Sue

by Woodke Hawkinson

  Somehow Sue and Melvin had fallen into the habit of having dinner with her folks every other week. Sue had mixed feelings about this development. One Sunday as they were driving away, Sue asked Melvin, “So, when are you going to introduce me to your parents?”

  He checked the rearview mirror and pulled to the side of the road. Carefully putting the car in park, he turned toward Sue. “I had no idea you’d even want to meet them.”

  Sue immediately regretted bringing up the subject. She covered her discomfort with a bright smile. “Well, sure. Why not?”

  “They live pretty far away. In Kansas.”

  Sue looked at him in surprise. “Kansas? How did you end up here?”

  “I grew up here. My folks only moved a couple of years ago. They wanted to be near my grandparents; they’re getting old and need a lot of help.”

  “Oh.” Sue suddenly realized she knew very little about Melvin and his circumstances. Most of their conversations up to this point had centered on her and her problems. She blushed, knowing she’d been self-absorbed. “Well, do you ever see them?”

  “They come back as often as they can, whenever my uncle is available to step in and take over for them. Their house is still here; that’s where I live.”

  “So they plan to move back someday?”

  “Yes, I suppose.” He looked away. “When my grandparents...don’t need them anymore.”

  She put a hand on Melvin’s arm. “The next time they come back, maybe I could meet them?”

  He smiled. “Sure. That’d be great. In fact, they’ll be here in a couple of weeks. We’ll go out to eat or something.”

  When Sue met Melvin’s parents she found them to be charming people. His mother had a sparkle in her eye and a delightful sense of humor and his dad was earnest and polite.

  Their dinner was relaxed and enjoyable. Sue could clearly see where Melvin got many of his positive traits.

  Later she asked timidly, “So, what did you tell your parents about me?”

  “That you’re my friend.”

  “Do they know about Zeke and all that?”

  He looked surprised. “Of course not. Why would they?” Seeing Sue’s face flush with embarrassment, he said in a firm voice, “Look, Sue. You have to understand something. I took an oath of confidentiality when I went to work for Will. And even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t tell them your secrets, Sue. I wouldn’t tell anyone.”

  Sue exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Melvin. I wouldn’t want them knowing about it. It’s humiliating.”

  “Wrong. It’s not humiliating; a tragedy is what it is. I wish it hadn’t happened to you. But I don’t think you should feel embarrassed. It was all just a mistake and it’s in the past now.”

  She raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

  Chapter 28

  Melvin arrived at Sue’s apartment one evening early in May to take her to a movie. She let him inside, struck immediately by his downcast expression.

  “Give me a minute. I’m almost ready.” She headed for the bathroom to put finishing touches on her makeup and Melvin sat down without a word. Sue paused. “Melvin, is something wrong?”

  “There is something bothering me. It’s just that I don’t feel right being paid to hang out with you.” His face was troubled.

  “You’re not paid to hang out with me; you’re paid to escort me places, everything else we do is just for us.”

  He slipped out of his jacket and slumped back on the sofa. “Sue, I need to ask you something and I want a truthful answer. Okay?”

  She walked to the couch and sat beside him, puzzled. “Okay.”

  “Do you like me?”

  “Well, yeah.” Sue’s heart rate picked up. “Why?”

  Melvin ducked his head, fiddled with the jacket in his lap. “If I wasn’t paid to be here, would you still want to see me?”

  Sue considered the question; she didn’t want to get into a discussion of this nature, but Melvin seemed particularly vulnerable for some reason. She’d never seen him this agitated and it affected her in surprising ways. She noticed he was holding tightly to one of his jacket pockets and knew his inhaler was inside; she sensed he was keeping it near, just in case. In a reassuring tone, she stated, “Definitely. We’re friends, right?”

  “I hope so.” He heaved a sigh. “But we need to do something about this weird business-type setup we have. I’d rather be here because you want me, not because it’s my job.”

  “I do want you here, Melvin. I thought you knew that.”

  “Sometimes it’s hard to be sure of things.”

