James Ross - A Character-Based Collection (Prairie Winds Golf Course)

by James Ross

  His assets were his hands and whatever else it took to keep the women coming through his door, whether tight-fitting black dress pants, an infectious smile, or outgoing personality. But one innocent, playful moment was starting to become a distraction. The reminders were becoming more frequent. He changed the text message ring tone setting on his cell phone to vibration mode.

  It was late. His last client had gone. The muffled tone gently pushed the phone across the countertop/receptionist’s desk. An incoming text message had been received.

  Now is as good a time as any

  Raul looked at the screen. Should I or shouldn’t I? He was like a cat sneaking around in the dark. His ego pulled at his virility. An admirer wanted him and he had a very, very good idea who it was. His fingers responded.

  For what

  It didn’t take long for the muffled response.

  You know

  Raul sighed. The same topic was going to be revisited. His response tipped his hand. He was up late. Alone. Leaving work. And opportunistic. He typed a return message.

  Do we have to go there again

  He changed the sheets on the massage bed fully realizing that a text was forthcoming. It was simply a matter of when it would come and what it would say.

  U know what I want

  Snuffing someone out was out of the question. He had made that clear in the past.

  I’m not the guy for that

  He returned to the task at hand. The sheets got tucked, the pillow fluffed, and a new blanket covered the table. Scents from the candles made him close his eyes and take in a deep breath through his nose. His phone vibrated again.

  U stand to gain

  There was a second vibration.

  I’ll be gone for a few days

  Raul read the message and shook his head back and forth. A third vibration rattled across the palm of his hand.

  Get rid of the effing bitch

  There it was again, the same old request. Tindra was the mother of his children. Even though he wasn’t the most faithful man in the world, he couldn’t imagine life without her. There had to be a better way to deal with this. Should I reply or drop it?

  Several minutes elapsed. The vibration went off again. Then again. And again. Raul didn’t bother looking at the screen. He’d save it for another day.

  Chapter Fifteen

  It was a picture perfect day in St. Louis. A cold front had moved through and knocked the humidity out of the air. Fresh blue skies replaced the thinly disguised layer of smog. The metro area didn’t have it too bad compared to other cities, but according to the EPA St. Louis was one of the worst culprits in the nation. It’s always an adventure trying to figure out where the federal government gets their statistics. If the feds were to visit St. Louis on this day they’d never put the area on their watch list.

  Tyler Cy booked the vacation. He was a skillful event planner. Nothing would go unnoticed. Two round trip tickets to Cancun started the journey. Upon arrival, a personalized taxi would transport the couple to Playa del Carmen. It was costly but well worth it in his opinion. Thirty miles on a bus might have gotten his other half worked up before they got checked in.

  Those concerns were several hours away. His first order of business had already backfired. He had told Shari that the plane was leaving 45 minutes earlier than it actually was. That was intentional with hopes that she would not be late. It was well past the time that they should have left for the airport.

  The upper level of the Donnelly home was where the master bedroom suite was located. A sitting room occupied one side of the suite and at one time served as a reading area for late night culture. A personal computer also sat on a stand. The area was now exclusively Shari’s room. Tyler Cy had been banished to the lower level. The pair agreed to share the premises but reside in separate areas of the house as part of the separation agreement that was being worked out. Tyler Cy knocked on the door. He peeked through the opening.

  The room was in disarray. Clothes were strewn on the bed, floor, and chairs. Drawers in the dresser were pulled open. The ceiling fan twirled. Assorted items were draped over a mirror. Shari was still fidgeting in the bathroom. Her suitcase was open with more clothes scattered outside than packed neatly inside.

  “Come on, Woobie. We’re late.”

