Double or Nothing

by Wells, Donald

  She smiles up at him and advances.

  David cringes somewhat, not knowing what to expect from the strange girl.

  Mouse reaches out and puts her arms around David, hugging him, as she nuzzles her head into his chest. It is an act of pure affection.

  He feels surprising strength in her arms, and inexplicably, an aroma of popcorn seems to be wafting from her.

  “Is this why you’ve been following me? Is it because you like me? Let me guess, you think I’m cute, right?”

  David’s looks have been described as “cute” by every girlfriend he has ever had, never handsome, never good-looking, just cute. David has always taken the word “cute” to be the equivalent of someone saying you have a great personality.

  Mouse doesn’t respond, she just continues hugging him. David finds her embrace strangely comforting and a bit unnerving at the same time.

  He senses no sexual impulse within the girl, just an overwhelming sense of affection, as if they’d been separated for a long time and have finally reunited.

  Unsolicited by any conscious thought, David finds his arms encircling her and hugging her tenderly. The two of them stand locked together in an affectionate embrace for long moments. After a time, her grip slackens and she releases him.

  When he looks down into her face, he sees that she’s crying. It is only then that he realizes he is also shedding tears. She smiles at him with that perfect smile and he grasps that the tears they shed are tears of joy, although from what source or basis he could not say.

  David whispers, awestruck. “This is very strange Mouse, very strange.” Again, the beautiful smile, and now he gives her a smile of his own as he wipes away his unbidden tears. David sighs deeply and begins walking toward the entrance to the alley.

  He turns to look back at her and finds she is standing beside him. David starts his walk toward the diner and Mouse walks along two steps behind.

  At the diner, David takes his customary booth and sees that Mouse waits for him right below the window, the top of her head visible just beneath the windowsill. Before leaving, he orders a cheeseburger, fries, salad and a chocolate shake to go. On his trip back home, with Mouse still walking two steps behind, he makes another stop.

  When he arrives back at his apartment building, he continues past its front door and walks down the alley. David stops in front of the hole in the side of the building and sets down his packages.

  Mouse looks down at them and then up at him.

  “Those are all for you. They’re just some sweatpants and a jacket, it gets cold at night now and I doubt you have any heat inside that theater. Oh yeah, the white bag there is food. I hope you’re hungry, the diner makes a really big burger.”

  Mouse smiles at David and gives him another hug, this time it is a short little squeeze of gratitude.

  “You’re welcome Mouse.” David says.

  Mouse backs herself into the hole and after grabbing the packages, disappears from sight. David turns and makes his way up to his apartment and plops down on his sofa.

  This has to be the strangest day of my life.

  David realizes that he has essentially started a relationship with the homeless girl. He bought her food and clothing not out of charitable impulse, but out of a deeper sense of personal responsibility.

  The embrace in the alley exposed a part of him he didn’t know existed.

  David now knew why the girl had followed him for the last two weeks.

  It was the connection.

  Somehow, on some deep level, he and Mouse are connected to each other. The tears he shed in the alley were tears of pure joy, tears of reuniting.

  He now felt affection for the girl stronger than any he’d ever felt outside of a love relationship, and David now knew something else.

  He knew that he would take care of her for as long as she needed him, for the rest of her life if necessary.

  David sits on his sofa gazing at nothing while running the moments and feelings of their shared embrace over and over in his mind. Soon the sun sets and still he sits back on the sofa, thinking in the dark.

  “I’ll be damned.” David says while laughing to himself. “I’ll be damned.”

  2

  David is having breakfast in his regular booth at the Village Diner.

  Across from him sits his best friend, one Albertino Salvatori. Albertino, Al, is forth generation Mafioso and his features fairly scream Sicilian.

  Al is not a hit man, or a drug runner, or a hijacker of truck shipments. Al is an investment analyst. Al is also one of the most successful money launderers on the east coast. While his “Family” earns the money, Al washes it clean. Over the last three years, he has laundered the ill-gotten gains of the fifth largest crime family in New York State. For his trouble he gets to keep one percent. Al is a rich young man.

  “So let me get this straight Davey, she just follows you around, and this has been going on for how long?” Al asks.

  “Hmm, about a month now.”

  “I thought you said she was homeless, she doesn’t look homeless, those sneakers look almost new.”

  “They are new, I bought them for her last week.”

  Al stares at David intently. He then points to Mouse standing at her usual position outside. “You’re not doing that girl are you? Because I mean it sounds like she’s not right in the head, you know?”

  “Hey! What the hell do you think I am, a pervert or something? No I’m not doing her. It’s just that we’re connected somehow. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

  “Connected? Connected how? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Like I said, I can’t explain it, I just know we belong together, that I’m supposed to take care of her.”

  Al shakes his head sadly. “You’re really getting weird. You know what your problem is? It’s that trust fund of yours. Your old man set you up with three million dollars and so you never had to worry about anything. Look at me, I work, I work my ass off and I’m richer than you’ll ever be. You’re twenty-eight-years old, you need to do something all day besides sit in that apartment and play with your computers, you should get a job.”

  “You’ve been telling me that since college and I still don’t see how having a nine to five would improve my life any, I like my life.”