  “Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll talk to my folks about it; it’s really their thing anyway, not mine. It makes them feel more secure. And me, too. But honestly, Melvin, I just plain enjoy your company.”

  He seemed partially relieved, but still not his usual cheerful self. He raised his head and met her eyes. “I’ll still look out for you. I’ll do it because you matter to me. That’s reason enough in my book.”

  “But don’t you need the money? You know, for school and everything?”

  “Will’s got other jobs for me, you know. I’ll make out fine.”

  “But, if Will gives you other work, will you still have time for me?”

  “I’ll make time, Sue.” He laid his jacket aside, rose, and walked to the window. Parting the shades, he peered outside.

  “Okay, then. It’s settled.” Sue gazed at Melvin’s back, shoulders hunched in a posture of sadness.

  Dropping his hand from the blinds, he faced her, his expression still troubled. “That’s good. That’ll take a load off me.”

  Sue hesitated, weighing her words. “Melvin, what’s wrong? You’re not yourself at all. I know something’s going on. Please tell me.”

  He took a shaky breath. “I’m sorry, Sue. It’s not you. It’s today’s date. We don’t need to go into it or we’ll be late for our movie.”

  “To hell with the movie.” Sue patted the couch next to her. “Sit down. Please. Talk to me. What about today’s date?”

  Melvin walked over slowly, face down-turned, and sat beside her. “I go through this every year. It’s a bad anniversary.”

  Sue racked her mind. Was this when his girlfriend broke up with him? “Anniversary of what?” she asked quietly.

  “A fire.” His voice was flat.

  Oh, god! Reality slammed home. She should have known, should have remembered.

  “Maybe you’ve heard about this, I don’t know. Did Will tell you my family’s house caught fire when I was a kid?”

  “He mentioned it once but didn’t really elaborate.” She put her hand on his and squeezed lightly. “Tell me what happened.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know if I want to get into it.” His hand crept toward his jacket, but he pulled it back his movements listless. “It was awful, really bad. But you’ve got your own troubles. I shouldn’t shove mine off on you.”

  “It’s okay, Melvin. You can tell me anything.” Sue took his hand gently in her own, soothing him. “Please tell me.”

  Melvin leaned forward, chin trembling slightly. “I was sleeping when I smelled the smoke. When I came fully awake, I could hear the smoke alarm wailing. Without thinking, I just jumped up from the bed and ran as hard as I could outside. I could hear the crackling of the fire and it was the most horrible sound I’d ever heard. I was choking, too. The smoke made my eyes water and burn.”

  He ran his hands over his face, dragged them downward, cupped his mouth. Then he sagged against the back of the sofa and dropped his arms to his sides. “Anyway, it was a chilly night and I remember how the ground felt like ice on my feet. I was so scared, Sue. I could see the blaze licking out of the windows like red tongues. I was crying, looking around for my parents. Neighbors were gathering outside, yelling and looking for the hose, but it had been rolled up and stored away for the winter. I could hear sirens.

  “I couldn’t find my folks. Turns out they were trapped in their bedroom by the fire. They couldn’t op
en the door because it was too hot. I guess my dad broke through the window and dropped my mom to the ground before escaping himself. I didn’t see it, though, because I’d realized Davy, my little brother, was still inside. Nobody was paying attention to me. I ran back inside. I couldn’t breathe. It was horrible. The smoke was really thick by then. I closed my eyes and found my way by memory to his room. He was in his bed, not moving. I thought he should be crying and scared like I was. But he was quiet. I grabbed him by the arms and picked him up. I fell and he landed on top of me. It seemed like the air near the floor was a little easier to breathe, so I started crawling, pulling him along. He still didn’t cry out! I thought he was so brave. I wanted to tell him everything was going to be okay; I’d get us both out of there. But I couldn’t speak.

  “When I could see the front door I got up and lifted him. He was only a toddler but still pretty heavy for me to carry because I was just a kid, too, you know.