  “Tyler Cy! There’s no need for that Woobie, sweet-talkin’ crap! Stop pressuring me!” Each of her rings was sitting in a solution of jewelry cleaner as Sweet Satsuma permeated the room. Shari was bent at the waist with a bath towel wrapped around her torso. She applied liner. One lit cigarette smoldered in an ashtray. Another cigarette was parked between her lips. Smoke curled its way past her cheeks and beyond her eyes on its way to the ceiling. After examining her look in the mirror she removed the cigarette from her mouth and placed it next to its predecessor in the ashtray. Then a fresh coat of lipstick was applied.

  “We’re going out of the country. We have to allow for inspections and security and…”

  Shari coughed. “You standing here is not helping. If we’re late we’ll take another flight.” Her gravelly voice was a clear indicator that she was a longtime smoker.

  “They’re all booked and…”

  Her quick retort cut him off. “That’s just what they tell you. How stupid can you be?” She tightened the towel. “Now shush!” Shari fetched a ring out of the cleaning solution, wiped it off and used the blow drier to remove the remaining moisture. One by one the ritual was completed. Tyler Cy glanced at his watch as eight of the rings were placed on her digits.

  “Security will have you remove all of them to get past the metal detector.”

  “What’s wrong with you? These won’t set off any alarms.” She glanced at him in the mirror and noticed over her shoulder that he was standing in the suite. “Now get out of here! You know you’re not supposed to be in this part of the house.” She reached for the bathroom door and pulled it shut. A muffled voice shouted. “That was part of our agreement!”

  Tyler Cy stared at the closed door and wondered what he had gotten himself into. The watch on his wrist reminded him of the time constraint. His vision scanned the room once again. It was easy to see how their relationship had deteriorated. The breeze from the overhead fan calmed him somewhat, but the fuse was on slow burn. He wasn’t concerned about the immediate consequences. One last barb came blurting out of his mouth. “Did a tornado blow through here when you were in the shower?”

  “What are you trying to say?” Shari patted blush onto her cheeks. “Vanny will clean up when we’re gone. I seen where she scheduled an extra day to catch up on some things she’s been wantin’ to get done.”

  How did I ever allow myself to fall in love with someone that has such poor command of the English language? Tyler Cy wondered. For such a high-class look she can be such an effing Hoosier. “By the look of things, she’ll need it.” He turned to exit. On his way through the door he continued, “I’ll be leaving soon. I hope you’re with me.” He retreated to the main level of the home.

  Between drags on the cigarette Shari utilized a curling iron, applied hair spray, and brushed her mane into perfect place. The auburn tint gleamed. Light blue eye shadow highlighted her irises. Liner accentuated her eyes. The manicure and pedicure were impeccable. The tanned legs fresh from a couple of visits to the electric beach appeared ready for some serious Mexican sunshine.

  When she dropped the towel and wiggled into a thong, her preparation was nearing the end. A chic, bright emerald green skirt followed. After that, a sleeveless blouse with floral patterns set an island mood. Louis Vuitton white denim and calf designer sandals completed the look with lime-green neon toenail polish suggesting a trendy, playful attitude. When she placed a Callaway golf visor on her head, another five minutes was wasted as every hair was fluffed into place.

  Into the suitcase went an outfit for each day along with beach attire. The evening wear went into a hang-up travel bag. Hair and makeup accessories occupied a smaller bag—each monogrammed and di
stinctly matching.

  “Tyler Cy! Get someone to load my luggage!”

  He was at her beck and call in an instant. The bags went into the trunk of the Cadillac. They were running late. Tyler Cy stood by the driver’s door. Shari had yet to appear in the doorway. He glanced nervously at his watch. Come on. Come on. After a very long minute she appeared with purse in hand and ready to go.

  “Do you have everything?”

  “Yes.”

  “Passport? ID?”

  “Do you think I’m an idiot?” Tyler Cy respectfully reserved comment. He opened the door, entered, and started the car. “Do you have the tickets?” Shari asked as she slid into the front seat.

  Tyler Cy smiled to himself. He prided himself on being punctual and exact to every detail. “Of course; you wouldn’t expect otherwise.”

