Double or Nothing

by Wells, Donald

  “Because I know David would never do such a thing.”

  “But how do you know?”

  “Because I know he’s a good man.” Alison says, while thinking of David’s Mr. Smith activities.

  “He’s a lucky bastard, I’ll give him that much, another eighth of an inch and that bullet would have split his skull wide open.”

  “Thank God it didn’t, but the way he looked when we found him in all that blood and with his leg at that odd angle, I thought he was…”

  Alison begins weeping and Frank goes to her. She stands and falls into his arms, after a few moments she stops crying and straightens.

  Frank wipes her tears away and their eyes meet. He leans forward and kisses Alison and she responds to him. They kiss with increasing passion and then Frank takes her by the hand and leads her toward one of the bedrooms. At the threshold she stops, she looks at Frank and shakes her head.

  “Alison I know you still want me, sometimes I even think you love me. Help that poor bastard in there all you want but then let him go. David is your past. I’m your future. I only want to make you happy, I love you.”

  “I can’t Frank, this is my second chance, don’t you see that? I’ve got another chance.”

  Frank stares at her. “Yes, I see what you mean, but I’ll tell you right now that you’ll only get one chance with me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean it’s him or me. Fucking choose right now. I’m tired of this shit Alison!”

  “Be quiet, you’ll wake David up.”

  “Fuck David and fuck you! I must be crazy. I’m out here in the middle of nowhere with a wanted fugitive and chasing after a woman who’ll never love me. I’m as crazy as you are. I’m getting out of here before I go completely nuts.”

  “Frank don’t be mad, please try to understand.”

  “I understand all right, you choose him over me, OK, goodbye.”

  Frank opens the door to leave and Alison follows.

  “What are you saying? That you’re leaving for good? Don’t go like this. Stay and talk to me, we’ll work it out. Frank I…I…”

  Frank holds the door open. “You what?”

  Alison closes her mouth and looks at Frank with pleading, confused eyes, and then at last she speaks.

  “Don’t go Frank—I love you. I really do. It’s just that I…love David more.”

  Frank leans forward and kisses Alison. He then looks at her as if he were trying to memorize her face.

  “Goodbye Alison.”

  Alison stands motionless as she watches him leave. It is not until he has his car door open that she breaks from her trance and speaks.

  “You’ll be back next week, right Frank?”

  Frank looks at her and through her. He gets in, starts his car, and leaves.

  Alison stands in the doorway watching the moonlit cloud of dust his car raises upon the dirt and gravel road as he heads away from her. She stands and watches until she can no longer see even the faintest glow from his headlights.

  Alison goes back inside the farmhouse and closes the door. She walks over to David’s bedroom and peeks in. David lies on his side, sleeping quietly.

  She slips into the room, and after taking off her shoes, she climbs into bed and lies beside David, facing him as he still sleeps. Alison puts her arm around him and starts to cry.

  “I just love you more David. I just love you more.”

  29

  Dr. Meyer sits in a chair in the Davenport living room and looks about at her patient’s family and friends.

  April, May and Simon sit on the sofa to her right while Al and Carol are on the one to her left. Between the two sofas is a coffee table littered with empty wine glasses and filled ashtrays. The doctor notices that not all of the cigarette butts appear to be of the legal variety.

  April glares at Al and Carol. “Could someone please tell me why they’re here?”

  “I called them April; they’re June’s family also.” Says Simon.

  “They are not June’s family Simon. Father was right, you do sometimes forget your place.” April says.

  “It’s my place to protect you girls. Dr. Manning and Mr. Salvatori both love June. She needs people around her who love her.”

  “Are you saying that we don’t love June?” May asks.

  “No dear, what I’m saying is that she can use all the love she can get. Please, let’s all be quiet and let Dr. Meyer speak.”

  “Thank you Simon.” Dr. Meyer says. “Simon is right when he says that June needs love, but I’m afraid she needs more than that.”

  “Such as what Dr. Meyer?” Carol asks.

  “I think in light of her suicide attempt that it would be best to have her committed for observation. She may attempt suicide again when she comes down from this euphoric feeling she’s experiencing.”

  “What euphoric feeling? June’s been a gloomy Gus ever since David died. Why would she suddenly be so happy?” May asks.

  “David’s alive! June sensed his presence.” Simon proclaims with a big smile on his face.

  The doctor sighs softly. “That is just June’s new way of coping with her pain Simon. People cannot sense other people. If David doesn’t return soon then she will despair once more and possibly attempt suicide again. We have to remember, that to June, David was her whole life.

  “Her entire identity was formed in his presence and she looked to him for everything. If David had…left, even a year from now, June might have had a stronger foundation of self to fall back upon. As it stands now she is so dependent on him for love and a sense of place in the world that she cannot imagine living without him. We have to help June to see that she can build a new life.”

  “Simon, did June really say that Davey’s alive?” Al asks.

  “She did and he is, I believe her fully.”

  “Davey always said she was psychic, I wonder…”

  Dr. Meyer holds up a hand. “Please do not feed June’s delusions by filling her with your own fervent hopes.”

