by Tilty Edin
"Thanks,” Tod replied. “I don't think we were planning on doing much tonight anyway. At least, not anymore."
Clara pointed at him. "If you're still allowed."
Leanne crossed her arms. "See you later."
Tod and Leanne walked side by side along the opposite shoreline, tasting the salty wind on their lounges and stretching their legs after the car ride, soothing the fears away.
"I'm glad we're both in better spirits," he said, almost inaudibly against the crashing waves.
"To be honest, I don’t know how much better my spirits really feel," she admitted.
He stopped her, holding both her hands and looked into her eyes. "I'm truly sorry Leanne," he said.
She paused, listening to the seagulls cry. "It’s okay,” she said finally. “Just don't touch me like that again."
Don't look at me like that again.
The two drove around the small town to the nearest food mart and bought some alcohol and snacks for Clara and Freddie for inviting them to the bonfire they still didn't know if they'd go too.
By the time they returned back to the hotel, the sun was nearing the horizon. They changed into bathing suits and sweaters. When Leanne went to tie her hair up in the mirror, Tod walked in and stood close behind her, pressing his chest against her back. She froze, watching his hands slowly slide from her hips up her sides. Her mouth parted slightly, in a similar way it had been when she had first seen him, watching him kiss along her neck and grab a hold her chest.
Slowly, he pulled away her bathing suit.
"Try this again?" he murmered in her ear.
She hesitated for a slight moment, then pulled her hands back and started taking off his as if he never should have put them on. They moved their bodies back to the bed and made up for every bad feeling until the last of the sun streamed in through the window and along the bed where they held each other.
He brushed hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. “Still want to go?” he asked.
She nodded. "Why not?"
They put their clothes back on, grabbed their stuff and headed out the door to a warm California summer night.
They could see Clara and her fiancé Freddie gathered around the bright bonfire they already started from where they stood on the edge of the hill and went to join them, picking up sticks and branches along the way.
Clara called, watching the couple approach. "So I take it the fight is over?"
"He made up for it," Leanne joked.
A lanky man, painted with tattoos stepped from inside the tent. He had a catching smile and a friendly aura about him. "Hey, I'm Freddie," he waved. "Nifty of you guys to join us. We've been pretty lonely lately. Not a lot of people this year. I suppose San Diego is where it’s at now."
Leanne and Tod set the bag down on the sand.
"You didn't have to bring all that," he said, running a hand through his hair. “Thanks though guys. I dig it.”
Tod lit a cigarette. "No biggie," he said.
Leanne got out the cups and Freddie helped her pour the drinks.
Tod threw the sticks in the flames, which didn't simmer down until they all had a few drinks and shared a few stories. “Don’t even get us started on woodstock,” Clara’s voice boomed. “That was the farthest we’ve ever traveled in the States.”
“We weren’t passing up Hendrix,” Freddie added.
“How was that?” Tod asked. “I remember almost going with a friend, but I didn’t get the chance. I don't make much of a hippie anyway, but I am a Hendrix fan.”
“You didn’t have to be a hippie to go,” Clara said. "Like half the world was there."
“Some people didn't like it,” Freddie said. “Way too many people. Like, stellar when we first got there, but after running out of dope and getting shit stolen we didn’t want to see another person again.”
“So how did you guys meet?” Leanne asked.
Clara smiled.“Well, we were just a couple of kids, hot boxing a car, hiding from the cops when everyone got the munchies and left to get pizza,” she said. “But me and Freddie stayed alone in that car, just listening to Percy Sledge when a man loves a woman on repeat. Everyone who left got caught but us.”
Freddie laughed. “Romantic, right?”
“I’d say so,” Tod said.
Clara smacked his back. “We’ve been together ever since, huh Fred?” Clara smiled proudly.
He took a sip of his beer. “Still doing the same shit.”
“What about you two?” Clara asked. “What’s the skinny?”
Leanne laughed. “I was at a sort of cafe,” she said.
“Getting drunk by herself," Tod added.
Leanne grabbed his arm and winked. “We’ve been together ever since.”
Clara smirked. “Gotcha.”
"Hey, we're going to the getaway resort bar tomorrow night, just down the road if you guys would like to meet us there," Freddie offered. "It's a rad little place. They have blackjack, some slot machines and an arcade."
Leanne said, finishing off her drink. Her cheeks were swelling red. “Sounds good."
“You know, it's always good to let yourself get crazy once in awhile,” Freddie mentioned.
“Life’s crazy enough as it is," Tod said.
Freddie took out a large green glass bong.“Well, there are limits to everything,” he said. “But Clara and I don’t know much about that anymore.”
Tod smirked.
“We’re freebirds, aren’t we?”
Clara smiled. “Free as can be.”
By the time the flames were near out, most of the snacks were eaten and not a drop of alcohol was left. Clara, Freddie and Tod were still wide awake, smoking and shooting the breeze, but at some point, it was time to head back.
Freddie stretched. “Once the birds chirp, I know it’s time for bed.”
Leanne yawned. "See ya.”
Clara head to the tent. “Peace out.”
Tod and Leanne under the blankets of the starry night skies and the crashing dark blue ocean.
