by J Haney
I take a deep breath shaking my head before putting an arm around Finn’s shoulder. “It is what it is. Like you always say, Another One Bites the Dust.”
26 Rónán
I knew something was wrong. I was able to get most of the things she wanted, but Antaine outbid me for the hope chest. I went as high as ten grand for it, and he went to fifteen to best me. If I had fought any harder, it would have looked suspicious. What was in it wasn’t worth the amount offered, at least not for my apparent needs. Seems he’s holding on to it for his Niece and her marriage to a good Irish boy. So I’m fucked there. That isn’t my issue now, though. Getting off the plane, I checked the cameras for the first time since I left. Everything was wrong. Wrong angles, like the cameras, had dropped.
Rolling back the tape I see Noel, moving about the place, then I see her in rewind find the first camera. Christ, what she may be thinking. I uber straight to her place. I pound on the door. No answer. Using my key, I open the door and have to duck to keep from being smacked in the head with an aluminum frying pan! I get past that and am tangled up in wires that set off an arsenal of raw eggs.
Covered in slime and muck I anticipate the frying pan that tries to take me for a loop in the hall and make it to the bathroom where the door ricochets back, and I’m hit square in the nuts with a baseball bat. Thunk! Down I go, seeing stars and singing soprano.
Seems she’s angry with me. I crawl into the toilet and clean up before heading for the rest of the house; it’s not until I reach the kitchen that I find her note. I get the gist of her anger and see that she has left behind all three phones. Christ, what am I gonna do? She can’t be out there like this. Not when there’s so much chatter going on. Where would she even go? Where was that job application she filled out? Where was the interview? She never told me. She’s out there, exposed. This doesn’t bode well. I found out so much since I was out in Chicago. She may well be trained to kill, but survival was only a part of her training. She’s a shield. Been brought up to believe her purpose is to protect her brother, no matter what the cost to herself. The Italians want her to marry into the family and then become a soldier for her little brother’s regime. It’s insane. She’s a walking target and doesn't even care.
I use my spare key and head out to my truck, only to find the tires are slashed. Son of a fucking cunt raving lunatic bitch! Three outta four, so insurance won’t pay. EVIL!
“Here I am puttin’ my ass on the line, putting my life in danger, FOR HER and she’s done me like this? It was a few lousy cameras all to help keep her safe!” I slur into my sixth Irish car bomb. After not being able to get anywhere, I walked down to the pub and decided I’d get further with Johnny Walker and the boys.
“Um sounds like you were an asshole.” Says the little redhead behind the bar. “A stalkerish one at that.”
“It was my house; the cameras were there before her too.” I slam my drink.
“Maybe you should switch to coffee?”
“Ugh, I detest the stuff. Ya wouldn’t be able to make a right cup of tea, would ya?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
My phone chirps and it’s the Triple A. They’ve fixed my tires, but it was gonna cost me about seven hundred bucks. I hit the ATM and meet the tech back at the house. I probably shouldn't be drivin’, but who's gonna stop me? Or care for that matter?
***
I roll on to my face, my head pounding as it buries in the pillow. The sun coming in through the blinds killin’ me. I inhale deep. The pillow smells like Noel. Like Onóra, my Onóra. The woman I promised I would get her name back for.
“You decent there?”
I freeze hearing Senan’s voice in my house!
“You look like you went on a bender last night. Bad news?” She purrs sitting on the edge of the bed, lifting the corner playfully.
“Stop.” I bat her hand away.
“Oh, I was just curious.”
“Yeah, curiosity killed the cat, and right now I’m feelin’ like a squirrel.” Pulling the sheet, I sit up. “What are you doing here? How did you even get in? How did you find me?” Looking around, it’s then that I realize I’m in Noel’s house. I never made it to mine.
“How do you think your tires got slashed? I was waitin’ on your little girlfriend, but she never showed her face. Must have pitched it out the back.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“Ron, you’ve always been a terrible liar. You might have fooled the men, but I know the look of a man in love.” She twirls a double-edged blade on her knee. “So where did they go?”
