“Frankie and Wade,” Sergeant Aziz said. “They were always so close.”
Erik nodded. He held his hand out to Jacob.
“Thanks,” Erik said. Jacob shook his hand, and Erik walked to his truck.
“What was that?” Sergeant Aziz asked.
“He works for me,” Jacob said.
“Uh huh,” Sergeant Aziz said.
“I need to call Noelle’s father,” Jacob said. “Get the dogs home and . . .”
“You’re around?” Sergeant Aziz asked.
“You can reach me here.” Jacob gave him his card.
Sergeant Aziz nodded. Jacob turned back to look at the police officers and the boys. His mind replayed the whole odd event. He grinned. He gave Sergeant Aziz a nod before jogging off with the dogs.
At the dog park, Jacob kneeled down to check the dogs. Somehow, they had made it through everything without a scratch. Before walking to the school to get Charlie, he called Aden, who was already on his way into town. Charlie and Jacob ran back to the Castle to pick up his car. There was a note on the door from Jill saying they had gone to the hospital. Jack let the dogs in the Castle and took Charlie with him to the hospital.
They found Delphie and Jill in the waiting area. Erik joined them a moment later. They settled in to wait.
~~~~~~~~
Monday evening—6:00 p.m.
Jacob stepped up to the podium in front of the Lipson employees. His face was a mess of bruises and his right hand was wrapped in gauze, but he was there. It took a moment, but the employees stopped talking.
“Thank you for being here this evening,” Jacob said. “I’m sure you’ve heard that Aden’s daughter and her friend Wanda, Erik Le Monte’s daughter, were attacked this afternoon.”
He saw a group of employees whisper to each other near the back.
“Erik’s on our plumbing crew,” Jacob said. “If you’d like to call, feel free to do so. We’ll hold the vote until you get back.”
The men and women talked to each other and one of them got up.
“Wanda, Erik’s daughter, has some broken ribs and a broken leg,” Jacob said. “Noelle, Aden’s daughter, broke her hand on a boy’s thick head. Both girls have some internal damage and facial bruises. They’re staying at the hospital overnight, but the doctor’s expect them both to fully recover. As you can see, I was there.”
Jacob grinned. The employees laughed.
“We have an entire presentation ready,” Jacob said. “But I’m tired and bruised. I’d like to cut to the chase.”
Jacob looked out across the crowd of employees.
“We need to end Lipson Construction’s involvement in the project by the airport,” Jacob said.
There was a stunned silence.
“Blane and Tres will walk you through the reasons,” Jacob said. “They will also share with you the expected cost of abandoning the contract. It’s going to cost us, but it’s the right thing to do.”
“For who?” a voice near the back yelled out. “You?”
A few employees chuckled.
“Please stand up,” Jacob said.
No one moved. The mood of the employees shifted. The people nearest to him whispered to each other.
“Yes, that’s what we’ve turned to,” Jacob said. “We fight with each other over nothing. How do the rest of you feel about the constant back biting, toxic cynicism disguised as intelligent comment, and arguing?”
Jacob shook his head.
“I’ve had enough,” Jacob said. “You want to grumble and gripe, find yourself another job. I’ve had enough of it. Site managers? Do you agree?”
“Fuck yeah!” Jerry said.
“Absolutely,” Rodney said.
“We’re with you, Jake.” Bambi stood up in the middle of the room. She turned around and pointed to a man. “You’re fired. I’ve heard you whine enough to recognize your voice anywhere. Get out of here.”
“You can’t do that to me!” the man said.
“Out,” Bambi said.
A few employees near the front began to clap. The man glared at Jacob and stomped out of the room. Jacob waited for a few minutes for everyone to settle down.
“We need to come together to work together,” Jacob said. “Or we will not survive. Period. If there’s anyone else would like to leave, I encourage you to do so now. Remember what we said at noon, leave and your employment is ended. And trust me, I’m dead serious about this. I’m sick of the cynics destroying any forward momentum. We’re destroying ourselves from the inside. I’m done tolerating it.”
