“Ed’s right,” Peace nodded, amiably. “Since becoming a Seal, I get a kick out of dealing with these guys who used to make me want to hide. I clown around with them, and they actually like me, or at least most of them do. I guess acting like a weenie has consequences.” This time both Ed and Jill laughed.
Chapter Five
Altercation
“Hey PP,” Dink called out from the booth. “Hustle us over another pitcher.”
“Coming right up, Dink,” Peace replied, but Jill saw him cringe a little at the name dig. Peace made up the pitcher, and walked around Ed, who handed him a tray of fresh glasses.
“He hates that one,” Ed chuckled, as he watched Peace expertly pour the Margaritas into fresh glasses.
“I saw that,” Jill said. “You think that’s funny?” “He can take it, Jill,” Ed shrugged. “I… uh oh.”
Dink had reached out and grabbed hold of Peace’s arm as he turned to take the tray of dirty glasses back to the bar. Only his excellent balance kept Peace from dumping the tray of glasses. “So, you’re a Seal, a professional killer, huh PP?”
The rest of the young men watched the exchange, suddenly quiet.
“No, I’m the mascot,” Peace replied, grinning, as he continued to balance the tray. Ed came around and took the tray out of his hands, laughing with the other young men at the table over Peace’s reply.
Dink kept his grasp on Peace’s arm, until Peace leaned down. “Are you going to let go, Dink, or do you want a date?”
This brought pandemonium to the booth, as the already partly inebriated college students laughed uproariously; but Dink gripped Peace even harder.
“Make me, PP,” Dink said through clenched teeth.
“Let him go, Dink,” Jack ordered, trying to control his laughter, as the situation began to worsen.
Jill looked at Ed, but Polasky was just watching the development with a smile.
Peace looked down at where Dink had his right forearm gripped tightly. “I have a proposition for you, Dink. You let go of my arm, and you and I will go over to this next booth. I’ll arm wrestle you. If I win, you have to shut up, and leave. If you win, I’ll shut up, and leave. How about it?”
Surprise showed immediately in Dink’s face, as he looked around the table at his now quiet friends. “Do you believe this? PP wants to arm wrestle.”
“You could just let go, and enjoy your drink,” Peace suggested.
Dink released his grip on Peace’s arm, quickly launching himself out of the booth. Peace gave him room to get by, as Dink slid into the booth adjacent to the one he had been in, putting his right arm in an arm wrestling position, and gesturing at Peace impatiently.
“C’mon, you little prick. Jack, get over here and start us,” Dink yelled over to his friend.
Peace slid in across from Dink, clasping Dink’s hand as both men hunched towards each other. All of the young men were soon crowded around the booth, as Ed remained behind the bar, watching the situation with interest. Jill looked at Dink’s hugely muscled arm. As the man flexed, muscles and tendons stood out powerfully. Peace’s arm tensed, his arm muscles rippling impressively; but in bulk, Jill could see Dink’s arm was nearly twice as bulky as Peace’s.
Jack held on to the two antagonist’s clasped hands with both of his, adjusting and straightening the combatants’ arms. “Ready… on three… one… two… three!”
As Jack released their hands, Dink swung his whole body into a downward stroke he clearly meant to be a painful wipeout for Peace. Although Peace’s arm moved slightly down in reaction to Dink’s onslaught, it soon became obvious this would be no quick smack down. Dink’s facial muscles bulged in tandem with his arm, as he reddened under the strain, and his mouth grimaced in concentration.
Jill had stood up, and moved for a better look at Peace’s face. He too concentrated, as both men’s arms vibrated in opposing directions. She could tell Peace was staring directly at Dink’s face, rather than at his arm. Peace had an almost amused look on his face at first. A smile started at the corners of the smaller man’s mouth, and Dink’s arm began to move inexorably down towards defeat. Except for the breathing, and the sound of their straining arms on the table, silence reigned. Shock registered on Dink’s sweaty face, soon to be followed by recognition of defeat. As Dink’s hand slapped down to the table surface under Peace’s unrelenting pressure, Dink pulled away in a rage, standing up and pointing an accusing finger at Peace.