  Al starts to respond but is interrupted by the waitress, she’s got a sixtysomething face beneath a twenty-something hairstyle.

  “David do you want your usual order to go hon?”

  David says, “Yes Barbara, thanks,” and the waitress walks away.

  Al leans back in the booth and studies David. “When’s the last time you got laid, not since you were with Alison right?”

  “Yeah, and Alison and I broke up months ago, so what’s your point? You think I’m going to start sleeping with Mouse there?”

  “Who the hell’s Mouse? The girl?”

  “Yeah, I call her Mouse, believe me it fits.”

  “Oh, well no I didn’t think that, I was just going to say that I’m going to Aspen next month for Thanksgiving. Why don’t you come along? You’re bound to get laid by one of those snow bunnies up there.”

  “It’s a tempting offer, but Carol invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner and I already said yes.”

  “OK, as long as you’re not going to be alone. How is Carol these days? I haven’t seen your sister in a long time.”

  “The doctor is doing fine and she’s so busy that I haven’t seen her in a while myself.”

  “Is she ah, is she seeing anybody seriously?”

  David raises an eyebrow.

  “I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”

  “Just making conversation,” Al says, and then to change the subject he asks. “What about Alison? Is she still bothering you?”

  “No, not so much as a phone call in over a month, I guess she’s finally moved on.”

  “I’ll tell you if I didn’t know what a nut she is I’d make a play for her, she is one fine piece of womanhood.”


  “The sex was great, but believe me the rest was a nightmare. She would get jealous over nothing, and in the end she was the one that cheated.”

  “Oh yeah, what was it she said? ‘It’s not cheating. It’s a career move.’ As if sleeping with a producer to get a part didn’t mean anything.”

  “I guess it worked, the play’s running on Broadway and she’s got the lead.”

  “I actually went to see it a few nights ago. She really is talented, there’s a part in the play where she’s—never mind. I don’t want to spoil the surprise ending for you.”

  “Don’t worry about that Al, I’ll never go see it. If Alison spotted me at the theater she’d take it to mean that I want to get back together and start calling me again.”

  “Most guys would kill to have a woman like that chase after them.”

  “Yeah they would, after a few months of her possessiveness they’d kill themselves. Her pleasure isn’t worth her pain, believe me.”

  Al rises from the booth. “Come on, I’ll walk you back to your place.”

  David pays the bill and picks up Mouse’s to go order. Since the day of their embrace in the alley, he has bought her food and clothing.

  Parked outside in front of the diner is a black limousine, when Al emerges from the diner he motions for the limo driver to follow along as he walks David home. As usual, Mouse falls in two steps behind David, although she keeps a watchful eye on Al.

  “Does she follow you like this everywhere you go?”

  “Yeah, I’ve tried to get her to walk alongside of me but she likes it back there.”

  “And you say she can’t talk?”

  “Can’t or won’t, I’m still wondering which one it is. She’s really smart though, and she’s not mentally retarded or anything.”

  “Why don’t you call the city shrinks or whatever they’re called to come get her? They’ll take care of her and feed her.”

  “They’ll lock her in a cage of some kind Al, maybe even a mental hospital. She likes to be free. I can’t even talk her into coming into my apartment and you know how cold the nights are now.”

  “You mean you offered to let her sleep in your apartment? Are you crazy? She might kill you in your sleep.”

  David laughs. “Mouse would never hurt me, I know that.”

  When they get back to the apartment house, David hands Mouse her food and she gives him one of those small hugs he’s come to think of as her gratitude hug. As David and Al watch, Mouse heads into the alleyway and goes over to her entrance hole in the theater. Somehow, she slips through the small opening and is gone.

  “Damn!” Al says.

  “Now you know why I call her Mouse.”

  “Yeah, I would have bet money she couldn’t get through that hole, even as small as she is.”

  From around the corner come four men. David immediately recognizes them as the punks who attacked the bistro on the day he met Mouse, they’re headed toward him and Al.

  “Al, I’ve seen these guys before, they’re trouble.”

  “I don’t need you to tell me that, you can smell it on them from here.”

  Just as the four men reach the entrance to the alley, Mouse exits the theater. The tallest of the four men, the one David tackled at the bistro points at her.

  “Shit! Look at that bitch. She crawled out of that hole like a roach.”

  Mouse runs over to David and grasps his arm. The two groups stand looking at each other across the alley’s divide. David wrinkles his nose as an odor of vinegary sweat and stale beer emanates from the four men.

  The tall one gestures at Mouse again. “Ya know she’s pretty cute. Hey baby, why don’t ya come over here to some real men?”

  “Why don’t you four take off while you still can?” Al says.

  The four move closer, until they’re near enough to touch. Beside him, David feels Mouse quivering as she hugs herself to him tightly.

  “Tell me something Guido,” Says the tall one to Al. “Who’s gonna make us?”

  In answer, Al sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly. In the next instant, the driver’s side door of the limousine opens and out steps a man even taller than the tall man. The limo driver is nearly seven-feet tall and appears almost as wide. He leans across the roof of the limo and sights down the barrel of a large gun, the gun is pointed directly at the tall man. The other three men scatter immediately.

