Beneath the Palisade

by Joel Skelton

  Reaching behind, he pawed the air until he made contact with a shopping bag on the backseat. Fumbling with it while still managing to keep his eye on the road, his flailing efforts were rewarded when he snagged the twist tie on a baggie he knew to contain incomparable, delectable treasures—Lollie Callahan’s chocolate-chip-raspberry cookies—a work of culinary art bar none.

  Lollie was no slouch in the kitchen. The weekend visit had been one continuous food fest. When they had arrived on Friday afternoon, she had just finished making her homemade egg noodles. They were draped over the dining room chairs to dry. She used them to make a marvelous chicken soup they ate for lunch on Saturday, using leftovers from the mouthwatering fried chicken she’d served the night before. Saturday night was pot roast, Harper’s favorite childhood meal. It too was scrumptious. The beef was fork tender and the carrots and potatoes cooked to perfection. For Sunday’s brunch, Lollie stepped it up a notch with baked eggs, an incredibly rich and tasty cheesy potato dish, slabs of thick-cut bacon, and for dessert, homemade coconut cream pie. The cookies were sent along to ward off hunger on the long drive home. Where the heck did she think we were headed, Nova Scotia?

  He tried to compare Harper’s upbringing to his own but found it almost impossible to come up with similarities. When it came to feeding her kids, Bernice Burke didn’t stand a chance against the likes of Lollie Callahan. Bernice had worked steadily through his childhood and had had very little time to put a meal on the table. Having three children in the course of a five-year span didn’t make it any easier. Casseroles, simple oven dinners, which more often than not used mushroom soup as the binding ingredient, were her best friend. It wasn’t until he got to college that he realized what he’d been missing. Really? There are spices other than salt and pepper?

  If possible, he thought as he changed over to the left lane to avoid whizzing past a stalled car on the shoulder, he was even more in love with Harper after witnessing the tender, devoted way in which he interacted with Lollie. The love the two shared for each other was obvious. He was her boy; there was no doubt about that. The fact he had made good, had become a lawyer, was something she was fiercely proud of, even if the profession had stolen him away from Iowa to the big city of Minneapolis.

  Managing to undo the twist tie with one hand, he took a cookie out of the bag and tossed the tie into the backseat. Looking at his watch, he estimated they would be back to Harper’s by six thirty. He’d have to spend an hour or so organizing his truck for the week ahead. He’d picked up two other jobs from the commercial. Hands down, this is the best cookie I’ve ever had. At Harper’s insistence, he’d find the time to see about subletting his apartment until the lease was up in October. He had no argument there. Compared to Harper’s house, his apartment was a rathole. Andy had mentioned Emmett might be interested in taking it off his hands. He’d check tomorrow to find out if Emmett wanted the place.

  Finished gobbling down his cookie, he set the cruise control on the sedan they had rented for the trip and sat back. With a tiny Smart Car and a truck to choose from, it only made sense they rent a comfortable ride for the road trip to Iowa. A majority of the journey was spent on the interstate. Having cruise control was a real treat.

  He was surprised at just how enjoyable the time had been, staying with Lollie Callahan. Although Harper had assured him she would be accepting of his new love, he was overwhelmed by her affection. In a quiet moment while Harper was upstairs showering, she had expressed her gratitude for being there when her boy needed him and for making him so happy. His health and happiness were her primary concern. As she waited by the window for them to arrive on Friday afternoon, you could see the worry rush out of her face when Harper got out of the car on his own and walked up to hug and hold her in his arms.

  Before meeting her, he had speculated on why Harper didn’t just move Lollie to the Cities where she could be closer to him. After spending time with her, he understood why this wouldn’t work. Lollie was one busy lady with a network of close friends. They were her lifeblood now that her husband, Leonard, had passed.

  “Where are we?” Rubbing his eyes, Harper stretched out his long torso as best he could in the confines of the car.

  “We’re in Minnesota. We just passed the border a few minutes ago. Did you have a nice snooze?” He reached over and ruffled his partner’s hair.