About five people from around the room slowly got up and left.
“And the rest of you,” Jacob looked out at the employees. “Are you ready to get to work?”
“Let’s get it done, Jake!” Jerry yelled out.
The employees cheered.
“Let’s get to work,” Jacob said.
Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Eight
Scared Kids
Monday evening—7:13 p.m.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered.
Sandy got up from her chair and sat on Noelle’s bed.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered again.
“I’m here,” Sandy said.
Noelle’s head rolled over to look at Sandy.
“The boys?” Noelle croaked.
“They went home,” Sandy said. “Charlie and Aden are at the police station. Alex’s husband, John, you remember him? He’s very handsome?”
Noelle nodded.
“He took Teddy and Nash home to their house,” Sandy said. “Sissy and Tink were here with Wanda for a while. Auntie Heather took them home for the night. Sissy said she would be here first, first, first thing.”
Noelle smiled.
“She wanted to stay with you, but we can only have one person,” Sandy said. “We thought you’d want me here.”
“Where’s Rachel?” Noelle sat up in a panic. “Did you forget her? Leave her?”
“Rachel is with Auntie Jill for the night,” Sandy said. “Jill picked her up from school when she got Katy. She and Katy are having a trial run of what it’s like to have a baby. Rachel is their practice baby.”
“Rachel is a really good baby,” Noelle gave a sincere nod. “I bet those boys won’t be as good of babies.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” Sandy smiled. “But we’ll be there to help.”
Sandy patted Noelle’s shoulder and the girl lay down again. Noelle stared at the ceiling for a while.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered.
“I’m here,” Sandy said.
“I was so scared,” Noelle whispered. She scooted around so her head was on Sandy’s lap. “So . . .”
Noelle began to sob. Throughout this entire ordeal, Noelle had laughed, told big stories, and even bragged to her brothers. The doctors had marveled at how well she’d come through the terrible ordeal.
But Sandy knew her daughter. When the boys were gone, and the excitement wore off, her terror would return. Sandy stroked Noelle’s back and hair and let her cry.
Through the tears, Noelle told her story. It wasn’t a big story of “whupping up on those jerks” like she’d told her brothers. It wasn’t even the horror-filled story she’d told the police. Noelle told a smaller story, of a little girl who went to the park and was all alone when a lot of scary boys attacked her.
Noelle hiccupped and sobbed her way through her story, and Sandy held on to her. Sandy had never felt so inadequate and ineffective in her entire life. She had no idea if she was healing or helping or even kind. She just listened and loved. It was all she could think to do.
When Noelle’s story was over, the little girl fell silent. Sandy kept stroking her back.
“I think she’s asleep,” the nurse said. “Let me help.”
Together, they set Noelle back against her pillows. The nurse fussed over Noelle’s covers and checked her IV lines. Sandy stayed next to Noelle on the bed.
“You can get in the bed with her,” the nurse said. “Tha
t’s what I’d do.”
“You would?” Sandy
“Of course,” the nurse said. “I’ll help.”
The nurse moved Noelle over a bit.
“Just lie down with her,” the nurse said. “It’ll help.”
Sandy lay down in the bed next to Noelle. She opened her eyes for a moment and closed them again.
“After such a big ordeal, you can’t give a child enough snuggling,” the nurse said. “Especially such a brave child as Noelle.”
When the nurse left the room, Sandy lay on her side next to Noelle and stared at the wall. Sandy knew exactly how horrified Noelle had been. Images of her own terrifying experiences flashed across the cheery hospital wallpaper. Sandy wouldn’t wish that horror on anyone, especially not Noelle. She bit her lip to keep from crying.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered.
“I’m here,” Sandy said.
Sandy gave Noelle a soft hug. Noelle turned her head to look at Sandy. For a moment, the girl just looked at her. Sandy felt the child’s gaze travel over her forehead, her nose, and her lips. Noelle gave a little nod and settled back on her pillow.