27
7:25pm
Tod and Leanne went to inspect some of the boats at the docks a few miles from their hotel on the next day, and after a long nap back at the hotel, they woke to the night already taking over again.
"Do you still want to meet Clara and Freddie at the bar?" he asked.
She looked at the clock on the nightstand. "I don't see why not," she said, getting off the bed and heading towards her suitcase to find something to wear.
"Don't choose anything too revealing," he suggested. "I don't want anyone picking you up while I'm not looking.”
"Don't be silly."
"This is a nice little town but still, you never know," he mentioned darkly. "I think the bar they were talking about is a pretty secluded. It's not like one in the cities where you can just walk out and find help."
She rolled her eyes. "You really think someone's going to hurt me tonight?"
He paused, feeling his throat tense.
"Do you?" she insisted.
"Be careful, that’s all," he said. “Hell, I will too.”
She smirked. "Because anyone's going to want to hurt you," she said. "The most trouble you'll get into is having too many girls asking for your number."
"I'm sure you'll be getting that attention too," he reminded her.
"I'm nothing special," she said, taking off her shirt. "I don't have that charisma or anything."
"And I do?" Tod asked.
She nodded with a smirk. "You do."
The bar wasn't nearly as packed as Tod and Leanne assumed, but it was certainly secluded buried in all the trees. They walked inside to a smoke filled room, a classic bar lined along the bright red walls under the dim lights and flashing slot machines and poker tables. Rock music played from the radio. Charlie’s angels were there, smoking cigars at one of the tables, while Clara and Freddie were sitting around the blackjack table, waving at Tod and Leanne once they entered the room.
"O
ver here guys!" Clara called. "I hope you brought some extra cash.”
Tod and Leanne excitedly sat at the table with them. The dealer handed out more cards. They all played until a young, Hispanic waitress approached them, and all at once, the focus for Tod was completely broken.
In a heavily Spanish accent she asked, “Drink?”
"I’ll have a whiskey, please," Freddie ordered.
"Fine, thanks," Clara said. “Wait. Pabst Blue would be nice.”
She looked at Tod with very round dark, curious eyes.
He clammed up for a moment. "Brandy and ice, please," he said quickly.
She nodded and looked over to Leanne.
She laid her cards out on the table. "A shot of vodka."
The game continued, Freddie with the most wins. Tod was looking to beat him even with Leanne second in winnings, but the waitress returned, shifting his attention again. The longer the time passed, the harder it became to focus until it was nearly impossible.
"I'm going to find the bathroom," he said finally, getting up from his seat. “Play without me for a minute.”
Freddie pointed."They're downstairs."
Tod walked around until he found the stairs that lead down to an empty arcade. He stepped in the small bathroom where a light bulb dangled from the ceiling. After reliving himself he washed his face in the midst of a panic attack.
He leaned up against the filthy wall, finding it hard to breathe. His hands searched his pockets and pulled out a pill bottle he made sure he brought with him for moments he feared would creep upon him. It held rainbows of different concoctions. Accidently, with his hands so shaky, he almost pulled out the wrong pill and took it. It made him feel like some sort of dark luck was on his side when he didn't.
It was that waitress. The way she looked at him so innocently.
He wiped away the sweat from his face, took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom to see no one around but her. The damn waitress. As if she knew. As if she sensed he was there all along, wanting her feverishly bad in the worst ways a person could ever want another.
She was picking up empty glasses around the room, setting them on a tray she carried. Handsomely disheveled with a 5 o'clock shadow, strikingly tall in the low ceiling basement, he stood there for a moment, eyeing her like he didn’t just want her, he sinisterly needed her.
He smirked.
She blushed. Her full lips barely smiled. "Hola," she nearly whispered.
He walked up to her, slowly, carefully, with about as much confidence as a lion.
28
After one win, Leanne called it quits on black jack.
"Did he fall in the toilet?" Freddie asked.
"I'll go look for him," Clara said. “Oh wait, isn’t that Henry over there? The guy we saw the other night?”
Freddie scratched his head. "Oh yeah. That’s him. And don’t you worry Leanne. I'll find him," he insisted, wiping his mouth. "You just wait up at the bar."
Leanne headed to the bar, sat on the stool and ordered a glass of lemon water after Clara had started up a conversation with Henry.
She glanced to the other side of her to see a skinny fellow in a red sweatshirt, sad old eyes and an unkempt mustache. He would be completely alone if the bartender didn’t ask him from time to time to leave. Supposedly he’d been there for days.
He was sitting far from her, the farthest you could sit at the table, but the longer she sat waiting, the more times he moved a seat closer.
The smell of alcohol and broken dreams on his breath was strong. "Heeey."
She turned her eyes further from him.
"Here alone?" he asked. "I hope I'm not scarin’ you or nothin’."
Leanne stiffened. "I'm waiting for someone," she said quickly.
He moved over one more seat until he was right next to her.
"I'm sorry, what was that sweetie pie?"
She folded her arms. Her cheeks brightened, “I'd like to be left alone," she said.
"Ooo," he muffled, moving away. "Sorry than."
