by Paula Mabbel
“Does it make you feel any closer to this place? With all the history, you must be having a difficult time deciding what to do.”
“I do have a lot of memories, but all my immediate family passed away. I have lots of family and friends in the area, like most people in these parts, but it’s not the same. Not with my parents gone. I really miss them.”
Cannon showed her the rest of the land, and led Arabian Dancer all the way around until they circled back to stable. He helped Thelma down off the horse.
“Thelma, there was something I wanted to ask you.”
*****
Saturday was the busiest day at Thelma’s family shop, which wasn’t that busy. Town center wasn’t much to look at. There were only a few low-rise buildings. It was small enough to walk around in less than fifteen minutes. That just meant that the lease was cheap, and it was easy for Thelma’s parents to make rent.
Thelma had plans to do more with her life, but she loved working there. The antiques they sold were quaint, and she got lost making fantastic tales in her mind, imagining that each one of the trinkets and objects in the store held its own story.
The mornings, though, were always dead. They didn’t start getting their first customers until after 10:30. Thelma used the first half hour, like she did every day she worked, looking around the shop and doodling in her notebook whenever she got too tired of walking around.
That day, Thelma did more of the same, then eased her way into a conversation with her mother.
“So, how would you feel If I moved out? Nothing’s definite yet, but I might have a place to stay,” Thelma said to her mom, Nancy.
“I thought you wanted to save up so you could go traveling next year. Did you find a different job?”
“No, Mom. I just might have this opportunity. You won’t miss me too much if I move out, will you?”
“Of course I’ll miss you if you leave. Your dad will too.”
“And can I come back if it doesn’t work out?”
“I think you already know the answer to that question,” Nancy said.
“You see, there’s this guy.”
Thelma’s mom interrupted her before she could finish.
“This ‘guy’ wouldn’t happen to be Cannon, would it?”
Thelma pursed her lips and looked to the side, avoiding eye contact.
Nancy smiled and tilted her head.
“I knew Cannon’s family. If he’s anything like his parents, he’s a good man. What exactly is the reason, though, you want to move in with him?”
“Like I said, he’s going to let me crash there for free. I love living with you and Dad, but it would be nice to get out on my own.”
“But you won’t be on your own, will you? I’ve raised you to be an independent woman. Even if Cannon is a good man, I’m not sure it’s wise for you to be shacking up with him just to get free rent. You don’t think he’s not going to expect something from you in return, do you?”
“Shacking up? Really?” Thelma asked as she narrowed her eyes.
“I’m just being honest. You said you want to be on your own, but if he’s giving you free rent, you won’t exactly be on your own. What happens if gets redeployed or decides to put his place on the market?”
“You just said I can always come back and stay with you guys,” Thelma replied as the pitch in her voice increased. “Besides, he owns the place now, so if he gets redeployed he said I can probably stay for a while as long as I help maintain the place.”
“Yes, of course you can come back anytime. I just want you to go into this with your eyes open.”
“Mom, here’s the thing, he gets an extra allowance from the military by having someone stay with him. If he says he has a partner, he’ll get the money he needs to fix up his place, and I’ll get free rent. That’s what he’s getting, and that’s all.”
“Just make sure he knows that up front.”
A few mornings later, Thelma moved most of her things in with Cannon. It was the first time she’d had the opportunity to live away from her parents. There were no dorms at City College. The closest she ever gotten to living by herself was staying in a hotel for a few nights while on vacation.
“So, how does it feel finally moving out of your parents’ place?” Cannon asked.
“It feels great. But it’s not a big deal, really. I mean, I can always move back, and they’re so close.”
That’s what she said out loud, but an intense burning in her gut told her brain otherwise.
“Here, let me help you with that,” Cannon said as he grabbed a large briefcase she had been rolling.
His hand pressed against hers as he slipped his fingers into the handle. Her skin tingled, and the warm sensation triggered a rise in the faint hairs on her arm.
The brief increase in her pulse abated, and she spent the rest of the afternoon sorting through her things and arranging the room that used be be Cannon’s. He had taken what used to be his parents’ room. It made sense. It was a lot bigger.
Thelma sat at the desk in her room after she had settled in. She took turns crossing and uncrossing her legs and making lists of different plans she had for traveling and what she wanted to do while she was in each country.
A figure in the corner of her eye stole her attention. Outside her window, Cannon was striding along on the back of Arabian Dancer. She gaped at his bare back. He spent the better part of the day fixing up what he could around the house. She could tell he put in a lot of work from the beads of sweat that trickled down his skin.
Her breathing increased and her skin flushed as she watched him ride the horse. It was the first time she saw him with his shirt off, and his muscles were more defined than she imagined. His guns were the perfect size, but the contours of his chest and stomach reminded her of something from a television ad sporting a male model.
“Want to watch a movie or something?” Thelma asked after Cannon returned from outside.