“Love you, Noelle,” Sandy said.
“Mom?” Noelle whispered.
“I’m here,” Sandy said.
Noelle nodded. Sandy’s words echoed in her own ears.
“I’m here.”
She’d said it over and over again tonight because it was all she could think to say. Noelle was calling for her mother; Sandy was here, right here. Sandy wasn’t there in the horror-filled past. She was right here with a little girl who loved her.
Noelle had miraculously escaped the horror and violence that had almost killed Tink.
Sandy had also miraculously escaped the horror and violence that had been her life to, by some miracle, wind up right here. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Sandy began to cry.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Noelle said. “I’m right here.”
“I’m glad,” Sandy said.
Noelle grinned and fell into a sound sleep.
Sandy knew it wasn’t over for Noelle. There would be hearings and eventually a trial. Noelle would have to repeat her story over and over and over again. Long after her physical wounds had healed, she would continue to deal with the mental ones. She’d probably have nightmares and need to see her therapist again.
But when all was said and done, Noelle was here.
Sandy was here.
That was all that really mattered.
~~~~~~~~
Monday evening—8:25 p.m.
“Hey,” Frankie said, when he entered Wanda’s hospital room.
He wore an orange jumpsuit and his hands were handcuffed in front of him. A uniformed police officer stood by his side. Wanda’s mom, Edith, looked at Frankie and then at Wanda before getting up out of her chair.
“Why don’t I wait outside for a minute?” Wanda’s mother asked. “Officer? Would you like to join me?”
The uniformed officer looked at Wanda’s mom and at Frankie. He unlocked one of Frankie’s hands and locked the handcuff to the rail on Wanda’s bed.
“Don’t go anywhere,” the officer said.
“I won’t,” Frankie said.
“This is a special favor,” the officer said. “Screw this up and you’re back in with the pack.”
“Yes, officer,” Frankie said.
“All right then,” the officer said. He followed Wanda’s mom out of the room.
“What’s going on?” Wanda asked.
“I have to go to Gilliam tonight,” Frankie said. “Juvie. I’m ‘sposed to go to the Children’s Home, you know, ‘cuz of the stuff with my step-dad. But I can’t go there ‘til there’s a bed.”
“Why?” Wanda asked.
“It’s part of my sentence,” Frankie said. “I went to court and stuff last week. This is a pretty good deal. I got it mostly ‘cuz of my brother.”
“You turned in all those videos,” Wanda said.
“How’d you know that?” Frankie asked.
“Your mom came by,” Wanda said. “She said you gave those big Homeland Security guys enough evidence to figure out what’s going on from top to bottom. She said she’s really proud of you. I am too.”
Frankie furrowed his eyebrows and scowled.
“Listen, I wanted to tell you,” Frankie glanced at Wanda and looked down, “if you’re doing all of this because of me, you don’t have to. I already told my mom.”
“What did you tell her?” Wanda asked.
“That I’m gay,” Frankie blushed. “And that you and I . . . when we were in junior high, and . . . Well, she’s okay with it.”
“Are you sure you’re gay?” Wanda voice rose with anxiety.
“Well, there’s that stuff with my step-dad,” Frankie said. “And you. And I could never . . . I mean the guys made fun of me because I . . .”
“Just because you’re not a rapist doesn’t mean you’re gay,” Wanda said.
“What about you?” Frankie asked.
“I’m a girl,” Wanda said. “I told you over and over again. I knew I was a girl when I was three or four. I told my mom but she and dad thought I’d grow out of it. Then . . .”
“Is that why you starved yourself?” Frankie asked. “I always thought it was ‘cuz you didn’t want to be gay.”
“I wanted to control my body,” Wanda said. “When you’re starving, you don’t go through puberty. And . . .”
“You almost died,” Frankie said. “I don’t like that.”
“If you’re gay, then we can’t be together,” Wanda didn’t want to talk about her eating disorder.
“Why?” Frankie shrugged.
“Because I’m a girl,” Wanda said.