“I’m tellin ya I don’t know what you’re goin’ on about.”
She licks her lips. “You and me could come to an agreement.”
“Ain't nothin’ to be agreeing about.”
She sticks the knife under my chin, but in doing so opens herself up to my close combat jab. I’d say never hit a woman, but when she’s got a knife that close to the twig and berries ya do what needs bein’ done. She winces, and I turn the knife in her hand. She tries to come at me with the other hand another knife, but I pull my knee into her face. As she rolls back, I grab the knife off the bed, and when she comes at me, I slice. Blood sprays the bed and me, and she crumples like a day-old newspaper. Gaggin and sputtering obscenities. Once she’s stopped moving I wrap her in the sheet and blanket. Thankful that it was good quality and soaked up the blood before it could hit the mattress. Now I have a body to get rid of though. This isn’t my thing. We don’t do bodies. My brain starts working overtime when the doorbell rings. I’m covered in blood. Grabbing a shirt, I pull it overhead and wipe my face with a towel. That will need burning. I go to the door and lookout.
“Madilynn Asher?” I open the door. Madilynn was the last girlfriend Rory had in the year before he died. They’d separated, and I’d heard she’d married.
“Rónán O’ Shea. I wasn’t sure if you would still be here. Yet here you are.” She smiles. “What have you gotten into?” She wipes at the base of my neck. “This isn’t yours.”
“I um-uh.” She pushes past me with her cane.
“Close the door unless you want the neighbors to know what it is you’ve done.” She points with the rather terrifying looking cane. It’s solid wood and crooked and knotty, sorta reminding me of a little old man’s knees.
“I-”
“What happened? This place looks like world war three if the armies were ten-year-old boys.”
“Eighteen. Year old girl actually.”
“What mess have you gotten yourself into now?” She heads for the bedroom. “Please don’t tell me you have some poor teen girl dead in here. Don’t tell me you’ve become that guy.”
“No, that’s a cleaner for the Irish.” I say plain as day.
“What do you plan to do with her?”
“No idea.”
“You’ve got the mulcher out back.”
“That’s just wrong.”
“Maybe but it’ll do the job.”
“I wouldn’t even-”
“Attach the bag and feed her in a piece at a time. Though cutting her up will take a bit. You got a bone saw?”
“Do I look like I have something like that just sitting around?”
She bites her thumb. “I suppose not. How about a band saw, or a table saw? That ought to do it.”
“In the garage.”
“Well?”
“Are you serious?”
“Unless a pretty boy like you thinks prison is a good idea.”
It takes about five hours for me to take care of the hundred and five-pound problem. Madilynn was a real coach but no physical help. With the body at least. She did, however, clean the house and translate the parts of Noel’s letter I didn’t get. Ignorance is truly bliss. To think she believes I am working with the Irish to hurt her. The only one I’m working with is her, and now she’s gone and flown the coop on me.
“This girl, she means something to you?” Madilynn asks me as she d
ries her hands, and I burn the last of the bloody linens.
“Yes. Very much.”
“And you’ve no way to find her?”
I love Madilynn, but her arrival just seems so coincidental, and I don’t deal in coincidence. “I don’t. She left the phones behind and never talked about contingency plans.”
“Then we start at here and work our way out. She’s bound to turn up on someone’s radar.”
“I need to go to the shop. There are things I need. Where can I take you? How do I get ahold of you?”
“Oh, I’ll be around.” She pats my shoulder and lets herself out.