“You cheated… you… you twisted before Jack started us!”
“Bullshit, Dink,” Jack stated, as the rest of the young men voiced their disagreement with Dink’s accusation. “If anything, you moved first.”
“Hey, you want a second chance?” Peace asked calmly, flexing his arm. “Sit down, big guy. I’ll do this until you think you went down fair and square.”
Dink sat back down, as his friends protested. He locked hands again with Peace. “You’re going down.”
Jack sighed, and gripped their joined hands again, quickly repeating his starting procedure. This time when he let go, Dink grabbed the table edge for leverage, but Peace put his hand straight down, slapping the back of his hand loudly onto the table. Dink’s whole body twisted painfully this time as his arm went down while he tried to hold on to the table edge. Peace released him, and clasped his hands in front of him, watching Dink kneading his arm in fury.
“How was that, Dink? Now, are you going to leave silently, or are you a cheap punk too? If you leave quietly, you’ll always be welcomed back. If you’re going to cause any more trouble, you won’t be allowed to come back.”
“That’s right, Dink,” Ed called out in agreement.
Dink’s rage was palpable. He stared tightlipped at Peace. He saw something in Peace’s eyes, which calmed him enough to simply get up out of the booth, and leave the barroom, without even glancing at his friends. Peace watched him go, and then stood up, as the rest of Dink’s friends backed up to give him room.
“Man, you ought to take that show on the road,” Chuck said, breaking the silence.
“Dink wasn’t driving, I hope,” Peace quipped. “I’m not going to have to drive you gentlemen home, am I?”
They laughed appreciatively, and went back to their booth. Peace rejoined Ed and Jill at the bar. This time, he sat next to Jill.
“Mr. Peacenik,” Ed said quietly, “that was a very satisfying moment.”
“Not for Dink, it wasn’t,” Peace sighed, taking a sip of the beer Polasky put in front of him. “He may be nicer next time, or he might be worse.”
“That’s what makes life so exciting,” Polasky sighed, moving from behind the bar. “I’m going to give Nancy a blow by blow description, PP. Watch the bar for me.”
“Grrrrrrrrrr….” Peace replied at Polasky’s poke at his initials, which evoked a laugh from Polasky as he moved away.
“That really does bug you, doesn’t it?” Jill asked, smiling.
“That particular endearment goes way back,” Peace admitted. “I’m okay with it, when Ed, or the rest of the team do it; but I get a little torqued when someone like Dink does it.”
“What if I did it?” Jill asked, leaning towards Peace, with her elbows on the bar, and her face cradled in her hands.
Peace leaned towards her casually. “You can call me anything you want, Jill, anytime you want.”
“You mean that?”
“Absolutely. Now, what made you stick around with me tonight? I’m not complaining. I’m just curious.”
Jill sat up, caught off guard by his directness. “I… I thought something passed between us in the jungle, and I wanted to say thanks to all of you guys.”
Peace regarded her with frank astonishment. He started to say something, but remained silent. Instead, he went behind the bar, and emptied the dirty glasses into the sink under the bar.
“You didn’t feel it, did you?” Jill asked, disappointment seeping into her words.
“Jill,” Peace grinned, leaning on the bar again. “I fee
l something every time a beautiful woman even brushes by me. Realism prevents me from speculating on anything further than that.”
Jill laughed at his dodge. “You don’t have a very high opinion of yourself.”
“Now that’s where you’re wrong, my dear. I am capable and proficient at many things. Romance, or attracting beautiful women, has never been included in the capable and proficient category, although I sometimes attempt to achieve at least mediocrity at them.”
“You don’t have a girlfriend?”
“I have not been on many meaningful dates since I was in college, mouthing anti-American crapola to attract the naive coeds in our commie peace group,” Peace answered honestly. “Luckily, the service, and helping Ed here, keeps my mind off my shortcomings.”
“Did it work in college, I mean spouting the crapola, as you call it?”
“Unusually well,” Peace replied, distastefully.
“Ever think about going over to a campus, and trying out the old lines?”