  “The doctor is right.” April says. “David is dead and June just won’t accept it. May and I have tried to help her to move on but she just won’t let go of the past.”

  “The past? You heartless bitch. My brother’s only been presumed dead for a few weeks and you call it the past? Davey and June loved each other deeply. I would be amazed if she moved on with her life in a year, much less a few weeks. Oh, and what’s your idea of moving on with her life, screwing some guy she hardly knows? I’ve got news for you April, June’s not like you two. She’ll never be like you. She’s better than you are.”

  April rises from the sofa, scarlet with anger. “Get out of my house you bitch and take your Mafia boyfriend with you!”

  Carol smiles sweetly at her. “Honey, this ain’t your house, it’s June’s.”

  April shakes with rage and sits back down. May takes her hand and glares over at Carol.

  “Please, everyone, now is not the time for petty squabbles. I need you to place June in my care for observation for at least a seventy-two hour period.” Dr. Meyer says.

  “If you think that’s best doctor. What hospital will she be in?” Carol asks.

  “No.” April says.

  “No what?” Carol says. “You heard the doctor, June should be hospitalized.”

  “No.”

  “Miss Davenport, it really would be the best thing for your sister.”

  “No doctor, I will not have June placed inside some madhouse. She is a Davenport.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? ‘She’s a Davenport.’ June needs help. This is no time to be protecting your family’s image.”

  “What I meant by that Carol, is that being a Davenport she has access to care options that most people don’t. May and I will employ a psychiatrist to watch over her here, in her home.”

  “If that’s what you choose to do Miss Davenport I can recommend someone if you’d like?” Dr. Meyer says.

  “That won’t be necessary docto
r. In fact, you yourself are no longer needed.” April says.

  Dr. Meyer looks taken aback. “Are you dismissing me from your sister’s case?”

  “That is exactly what I’m saying, goodnight and goodbye.”

  “Miss Davenport your sister’s case is complex and I have been her doctor since the beginning, for her sake I ask you to reconsider, please?”

  April stares Dr. Meyer in the face. “Goodbye doctor.”

  Dr. Meyer sits motionless for a moment, but then rises from her seat to leave.

  Carol motions for the doctor to stay. “April, June needs Dr. Meyer, she trusts her. A new doctor isn’t what June needs right now.”

  April smiles. “Carol honey, June ain’t your sister, she’s mine. Why don’t you and Al leave with the doctor? There’s nothing more for you here.”

  “April this is not about our dislike for each other. June needs help.”

  While looking at Carol, April says. “Simon, May and I will be upstairs, do see that this room is cleaned of all filth by the time we return.”

  “You self-centered bitch, your sister needs help!” Carol says.

  “Goodbye Carol,” April calls, as she walks out of the room with May giggling behind her.

  Simon stares after them, looking helpless. “I’m sorry everyone, it’s been difficult here at times since Blake died.”

  “Why do you stay Simon? You must have other options.” Dr. Meyer asks.

  Simon shrugs. “They’re my family, for good or bad.” He then walks everyone to the door to say goodnight.

  Dr. Meyer appears reluctant to leave, while standing in the threshold, she speaks to Simon.

  “I certainly wish June success with her new doctor. I would appreciate it if you would call me and let me know how she’s doing.”

  “Of course doctor and thank you so much for coming out on your Sunday evening.”

  “June is special to me Simon. If she needs me, I’ll be there for her.”

  “Carol, Al, thank you two for coming by also, June needs her family around her.”

  “Watch over her Simon, thank God you talked her down from that wall.”

  “You don’t have to worry about her doing that again Carol. June now knows that David is alive, she’s simply waiting for him to return.”

  “You really believe my brother’s alive don’t you?”

  “He’s alive. June felt him and he’ll be back for her.”

  Carol smiles kindly at Simon and touches him gently on the cheek.

  “Goodnight Simon,”

  “Goodnight Carol, Al, try not to worry about June, she’ll be fine.” Simon closes the door. I pray to God she’ll be fine.

  Upstairs in her and May’s bedroom, April is on the phone with the front gate. “The people that are leaving the house now are never to be let back in. Do I make myself clear?” April listens to the guard’s reply and tells him, “Make sure that they don’t.” She then hangs up.

  “I was so glad when you told off that bitch Carol. Who the hell does she think she is butting into our family’s business?”

  “She was right about one thing though, June is not like us and I’ve come to see that she’ll never be like us.”

  May sits beside April on the bed. “I’ve thought that for a long time now. We don’t need June, the two of us are enough. June is only spoiling things with her boo hoo David routine.”

  “Yes, and now she’ll be giddy thinking that David’s coming back. If David did miraculously come back he’d be thrown in jail and then we’d be subjected to her whining about that for God knows how long.”

  “Maybe Simon should have just let June jump tonight, it would have been better all the way around. Do you know that she left us everything in her will? She told me that last night. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but looking back, I guess it was a warning sign that she was crazy.”

  “May I think you’re right. If June commits suicide then we get the house back and all of her money. This is a great opportunity since she’s already tried it once.”