  The car barely reached the curb and Shari had lowered the sun visor and opened the mirror. She inched her face to her image and plucked at her brows. An instant later her right hand brushed her hair back over her right ear. Her tongue roamed over her lipstick. Then her lips smacked together. Her left hand retrieved a cigarette from her purse. She lit up and a puff of smoke followed. Then a cough. She inched her face closer to the mirror and looked for what felt like a loose lash that had fallen into her eye. Her eyes watered. She blinked content that the eye was free of further irritation. The sun visor was returned to its customary spot.

  “I can’t believe you.”

  Tyler Cy had a puzzled look not knowing what was wrong. “What did I do this time?”

  “You didn’t say anything about my outfit.”

  He smiled. “You look nice, kind of like you’re going on a vacation.”

  Shari fumed. She took an angry drag off of her cigarette. “That’s what is so screwed up about men. They just don’t appreciate anything.”

  Tyler Cy didn’t know whether to shut up or exasperate the problem by commenting. Something told him that either way wouldn’t seem to be the answer to the problem. I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

  “See, you just sit there and act like nothin’ ever happened.”

  Tyler Cy stayed focused on the road. Internally he was seething. He took a deep breath. “I said you looked nice.”

  “Yeah, after I said somethin’ about it.”

  Tyler Cy gnawed at his lower lip. “You look fabulous, Woobie.” He slid his hand over and placed it on her knee. “You always do.”

  Her hand quickly brushed his hand off of her leg. “Do you think you can pet me like a dog or somethin’? Who gave you the authority to touch me?” The response was delivered through a gravelly voice. Another drag on the cigarette trailed the comment. “Considering our situation, that is totally out of line.”

  Had he not been forced to focus on the road Tyler Cy could have easily closed his eyes and counted to ten. “We’re going to be in paradise for a few days. Can we agree to get along?”

  “I’m sure that would suit you just fine. You can treat me like crap and then you expect me to put up with it and not give you anything back.”

  “I wouldn’t necessarily consider taking you to the Mayan Riviera is treating you like crap.”

  “Tyler Cy, get off your high horse! You know and I know that you have an ulterior motive in all of this.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re either tryin’ to get on the good side of my lawyer or make yourself look better in the eyes of the judge.” Shari ground the cigarette butt into the ashtray. “Or you’re gonna have me killed and make it look like an accident.”

  The comment caught Tyler Cy off guard. He wondered if she was menopausal or manic depressive. “What are you talking about?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Tyler Cy.” He could feel her glare hitting the side of his face. “For a brilliant guy you don’t have a clue.” Tyler Cy tried to understand the comment. “Just get us to the airport. Every time you’re in charge of somethin’ it always seems like we’re runnin’ late. Hurry up. We’ve got a flight to catch.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  The area around Lambert-St. Louis International airport was ever changing. Ozark Airlines and TWA had merged decades before. In the ’80s, deregulation hit the industry and spelled the beginning of the end of the company. Corporate raiders/financiers/swindlers sold off all of the profitable assets such as gates at other airports and overseas routes. The pension fund was looted to raise capital.

  Eventually the company merged with American Airlines and virtually became a commuter airport overnight. Roaring 727s and 737s were replaced by puddle jumpers shuttling passengers to the American Airline hubs in Chicago and Dallas. Years later the company declared bankruptcy and St. Louis, with an aggressive runway and airport expansion, suffered greatly for air traffic. Southwest Airlines saw an opportunity and turned St. Louis into a major Midwestern hub.

  Long term parking lots and garages sprang up around the perimeter. Tyler Cy pulled into one with intent to leave his car for several nights.

  “What are you doing?” Shari’s question came amid slight coughs and another puff.

  “Parking the car so that we can…”

  “Why didn’t you call a taxi to drop us off at the gate?”

  “The shuttle buses can…”

  “I don’t want to get on some shuttle bus and be carted around like a piece of cattle. You seen how they treat people, haven’t you?”

  Tyler Cy took his right hand off of the wheel and placed it on the gear shift. He looked into his rear view mirror and moved the arm into reverse. “Would you like for me to drop you off at the baggage drop?”

