by Cheri Lewis
It doesn’t take any time to get him stitched up. I shove the bloody sheet into a garbage bag while we were waiting for him to write a prescription for some pain killers. We are out the door on our way home in a little more than thirty minutes. He would probably still be giving the check in clerk his information at the emergency room.
We cross the parking lot back to my truck. “I’ll wash the sheet and bring it back to you.”
“Nah, I’ll do it. A little bleach and water will have it fixed right up. Besides it’s for when Joe gets dirty. Helps keep my seat clean so if it doesn’t come clean it’s not a big deal.”
I feel warm fingers wrap gently around my arm. “Willow.”
I stop to look at him. “Yeah.”
“Can we call a truce?”
Not this again. “You already apologized.”
“No, I mean put everything behind us. You trust me and I trust you. You know, friends.”
I begin walking again and he drops my arm. “Yeah, yeah. We’re friends.”
“I’m going to go out on a limb here and start the trusting you first because that didn’t sound very convincing.”
I stop and turn around facing him. His tall frame is illuminated under the street light. “Did you really get into a yelling match with the D.A. for me?”
“It’s not as dramatic as everyone is making it out to be. But, yes, I did raise my voice at the assistant D.A.”
“Why?”
“Because I found out they weren’t going to drop the charges. It was a bit of a misunderstanding. More on his part than mine. He allowed me to think he was the D.A., when in fact he was only the assistant.”
“Was it Charlie?”
“Yes.”
“That figures.” I roll my eyes and turn back around opening the door to my truck. I glance at him as he walks to the other side. “You going to need help getting in?”
“I’ll manage.”
Once we’re both in I place my finger on the start button but before I press it, I look out in front of me and stare into the darkness. “All this stuff you’ve heard about me, most of it isn’t true. I’m not as mean as they make me out to be and I haven’t slept with all of them that claim I have. A lot of the ones that say they been out with me, we met for beers. It wasn’t a date or sex. I don’t try to set the record straight because the way I look at it, they lie and say they’ve had me or we’ve dated they avoid me and leave me alone. And the being ‘mean’, in my line of work doesn’t hurt to have an illusion of being tough. I know what kind of reputation I have. If you want to be my friend you can start by forming your own opinion of me and not listen to all the other bullshit.”
“I don’t know about anything about you sleeping with anybody. The only thing I’ve heard about you from the guys at the precinct is you’re good at what you do. You do whatever it takes to get your guy and you have a temper and to watch my balls.”
I smile as I continue staring out the windshield. “Thanks.” Even if he’s lying about my whole reputation of sleeping around, the other part is true and nice to hear.
We run through the all night pharmacy drive-thru at Walgreens to get his prescription filled. They inform us it will be twenty minutes before it’s ready so we go across the street to McDonalds. I have a strawberry milkshake and fries and he orders his supper for the night.
“You must really like ice cream,” he says as he takes a bite of his Big Mac.
“What makes you say that?”
“You were eating an ice cream cone earlier and now a milk shake.”
“You got something against ice cream?”
“No. I guess I’m a pie guy,” he says, digging his strawberry with cream cheese pie out of the bottom of the bag.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Did he mess with any of the kids? I mean, outside of taking their pictures?”
“I can’t talk about it because it’s still under investigation.” I take another sip from my shake. “You did a good thing taking him down that day in the park. You have no idea how much your actions helped catch him.”
I could feel he was trying to tell me more but I don’t push the issue because I know the law and I don’t want in any way to jeopardize the case.
“Now, can I ask you something?”
I glance over at him. “I’m an open book.”
He knows and I know that’s a huge lie but that doesn’t stop him from asking his question. “You and Heath—”
I sigh. “We’re just friends. He’s like my brother.”
“That’s not what I was going to ask but I’ll file that information away as good to know. What I wanted to ask was, how long have you two been friends? When the chief was ripping me a new one after handcuffing you he mentioned you had beat the odds with being in foster care. Then Heath mentioned you guys were friends and met in foster care.”
I blow out a breath and am a bit surprised he knows anything about my past. “We were six when we first met. We’d see each other over the years, between schools or placed in homes together but we’d be separated again after a few weeks or months. It was when we were placed into a long term home during high school that our friendship was cemented. Why?”
“Just curious. You two have a bond that’s very strong and evident.”
“I’d die for him.” I say it aloud without giving it any thought. It’s not meant to be some dramatic declaration. It’s the truth. The plain and simple truth.
“I’m pretty sure he’d do the same for you.”
I check the time on the radio and am relieved when I see it’s been thirty minutes since we dropped off the prescription. The conversation has turned too serious for me and it makes me uncomfortable. I pull my truck back across the street to get his prescription. The conversation stays in the safe area after that, we talk about old cases, or injuries while on the job and we’re back to my house in no time at all.
He stands on my sidewalk as I unlock my front door. “I had fun tonight.”
“Even though you got hurt?”
“It’s all part of the job. Can I ask you one more thing before we go our separate ways for the evening?”