“Thanks, but maybe another time. I’m beat. I’m going to grab a bite and then crash, then I’ll start it all over again tomorrow.”
“You sure? There’s plenty of room on the couch, and I’m more than willing to pick something you might like. How about an action movie?”
“Thanks, but I really am tired. Rain check?” Cannon asked.
*****
The same dance went on for several weeks. Thelma woke up, went to work at the shop on the days she was scheduled, and then she returned home. Each night she asked Cannon if he wanted to do something, but he was always busy fixing things around the house. He never cashed in that rain check like he’d promised, at least not yet.
It was Friday, though, and Thelma was determined to pry Cannon away from his to-do list, at least for one night.
“How long is it gonna to take you to finish fixing things up around this place? You’ve been going at it every night. You should give yourself a break.”
“Don’t know. I’m nowhere near finished, but I’m at the limits of what I can do by myself. I’ve already spoken to a few contractors, and when I get my next check, I’m going to have them start with some of the things on the list. I’m not planning on doing everything at once, but I should have more free time once they start.”
“Glad to hear. You should give yourself a break then. You want to get a drink?”
Cannon paused for a moment.
“You know I am overdue. Sure. Let’s go grab a drink. Were you thinking about The Tavern?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Thelma replied.
An hour later they found themselves in the midst of a packed house.
“Bourbon?” Jessica asked as Cannon and Thelma took a seat at the bar.
“Make it a double.”
“And you Thelma?”
“I’ll have the same.”
“Two doubles it is.”
Thelma watched several couples dance once the evening was late enough and the boys were sufficiently hammered to strut out on the dance floor.
“I love this
song,” Thelma said as one of the more recent country tunes started playing.
“Yeah, it’s a good song,” Cannon replied as he took another drink.
Jessica watched them chit chat and shook her head at Cannon as he cornered himself off and kept his focus on the liquid in his glass.
“You dance?” Thelma asked.
“Not a chance.”
“You say that now, but I promise I’m gonna get you on that floor before the evening’s over.”
“I’ll need a hell of a lot more whiskey.”
“It’s early,” Jessica said, interrupting.
Thelma gulped down the rest of her bourbon, then said, “I’m going out there. Join me if you like.”
Cannon sipped on his whiskey and watched as Thelma took the center of the floor and started dancing. He gave a half smile as she let loose and gave in to the music.
“You know she’s into you, right?” Jessica said.
“You think so?”
“Come on. You’d have to be blind not to see it.”
“Yeah, I guess, but I’m not looking for a relationship now, and I don’t want to make things awkward, not with her staying with me and all.”
“Dude, she’s seriously into you. Give her what she wants.”
“And then what?”
“For a smart guy, you can be an idiot sometimes. Don’t overthink it. Just have some fun.”
Cannon looked around the bar and noticed several guys looking at Thelma dance. He could overhear one group of men talking about which one of them was going to go out and ask her to dance first.
“Listen, you better get out out there before someone else does. Trust me, I think you’re going to regret it if you let her slip through your fingers.”
“I told you, though, I’m not into her.”
“Just go dance with her. Here, have another shot of bourbon. This one’s on me,” Jessica said as she placed a shot glass in front of him and filled it to the rim.
Cannon downed the shot and walked onto the dance floor just as one of the other men looked as if he was going to approach Thelma.
He grabbed Thelma by the waist and took her hand to spin her around.
“Glad you could finally make it.”
“Are you kidding? I would miss it for the world,” Cannon said with a smile as he spoke into her ear.
“Uh huh,” Thelma replied as he took both her hands in an expert move.
“Damn, you’re good at this, aren’t you? I should have gotten you out here sooner.”
“I’m okay. Guess those dance lessons came in handy after all.”
Other people at The Tavern looked on, some in awe and a few others in jealousy. He was good, and his outfit suggested he was better than he let on.
They danced a few more numbers and chatted a bit. The liquor loosened him up, and he finally gave her a few full smiles.
“I’m having fun,” Thelma said as the up-tempo melody came to an end.
She held on to his hand as a slow song replaced the previous fast number. She could tell by his gentle tug that he wanted to sit that one out.
“Just one more, then I’ll let you go.”
Cannon hesitated and took in a deep breath, and then he acquiesced. She leaned her head on his shoulder and draped her arms around his back.
The song ended, and they sat back down.
“Another bourbon?” Jessica asked.
“Make it a double.”
*****
“I can’t believe you can dance that good. You should have told me. Where did you learn to dance like that?” Thelma said as she touched his arm.
“Like I said, I took lessons when I was younger. My mom used to drag me and Dad out all the time, and he hated it. She used me as an excuse for family time, so he didn’t have much choice. I guess I remembered a lot of the moves.”
“Well, you certainly are full of surprises. What else have you been keeping secret?”
“Not a thing.”
Thelma’s mouth moistened, and her face turned a noticeable red as she smiled.