Peace laughed, but looked at her solemnly after a moment. “I know it sounds corny, but I would rather become a celibate than spew that poison. Besides, tattoos and tongue rings are in now, not scars.”
Jill laughed, putting her hands on Peace’s, where they gripped the bar. “You may be a little scarred up, but you’re also kind of funny.”
“Nicky,” Jack called out from the booth. “Quit fooling around with the customers and bring us another pitcher, will you?”
“Right away, Jack, but I hope you guys are walking home,” Peace replied, only half jokingly. He reluctantly pulled away from Jill, who squeezed his hands before releasing him.
“I thought you volunteered to drive us,” Jack retorted.
“I don’t have the cattle truck tonight, Jack,” Peace quipped, as the young men laughed at the comeback. Peace filled a huge bowl of tortilla chips, and brought them over with two bowls of salsa. When he returned with the Margaritas, the big black lineman, Peace knew they called Max, handed him a twenty.
“Keep the change, Nicky.”
“Thanks, Max, you don’t want to arm wrestle for it?” This brought more laughter before Max spoke again.
“Actually, Nicky, we couldn’t beat Dink, you freak.”
When Ed walked into the bar again, the booth of young men were howling in laughter. They pointed at Peace, who had to sit in a chair, as he rocked back and forth, his whole body shaking as he laughed. Ed walked over behind the bar, and waited patiently for Jill to quit laughing, so someone could tell him what was so funny. Through gasps, and dabbing at the tears streaming from her eyes, Jill related the conversation leading to the mirth.
Ed chuckled. “It ain’t that funny, Jill, you freak.”
This set Jill off again, as Ed laughed at the young woman, who struggled now just to breathe. Peace had finally regained enough composure to simply point and nod at Max before returning to the bar, where he sat down next to Jill, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“What did the bad man say to you, Jill?”
“It… it’s the beer,” Jill gasped. “Everything… sounds funny.
I…”
“I probably should have cut you off after the second beer,” Peace stated.
“I’m glad you all are having such a good time,” Ed pronounced. “What time do you have to be in the water tomorrow, Mr. Goodbar?”
“That is not funny, Ed,” Peace said with a sigh. “Five, as always.”
“My toes start to ache again just thinking about you boys getting in the water at that time of the morning,” Ed grinned in commiseration.
“Can I watch?”
“You haven’t seen five AM in twenty years,” Peace needled Polasky.
“Why you disrespectful bag of goat cheese,” Ed retorted, sending Jill off into a paroxysm of laughter again. “I get up at four every morning.”
“Yea, well who is it still snoring like one of those wood chippers when I leave,” Peace asked innocently.
“Must be Nancy,” Ed said quietly, looking towards the restaurant.
“Oh, I am so going to tell her you said that,” Peace gasped in mock indignation.
“Go ahead,” Polasky replied calmly. “Just make sure you have my ashes scattered at sea.”
“Okay, I won’t tell her this time,” Peace laughed.
“Things are calmed down now,” Polasky said. “Why don’t you take Jill home?”
“I’d like that, if you have the time,” Jill said to Peace. “Mr. Polasky, where are your restrooms?”
“Just go through the restaurant entryway, and turn right.”
“Thank you,” Jill replied. She stood up from the bar with her cane, and looked at Peace. “You didn’t say anything. Did you want me to call a taxi?”
“Are you kidding?” Peace grinned. “I’d carry you on my back again if I had to. Just don’t change your mind before you come back. I’ll meet you at the front.”
“Okay,” Jill nodded, and extended her hand across the bar to Ed. “Nice meeting you, Mr. Polasky. I had a great time.”
Polasky shook her hand. “My pleasure, Jill, come again anytime.”
“I will,” Jill said simply, and left the bar.
“What did you do to attract her, Pauley, Voodoo or mind control?”
“She’s attracted to my mind, Ed. I thought that was obvious,” Peace replied, handing Polasky his apron.
“Right,” Ed fired back. “Do you still think she’s using you for some nefarious purpose?”
“I never said I did,” Peace replied, walking around the bar. “If she is, then she can use me till she uses me up. Goodnight, Ed.”