Standing under the front porch light makes it difficult to see him out in my yard. “Sure, why not. We’re friends now, right?” I say a little too sarcastically. Part of me is being a smart ass and the other part is annoyed because he sure is nosey.
“Have you ever shot an AR-15 that’s automatic?”
His question takes me by surprise, not at all what I was expecting. “No, but I’ve wanted to.”
“If I told you I had one and I’ve been known to let my friends shoot it from time to time, would you be interested?”
I can’t help but grin for different reasons. “If this is a terrible pickup line and you consider manly package an automatic weapon, I have news for you, I’ve heard it all before. Perception is a good thing to have in this case.”
He walks back to the porch and places his arm on the post leaning against it. Now he’s smiling. “I assure you when it comes time for me to use a pickup line on you, it won’t be an understated innuendo.”
I let out a giggle and I catch myself surprised. “I tell you what, Roscoe. Since we’re friends now and you are all big on this, you trust me and me trusting you thing. I’ll go out on a limb and trust you have one. So the answer to your question would be, yes. I would be very interested.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He smiles and dips his head leaving me standing on my front porch smiling like a big goofy idiot.
I open the front door and Joe races out with his legs crossed. I sit out on the edge of the porch and watch the taillights of Wades SUV fade away. My phone rings and I pull it from my pocket.
“I was just about to call you.”
“Well, I waited until he was for sure gone. I thought he was going to turn back around and kiss you.”
“Where the fuck are you?”
I look up and down the road. Headlight
s come on and he pulls up in front of my house on his police cruiser. “What are you doing parked on my street watching me?”
“Why were you smiling at him like you la-huv him?”
I stand up and stare at his cruiser. “You know that fear you have of being buried alive?”
“I’m just kidding. Jeez.”
“I’m tired and going to bed. I told you I would call you to tell you I made it out alive and now you can see that I am okay. You have yourself a great night and go bother somebody else.”
“Willow.”
“What?”
“I la-huv you.”
Stupid asshole. I hang up the phone and call Joe. I know Joe knows that’s Heath in the car parked out front because I have to call him a second time to get him to come. Once inside I shut the front door and turn off the porch light. Joe dances around in front of me. I bend down on one knee to pet him as he rubs all over me almost knocking me down. I use the bathroom and get my shower. I wipe the fog from the mirror and stare at myself as I think back over tonight. I find myself smiling once again and it’s a big goofy smile. I shrug at myself in the mirror then blow myself a kiss.
The next morning I’m surprised that Heath isn’t waiting on me. I get up and go through my morning routine except this morning I go to my closet and pull out a pair of black slacks and one of my nicer purple tops. I don’t have many to choose from or wear them often. As a matter of fact I have never bought one. They’ve been given to me over the years for Christmas or a birthday from Jackie or someone who doesn’t know me very well. Jackie means well and I appreciate them on days like today but I’m rough on clothes so t-shirts do just fine in my normal day to day life.
I comb through my hair and let it hang down past my shoulders. I pull open the drawer in my bathroom and dig around until I find the mascara. I frown at the thought of it making my eyes itch. When I unscrew the tube it’s all in clumps around the applicator. I guess I need to buy more makeup considering the last time I wore it was… when was the last time I wore any? I throw it back down into the drawer pushing it closed. I let Joe out one more time and as I’m walking out the door I say to him, “I promise I’ll take you to the dog park, if you promise to be good while I’m gone. No peeing or chewing.” His head turns sideways looking at me like I’ve lost my mind then he jumps up on the couch to lie down. I pull the front door to then open it right back up. “No pooping either.” He doesn’t even raise his head to acknowledge me. I smile at him then shut the door again leaving him as I go to church.
CHAPTER SIX
I pulled in the Good Steward Missionary Baptist Church parking lot and have to circle around a before finding a spot in the grass behind the church. I’m late or late compared to everybody else. The singing portion happens for at least an hour before the actual preaching begins. I can hear the worship music on my way to the sanctuary. I smile as I rest my hand on the doorknob to listen. I used to hate coming to church when I was a teenager. We’d spend several hours here before we could go to lunch or do nothing which is what Heath and I enjoyed doing. Yes, now I know it sounds immature and selfish, and little did I know that Maybelle making me go week after week even though I fought it, I still absorbed things that have helped me through the years, one being how to pray. I already know I don’t do it enough but I had no idea how to pray when I came to live with her, but she taught me how and if I’m honest the thought of actually not being all alone intrigues me.
“Why, if it isn’t Ms. Willow. Oh, Mrs. Maybelle is going to be so happy to see you. She loves it when her children come home.”
I give a small smile to a man whose name I don’t remember but I remember he used to always pass the offering buckets during the service. He’s wearing a tag that reads Deacon across the front. I smile bigger when I think back. I used to think that was his name and I couldn’t believe how many people were named Deacon in the church. He reaches around me and pulls on the door. “It’s better on the inside,” he says as he holds the door open for me. “Cooler, too.”
