Fairplay, Denver Cereal Volume 6

by Claudia Hall Christian

He gave a desperate shake of his head.

  “He said…”

  “He’s a fool,” Jeraine said. “Whatever he said is wrong.”

  “But he…”

  “He doesn’t know that every single thing I’ve done since I was ten years old, I did for you.”

  “And all those women?”

  “I was trying to replace you,” Jeraine said. “Not one of those women came even close. He thinks I’ve lost my mind, I’ll wake up and go back. He doesn’t know that I thought of you every moment of every day. From the moment I opened my eyes in the morning until I went to sleep at night, I’d think – I wonder if T would like this. I wonder if T would like that. I wonder what she’s doing right now.”

  “Why do you want to be a doctor?” Tanesha stood her ground. “Are you doing that for me?”

  “For you?” Jeraine seemed genuinely surprised. “I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I saw my Dad help old Mrs. Watkins. She had nothing, but Dad would go to her house to make sure she was all right. He’d bring her leftovers from dinner the night before and some music he had lying around. He helped her by just being there. I always wanted to help people like that.”

  “But…”

  “No, buts,” Jeraine said. “That man doesn’t know me. He only knows the person he wants me to be so he can make money. And he’s made a lot of money.”

  “So he is an overseer.”

  “Yeah,” Jeraine said. “Did you call him that?”

  Tanesha nodded. Jeraine laughed.

  “I knew it,” Jeraine said. “I just knew it. The moment he told me you’d said it, I knew you were right. I’ve been a slave. I’m not his slave. I’m not anyone’s slave anymore.”

  Tanesha smiled.

  “I’d be your slave,” he said. She felt his eyes almost kiss his face. “You don’t want a slave.”

  She shook her head.

  “Ah well,” he shrugged. “I tried.”

  She smiled at him.

  “I guess I’m just going to have to be Jeraine,” he said. “How does that sound?”

  “Really great,” she said.

  “I thought you’d like it.” He leaned over. She closed her eyes thinking he was going to kiss her. His mouth was right next to hers when he whispered, “T, they’re not going to give up easily. They feel like they did a lot for me and I walked away. They say I owe them. I took everything to Seth’s lawyers. It’s all square, but not to them. I…”

  She stretched her lips forward to kiss him.

  “We’ll get through it,” she said.

  “I can’t do anything without you,” he said. “You have to believe me. I…”

  “Just kiss me,” she said.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  ~~~~~~~~

  Monday afternoon—2:21 P.M. MDT

  Charlie stood next to Tink’s hospital bed. She lay at the end of a four bed room. Every bed was filled with an unconscious, destitute person who’d seen the wrong end of the weekend. He touched her hand and pulled back.

  “She’s cold,” he said to Anjelika.

  “She’s very ill,” Anjelika said.

  “She’s dying,” Charlie said.

  “We don’t know that,” Anjelika said. “The doctor says…”

  Shaking his head, Charlie walked out of the room. Anjelika kissed the girl’s cheek and followed Charlie outside.

  “I want to use so bad,” Charlie said. “I want to use so bad, so bad.”

  He punched a ‘Doctor’s parking only’ sign and started walking. Anjelika kept pace as they walked along the sidewalk, dodged traffic on Eighth Avenue, and made it to Sunken Garden’s Park. Charlie stomped across the park until he got to a picnic table near the playground. He plopped down on a bench and began looking under the table.

  “What are you doing?” Anjelika was so surprised by his actions that her accent was thick.

  “Vat am I doink?” Charlie laughed.

  “Don’t be rude,” Anjelika smiled because he was laughing.

  “I’m looking for drugs,” Charlie said. “Some folks tape their stash to the under side of these park benches so they don’t get caught with it at work.”

  “We came here for drugs?” Anjelika’s eyebrows shot up.

  “No,” Charlie said. “The drugs are a side benefit.”

  He held up a small plastic baggie of white powder. Angry, Anjelika crossed her arms.

  “What are you going to do, Charlie?”

  “I’m going to put them in my pocket, Mrs. Anjelika,” Charlie said. “When I get home, I’m going to flush them.”

  “Why not just put them back?” Anjelika asked. “Why take on the temptation?”

  “They’re tempting me right now.”