  “Yeah, but I had the weirdest dreams.”

  “Weird like scary weird, or just plain weird?” He looked into the rearview mirror to make sure the highway patrol car he’d just passed remained where it sat. He’d set the speed for a couple points past the limit, which should keep him from being singled out, but you never knew.

  “Strange weird.” Harper reached around to the backseat to retrieve his coat. “I’m cold all of a sudden.”

  Ian looked down at the controls and determined the settings were fine. He was chilled because he’d just woken up.

  “Already into the cookies, I see.” Harper reached over and patted Ian’s stomach.

  “I’d weigh three hundred pounds if I spent two weeks living with Lollie. Did she ever make anything you didn’t like?”

  “Hmmm, let me think. Yeah, she did. She occasionally made liver for Gramps. That stuff is just plain awful.”

  “Tell me about your dream.” Ian relaxed into the seat.

  “Well, you and I were in the woods… somewhere. It was warm. We were naked.”

  “I like where this is going.”

  “It might have been an ocean, or maybe a big lake, I can’t remember. There were waves. Anyway, we were frolicking like kids on the beach. Throwing Frisbee, swimming, lying in the sun. Well, until….”

  “Until what?” Ian looked over for an explanation.

  “You got that look in your eyes.”

  “What look?” I have a look?

  “The ‘I want it really bad’ look.”

  “My everyday look.”

  “Pretty much, yeah.” Harper laughed. “So we ran into the woods.”

  “A beach and woods? Sounds awesome.”

  “It was beautiful. The sun sparkled through the trees, the birds were singing, the air was sweet, and we found this log.” Harper scooted over in his seat.

  “Log?”

  “Yep. And without even the teensiest, weensiest protest, you bent over it.”

  “Me? Are you sure it was me?” This is getting very interesting.

  “It wasn’t me.”

  “That leaves me.”

  “I made passionate love to you.” Harper’s finger dragged across his chest.

  “You did that, did you?” The story had Ian aroused. He had taken the lead early in their relationship, but he’d hoped Harper could be coaxed to drive more often. He’d proven himself quite skilled on several occasions in the leadership role.

  “I did.”

  “Then what?”

  “A rabid squirrel scurried up and bit one of your nuts.”

  “Whoa….” He exploded in laughter. Harper was already giggling so hard he was shaking.

  When they’d stopped laughing, Harper leaned over, resting his head on Ian’s shoulder. “I tried to scare him off, but I think he knew how tasty those meaty orbs were and wouldn’t budge. That’s when I woke up.”

  “I love your silliness, Mr. Callahan.”

  “I love your everything, Mr. Burke.” Harper rested his hand on Ian’s thigh, giving it a small squeeze. “Gram adored you, but you know that already, right?” Harper gave his leg another squeeze.

  “Try that a little higher… please. I love Lollie. She’s an amazing lady. I’d visit her anytime, say the word.”

  “Here?” Harper inched his hand up slightly.

  “You’re in the ballpark.” He was surprised at how horny he was.

  “Hmmm, how about here?” Harper walked his fingers up Ian’s leg a few more inches.

  “Close, but no cigar.” He turned and caught a devilish grin. “I know that look.”

  “Cigar, a modest assessment if
I ever heard one.” Harper found what he had been searching for through Ian’s jeans and tapped his finger on the tip.

  “Bingo! Are you considering what I think you’re considering?” It was Ian’s turn to grin.

  “Keep your eyes on the road, son. I’ll handle the rest.”

  He relaxed back into the seat. Harper slowly brought down his zipper. With very little fuss, his cock sprang free of its plaid boxer restraint, and before it had much of a chance to take in the surrounding scenery, Harper leaned down and throated it to the root. Woohoo!

  HARPER carefully tucked Ian back in.

  “Oh man, you’re good at that,” Ian sighed.

  “Wow, when did it cloud up?” Harper examined the sky, swiping his chin one last time to make sure he hadn’t missed any of Ian’s man goo.

