Out on the Sound

by R. E. Bradshaw

  Decky drew the line when she saw Brenda getting out of the elevator with a bedpan.

  “Get away from me with that.”

  Brenda laughed, “Don’t be silly, it isn’t for you. It’s for Charlie.”

  Charlie was stricken. “Get away from me you crazy woman. I can fucking walk. She’s the one who can’t walk. Make her piss in the pan.” Charlie was absolutely firm on this. She was leaving Decky high and dry, and not looking back.

  Brenda doubled over with laughter. “Look at you two. Squirming like children. It’s not for you to piss in.” She had to stop to catch her breath. “Charlie, it’s from school. Remember, when Chip got hurt and we stole the bedpan and slid down the hills in the snow. I found it in the garage. I thought it would be a hoot.”

  Charlie visibly sighed. Decky was even more relieved. She had thought there was a possibility that Brenda actually thought Decky was going to use the pan, after Charlie’s argument. The facts were there.

  Brenda was still laughing. “It was a hoot, at least from my point of view. Decky, I put the number of a very good defense attorney there on your nightstand. You should call her. She’s out of Durham.”

  Decky picked up the card. “How do you think the locals would react to an outside attorney coming down here? Don’t you think it would make it worse?”

  Brenda spruced a flower arrangement she had made all by herself out of weeds. “Maybe I should explain further. Charlie, do you remember that cute little second baseman from the J.V. team, the one that looked like Jodie Foster?”

  “Yes, is she an attorney?”

  Brenda moved on to fluff the pillows in the chairs around the room. The woman really could not sit still. “Her name is Molly Kincaid. She is a lesbian and extremely good at her job.”

  Charlie really thought this was a bad idea. “Brenda, you are nuts. A lesbian lawyer! What in the hell made you think that was a good idea?”

  Decky in the meantime had opened her laptop and located Ms. Kincaid’s webpage. She elbowed Charlie, which hurt Charlie, who retaliated. When the pain subsided, they looked at the web page together. Ms. Kincaid, as the page often referred to her, was a high profile murder case, defense attorney. She had never lost a case and was referred to as the ‘Matlock’ of southern, female defense attorneys.

  Decky read out loud, “Charming juries with her perky smile and southern drawl; make no mistake Ms. Kincaid is an intelligent attorney and a fierce opponent. The New York law review, 2006.”

  Charlie stared at the picture, “Damn, little Molly grew up.”

  “The tits aren’t real,” Brenda chimed in.

  Charlie, still holding the laptop so she could see better, “Who knew? She’s gorgeous.”

  Decky grabbed the laptop, “Don’t drool on the electronics.”

  “What, I’m not allowed to appreciate a pretty girl now?” Charlie was laughing at Decky.

  “Okay, you can look, but no touching.” Charlie was playing. Decky was serious.

  Brenda laughed at both of them, “Ah isn’t that cute. Decky’s jealous.”

  “I’m not jealous, I’m wounded and feeling vulnerable.”

  Charlie went back to the lawyer, “Brenda, do you really think she would come down here for something this trivial?”

  “As soon as I found out they were charging you, I called Molly. I explained the situation to her. Molly was livid. She said she would clear time on her calendar. She loves to get back at the good ol’ boys anytime, anywhere, was what she said. So, she’s waiting for your call. She also said to tell you hello, Charlie. She remembered you.”

  “Call her, Decky.” When Decky hesitated, Charlie followed with, “Give me the phone, I’ll do it.”

  “No, I’ll do it. Just wait a minute.”

  Charlie was not to be put off, “Are you going to pass on Molly, because I think she’s cute?”

  Decky put her good foot on the floor. “No, I just need a minute. I have to go to the bathroom and Brenda is still holding that bedpan. I’m afraid she will decide I have to use it.”

  #

  Brenda spent the night in Zack’s room. She was up and down all night checking on her patients, waking them up to ask them if they needed anything. Decky finally begged her to let them sleep and the final four hours had been uninterrupted.

  Decky rode the elevator down to the main floor, joining Brenda and Charlie for breakfast. Brenda had Decky’s Polaroid digital camera in her hands and the two women were trying to figure out how to use it.

  “What are you two cooking up now?” Decky inquired.

  Charlie came over to Decky and kissed her on the cheek. Decky thought it was so sweet considering Charlie looked worse. The swelling had gone down, which made the bruises show even more colorfully. Charlie looked like she had been several rounds with Tyson.

  “Molly called Brenda on her cell. She said we need to take pictures everyday of the progression of the bruising. We missed yesterday, but they took photos at the hospital.”

  Decky tried to remember. “I don’t remember anybody taking pictures of me at the hospital.”

  Charlie evidently had a vivid memory. “A couple of deputies came in and had the nurses strip me down so they could take pictures. They told me they had already taken yours, even though you were still out of it.”

  Decky was horrified. She had grown up with most of the deputies and the thought of them seeing her naked, not only naked, but helpless, made her cringe.

  Brenda, now positive she had figured the thing out, came around to the side of the island Decky was sitting on. “Okay Decky, strip. You want to do this out on the deck?”