  “There are drugs nearby. So what?” Anjelika shook her head at him. “That’s not a new thing. You could reach out your hand almost everywhere in the city and get drugs.”

  Charlie looked at her for a moment. She could almost see the thought process through Charlie’s brain. Very slowly, his head moved up and down in a nod. He put the drugs back.

  “Do you want to talk about Tink?” Anjelika asked.

  Charlie shrugged.

  “Is she your girlfriend?” Anjelika asked.

  “Just a friend,” Charlie said. “She used to call me Pan, Peter Pan. I was the Pan to a lot of street kids.”

  “Peter Pan?”

  “Like the story,” Charlie said. “I tried to take care of them. It’s a hard life, you know? Especially for girls. Tiffanie, that’s her name, she’s been on her own since her parents kicked her out last week. She’s been raped, beaten and… who knows what she didn’t tell me. Girls like Tink, they’re free game for drunk frat boys who like taking turns using them. It’s…”

  “Not fair?” Anjelika asked.

  “I was going to say ‘a tough life’ but, yeah, it’s not fair,” Charlie said.

  “How is your fairness assignment going?” Anjelika asked.

  “I asked all the adults except Delphie,” Charlie said. “I didn’t get to Noelle. She’s been upset about Teddy leaving and… It’s started to seem kind of dumb.”

  “Have you heard anything that helps?” Anjelika asked.

  “It all helps,” Charlie said.

  “Why does it seem dumb?”

  “Because everyone has a different answer,” Charlie said. “It’s almost like in order to be an adult, you have to have an answer to why life isn’t fair. Adults who still struggle with life not being fair? They’re drug addicts, alcoholics, or just feel shit on.”

  “Who impressed you the most?”

  “Honey,” Charlie said. “And… have you met Tanesha’s dad, Rod? Tanesha’s boyfriend calls him Rodney-Smith. It’s a total crack up.”

  “I met him at the post-sewer barbeque Saturday at Tanesha’s house,” Anjelika said. “Remember Sandy and Aden stayed home with Rachel, so I brought you and the other kids.”

  “That’s right,” Charlie said. “What did you think?”

  “I liked him,” Anjelika said. “We have a lot in common.”

  “Yeah, I guess you do,” Charlie said. “I asked him about life being fair, you know.”

  “Good thinking,” Anjelika said. “Someone who has experienced extreme injustice would know a lot about why life is or isn’t fair. What did he say?”

  “He said that he couldn’t control life,” Charlie said. “He can only control his decisions and actions toward life, not life itself. His first years in prison, he was hard and bitter his first years in prison. One day, he realized that his own rage blocked him from preparing for the day when he’d get out. Before he went in, he’d been working to get his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. He wrote a letter to Metro and they let him finish his degree and get his Ph.D. while he was still inside. He started writing letters to Tanesha and her Gran. He got off drugs, worked out and kept out of trouble. When he heard he might get out, he started applying for jobs. Sam, Jake’s Dad, visited him in prison to do the interview. He went to work the day af
ter they let him out. Now he runs a site for Jake’s construction company.”

  “And what do you get from all of that?”

  “I think he’s right,” Charlie said. “I didn’t have anything to do with my Dad dying. I didn’t pick my psycho Mom. But I didn’t pick Sandy or Sissy either. And they’re really great. I have to figure out where I’m going, that’s what Honey says, and then get work getting there.”

  “Good thinking,” Anjelika said. “I’d still like you to ask Delphie and Noelle.”

  “I thought so,” Charlie said.

  “If Tink dies?” Anjelika asked.

  “In some ways, it’s better,” Charlie said. “If she stays on the streets, she’s going to die soon anyway. At least now, she’s clean and peaceful.”

  “That’s kind of nihilistic,” Anjelika said.

  “Nihilistic?”

  “We’ll read some nihilism,” Anjelika said. “What if she goes to a shelter?”

  “I guess that would be okay,” Charlie shrugged. “You know what’s not fair?”

  “What?”

  “I get to live with Sandy and Aden and Nash and Sissy and Noelle and Tink is in the hospital,” Charlie said.

  “Exactly.”

  Charlie nodded. Expecting him to say something else, Anjelika waited. When he didn’t say anything, she got up.

  “Time to work?” Charlie asked.

  “Time to work,” Anjelika smiled.