  Ian laughed. “About mid-blow.”

  He stared out the window, enjoying the scenery. How often had he made this trip alone, dreading the monotony? Too many times. What a difference it made having Ian along. And the best part, this was just the beginning. The beginning of what he hoped would be a lifetime of trips with impromptu blow jobs when the mood felt right.

  Lately any thoughts of the future, with the exception of Ian, made him uneasy. He knew what he didn’t want to do—go back to practicing law—but an alternative was nowhere in sight. The downside of having been so focused on his legal career was that it left him ill-equipped to do much else. It would take time, but he’d come up with something.

  This would be a good time to let Ian know where you’re at.

  “Ian, I’ve been doing some thinking lately, some soul searching, and I’ve decided to step away from my legal career. I have savings, so financially it shouldn’t impact us. But at this point, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “Really? I’m kind of surprised. Is it because of….”

  “Sure. The shooting definitely plays a role in my decision. But honestly, I was headed for a change before that. I thought about switching firms, but something is telling me that won’t be enough. The nightmares….” It was embarrassing to make those a consideration, but to ignore them would be a mistake. “I think I need some drastic type of change to refocus my attention. Something I can really sink my teeth into.” He looked over to see if what he’d been saying was making any sense.

  “You’re welcome to give landscaping a try. I know there are aspects of running a business you’d be a big help with.”

  “Oh, I’ll be happy to help you regardless of what I decide to do. I’d enjoy helping you, but landscaping isn’t me. I need something that fits more into my whacked personality.” Like… like….

  “You mean like towel boy at the Y?”

  He laughed at Ian’s playful gibe. “So,”—he turned to face his partner—“Burke Landscaping, is that the dream? Is that where you want to end up?” He leaned back against the door, then bolted up to check to make sure it was locked, a fear dating back to childhood.

  “It’s funny. I would answer that with a yes and a no. The business is very new, so keep that in mind.”

  “Point noted.” Jeez, are you at the firm?

  “Before I had something of my own, it’s all I thought about.” Ian waited until he’d passed a semi to continue. “Now that Burke Landscaping has launched, I’m already thinking ahead to a time when I don’t have to work in other people’s yards. When I have someone on the payroll who can do the actual labor so I can concentrate on designing. I don’t see that change coming anytime soon, though. Especially with your expensive tastes and us trying to survive now on one income.”

  “You don’t really think that, do you? That now you’re trapped in your landscaping job because of me?” Crap, I’d never thought of that. Is he serious?

  “Well….” Ian burst out laughing. “You dolt, Harper. Damn, you can be serious sometimes. No, I don’t think that. I’d have you out there selling Mary Kay before I suffered.”

  It was Harper’s turn to laugh. Ian had played him beautifully. “Mary Kay, I never thought about that one.”

  The countryside had changed from flat fields of corn to rolling green hills. This was the best part of the year, he thought. Everything was so lush and beautiful.

  “I’d love for you to have the time, the ability to concentrate on your landscaping design.”

  “Oh man. Well, that’ll happen someday, I hope. Hey, I came across something last week that interested me. When you were being checked out by Dr. Monroe, I paged through a property brochure on the North Shore. This is really out there, but you asked.”

  “I don’t care if it’s out there. Hey, isn’t it kind of strange that I came out and said that Dr. Monroe and her partner were going to the North Shore for a long weekend? Did you think that was weird I said that?” Now that Ian had brought up his interest in the North Shore, he thought the connection was kind of strange, strange timing.

  “I just thought the brochure was Dr. Monroe’s or something. I thought maybe they were looking at property around there.”

  “Oh, that works. Okay, so back to the North Shore. Whatcha got noodlin’ around up there?”

  “You and I running a B&B. I could be the groundskeeper, keep up with the repairs, and you could manage it all and deal with the lodgers. See, I told you it was out there.”

  Hoping to get a rise out of Ian, Harper crossed his arms and shook his head. “That’s not out there, that’s the stupidest frickin’ thing I’ve ever heard.” Was Ian gullible enough to think he was serious? He was all about the payback.