  “Nothing in my life ever felt better than that first breath of clean air once we got outside. I thought we’d made it, we’d be okay. I laid Davy on the ground and bent over him, choking and trying to pull air into my lungs. He was so still and I realized he wasn’t breathing. I started pushing on his chest, shaking his shoulders, trying to get him to wake up. I was coughing and crying like crazy.

  “Some firemen, paramedics, someone...I don’t know who...they took him from me and worked on him. They worked on me, too, but I kept trying to see Davy.”

  Tears rolled unchecked down Melvin’s cheeks. Sue felt them gather in her eyes as well.

  He removed his glasses and wiped them on his shirt, then continued, “Anyway, Davy didn’t make it.”

  “I’m sorry, Melvin.” Sue put her arm around his shoulders.

  He leaned against her. “I wish you could’ve known him, Sue. He was the cutest little kid. And he loved me. He thought I was the biggest, smartest, greatest person in the world. He was always copying me, following me around like a pint-sized shadow. God, I missed him so much. I still miss him.”

  “How old was he?”

  “He was three.”

  “And how old were you?” Sue kept a comforting hand on his back.

  “I was seven.” Melvin wiped his eyes on the back of his hand.

  “Seven! Oh, Melvin, you were just little yourself. How terrible for you, for your family. How did you guys get over a tragedy like that?”

  “You never get over it. You just go on.”

  “Did they ever figure out what started the fire?”

  “Not really. They think it was electrical. Nobody’s fault. My dad blamed himself for a long time, thought he somehow should have known the wiring was bad. It was a while before any of us were able to smile again.”

  “So do you have any other brothers or sisters?”

  “No. It was just Davy and me.” He slid out from under her arms, replaced his glasses, and picked up his jacket from the sofa. “Excuse me for a minute.” He rose to his feet and then disappeared into the bathroom.

  Sue paced the living room a few times, then approached the bathroom door and stood uncertainly outside it. She could hear the tiny press of the inhaler and several deep breaths. The series of sounds repeated.

  She tapped on the door. “Melvin, are you okay?”

  Silence.

  Then she heard the sound of water running and a moment later the door opened. Melvin stood before her, jacket in one hand and inhaler cupped in the other. “I’m okay now.”

  On impulse, Sue stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. She looked into his eyes for a few seconds and then stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him. He dropped the jacket to the floor and returned her embrace. They held each other, rocking lightly back and forth. She buried her face in his shoulder, breathed deeply of his clean fresh scent, flushed with tenderness toward him. When he pulled away, she thought he might kiss her. She raised her head slightly, expecting to feel his mouth on hers. But the moment passed and he stepped back.

  “I kind of ruined our evening, didn’t I?” He picked up his jacket and slipped the inhaler back into the pocket.

  “It’s not ruined.” Sue took his hand and led him to the front room. “It’s going to be a good evening. The best. I have an idea. Why don’t we just stay in tonight and watch a movie here? Something lighthearted. Silly.”

  Melvin flashed a small smile, shy again now that the storm had passed. “Sounds good to me.”

  They made a quick trip to the video store and grabbed some snacks from Rick’s Market. The rest of the evening they sat near each other on the sofa, not quite touching, but close.

  Making good on her word, Sue talked to her parents the next day and they called Will to terminate their arrangement. Melvin continued to accompany Sue most places and they spent hours together, only now it wasn’t work; it was social. Their friendship grew stronger and at the same time more vulnerable as elements of affection pulsed beneath the surface.

  Chapter 29

  All the months of celibacy combined with night after night of wild dreams stirred longings in Sue, urges for intimacy that demanded attention. She had looked at Melvin with new eyes ever since he’d stood up to the pizza guy, and felt a growing closeness after he’d confided in her his feelings about the fire. She decided it was time to act on her desires.

  She and Melvin always ate out or ordered in. This time, she would treat him to a home-cooked meal. Though she hadn’t ever prepared a real meal on her own, she thought she could pull off a spaghetti dinner easily enough. She hummed as she made a list of ingredients. Picking up her phone, she reached Melvin and issued her invitation, which he accepted.

  “You’re cooking? Cool. What can I bring?” he asked, his voice setting off tender explosions under her skin.