  “Then where will you go?”

  “I’ll come back over here and park the car?”

  “And make me stand by myself at the door?” Shari grabbed her purse and searched for a lighter. “What’s wrong with you?” A cigarette was lit. Smoke curled upward. A cough followed. “I thought you said you had all of this planned out.”

  “Shari we have to…”

  “Pull the damn car in here!” She lowered the sun visor, raised the protector and inched close to the mirror to primp. Tyler Cy pulled the car forward, grabbed a parking ticket, and slowly rolled the car forward into the garage. “Dammit! What are you doing now?”

  “Parking the car.”

  “I can’t see!” Shadows from the roof eliminated sunlight. “Turn on the light or somethin’ so I can fix my hair!”

  Tyler Cy reached up and flipped on the dome light. He directed the car into a spot, placed the Cadillac in park, and popped open the trunk.

  “Now what are you doing?”

  “Getting ready to get the luggage…”

  “And then what?”

  “Take it over to the bus stop and catch…”

  “What?! You expect me to walk that far in the condition that I’m in?”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I hurt my ankle two days ago. I can’t stand on it and can barely walk.”

  “You never told me anything.”

  “I did to! You’ve known about my foot ever since I did it.”

  Tyler Cy stifled any sign of frustration. Shari had not mentioned having a sore ankle to him. “We have to catch the shuttle. What do you want…”

  “Get out and flag the guy down! Don’t you have any common sense?” Shari used a makeup brush to smooth out some blush on her cheek. “Have him come over here and load our bags out of the trunk. I’m not walkin’ anywhere.”

  Tyler Cy gestured with his left hand. “What’s wrong with me? I wasn’t thinking.”

  “No you weren’t. Sometimes I wonder what ever goes on in your mind.”

  A few minutes later a shuttle bus arrived and the driver loaded the luggage. Tyler Cy helped his wife into the van and the pair took a seat in the middle of the vehicle.

  “Now did you tell him what airline we’re flying on?” Tyler Cy nodded. “And do you have enough money to tip him?” Another nod. “I hope we don’t have to ride on one
of these in Mexico.”

  Tyler Cy wore a smirk. “I’ve got that covered.”

  “I bet. Just like you had this all taken care of too.”

  A tire to a pothole sent Shari skyward. She shot a disgusted look at her husband. A quick yellow light and abrupt stop caused the pair to lurch forward, and then a sudden hard left turn caused Shari’s purse to slide off the seat and onto the floor. Contents were scattered.

  “Tyler Cy! Get us off this Six Flags roller coaster ride!” He scurried to retrieve the items and was still on his hands and knees when the van pulled to a stop at the check-in area. As other passengers departed Tyler Cy scrambled to his feet. He forked over the recovered trinkets. “I can’t believe you found this!” Shari was delighted. “That was grandmother’s scare bracelet.” She admired a strand with multi-colored gems before dropping it into her purse. After standing she leaned over and pecked Tyler Cy on the forehead.

  The driver had placed their luggage on the curb and waited patiently as Shari navigated the few remaining steps. Tyler Cy reached into his pocket and peeled off a ten dollar bill while Shari stood on the bottom step of the mini-bus. “Are you?”

  Tyler Cy reached up to offer his hand for assistance.

  “What is the matter with you?” Shari yelled. “I can get off the bus.” She looked at the skycaps and the hordes of passengers checking in their luggage. Her eyes caught a glimpse of what she was looking for inside the electronic doors that opened into the airport lobby. “I’m not about to walk through Lambert!”

  Tyler Cy wondered what was next on Shari’s agenda. One look provided the answer. Her vision was locked. She glanced back at Tyler Cy. Their eyes met. A jerk of the head directed him. His sightline shifted inside the door. “The wheelchair?”

  “What is wrong with you?” She didn’t wait for his reaction. “Of course! My ankle is killing me.”

  Chapter Seventeen