“Goodnight, Peace,” Polasky laughed, shaking his head. “Be careful out there.”
Peace stopped by the college students’ booth, and exchanged pleasantries, asking them to let Dink know there were no hard feelings.
“He’ll get over it, Nicky,” Jack pronounced as Peace turned to leave.
Peace nodded and waved as he went out into the restaurant. Jill had just come out of the restroom, and walked up to join Peace. She smiled at him, and put her hand around his arm, as he turned to escort her out.
“You washed your hands, didn’t you?” Peace asked, looking down at her hand.
Jill laughed, bringing her cane around, shaking it at Peace.
“I know how to use this for other things besides walking, wise guy.”
Peace held open the door for Jill, and followed her out into the balmy Southern California night. Leading the way to his car in the parking lot, a buoyant feeling swept over him he had not felt since he completed Seal training. He walked her to his white, 1964 Buick Special, unlocked the passenger side door for her, and held it open. When she hesitated to get in, Peace looked back in time to see her holding her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“I thought Navy Seals all had Corvettes or Ferraris,” Jill blurted out.
Peace chuckled appreciatively. “I can tell you’re not familiar with the military pay grade for an E-5.”
Jill moved closer and kissed Peace on the lips. It began almost sympathetically, but the electrifying heat of their first shared intimacy rocked both of them. Jill pulled away, touching her mouth hesitantly, searching Peace’s eyes for some recognition. What she saw was shock. Peace released the door of his Buick, and swept Jill up into his arms. He kissed her with a passion he, up until that moment, had not believed could exist. Jill dropped her cane, wrapping her arms around Peace in an almost desperate grip. Peace heard her sob, and frightened, he broke through the spell of their touch, to forcefully hold her at arm’s length. Tears were forming at Jill’s eyes, as she looked at Peace, her mouth open slightly. Peace had long dreamed of a woman looking at him in such a manner, but he had blocked the hope, which occasionally haunted him.
“I… I’m sorry,” Jill stammered. “I…”
Peace put his hand over her lips, halting her speech. “Don’t explain. I have this effect on women. They usually cry while I’m kissing
them, sometimes even before.”
Jill laughed abruptly, shaking her head and grabbing his hand in both of hers. She kissed the back of his hand. “I meant I was so worried you hadn’t felt the same thing for me, I… I just knew you felt it when you kissed me.”
Peace put his other hand over hers. He watched her solemnly, his seriousness only altered slightly by his permanent grin. “I felt it, lady. I just don’t know how you could. Ed was telling me gratitude can be a first step to romance; but I have to admit to some reluctance believing it to be a solid one.”
“I didn’t mean to insult your car,” Jill smiled.
Peace pulled her back into a close embrace, and it was many moments before they parted. He eased away after a time, stroking her hair as he held her. “Although I am under no obligation to explain this wonderful automobile, I will only say it has a huge trunk for my diving equipment.”
“I thought the Navy supplied your… oh, of course, you dive on your own with your personal equipment, right?”
“Correcto,” Peace replied, kissing her lightly. “Get in, and I’ll take you to your place. Where are you staying?”
“At a motel near here,” Jill answered, as Peace guided her into the passenger seat, and handed her the cane he had picked up. “I almost walked over here, but I wasn’t certain you would be in the restaurant tonight.”
“I knew saying my prayers every night before I went to bed would pay off,” Peace said, starting his Buick.
Jill laughed. “Just go right, out of the parking lot, and keep going for about two miles. I’ll tell you where from there.”
“Jill, what the heck are you doing?” Peace asked, glancing over at his passenger. “You must have guys hanging on your every word, or movement, for that matter. Your folks must think you’ve flipped out.”
Jill looked down at her hands for a moment where they lay folded in her lap. When she looked over at Peace, he had turned back to concentrate on his driving. “My Mom and Dad are so glad I stopped hanging out with those people I went to Chili with, they’d go along with anything I did, short of murder or armed robbery. Turn left at the next intersection. It’s the motel on your right, at the corner.”
Demon VII: Disciples of Darkness (Mike Rawlins and Demon the Dog Book 7) Page 24