth at the same time I was thinking furiously. I was imagining the fear and pain poor Larissa was feeling. I was filled with terror he may hurt my Stella, or our employees and customers. If he hadn’t all ready.

  Thinking of him hurting one of my people in my bookstore brought on a wave of protective rage that shook and consumed me. I was blind with the raw power of it and couldn’t breathe. My throat felt like I had swallowed a rock and it physically hurt. This had happened to me once before in my life when an older bully was pounding on a much younger Reggie on the playground after school. The kid was years older than me and a foot taller. It hadn’t mattered then; all I saw was Reg getting creamed. I waded in, jumped on the bully’s back and started punching his head and face. I got my ass kicked.

  It didn’t matter now, either. Like I remembered from long ago, the
rage ebbed and while not gone, was banked and glowing red. I could breathe again. I wasn’t a kid this time. I was dead calm and able to think clearly. I knew what I had to do.

  I unbuttoned my shirt halfway down and pulled it apart. I ran my hands through my hair, twisting it up in a loose knot and pulling down a few strands.

  “Give me your cheaters, hurry.” I ordered Anna.

  “My cheaters?” Anna repeated, dazed but automatically opening her purse. Anna wears contacts but always carries a pair of glasses. She handed them over, and I put on the black frames. I could see perfectly.

  She asked in confusion, “What are you doing, Anabel?”

  “Stay out here, okay? I promise it will be fine and you can’t get hurt. Wait for Jack. He had two 911 texts and is on his way.”

  Anna held onto me, protesting, but I shook off her arm. Hurrying over, I took a deep breath, and then threw open the back door.

  I didn’t hesitate, but walked boldly, loudly into the store. I slammed the back door behind me. I threw the full bag of food I had brought in with me to the side. With a noisy clatter, it landed in the direction of the Fare.

  I started yelling at the top of my lungs and bitching out the employees.

  I saw Trent and Brenda Blackman, a part-timer working for Anna; shoot me identical, terrified glances. They’d been watching the scene unfolding in front of them at the checkout counter where Larissa was working. Trent was huddled protectively over the crying Brenda as they stood together behind the Fare’s service bar.

  In the first seconds, I swiftly took in the three customers in the store while my eyes sought Stella. I registered relief in the back of my mind seeing her still standing near the front of the store in the Romance section. Her arms were around two elderly ladies that were leaning on her, bug-eyed with fright. Even from this far, I could see Stella was scared to death, too.

  I quickly scanned the whole floor while continuing my screaming tirade. I strode up the side aisle in a loud, heel-clomping walk with my revealed breasts thrust out, my hips swaying, and my hair tumbling down around my face. I strode towards where I knew Larissa and the man were. I hadn’t looked at them directly yet, but I could plainly hear Larissa’s soft, pained cries. The enormous wall of cold rage inside me was demanding to be let loose and kill something.

  Since the minute I had thrown the bag of food towards Trent, and at the same I was sizing up the store, I was screaming nonstop like a drill sergeant in the loudest voice I have ever used.

  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALL STANDING AROUND NOT WORKING? I LEAVE THE STORE FOR AN HOUR AND THIS IS WHAT YOU SLACKERS GET UP TO? HOW DARE YOU NOT WORK HARD WHILE I AM OUT TRYING TO DRUM UP BUSINESS SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR JOBS AND GET PAID!”

  Everyone’s attention was now on me in horrified bewilderment. I noticed Billy with a petrified, elderly woman on the opposite side of the store in Sci-Fi.

  I made my eyes pass over Larissa and the man next to her for only a brief second without stopping. They were on my side of the aisle. I continued my blistering, tyrannical raving directed at the staff’s ungrateful lack of work ethics and brains.

  I was only three yards away now from Larissa. The man who had been holding her in a tight, punishing grip by her upper arm was not tall. He was wide, but not muscled; carrying an extra thirty pounds in a gut. He was much older than Larissa, easily in his forties. He had the red-veined nose of a drinker and his dark hair was oily and thinning. If he was ever attractive in his youth, those days were long past. His eyes were close-set, and he looked rat-faced mean and vicious; just like you’d expect a wife beater to look.

  I had his full attention, too. He had turned to face me, now only loosely holding onto Larissa’s right arm. I saw the slack-jawed surprise on his face at my yelling like a Nazi boss on steroids. Then he zeroed in on my unbuttoned blouse showing off considerable cleavage. I did not need a padded bra. Only a few seconds had passed since I burst shouting into the store, and he still appeared too confused to even form a sentence. He was as stupid as I’d counted on.

  I saw Larissa’s swollen, vacant eyes and a puffy redness swelling around her mouth. I saw blood smeared on her lip and chin. Then I saw everything glaringly outlined in a red film of indescribable fury in front of my eyes. I didn’t stop as I strode forward the last couple of yards, quickening my step to almost a trot.

