by June Kramin
Dusty wanted to do the same. He’d taken his finger to the baby’s lips and flicked at them. A hangnail caught the water sack and broke it. He did the same again. Another scream escaped Katie as the rest of the baby’s body came rushing out.
He always remembered the way Katie sat up after that like nothing had happened. She reached for the baby and held her close. “Just what was your hurry, little one?” Dusty opened up the back door and removed Katie’s robe from her overnight bag. He came back beside her and quickly wrapped up the baby. “We gotta hit the road, babe.”
She couldn’t take her gaze away from the baby. “Umm hmm.”
Dusty hurried, but drove carefully, to the hospital. They were only another five minutes away. The scenario played in his head a few times over the years; he always wondered if he could have gotten there sooner by another route. The answer was no. He tried this time; they had only gotten a few blocks closer. Although he knew it would be a girl, in the past they hadn’t known until the doctor asked once they got there. In Dusty’s haste to get her covered and warm, they hadn’t even looked. He didn’t want to give it away and spoil the surprise for Katie.
Everything from here on out played like a movie for him. They insisted Dusty cut the cord and finish the job. They filled out the birth certificate with a “guesstimate” of time of birth and wrote “Daddy en route” as delivering physician.
“I want to name her Alyson, Dusty,” Katie said as she held the baby, still unable to take her eyes off her.
“I’d like that a lot. So will Alyson.”
Katie’s head dropped to her pillow and her eyes finally closed. “I’m so tired.”
“Can’t blame you for that.” Dusty turned off the light and crawled in bed with her, wrapping his arms for the first time,again, around both his girls. “If I live to be a hundred, I don’t ever want to hear you scream like that again.”
He pulled her close and gave a strong kiss to the back of her head.
He almost fell asleep but opened his eyes at a strange feeling. Startled by a body by the window, he tried to focus in the dark room and make out the silhouette. He swore it was Frank but after he blinked, the figure was gone. Dusty wrote it off as fatigue. The birth wasn’t any easier the second time around. He fell sound asleep in seconds.
Dusty awoke the next morning with his arm around Katie. They were no longer in the hospital room. He was back to where he’d left the night before. He again wanted to flip off someone who wasn’t there, but didn’t want to wake up Katie by screaming an obscenity.
After they were awake and dressed, he gave Katie a chance to back out of going to his parents’ house, but she seemed just as determined as he was to help Ronald’s wife and child.
The look on Katie’s face every time they pulled up to his house never ceased to amaze him. “I told you it was a little big, babycakes.”
“Like the Sears Tower is a little tall. I wish I’d dressed better.”
“Don’t be silly. You look fine. My parents are old money, but I would never rate them up there as snobby.”
“It feels funny having only had two dates with you and I’m meeting them already.”
“You don’t have good ‘meeting the parents’ experiences?”
“No experiences at all, really. The only parents I met were of kids that I’d dated in high school and that’s because I usually already knew them.”
Dusty pulled into the garage then turned to her. “You’ll be fine. Sit tight. I’ll get your door.” He hurried around and opened up the passenger door and offered her his hand. Accepting it and standing up, she stared into his eyes. “What?” he asked.
“I don’t know that anyone has ever done that for me before.”
“Well, if there wasn’t valet, I’d’ve done it at the restaurant.”
“You may be too good for me, Mr. Andrews.”
“Bullshit,” he said, followed with a kiss.
“Is that the new age way to show your affection?” A woman’s voice interrupted their kiss.
Dusty wrapped an arm around Katie and walked over to his mother.
“I forget about those ‘hawk-ears’ of yours.”
“I was in the kitchen with May and I saw the car go by. Hello,” she said as she extended her hand to Katie. “I’ll claim the rotten child. I’m Norma.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Katie.”
Norma gave Dusty a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for not bringing that horrible contraption and upsetting your father.”
“I gave it away to a kid that really needed it.” Dusty hoped admitting this now wouldn’t affect his turning in the Beemer and getting both him and Katie a car in a few weeks.
“Good for you. Come inside, you two.”
They walked to the kitchen where May was busy cooking. She greeted them both with warm hellos. “Dustin Charles. You don’t bring girls home.” She placed her hand on his forehead. “You feeling okay?”
He playfully smacked her hand away. “No one was worthy until now.” Dusty turned to Katie and saw her blush. “Do I smell cooking what I think that is?”
“Of course. You knew I was going to make roast beast when I heard you were coming home.”
Katie giggled. “Roast beast?”
“You never grow out of some sayings that the kids had,” May admitted.
“You’ve been with them a long time?”
“Since before he and his sister were born.”
“I don’t think I told you I have an older sister, Dana,” Dusty said. He was sure he only mentioned Alyson and didn’t want Katie to slip and say her name.
“I don’t think you have,” Katie said, following along.
“How long have you two been dating?” Norma asked.
Katie turned to Dusty. He answered for her. “Not long, but we just clicked. You just know with some people, you know?”
Norma and May both exchanged a look and grinned. May spoke up. “All of you get out of my kitchen. Go in the sitting room. I’ll be along in a second with some drinks and snacks.”