  “No, I do not want to go strip naked on the deck and get accused of public indecency next. And what do you mean, strip.”

  Brenda replied, “Well, the lighting is better out there. You have to strip so we can show all your bruises. Don’t be silly. I’ve seen plenty of naked women. Hell, I’ve seen you naked. There was the skinny-dipping episode last summer. You certainly were no shrinking violet back then.”

  “Yeah, well that was before.” Decky sounded like a child.

  Charlie enjoyed this, while Brenda toyed with Decky.

  “What, do you think you look any different, because you’re sleeping with Charlie? I assure you that you still have all the same parts.”

  “Who’s going to see these pictures?” Decky wasn’t giving in, not yet.

  Brenda answered her very seriously. “Everybody in the county, I suppose. You know they will probably print them on the front page of the paper, with those black strips over the private areas.”

  For a second they had her. Decky bit hook, line and sinker. Her mind was racing with the images of her naked body staring out at her in all the newspapers in the county. Farmers were opening the paper with shocked looks. Little boys huddled together to see the naked lady. Suddenly, Brenda and Charlie could hold the laughter in no longer. They laughed so hard Charlie had to sit down and hold her ribs in place.

  Decky finally agreed to the pictures, reluctantly. Charlie, however, was happy to have her pictures taken. She had the battle scars to prove what had happened to her and she wasn’t afraid to let anyone see it. She wanted everyone to know how brutal this guy had been. She wanted no question in anybody’s mind that he intended to kill them, a fact she was as sure of as the sun coming up every morning. Decky agreed with her totally.

  Decky had spoken with Molly, making arrangements to meet her Monday, in Durham. Decky had to see her surgeon in Chapel Hill. Brenda would drive them up Sunday night. They would stay in a hotel, see the surgeon in the morning, and Molly in the afternoon. Molly had been exactly what Decky expected on the phone. Very intelligent, cunning, and thorough, covered with the cutest southern drawl. She could see how people would be drawn into a false sense of security around Molly.

  Molly was all business underneath the seemingly innocent exterior. She already had the existing court documents faxed to her. She had reviewed the release papers assuring Decky they were safe
from being locked up on the prosecutor’s whim. The charges were, well, laughable. Molly was going to have a field day with this case. It was once again a chance to nail a bunch of good ol’ boys and Molly dearly loved to make them howl to be let up.

  Decky felt much better after the phone call. If Molly’s reaction was any indication of how this thing was going to go, Decky thought she might even enjoy the show. She had no doubt in her mind that the right thing had been done. She was sorry R.C. had been drawn into this, but he just seemed to accept it as part of the process. When he stopped by Saturday afternoon, Decky told R.C. about Molly. He agreed to let her represent him also. Decky felt her life had turned into a made for TV movie on the Lifetime network. She just hoped the good guys would win again.

  #

  The rest of the day and most of Sunday morning were spent covered in ice bags and resting. They had ventured into the Jacuzzi with Decky’s cast taped up in a trash bag and Charlie’s incision covered as well. The water massaged their sore muscles. Even if Decky couldn’t swim, she needed the water on her skin. Water was like a vitamin to her. More pictures were taken on Sunday before they took off for Chapel Hill. R.C. picked up Dixie. They decided to drive the SUV, so Decky could keep her foot up on the backseat.

  They stopped by the emergency room at the hospital to have Charlie’s incision checked before leaving town. The same doctor who had treated them on Wednesday night was there. He examined Charlie’s incision and her other wounds. He seemed pleased the two women were doing so well. To Decky, he appeared to be amazed at the beating they had both taken and lived through it.

  Decky settled into the back seat surrounded by pillows. She couldn’t really keep up with the conversation in the front seat. Brenda and Charlie talked about things she knew nothing about, and although she wanted to know everything Charlie had ever experienced, the ride began to make her sleepy. Decky took another Loratab and drifted off to sleep.

  They took a side trip off the highway into Wilson. Decky had to introduce Charlie to the best Carolina barbeque in the south. The barbeque at Parker’s was vinegar based chopped pork for which the Carolinas were known. There was a huge debate over who made the best. In Decky’s mind, nothing beat Parker’s.

  They ate family style, with large portions brought in big bowls to the table, just like at home. People stared at the two bruised women. They looked like car accident victims. Decky didn’t care; she loved Parker’s. After filling up, Decky ordered some cornbread sticks and more barbeque to take with them. They even bought a gallon of the sweet tea, because Charlie had liked it so well.

  Decky checked them in to adjoining rooms at the Carolina Inn. The trip had exhausted the three women. After a snack on the cornbread sticks and barbeque, they all retired to bed. Really alone for the first time in days, Decky and Charlie talked, lying facing each other on the pillows. Decky didn’t remember falling asleep. She woke alone in the bed. The sun was shining and the shower was running. Decky hobbled over to the bathroom door. Charlie must have heard her, because she peaked from behind the shower curtain.

  “Good morning, sleepy head. Care to join me?”

  Decky looked down at the cast and vowed to have that thing off by the time she left the doctor’s office. She must be getting better Decky thought. She was thinking about sex for the first time in days.