Tod came through the front doors with a big man in a beard beside him. He led the big, buff man with shaggy hair over to Leanne and wrapped an arm around her. "Victor, this is Leanne," he said proudly.
Victor winked. "Hey dear."
Tod sat next to her, rubbing her back. "You been okay?" he asked. “Sorry, I got distracted.”
Leanne’s eyes swayed. She took a sip of water. "It’s fine," she said. "Where'd you go?”
"I met Victor,” he said in her ear so she could hear better. “He lives in Washington too. Turns out he knew my Dad."
"Freddie went looking for you but right now he can’t find his ass with both hands,” she mentioned. She looked up at Victor. "You Know his Dad?" she asked.
The clamor grew louder, but Victor's voice was loud enough to overcome it. "I'm just a pioneer of the West," he said. "I know everyone."
Leanne smiled weakly. "I see."
Victor nodded. "There's some nice people to meet around here,” he said.
“I found a little encounter here earlier,” she said, eyeing the lonely stranger just stools down from them.
Victor smiled. “Oh that there’s just Luey," he said. "He don’t bother anybody." He waved his arm to the shadow in the corner. “Luey, come join us!”
Luey slowly moved his head towards them. His mustache quivered. “The lady over there don’t want my presence,” he called back, just loud enough for them to hear.
Victor lit a cigarette. “You don’t bite, do you Leanne?” he asked with a laugh.
“If I have too,” she said under her breath.
“I get it,” Victor said.
“I don’t trust people easy,” she said. “If you know what I mean.”
He laughed brashly. “Doll, Luey don’t have a bad bone in his body!” he called loud enough for him to hear. "He don't hurt a fly!"
She sighed.
“Well, you can’t always read a damn book by its cover,” Victor said.
Tod looked over after ordering a few beers. “You can't blame her,” he said.“She's not from around here."
“And what’s that got to do with anything?” Victor asked. “Lighten up.”
"I’m not feeling too well," she said.
"You alright?" Victor asked. "I hope I didn't upset you little lady."
She stood up from the seat looking blank faced at the floor. Her face turned pale.
Victor rushed over to her and kept her standing. “Woah. You going to be okay?”
Tod left the drinks the bartender set for him and patted Leanne’s cheeks. “Lee?” he said in her ear. “Leanne, are you alright?”
She moaned.
Victor scratched his head. “This chic looks bad.”
“Maybe she drank much,” Tod said. “I’ll have to take her back to the hotel. If not, a hospital.”
The three of them walked out past the whirling cigarette smoke and out the bar doors. Tod picked her up when she couldn’t walk anymore.
Victor followed. “Anything I can help with?” he asked.
Tod looked back over his shoulder. "No, thanks for the concern."
“Then it was nice meetin’ ya, kid,” he said. “I can't stick around much longer anyways. I'll be heading out tonight with the boys before the storm kicks in.”
Tod felt Leanne's forehead. “Where to?” he asked.
“Arizona, probably.”
Tod fiddled with his keys with the hand not holding onto Leanne and unlocked the car doors.
“I hope everything goes well with your honey," Victor said. "Sorry you couldn’t get a chance to see the bike.”
Tod laid her down in the back seat when her eyes opened, though it appeared she wasn't really all there consciously. “You just get out of here before the storm."
“She okay?” Victor asked again.
Tod shrugged. "I have to get her to a hospital," he said. "Something’s wrong."
"Too bad," he said. "The nearest one ain’t for miles."
Tod shut the door gently and rushed to the driver's seat. “She needs to stay hydrated and to rest,” he said. “That's all I can do for now, but I’ll probably be back. I want to get to the bottom of this. If I'm not mistaken, I almost think she was poisoned.”
Victor laughed. "That's no surprise for around here," he said. “But I'll be looking for the poison carrier anyway. Get going.”
Back at the hotel, Tod laid Leanne on the bed, pinched her nose and poured water down her throat. He felt her temperature over too many times, thankfully it had neither dropped or risen to any concerning degree.
"You’ll be fine," he whispered, kissing her forehead before leaving the room for the rest of the night.
29
2:31am
Tod watched Maria waiting under the moonlit trees by the bar long closed. The lights were out and the bikers were gone, as well as the owners and bartenders. The weather had even dropped a good fifteen degrees. It soothed his boiling skin the closer he came to her.
She twirled her long dark hair, looking towards him with big, innocent dark eyes.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Cold?" he asked softly.
She shyly shook her head.
"Come on," he said, taking her hand. “Let's get out of here.”
Their shadows walked along a beaten path along the cliffs. It would be hard for anyone to see them from nearly any reasonable distance away as they arrived at his car parked near a cluster of bushes.
Once inside, he turned on the radio quietly and drove off. Besides sweat drenching his forehead, there were little traces showing he was in any kind of distress. "How long have you been here in America?" he asked.
She played with her long hair. "1 year,” she said.
"You like it here?"
She nodded her head shyly. "Si,” she smiled. “I like America."
“What do you like about America?” he asked curiously.
Her lips parted, then pursed. She mumbled something inaudible, then smiled and shook her head. She took a deep breath, laid her head against the car seat and laughed.