They settled in what Dusty called “The White Room” when he was growing up. He was rarely allowed in it. “So what did you need to see me about, Dusty?”
“It’s a very long story, but the Reader’s Digest version is that I know of a young mother with a real piece of work for a husband. He’s screwing half of Dinkytown and treats her like crap.”
“And you’re involved in this how?”
“I’m not really involved. I just see the guy come and go from a bar I’ve gone to a few times. I’ve seen him out back making out with someone, then he goes in and takes a call from his wife. When I saw Katie’s roommate Courtney with him, I was a little fed up. Katie and I went to go visit her.”
“And how did that go? Is that how you earned that butterfly band aid?”
“I was wondering how long it would be until you asked about that, but no.”
“So you’re stirring up trouble all over the place?”
“I didn’t ask for this either. I didn’t lay a hand on the guy. Can we get back to Gina?”
“Is that this young girl’s name?”
“Yeah.”
May walked in with teas and a tray of cheeses and crackers. “It’s an orange tea that Dusty likes. If you don’t like it, let me know,” she said to Katie.
“Thanks. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Oh, and May, nothing with cinnamon—ever. Okay?”
“Allergy, dear?”
“Dreadful,” Katie replied.
“I’ll remember that. Holler if you need anything else,” she said to everyone as she walked out.
“So then,” Norma started in again. “How did this Gina react to your news?”
“She already knew and was kind of upset at us for showing up.” Dusty said.
“She already knew about his infidelities?”
“You could say that. It was after we walked away that she came back out to us. She all but said he was beating and raping her.”
“She’s obviously scared to death of this Ronald.”
“That could be a big problem removing her. They have to want to leave, Dusty.”
“I know she’ll go. We have to do it when he’s not home and promise her she’ll stay hidden.”
“I know we have a room available at the shelter for her.”
“Will he be able to find here there?” Katie asked.
“No one but the employees and women staying there know the address. You can’t find it unless you’re given the address by one of the residents. I won’t feed you BS, kids. Women have been known to escape, just to go running back to the men they claim to be running from.”
“Escape? It is like a prison?” Dusty asked.
“Not at all. We have lock in rules and such for their own safety. That and a lot of the women in there are drug users and try to get out and get a fix. We have zero tolerance for drug use. Usually if we can keep them safe and clean for a couple of weeks, they have a good chance of turning around. There’s a great number of women we’ve helped introduce back into the work force. Your father helps, too. His company has set up daycares in a few office buildings that cater to hiring these women.”
Katie lit up, intrigued. “What kinds of jobs?”
“Everything, really. Of course, it’s a lot of secretarial work, but there are sales positions and even on-the-job training offered for places like our law firms.”
“Of course law firms,” Dusty said, rolling his eyes.
“Even that end is a tough job, kiddo. So… What exactly do you want me to do?”
“How does it work? You go pick these girls up?”
“If she’s willing to go, I can make the arrangements.”
“Why wouldn’t she?” Katie asked.
“Fear is the biggest factor. If she’s been with him for a long time, she’ll probably feel like that’s all she deserves. She could have been abused as a child as well. It’s a horrible cycle. If she won’t go, we’d need a reason to believe the child is being abused before we can forcibly take him or her.”
“She didn’t mention that,” Dusty said. “I didn’t notice any marks on the kid. I think she would have said something since we were reaching out. I’m sure he’s at work tomorrow at four for sure if not by ten. Can you go get her?”
Norma patted her son’s leg. “Let me go make a call.” She left the room.
Katie scooted closer to Dusty. “You really intrigue me, Dusty.”
Again he shrugged. “It’s just what’s right.”
“What if she won’t go?”
“I think she will. She came after us, didn’t she?”
“I hope so. For her and that baby’s sake. You going to go over tomorrow with them?”
“I think I’ll leave the professionals to their job. I just wanted to get the ball rolling.”
She gave him a kiss. “I’ve never met anyone like you. You come from all of this, yet you are the most unselfish person I’ve ever met.”
“Dana was spoiled enough for the two of us. I was just along for the ride. Speaking of ride.” He stood when his dad walked into the room. “What happened to the Aston Martin?”
“You should know better than to ask that. Who’s your friend?”
Dammit. His dad had never told him what happened to that damn car. “The love of my life, Katie.” Dusty walked back to her. She was already standing and fidgeting nervously again.
His dad shook her hand and offered a pleasant, “Nice to meet you. You in law school, too?”
“Veterinary medicine actually.”
“Nice match up. You may need a good lawyer in your field.”
“I’m not sure there’s animal malpractice.”
“You’d be surprised.” He walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. “You want something stronger than May’s tea, Katie?”
“No, thank you. This is fine.”
“Son?”
“I really shouldn’t. We have to drive back tonight, Dad. We came to talk to Mom about something. May’s making a roast so we’re staying for supper, but then we have to split.”
“School all right?”