  “I can’t come in there with this on. I’ll just wash up over here in the sink. Do you think you could wash my hair, if I lean down over the tub?”

  “Sure, hand me a cup from the sink.” Charlie cut the shower off. Evidently she was finished with her shower.

  Decky knelt down on the floor mat after taking off her tee shirt. “I hate feeling like this. This cast comes off today.”

  Charlie, ever the more mature of the two, suggested Decky listen to her doctor before making any rash decisions.

  “I probably know as much as he does about my ankle at this point. I know whether I need a cast or not.” Decky was quite serious. She thought she could have a medical degree by now.

  “I think you need some breakfast. You are a little edgy this morning.” Charlie teased her.

  “I’m sorry. I have a lot on my mind and this cast is driving me crazy. I hate it. A boot works just as well.” Decky really hated casts.

  She and a friend had cut one off of Decky once, because the itching drove her to it. Her mother had been pissed and taken her to have a new one put on right away. Lizzie; she had been in the back of Decky’s mind since the charges were filed. Would Lizzie be so angry at Decky that she would lie? Decky didn’t think so since R.C. was involved, but still she wasn’t sure how angry Lizzie was at what Decky had said to her, after the attack. Decky did not remember most of the scene, but what she did remember she could never take back. She hoped Molly wouldn’t want her to. She meant every word.

  In Decky’s eyes, Lizzie’s meddling had alerted scum like Jim Bagley to the situation. If Lizzie had kept her mouth shut, nobody would have been the wiser. Decky was forgetting the whole incident with Lynne and the party. She was focused on Lizzie as the culprit and she could not be swayed. Decky didn’t even blame Alan Jr. anymore, at least he was sorry.

  Lizzie was probably fuming at Decky for involving her family in such a huge scandal. Not only was her husband being charged, Lizzie was going to have to testify in front of the whole county. Lizzie was probably fit to be tied.

  Decky’s visit to the doctor went pretty much as she had expected. The doctor had cut the cast off, x-rayed the ankle several times, and declared surgery necessary to repair the damage. He scheduled surgery for a couple of weeks away, to give Decky time to recuperate and deal with the trial.

  He had listened as Decky told him what had happened. He was a friend by now, since they had known each other so long. He was flabbergasted at the way Decky and Charlie were being treated. He felt so bad; he even let Decky talk him into a boot instead of a cast.

  They arrived in Durham a little before lunch. On the way to meet Molly, Brenda drove around the Duke campus, reminiscing with Charlie, and showing Decky different haunts and scenes of youthful escapades. Brenda told the story of this particularly mean group of girls who had antagonized their little group back then. Charlie began to turn red. Decky knew this was going to be a good one.

  “Well, there were six of us in this little mustang. Patty, our too large to be driving this mustang D.H., spotted the mean girls. We called them ‘the bitches’ at the time.”

  Charlie started to giggle, sending waves of pain through her rib cage. Decky could see her trying desperately not to all out laugh, but this story was bringing back images Decky could only guess at.

  Brenda continued, “So, Patty spots the bitches, points, and proceeds to drive the car up onto the sidewalk the bitches happened to occupy at the time. The bitches, seeing this, take off in the opposite direction, still on the sidewalk. It finally dawned on them that the longer they stayed on the sidewalk, the closer the car got; and they took to the hedge.”

  Decky by this time had joined Charlie in her attempts not to laugh too hard, but Brenda wasn’t finished.

  “Later in the vice president’s office that same day, he looked at me and said, ‘You I can’t do anything to because you have straight A’s and you were in the backseat. You, on the other hand,’ referring to our friend Charlie here, ‘were in the front seat. Apparently, from reading witness statements, cheering the driver on.”

  Charlie gasped out, “I didn’t!”

  Brenda waved her off, “The vice-president was not impressed with Charlie’s denial, he said, ‘Charlene, what would your daddy say if I called him and told him a bunch of wild girls had chased you down the sidewalk in an automobile?’ Our aforementioned friend said in her best Okie twang, ‘He’d probably want to know what I had done to make ‘em so mad.”

  Charlie and Decky both were in the full throws of painful laughter. It hurt, but it felt good to laugh like that for a moment. Decky would think of it later as a moment they all went back to a time
of innocence, before life happened.

  Decky finally managed, “What happened to you?”

  Charlie, finally able to talk again, answered, “I had to work extra hours in the training room. When I’m healed, I’ll tell you about the fish in their bathtub.”

  They ate lunch at the Magnolia Grill, which stirred even more memories. Decky enjoyed seeing the light in Charlie’s eyes, as the memories flooded out. It resembled the younger Charlie from the newspaper photo so many years ago. Lunch went by so freely, Decky almost forgot about what they were facing. Too soon, the ugliness would reenter their blissful life.

  Molly Kincaid’s main office was located in an old home. Decky knew she would like her immediately upon seeing the bright yellow and white trimmed fully restored Victorian. Decky liked anybody who respected history. This house reflected Molly’s belief in just that. Molly, Decky learned later, also maintained an office with her firm, near the courthouse downtown, but enjoyed working here so much more. Electronics made that possible.