  The tall man smiles at the limo driver and raises his hands in the air, he then turns around and starts walking down the alley. He pauses at the hole Mouse used to exit the theater and looks back at Mouse, leering, he then continues walking away.

  Al winks at the limo driver. “Thanks Vinny,”

  “Anytime boss,” Says Vinny, who then gets back in the limo.

  “How did I know his name was Vinny?” David says.

  “Don’t start.” Al says. He then looks at Mouse, who is still gripping David’s arm. “Is she OK?”

  “Yeah, she’ll be OK.” David says, then talking to Mouse, he asks. “You sensed they were coming didn’t you?”

  Mouse nods her head yes.

  “Then why did you come back out here? I know you’re scared to death of them.”

  Mouse pouts at David, and then points at him.

  “You came out here to be with me? Oh Mouse next time just hide, you could have been hurt.”

  “What do you mean she ‘sensed’ them?” Al asks.

  “Mouse is psychic or something, she always seems to know when trouble’s coming.”

  “Psychic huh? Maybe I should take her to the track. It’s been fun Davey, but I have to get to work.” Al heads toward the limo and Vinny gets out and opens the door for him.

  Mouse runs over to Al and gives him one of her little gratitude hugs. Al simply stands there with his arms at his sides, shocked by her affection. Mouse releases him and gives Vinny the same treatment, when she’s done she returns to David’s side.

  “I think I see how she could grow on you.” Al tells David, afterward, he climbs into the limo and rides off.

  “Mouse I really don’t like those four rats knowing where you stay. Why don’t you come upstairs with me? I promise you it’ll be OK.”

  Mouse is laughing quietly at David.

  “What’s so funny? Oh I see, I said four rats and a Mouse. But Mouse I’m serious, you really should move in with me. It’ll be nice. I’ll give you your own room and everything.”

  Mouse shakes her head no.

  “I worry about you out here, it gets cold as hell at night. You don’t have to be homeless anymore, you’ve got me now.”

  Mouse leans into David and hugs him gently. She then motions for him to follow and leads him past the chained and padlocked front doors of the theater and around to the other side, where there’s a gap between the theater and the bakery that sits to its left.

  David guesses the space between the buildings is less than a foot wide. Mouse turns sideways and makes her way between the buildings while beckoning David to follow. David gives her a doubtful look, but after checking to see if anyone is watching, he proceeds to follow. The footing is difficult, thanks to the assorted trash blown into the crevice by the wind. Within seconds of entering, David gets wedged in tight.

  “Mouse I’m stuck!” He calls to her. Mouse sits with legs dangling on an open windowsill in the side of the theater and David can barely make her out in the dim light. “Mouse I’m really stuck, help me get out of here.”

  Mouse raises her arms above her head, indicating to David that he should do the same, he does so, and finds that he can move again, barely. Mouse beckons him to continue toward her and the window.

  “I’ll keep coming Mouse, but it’s a damn tight fit.” David keeps moving, slowly, tensed for any indication that he might be getting wedged in again.

  His body rubs against the decaying paint on the side of the building and sends up a fume of dust particles. David is racked by an involuntary coughing spell and grunts in pain as his rib cage pus
hes against the building’s unyielding brick. The spate of coughing passes and he continues on.

  At last, he makes it to the window, following Mouse, he pulls himself up, and kicking off of the opposite wall, he manages to go over the sill and land on a cold tile floor. They’re in a bathroom, the men’s room judging by the urinals. The room stinks of disinfectant, however this in no way masks the reek of urine in the room. Mouse stands near the sinks, smiling at him.

  “Is this where you sleep?” He asks. Mouse shakes her head no and turns on the faucets. Water spews forth, both hot and cold, atop the sink are strips of cloth in various sizes. David guesses that these are what she’s been using for washcloths and towels.

  “Why are you showing me this? Are you telling me that you’re all right living here because you have running water? Water’s fine, but what about heat? It’s cold out now and it’s only going to get colder.”

  Mouse takes David by the hand and leads him out of the bathroom to the lobby. David looks around the huge room and sees walls covered with posters touting coming attractions for movies already available as rentals.

  In the corner are a group of video game machines and a phone card dispenser. Mouse goes behind the candy counter and climbs up onto it, then she lowers herself into the large bin where the popcorn falls after it’s been popped. Inside the bin is one of the blankets David bought for her.

  David cocks his head, perplexed by her behavior. “What are you doing?”

  In answer, Mouse reaches over the side of the bin and hits a switch. A humming sound begins and David watches as the heat lamps above the bin warm up and shine on Mouse’s smiling face.

  “So this is how you’ve been keeping warm? It’s clever, it also explains why you smell like popcorn. I’ve heard that the theater is disputed property in a divorce. I guess no one bothered to turn off the power or water, but Mouse, sooner or later you’re going to have to move out.”

  Mouse looks up at David, confused and saddened by his lack of enthusiasm at her living arrangements.

  David goes over to the bin and helps her out. “Do you trust me?”

  Mouse looks surprised by his question, and nods her head in an emphatic gesture of yes.