I need to lay low a few days, at least until Madilynn grows tired. I don’t trust her. There’s too much money being offered for Noel from both sides. One wants to marry her to a gay son, and the other wants to lift her up and make her their new Boss. Neither world she wants, but if I had no choice? It’s better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
27 Onóra
We’ve been staying in the cabin for three weeks. July is just about over, and I still don’t have enough cash to get us out of here. Finn’s got to start school in just a few short weeks, but it can’t be here. I know he’s worried. I’m hardly sleeping, and I walk around like a zombie. The day after we got into the cabin, we went over to Wal-Mart and got things we’d need. Groceries, a couple more outfits, new Trac phones so we could text and tampons. I’ve had a hard period this month. It’s my first one in like four months, but they’re usually just a little spotting for a day or two. I’m starting to wonder if having sex messed with my birth control.
I left Finn this morning, so I could come to work. I didn’t even want to come to work, but I have to because I’m a mom, and I have a kid to take care of. That kid has made friends with everyone on the campground; I mind you. I’ve not really had to cook as he's given everyone this sob story about me being a single mom and working all these shifts just to be able to get us an apartment. Finn is such a smart and charming boy.
“Order up for table five.” I hear Taki yell.
I grab my order and take it to table five. I’m setting the food down when the bell chimes from somebody coming in. “Welcome to Sunshine Cafe. Have a seat anywhere, and I’ll get ya a menu.”
I refill a few drinks and grab a menu from behind the counter. I can see the back of someone new sitting in the right back corner. I drop a check to one of the truckers then make my way to the new customer.
Sitting the menu on the table then take the silverware wrapped in a napkin and place it beside the menu. “Can I get you something to drink, coffee, water, sweet tea or we have Pepsi products.” I say looking up from what I was doing. I’m looking at Rónán.
“Please, can we talk a minute?” He puts up his hands. “Just hear me out then I’ll go if that's what you want.”
“I’m working, and frankly, I don’t trust you. Now do you want to order, or are you leaving?”
“Tea, with milk. Also a hamburger, medium well, lettuce, tomato, spicy mustard, pickle and swiss on a soft roll with waffle fries smothered in cheese and gravy.”
“With a side of arsenic, right?”
“From the looks of this place, I’d say draino.”
“I’ll be back with your tea in a few moments.” My resting bitch face surfaces just for him.
I put his order in except, I take off the cheese and gravy and add a house salad and a fruit cup. All the grease isn’t good for him. I know I shouldn’t care, but I do. I go about making his tea. I know how he likes it; I’ve watched him make it a dozen times.
I place it, and another tables order on my tray. I drop the food off with the guys at table seven. I’m pretty sure they’re construction workers. They’re all dirty and always in here at the same time. The lunch rush. However, they do tip well. Just flash a little cleavage and flirt gets me more than one would think.
“Here’s lunch, boys.” I bend at the waist, so they get their boob shot for the day. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“You could have my babies.” Sam, he’s one of my construction men smirks.
“Now, Sam, you know I already have one. I’m not looking to be adding to my clan anytime soon. Eat your food.” I say, and he nods.
I stand back up straight, and pain shoots through my left side. I have to put a hand on the table to steady myself.
“You okay there, Noel?” Sam asks.
“Yeah, got a little light-headed. It’s about lunchtime.”
I move finally letting the guys eat. I drop Rónán’s tea at his table for him and start to walk away. Until feeling his hand on my wrist.
“Hey, are you a’ight?” He asks quietly.
I clear my throat. I’m pretty sure the temperature in this place rose a thousand degrees. That or his touch just set me on fire. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s nothing more than being on my feet all day.”
He’s up and touching my face. “You’re sweating bullets- hands are like ice, but face is on fire. You are anything but fine.” He pulls me down to sit and kneels in front of me. “Follow my finger with your eyes.”
He takes his finger one way, another then another and now I’m pretty sure I’m going to be sick. I push him away and make a dash for the bathroom. I make it just in time to heave into the toilet. Just great. I’ve caught something, now I’m puking, and I need to work. Once I’m able to stand without puking my guts out, I go to the sink so I can clean up.
I come out of the bathroom; Rónán is talking to Taki. Oh, here we go with the macho jealous bullshit again. I ignore them and go to grab the coffee to refill some cups when I’m stopped by Taki.