  May rises from the bed in a rush. “What are you saying? You want to kill June?”

  “May, she is our sister. I could never kill her. We just won’t stop her when she does it herself, that’s all.”

  “That I could do.” May says, while retaking her seat. “If poor June wants to die then who am I to say no, but I don’t think I could ever kill her.”

  “With our ‘partner’ Marco blackmailing us, a little more money couldn’t hurt.”

  “He doesn’t want our money April, only that damn foundation that father set-up, he could drain that dry for all I care. Stupid charity!”

  “It’s just a matter of time before Marco tries to take our money too. I’ll deal with that then. For now, we need to find the right doctor, someone we can manipulate. When June does try to kill herself again we’ll be much better off if we can show that we attempted to care for her.”

  “What about Dr. Rowlands? He would be good if he’s not disbarred or whatever it is they do to doctors.”

  “Dr. Rowlands is a drunk and a child molester May.”

  “No, the girl’s father dropped the charges when Dr. Rowlands paid him off. I hear he had to sell his house to get the money, but it kept him out of jail. Oh, and that girl was no child. She was only fifteen but she knew exactly what she was doing, I’ve seen her at parties.”

  “Very well, I’ll look into it. We just need someone to care for June right up until the time she takes her own life.”

  “You know April, if David is alive he might suspect us. It could be a lot of trouble for us if he talked.”

  “Well then, we would just have to have him killed again, but don’t worry, David is dead.”

  Monday August 4th, 5:36 a.m.

  David wakes to find Alison sleeping beside him. The sun is barely in the sky, but he can just make out her serene face in the soft morning light.

  She is so beautiful.

  David attempts to rise from the bed and finds his right leg protests severely when he places weight upon it. He hops along around the bed while supporting himself by leaning on the footboard. When he runs out of footboard, he attempts to walk the remaining eight feet to the bathroom door.

  Halfway to the door his right leg weakens and he falls down hard. Alison awakens from the sound of his collapse and subsequent grunt of pain and rushes over to him.

  “David, my God what are you doing?”

  “I have to use the bathroom. I’m sorry I woke you.”

  “Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?”

  “I’m fine, it’s just that my leg is weak.”

  Alison helps him to stand. “Let me help you back into bed.”

  “No, I still have to…go, help me to the bathroom.”

  “David you could have gone lying in bed, you’re wearing an adult diaper.”

  David feels around his middle.

  “Is that what this is? Oh my God get me to the bathroom so I can take this thing off. Why am I wearing one of these?”

  “Because they’re easier than a bedpan, that’s why. David I’ve had to do everything for you for almost two months, you were in really bad shape. You were even on a feeding tube the first few weeks.”

  “Are you a nurse Alison?”

  “No, Frank helped me to care for you, he’s had some training, at one time he was going to be a doctor.”

  As Alison helps him into the bathroom, David says, “I think I like Frank, I also think he hates me. Why does he hate me?”

  Alison begins to strip David. “Frank doesn’t hate you. He hates the fact that I love you.”

  “I can undress myself Alison.”

  “No you can’t, you’ll fall down again, don’t be shy I’ve seen you naked dozens of times.”

  “We were lovers, weren’t we?”

  “Yes, and we were very good at it.”

  “I could feel that about you, that I had been with you that way.” David says, as Alison takes off the unused diape
r.

  “You take care of your business now David while I run the shower.”

  David finishes the morning’s most urgent chore and steps into the shower. Alison begins undressing and is soon naked also. David looks at her and smiles broadly.

  “You are a very beautiful woman Alison.”

  “I’m glad you still like what you see. In fact, I see your approval is registering on your—face, among other places. Thank God that still works, but there’ll be time to make love after you’re well, for now we’ll shower together so that you don’t fall down.”

  “Where’s Frank, is he around?”

  “No, Frank’s not around.”

  “When will he be back?”

  “He’s not coming back.”

  “Alison…are you crying?”

  “No, it’s the shower water. Why would I cry over Frank when I have you again?”

  “Who am I Alison? What happened to me?”

  “Your name is David Manning. Someone, I don’t know who, tried to have you killed, but you survived.”

  “Why would someone want me dead? Am I an asshole or something?”

  Alison laughs. “No David you’re a very sweet man, now stop asking questions and turn around so I can scrub your back.”

  After they’re showered and dressed, Alison gives David a wooden cane and helps him to hobble out to the kitchen. David sits while Alison makes breakfast.

  “I’m making scrambled eggs and pancakes; it’s your favorite breakfast.”

  “That sounds good. Who’s June?”

  Alison nearly drops the frying pan onto the floor, but she maintains her composure. “Why do you ask that?”

  “I woke up in the middle of the night and you were having a bad dream, you kept saying ‘I’m sorry June,’ over and over.”

  “Did I really say that?”

  “Yes, who is June? I feel like I should know her, like I should remember that.”

  “Oh, June was just a dog you once owned. She was an annoying little thing that kept getting in the way. Forget her. Just think about getting better.”

  “June’s an odd name for a dog isn’t it?”

  “She was an odd little dog. Now let’s talk about something else.”