“Everything’s fine.” Dusty decided that conversation could wait a couple of weeks. He would have to keep an eye on that storm and be sure he and Katie came out again if he was still here. He wasn’t going to miss that night of sex for anything.
Chapter Twenty-One
Dusty sat in Puck You the following day. It was four-twenty. He was worried Ronald wouldn’t be in that day. Just as he got up to leave, Ronald hurried in, running his fingers through his hair and tucking in his shirt. The bartender immediately yelled at him for being late.
“You’re not the boss,” Ronald shouted as he flipped him off and continued to the back room.
Dusty walked outside and called his mother. “He’s here. Go to the house.”
“I think you’re enjoying the cops and robbers aspect to this, Dusty,” she said with a chuckle.
“I wouldn’t want any of your people hurt. I’ve seen the dude in action. I hope you get her to go with you.”
“I’ll call you after we have her.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
As Dusty snapped his phone closed, he saw Katie walking over to him. “What are you doing here?”
“Are you kidding? I was dying to hear how it was going.” She gave him a kiss that curled his toes. “I missed you last night.”
“You’re the one that insisted on going home.”
“As much as I love your company, I still have to get to class, Dusty. We can’t make a living having sex.”
“We could forget the careers and try for porn stars.”
“Quit it,” she said with a laugh as she gently smacked the center of his chest.
“There’s no news yet. He just got here. I called Mom and gave her the go-ahead.”
“You don’t think you should be there?”
“She’ll know it was us. I think she’ll leave with my mom. Trust me. I’ve dealt with that particular power of persuasion for years.” He wrapped an arm around Katie and led them toward his car. He caught sight of someone in the alley and stopped to get a better look at her. Dusty thought maybe it was the girl he caught Ronald with in the alley before, but it wasn’t. Here’s another one for the mix. There was something about the way she stood there that made Dusty uncomfortable.
He took Katie by the shoulders and said, “Wait here a second.”
Dusty approached the woman slowly. She didn’t seem to know he was there. She stood against the wall with her eyes closed and a lit cigarette in her hand. Her coat hung open; today’s weather didn’t call for that. He saw scratches on her shoulder and noticed her hair was a mess. She wore black boots that went to her knees and a tight dress hiked a little too high. A scarf hung outside the wooden fence surrounding the dumpster. Dusty could only imagine what transpired in there. She and Ronald were in the same shape. Sex against a wall by a fenced in dumpster in thirty degrees in broad daylight. This took the cake.
“Are you okay?” Dusty asked as he got closer. Her eyes opened up a bit, but then she closed them right away. She was dressed like a street hooker or junkie. He’d never run into any of them around here, only driving through the shadier parts of Minneapolis on streets he knew better than to be on in the first place. “Miss?”
“Is she okay?” Katie asked as she approached him slowly, against his advice to stay put.
“She doesn’t look like it.”
Katie took a few steps closer to her. “Are you okay?”
She finally opened her eyes and took another drag of her cigarette. “I’ll be fine as soon as that jerk-off returns with the money he owes me.”
The woman slid to the ground, Katie rushed to her side. She tried looking into the girl’s eyes, but they had rolled up; there was nothing but white. “Shit, Dusty. Call 9-1-1.” She shrieked again, “Tell them to hurry!”
There was a lot of co
mmotion outside of the bar while the girl was being loaded into the ambulance. Dusty saw Ronald watch what was going on and slink back inside after seeing who is was. There was almost smugness about his reaction. Again Dusty fought the urge to pound him into the pavement.
Dusty and Katie sat at the emergency room, waiting to hear the status of the girl they’d brought in. After several minutes of silence, Katie turned to Dusty. “Have you always been this much fun on a date?”
He stroked her hand. “I swear, finding a doped-up hooker is a new one for us.”
“What do you mean ‘for us?’”
“I mean a new one. I’m sorry. My mind is just in a blur. I swear these past few days are about as crazy as anything I’ve ever seen, babe.”
“Finally one I like,” she said as she gave him a soft kiss.
“Babe?”
“Yeah. You sure are odd with all those other names. I never met anyone that did that, either.” He smiled and gave her hand another squeeze. His mind was really racing as to what was going on. If this was the girl who had given Ronald the disease, was he too late? He had a feeling Courtney was okay, but what about Gina? Maybe this wasn’t the first time he was with this girl. If he was such a ladies’ man, why the hooker? His thoughts were interrupted by a nurse walking over to them.
“Are you the ones that brought that street girl in here?”
“We are,” Dusty said, getting to his feet. “How is she?”
“We almost lost her.”
“What happened?” He was worried Ronald had hurt her. “Was she beaten?”
“She had some scratches on her, but not bad ones. She had sex recently, there was no mistaking that. We’re guessing things were a little rough, as girls in this profession often see.”
“Why did she black out? Drugs?”
“We’re waiting on the lab results to be certain, but according to the contents of her pockets, I don’t think there is anything she wasn’t currently on. You’re not family, I really shouldn’t be giving you any more information. Thanks for getting her to us, but you really should be going now.” She turned to walk away but Dusty stopped her.