  I ignored the man and yelled, pointing at Larissa. “I KNEW IT WAS A MISTAKE TO HIRE YOU! YOU ARE WORTHLESS! LOOK AT YOU, JUST STANDING THERE WHEN THIS MAN NEEDS YOUR HELP. GET BACK TO WORK, YOU IDIOT, OR YOU ARE FIRED! DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL MAKE SURE YOU NEVER WORK IN THIS TOWN AGAIN!”

  With my peripheral vision, I was aware of the spread of a dawning smile on the man’s face at my screaming words to Larissa.

  I was two feet away.

  I moved forward while looking up and pointing at the ceiling. “LOOK UP THERE! OH MY GOD, LOOK, LOOK!”

  I positively shrieked the last ‘LOOK’ and I knew with an unquestioning certainty everyone in my store was anxiously looking up to where I was pointing to on the ceiling. All of them full of confusion.

  Without hesitation, I took full advantage of this confusion my abusive, screaming tirade had caused. With all the momentum of my skipping trot behind my left leg, and with many years of playing soccer and kick ball rising to the surface, I kicked the distracted fucker square up in his scrotum with my steel-toed, booted foot.

  When Larissa’s abuser dropped to the floor, cupping himself while rolling, retching, and screaming in agony, I heard myself screaming, too. I hopped on my right leg, arms out straight for balance, and I kicked him again as hard as I could. Then I kicked him again and again, over and over.

  Everything happened fast after that, and seemingly all at once.

  I vaguely was aware of cop cars pulling up in front of Bel’s, lights flashing and sirens wailing and doors slamming.

  I was aware of Stella running towards me, tears streaming down her face.

  I was aware of the freed Larissa lurching away, sobbing and falling to her knees on the floor behind the checkout counter.

  I was aware of Anna’s piercing voice screaming my name somewhere behind me.

  I was aware my hair had tumbled completely down in my face and Anna’s cheaters had gone flying off somewhere.

  I was aware of Trent and Billy gently, inexorably pulling me away from the screaming, heaving man on the floor. I had been kicking furiously at him, shrieking the word “BASTARD!” repeatedly with supreme satisfaction in time with my kicks.

  Once they pulled me a couple of feet away, I shook the guys off. I held out my hands to let them know I was calming down.

  They were shaking like I was in the throes of a severe bout of malaria.

  Trent and Billy stood protectively between me and the man on the floor; never taking their eyes away from him for long. The bastard was in a fetal position, crying and blubbering.

  Billy was bouncing nervously and started talking fast, nonstop. “Anabel, that was some serious fucking shit! Are you okay? Man, he caught us all by surprise. He came out of nowhere, suddenly shaking and hitting Larissa!” Billy appealed to Trent. “Right, man? He said if any of us tried anything he’d break her neck. He was trying to drag her out of the store. Is this her ex, or what? The crazy fucker warned us not to touch our phones, but I texted the cops from my pocket. Then you come flying in the back door like…like, hell, some sort of librarian gone wild. What was that; it was so fuckin’ unreal! I can’t believe I saw you do that!” Billy voice had an edge of hysteria underlined with admiration.

  I patted his shoulder. It took a lot of effort to lift my arm and I was absently surprised by its heaviness. “It’s cool now, Billy. We’re okay, right? Right, Trent?”

  Billy and Trent looked at each other, and they both nodded quickly. Trent tentatively cupped my shoulder and peered down at me.

  His voice was cautious and his face was white. “Yeah, we’re okay, Anabel. Are you okay? Do you need some water or something?” He motioned tow
ards my shirt. “Not that I mind, but do you want to button up your shirt, or maybe sit down over there?”

  I didn’t answer and my hands were clumsy. I gave up after one button. I noticed the cops were coming our way led by Jack. He took in the scene, gave me a cursory once over—pausing at my chest. Then he turned away and started giving orders.

  Stella grabbed me in a fierce hug then, and I hugged her tightly back. I pulled away to look her in the eye. “You’re fine, right?”

  She nodded, wiping her tears away. Unable to talk, she nodded quickly again.

  “Go help Larissa, okay? Ask Jack if you can take her into my office, and close the door until the EMT’s get here. Call her parents.” My words felt sluggish and slow, but Stella nodded a third time and took off without another word.

  I should go to Larissa, but I didn’t know if seeing me would traumatize her further after yelling the way I had. I could hear her continued sobbing even over the ex’s mewling cries and curses from the floor.

  I turned as Anna ran up. She enveloped me in another hard hug. “You crazy…God, you kicked the CRAP out of him! If you EVER do anything like that again …”

  I whispered, “I don’t feel so good.”

  She didn’t seem to hear me. She released me and turned to Trent and Billy. From far away, I could hear her voice talking urgently to them. She hurriedly left to go tend to her crying employee, Brenda.

  I felt adrift, not knowing what to do with myself. ‘Where was I needed?’

  The few customers in the store gathered around closer to Trent, Billy and me. They kept a wide berth from the police and the man on the floor a few feet away. They were all chattering at once, and exclaiming over what I had done. Two of the elderly ladies I now recognized as the sisters, Millie and Ethel. They played bridge here every Thursday afternoon.

  Millie was saying, “Anabel, my dear girl, are you…”