  She reminded herself that he had no idea what she planned for later, and smiled at how surprised he would be. She pictured burying her hands in his hair, plundering his sweet lips with her own, unzipping his jeans. Heat spread throughout her belly.

  “Just yourself,” she said, voice slightly husky, revealing something of her intent.

  “Okay.” He sounded slightly baffled but pleased. “What time?”

  “Give me at least an hour. I want to run by the store.” She also wanted to take a bath, shave, and primp. “Better make that an hour and a half. Would that be okay?”

  “Fine. Maybe I’ll stop and get a bottle of wine. Do you have a preference?”

  “Anything will do. No, wait. Something red. And sweet.” She giggled. “I really don’t know much about wine.”

  “I don’t either, but I’ll ask the clerk. I’ll get something good.”

  They disconnected and Sue made a quick dash for groceries. Back home, she hurried to her closet to choose a flattering outfit. She ran a hot bath, dumped in perfumed bath salts, and opened a fresh razor. Lighting a scented candle, she removed her clothes and sank into the water.

  When finished, Sue toweled off, dressed, and dried her hair. She spritzed on body spray and applied a touch of makeup. Melvin arrived right after she’d loaded the CD player with soft music.

  “I hope this is alright. The liquor store clerk said it was good.” He handed her a bottle.

  “I’m sure it’ll be perfect.” She carried it to the kitchen. “I’m fixing a special family recipe tonight. I think you’ll like it.”

  “I’m sure I will. Need any help?”

  “You can keep me company while I cook.”

  Melvin joined her in the kitchen, shooting her shy smiles every so often as they chatted. Soon the apartment filled with the savory smell of simmering sauce. Sue told him a joke she’d heard at work and they laughed together. A knock at the front door interrupted them.

  “I’ll get that and be right back.” Sue headed for the living room.

  “Wait, Sue...” Melvin followed her.

  She threw open the door, a smile still on her face. There stood a youngish man with dark blonde hair partially covered by a blue baseball cap. He cocked his hea
d, looked her up and down, then stuck his hands in his jeans pockets, striking a casual pose. A grin spread over his face. “Oh, yeah,” he murmured.

  “Can I help you?” she said, annoyed at the disruption.

  “Susie?” His grin widened.

  “Yes. Do I know you?” She couldn’t keep the irritation out of her voice.

  “I’m Eric Grant. And no, you don’t know me, but I was told I ought to look you up.”

  Melvin edged closer and stood behind Sue, just out of sight of the visitor.

  “For what? By whom?” She felt prickles of apprehension scurry up her spine.

  “Mutual friend, that’s who. Can I come in?” He stepped closer.

  Sue closed the door partway. “No, you can’t come in. I don’t even know you.” She started to shut the door but he put out a hand to stop it.

  “Don’t be that way, come on. I’m not some weirdo; I’m just a nice normal guy. We could have a lot of fun together, if you know what I mean. Give me a chance, won’t you?”

  “I’ll give you a damn chance!” Melvin eased past Sue, seized the front of Eric’s shirt and swung him off the porch, bashing him against the outside wall of the house. “Is that the kind of fun you had in mind? Hunh?” With lightning fists, Melvin pummeled him in the abdomen several times. “You having fun yet? Is this fun? How about this?” Melvin kicked the man’s feet from under him and he crumpled to the ground, gasping.

  “Melvin! Stop!” Sue grabbed his arm.

  Melvin backed off, shoulders heaving with the effort of containing his fury. “I just want to make sure he has a good time.” He leaned down and spat out savagely, “Big fun!”

  Sue gazed down at her would-be suitor. “Who are you, really? Why did you come here?”

  Cradling his stomach with one arm, Eric pushed himself into a sitting position. “I don’t want any trouble,” he panted. “I’m only here because Ian told me you like a good time. You know Ian. Mutual friend? Problem is, he didn’t mention you have a jealous boyfriend. It’s not my fault. I didn’t know you’d hooked up with anyone.” He gave Melvin a slanted look. “Can I get up now?”