Cannon and Thelma stayed for a few more drinks before heading out. The Tavern was just a short walk from the house, so they made it back home in no time.
Cannon put the key in the door and turned the knob. She followed closely behind him and fumbled around the entryway before she kicked off her heels and shut the door behind her.
“I haven’t had that much fun in a long time,” Thelma said.
“Yeah. It was good to get out for a change.”
“See? I told you.”
Thelma gave him a gentle shove and stared into his eyes as she pushed forward on his upper chest.
Cannon grabbed her hand and then hesitated, staring back at her.
They both stopped talking and just looked at each other for a few seconds until the silence became uncomfortable.
Moments later, their lips were pressed against each other. Cannon felt the moisture of her plump mouth with his own as they took turns pushing each other up against the wall.
Cannon lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around him. He slid his hand down from her upper thigh, and stroked her smooth skin down to the back of her knee as they continued kissing.
They managed to unpin each other from the wall and move to the bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes strewn across the floor.
“Look at you,” Thelma said as she sat at the edge of the bed, unable to remove her eyes from his muscled bare flesh.
Cannon walked up to her, caressing her skin as he picked her up, pushing her further up on the bed and positioning himself between her legs.
He embraced her, and for the next half hour, they gave in to their desires until they both collapsed, sweating.
“That was…” Thelma said.
“Yeah, it was.” Cannon replied.
Thelma cuddled up next to him, and they both fell asleep in each other’s arms until the roosters woke them the following morning.
“You want some breakfast?” Thelma asked.
Cannon looked out the window at the bright morning sun. Its rays gleamed through the section of the window that was revealed when he peeled back the curtain.
“Yeah, that would be nice.”
Cannon put on his pants and stared out the window several minutes before walking into the kitchen.
“Here is some fresh-squeezed orange juice to go with your bacon and eggs,” Thelma said a short time later after she had finished cooking.
They ate breakfast in an awkward silence, and then went back to their routines for rest of the day. A few more days passed, and Cannon didn’t mention that night. Thelma waited for him to say something, but soon the days turned into a few more weeks, and Cannon turned his attention to the new contractor who had started working on the house.
“You wanna go check out a movie or something, Cannon?” Thelma asked.
“Maybe later. I’m just going to stay here and work alongside the contractor. I want to see how things are moving along.”
Thelma sighed.
“Do you think it was a mistake?” she asked.
“What?”
“You know what I mean. Do you think it was a mistake? Did you just have your fun with me and now you’re done?”
“Thelma, you know it’s not like that.”
“Then was is it like? Why did you make love to me if you’re not going to say anything about it or talk to me anymore?”
“Listen, I didn’t exactly plan it. It just kinda happened.”
“So you do think it was a mistake!”
“No. That’s not it. We were drunk is all. I didn’t want to rush into anything, and I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable while you are staying here. I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything.”
“Is that why you think I wanted you? Because you think I thought I owed you something?”
“Come on. That’s not fair and you know it. Of course I don’t think that. We were having fun, we had a lot to drink, and one thing let to another. Th
at’s it. That’s all I’m saying. It’s not a mistake. It just happened. I liked it. I like you, but I just don’t want you feeling uncomfortable.”
“If you didn’t want me feeling uncomfortable, maybe you should have tried talking to me a little more. Do something. Go out for a change. Ever since you hired the contractor, you’ve hardly looked at me.”
Cannon stopped and thought for a moment. He walked up to her and took her hand.
“Thelma, you’re right. I’m sorry. Now that I think about it, I have ignored you. Not because I thought what we did was a mistake, but because I haven’t been in a relationship in a while. I went from fighting for the country and being shot at to learning about both my parents dying. I’ve been so wrapped up in fixing up this house because it’s help take my mind off things while I sort through my life. It’s not you.”
“‘It’s not you, it’s me’? Is that what you were going to say? So I was just a distraction?”
“No, not at all. I like you. I always have. I’m not sorry about what we did. I enjoyed it. I like you. My mind just hasn’t been in it lately.”
“Well, you won’t have to worry about that. You don’t need my permission, but I’m giving it to you anyway. Feel free to ignore me. You don’t have to talk to me. Hell, I don’t want you to talk to me. This is just an arrangement, okay? I’m here for the free rent, and you’re here for the extra cash, so just leave me the fuck alone, and you can go about your business and pretend I’m not here.”
*****
A world away, the stale taste of sand was fused with a hint of gunpowder and explosives.
Three Navy SEALs wearing camo and a full complement of military-issued weapons and supplies stormed the bunker that housed the suspects they had been tracking for the past several weeks.
“I got your six,” Buck shouted over the ringing in his ears that came from the explosion.
Buck and other two men from his squad, Ace and Smitty, entered from the outside while they communicated with hand signals.
“Got him,” shouted Buck, the leader of the squad, as he pinned the suspect to the ground.
“Get down!” shouted Smitty.
A barrage of bullets peppered the bunker.