  Turned out he wasn’t. Before reducing their speed, Ian swerved the car over onto the shoulder and then applied the brakes.

  “Ian, what the hell are you doing?” He gripped the door handle and braced himself.

  “You wanna see stupid, I’ll show you stupid.” Ian activated the emergency flashers, turned the windshield wipers on high, and honked the horn as they came to an abrupt halt on the side of the freeway. “Take it back.” Ian reached over to him and started bitch slapping him.

  “I’m sorry. It’s not stupid. Stop it, you maniac.” He whacked back but was laughing so hard he snorted.

  “Don’t fuck with me, Mr. Callahan. When are you going to learn I am… the master!”

  “Oh God,” he squealed, “you are the master.”

  “I am the master.” Ian proudly put the car back in gear, checked the mirror for oncoming traffic, and eased back onto the freeway.

  A B&B on the North Shore, that’s not that out there. It could have been worse.

  He sat back in his seat and allowed a visual of what Ian had proposed to take shape. He pictured a beautifully restored old Victorian house with a large porch. Huge, glorious baskets of flowers hung from the beams. Rocking chairs and small seating areas were strategically placed for the lodgers. The view of the lake was exquisite. Yes, sir, Ian’s pie-in-the-sky dream could have been a whole lot worse.

  DRESSED in his finest suit, Harper walked through the doors of McPherson, Price & Wabash for the first time since being shot. “I know where I’m going.” The receptionist was new; he didn’t feel the need to introduce himself. I can’t wait to see the expressions on Duncan and Arthur. This is going to be great!

  “Brentster! Hey, buddy, how’s it going?” Harper poked his head into his assistant’s cubicle.

  “Hey, Harper.” Brent jumped out of his chair. “Wow, I had no idea you were coming in.”

  “You miss me, I can hear it in your voice.” Harper chuckled.

  “Are you back for good?” Brent stepped out from behind his desk.

  “Are you in the middle of something?” Harper moved into the little space and slapped Brent playfully on the shoulder.

  “Naw, just proofing a motion going out tomorrow. It can wait.”

  “Great, let’s take a walk.” Harper stepped out of the cube and waited for Brent to join him.

  “How are you feeling? You look great!” Brent patted his boss on the back.

  “I’m feeling pretty damn good. The
arm is coming along, and the pain in my chest is almost gone. Hey, thanks again for the call right after Phyllis Flynn was sentenced. It looks like my impact statement did the trick. Hard to believe both she and Jasper are serving twenty-five-year sentences. His and hers.” Harper laughed as he led Brent into a conference room and closed the door. “So what’s been going on around here lately?” He sat and gestured for Brent to sit across from him. Before he paid a visit on the partners, he thought it best to get an update on the recent activity around the firm.

  “Ronnie McPherson was involved in another car accident. He drove off the road and into a tree about a mile from home. Of course he was drunk.” Brent did nothing to hide his dislike of the partner’s spoiled son.

  Harper wasn’t the least bit surprised by the newest development in the Ronnie saga. A couple of years ago, he’d been snagged to represent Ronnie in court when he was charged with selling pot at a Guster concert. The kid was fined and ordered to put in a few hours of community service tidying up one of the local parks. It was a sweet deal that only money and legal influence could buy. To this day it remained a revolting memory. He hoped Ronnie was reaching the end of his legal nine lives. The kid would always be trouble as long as Daddy was there to bail him out.

  “Old man McPherson assigned Brock Baumgartner, the new associate in med-mal, to represent him in court this week.” Brent’s disgust with the situation was palpable.

  “You have no idea how glad I am not to have to go through the defending-Ronnie experience again. I guess it sucks to be Brock,” he quipped. “Anything else going on? What kind of crap did they throw at you while I was out?” He hoped his assistant’s survival skills would be enough to protect him from the onslaught of needy associates who would jump at the chance to have someone as competent as Brent at their beck and call.