“But . . .” Frankie shook his head. He leaned in. “Are you going to . . . you know?”
“Eventually,” Wanda said. “I have to live like a girl for at least a year. But even my dad thinks it makes sense that I’m a girl.”
“Oh,” Frankie said. “Your mom?”
“She doesn’t like it,” Wanda said. “She thinks she did something wrong. Or that I’m doing this because I love you, but . . .”
“You love me?” Frankie blushed.
“You know that,” Wanda said.
“Even after everything and all of this?”
Wanda nodded.
“You love me too?” Wanda asked.
Frankie nodded and Wanda smiled.
“It’s pretty weird to love a girl like me,” Wanda said.
“Don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.” Frankie shrugged.
Wanda smiled.
“Are you going to get better?” Frankie asked.
“Yeah,” Wanda said. “You?”
“I don’t know,” Frankie said.
“How ‘bout if we both promise to get better?” Wanda asked. “I’ll do everything I can and you do everything you can.”
“Ok,” Frankie said.
“I don’t know if we’ll be together forever, like some movie or something,” Wanda said. “But at least if we get better together, that’s really good. That seems like a really good way to love someone.”
“So you’re saying you won’t starve yourself anymore?” Frankie asked.
“And you’ll work hard to get better,” Wanda said.
“For you,” Frankie said.
“They’ll tell you that you have to do it for yourself,” Wanda said.
“I am,” Frankie said. “If I get better, and you get better, then we stand a chance at . . . life.”
Wanda nodded.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Frankie said.
“I wouldn’t be if you hadn’t help,” Wanda said.
Frankie smiled. The police officer came in.
“Kiss the girl good-bye, dummy,” the officer said. “That’s why we’re here.”
Frankie leaned over and kissed Wanda’s lips. She touched his face and he smiled. The officer re-handcuffed him and they shuffled out the door. Wanda’s mom came back in.
“So is this being a girl . . . Is that about Frankie?” Wanda’s mom asked.
“No, Mom,” Wanda said.
“Just checking,” Wanda’s mom said. “Because he’s pretty cute.”
“He is.” Wanda smiled.
“So are you,” Wanda’s mom said.
She leaned over and kissed Wanda’s forehead.
“I saw you and Dad talking,” Wanda said. “Are you . . .?”
Wanda’s mother raised a stern eyebrow at her and sat down in her chair. She started flipping pages in a magazine.
“Okay, the excitement’s over,” the nurse said when she came into the room. “Time for you to sleep. You have surgery for that leg tomorrow. You need rest.”
The nurse fussed over Wanda and flipped off the overhead lights. Wanda’s mom turned on a floor lamp, giving the room a warm yellow glow. Wanda lay quiet for a while.
“Dad’s been really great,” Wanda said.
“He has,” Wanda’s mom said.
“He’s pretty cute too,” Wanda said.
“Mm-hmm.” Wanda’s mom pretended to read her magazine.
“And he doesn’t have a new family like you thought.”
Wanda’s mom scrunched up her face and said, “You think . . .?”
Wanda nodded. Her mom smiled.
“Maybe you could have another kid,” Wanda said. “A real boy this time. He can have all that stuff you bought for me.”
“Don’t push it,” her mom said in a strong voice, but she smiled. “Go to sleep.”
“Okay,” Wanda said.
It was pretty hard to fall asleep when she was all tingly from being kissed by Frankie. She was just about to say she couldn’t sleep, when she dozed off.
~~~~~~~~
Monday night—10:23 p.m.
“Hi,” Jill said in a low tone.
Jacob was sitting on the couch with his back to her. Hearing her voice, he turned to look at her. She came around the couch and sat on his lap. She tugged on his tie and kissed his bruised mouth. He grimaced as he kissed her.
“Whatcha doing out here in the dark?” Jill asked.
“Thinking,” Jacob said. “I’m dead tired and feel like I’ve been hit by a bus, but my mind is . . . crazy.”
Jill smiled.
Silt, Denver Cereal Volume 8 Page 29