I smile again and step into the lobby then veer to the doorway on the left where Maybelle used to sit. She likes to be near the band. I scan the crowd and my eyes go directly to the only other white neck in the entire building. Heath is here, too. I walk down the aisle between the pews and find an empty spot right next to Maybelle. She’s singing and dancing in front of her seat. I reach out and tap her shoulder. Her smile couldn’t be anymore genuine. She’s truly happy to see me. I can’t hear what she says over the music but she hugs me tight rubbing her hand on my back when she lets go after several seconds I step into the pew beside her. I smile at Heath who has the rhythm of a broken metronome but it doesn’t stop him from clapping off beat and singing along with the choir. I’ve never been one to participate in the actual singing but I love to hear it.
The choir strikes a chord holding it. I look up the stands behind the pulpit. The all-women’s choir is wearing matching black skirts, red blouses and black pill box hats with a red flower on the side. That’s one thing I can say I did enjoy about coming Sundays was seeing what everybody would wear. I had never witnessed such beautiful clothing week in and week out. There weren’t blue jeans and t-shirts worn here. It’s a fashion show, ‘Wear your best for God,’ is what Maybelle used to tell us when it came time to get ready. Thankfully she never made me wear a dress but I did have to make an effort.
She held my hand several times during the service and I tried hard not to stare at her more graying hair or the fact she is no longer plump and healthy. Time has had its way with her and it hasn’t been exactly kind. I feel a lot of guilt since it’s been so long since I’ve come to see her. I know I wasn’t the easiest child she chose to raise. I owe a lot to her. She was tough on us but she showed us that working hard is the way to make it happen. The woman never stopped. She went to bed after us and got up before us. We always had a hot meal. She is the one all kids in foster care should be lucky enough to have as a parent. Which reminds me I need to follow up on Jacob and his situation with the snake lovers.
I hang out with her after the service is over. I try to get her to go out to eat with Heath and me but she insisted we come back home with her and have a lunch with her so we do. I’m a bit surprised at all the food she has fixed. Pork Chops, greens, corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese and my favorite homemade banana pudding. Heath must have given her a heads up that I would be here today. After lunch Maybelle falls asleep in her recliner and Heath and I lie worthless on her couch and love seat. I feel the need to unbutton my slacks but I don’t.
“If I promise not to tell you how much you love each other will you tell me what you were doing with Wade?”
I grab a throw pillow from the couch beside me and hug it against me. I don’t bother opening my eyes as I respond back to him. “He stopped by, told me about my charges with the D.A. then I told him I was leaving to go do a job looking for the couple’s missing son. He volunteered to help me look. That’s it.”
“That’s it, huh?”
“That’s it.”
“I heard he got hurt last night.”
I peek out of my left eye. Heath is leaning back on the love seat smiling. “You know women have the worst reputation for being gossips but I have to say men gossip more.”
“So did you hurt him?”
“Yes. He was minding my business asking too many questioning so I stabbed him.”
“Oh child, tell me you didn’t,” Maybelle says sounding worried.
I lean up on my elbow to look at her and Heath laughs out loud. “No, ma’am, I didn’t.” I fall back on the couch then continue, “But I’m beginning to wonder what people really think of me. Dr. Brand asked me the same thing last night.”
“So, do you want to know all the gossip I heard about Wade and the D.A.?”
“See, there you go, gossiping.”
“He got suspended for a week…” Heath waits for my response and I have to really pretend hard not to care or allow myself to ask questions and i
t’s driving him nuts. “He threatened to punch him in the nose…” He did? Slow talking, mellow Wade? “He also told them that you should be awarded or recognized for your efforts instead of being punished…” No he didn’t. I don’t want to be recognized. I just wanted the sick bastard off the streets. “He told the first floor of the entire court house he wanted to marry you and you have his babies.” He wins.
I’m up off the couch and he laughs, curling into a little ball protecting his prized jewels. “You lying bastard.”
“Wilhelmina Harmonious Matthews, you will not use that language in my house.”
Damn. I hate hearing my whole name. I scowl at Heath. “Yes ma’am, I’m sorry.”
“Heath, you keep poking a bear you gonna get mauled.”
Heath frowns and I smile, shake my head and walk the few steps to Maybelle. “I need to be going.”
“Oh, come on, Willow. Geesh, you’re so touchy.”
I ignore Heath as I wait on Maybelle. It takes her several attempts for her to put the leg part down on her recliner before she stands and gives me another hug. “Don’t wait so long to come see me next time.”
“Yes ma’am. I won’t.”
I roll my eyes as I walk past Heath and he says to me, “Willow, I’m just kidding around. I was telling the truth about everything except the last part.”
I don’t acknowledge him as I walk out the front door. My phone begins ringing and I wait until I get in my truck to answer it.
“Hello.”
A quiet male voice begins speaking, “Is this Ms. Matthews?”
I pull the phone away from my ear and it’s my office number. “It is… who’s this?”
I crank my truck and I lose my phone service for a few seconds as it switches over to bluetooth in the truck. “… calling you. If she finds out I’m using the church phone—”
“You cut out on me. Who is this again?”