“You need to go rest or get checked. Can’t have you getting sick.”
“I’m fine, I swear it.”
Taki gives my stomach a little nudge, and I almost hit the ground. “You’re fine?”
“It’s just some cramps. I need the money.”
“The money will be here. You can’t make money in hospital beds. Go see the doctor; you get me note. You come back to work.”
“Ugh! Fine.” I grab my purse from under the counter and walk past Rónán and out the door. I know he’s hot on my heels, I can hear every step he takes. “Leave me alone, Rónán. I’m going to lose another job because of you.”
“Whatever is wrong with you got nothin’ to do with me, I haven't seen you in three weeks.” He huffs. “You left remember? Now I've given you some space, but I deserve a chance to-”
I keel over the pain in my side, forcing it. I’m light-headed and standing here arguing with him isn't helping. Next thing I know I’m in his arms, the smell of him has all the memories flooding back to me at once. I’ve been trying dearly to forget them.
“I can’t do this with you. I don’t want to. I said everything that needed to be said in the note.”
“We’re not having that conversation right now. Right now, I’m taking you to the emergency room. You’re really sick, and somebody needs to figure out why.”
“No, I’m not. I’m going home where my kid is waiting for me.” I say trying to fight him off. “Dammit Rónán, listen to me. I’ll be fine.” He straps me in with the seat belt. Every time I move I’m hit with another pain. “Ah fuck me that hurt. What’d you do add fucking nails to the seat belt?”
“Yup, you’re just fuckin’ dandy.” He starts the truck, and we’re off.
28 Rónán
She’s out of it. They finally gave Noel something for the pain. They ran tests for more than three hours and only now have they decided to come back and tell us what’s goin’ on. They did X-rays and scans, and blood work- twice. By the time they brought her back to me, she was already high.
“What have they said?”
She just sorta grunts and turns from me. Then a doctor comes in.
“Good afternoon. I’m Doctor Xenical, I’ve been asked to come in for a surgical consult.”
“Surgical? I don't’ understand?” I touch Noel’s shoulder, and she rolls away then winces with a hiss.
“Miss Packer is suffering from a perforation of the uterine lining caused by the apparent migration of her Intrauterine device. This has sadly led to an entopic pregnancy, which her body cannot tolerate and is thus trying to terminate. However, due to its location in the fallopian tube, surgical assistance is required.”
“Is it safe? Will she be okay?”
“It’s perfectly safe. We will go in laparoscopically. Making two small incisions and using a camera to see, we will locate and remove the IUD and repair any damaged tissues. Then we will locate the embryo and readily remove it as well. a few stitches and some high dose antibiotics for the infection and she should be right as rain in just a week or so tops.”
“How can it just move?”
“From what I understand from your admittance interview you’ve had the device for over four years now, your body has grown, changed, that includes your insides. The doctor that put it in when you were fourteen was not very responsible. It should have been tracked more carefully. With your age and activity level, it was something that should have been more closely monitored. I’m sorry, this model has had issues and should have been removed and replaced a long time ago.”
“I’ve traveled a lot. My b-son, I need to call him.”
“We’re prepping the OR now; it will be just a few minutes. Take your time.” Doctor Xenical nods backing out of the room.
I smooth her hair back, and she flinches. “Could you not touch me and maybe hand me my purse?” She snaps at me. I sigh and do as she asks of me. I suppose I deserve her anger even now. Her being pregnant is my fault, after all. She was right when she said this was all my fault.
She shuffles through her bag for a moment before pulling out a phone and clicking a few times then she puts it to her. “Hey, sorry I’m not home” silence “I’m at the hospital. Can you stay with Mrs. Kenton or um get a bus here?” More silence.
“I’ll go get him.” I interrupt.
“No, you won’t. It’s Rónán. He came into the diner. Never mind just listen to me, would ya?”