  Charlie got up and they walked to her car.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Monday afternoon—3:21 P.M. MDT

  “They said three-thirty right?” Sandy asked. She pulled into the parking lot of Andy Mendy’s building.

  “Three-thirty,” Ava said. “Nervous?”

  “Terrified,” Sandy said. “No offense, but I wish Seth was here.”

  “None taken,” Ava gave her a smile. “I wish he was here too.”

  Sandy smiled.

  “Sandy,” Ava said.

  “Ava?”

  “I really love Seth,” Ava said. “Sometimes when I get away from him, I think about all the problems.”

  “Problems?”

  “He’s a lot older than me. He’s an addict. His children are almost as old as me. Well, I guess you’re older than me. He’s a detective. He’s obsessed with the piano. He’s gone a lot. My boss doesn’t love that I’m dating him.”

  “But?”

  “But when I see him and all my worries vanish,” Ava said. ”I feel lucky to be with him.”

  “Sounds like love to me,” Sandy said.

  “Yeah,” Ava said. “Do you think it’s weird that I’m here? I mean, Andy’s really the love of Seth’s life.”

  “I think it’s a very loving thing to be here to help me and him,” Sandy said. “I don’t think we can really know what happened between Seth and Andy. They both seemed to have strong feelings for each other and then...”

  Sandy shook her head.

  “I wonder sometimes what my life would have been like if I grew up with Andy and Seth,” Sandy said so softly that Ava had to strain to hear her.

  “Pretty different,” Ava said.

  “Do you know why I’m here?” Sandy asked.

  Ava shook her head.

  “We’d better go in,” Sandy said.

  “You don’t want to wait for your friends?”

  “Jill’s getting an ultrasound with Valerie,” Sandy said. “Heather’s with Blane at the doctors. Tanesha’s looking at houses with Jeraine. I didn’t tell them about this stupid stuff.”

  “Oh,” Ava said. “I hope you don’t mind if I did.”

  Sandy look at Ava. She pointed to Jill’s Lexus SUV as it pulled up next to them. Heather waved from the passenger’s seat and Tanesha sat in the back.

  “The FBI said I should come alone,” Sandy said. “They weren’t very nice. I don’t think Agent Angie is on the case any more. I’m pretty sure I’ll be in trouble for just bringing you.”

  “They said that?” Ava smiled. “Huh, they didn’t say that to Seth.”

  Sandy smiled.

  “In fact, they were very ‘yes, Detective O’Malley’ and ‘of course, Detective O’Malley’ with him,” Ava said. “Why do you think?”

  Sandy shrugged.

  “I heard him mention something about… hmm… let me see… a serial killer they were supposed to catch but didn’t? Someone named Jude?”

  Sandy laughed.

  “Come on,” Ava said. “Let’s get your girlfriends and go see what the Feds have to say.”

  Smiling, Sandy followed Ava out of the car.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Monday afternoon—3:41 P.M. MDT

  “Everything looks great, Val,” her obstetrician said. “I have to tell you…”

  The doctor fell silent. She moved the ultrasound probe over Valerie’s belly.

  “What is it?” Mike’s voice rose. “What’s wrong?”

  “Wrong?” the doctor turned to look at him.

  “Sorry this is our first baby,” Valerie said. “We’re a little on edge.”

  “Don’t be,” the doctor smiled. “The baby is healthy. Val’s healthy. This has been an easy pregnancy. Hasn’t it?”

  Valerie and Mike shared a look of remembrance for the murder of their boy by the horrible Levi Johansen. They nodded to the doctor. After losing Jack, everything had been easy.

  “I don’t know why you couldn’t have ten children if you wanted them,” the doctor continued to ramble. “Here. Look here.”

  Mike and Valerie peered at the computer screen image.

  “In all my years of delivering babies, I’ve rarely seen a baby as happy as your little girl,” the doctor said.

  “Happy?” Mike leaned forward to get a better look at the grainy image.

  “She’s smiling,” the doctor said.

  Valerie smiled at the doctor’s interpretation of the grainy image.

  “If you wanted to schedule a Cesarean section, we could do it as early as the next week or so,” the doctor said. “But we recommend you wait as long as possible. The longer she’s in the longer she’s…”

  The doctor’s voice faded away as Valerie’s eyes locked on the image of her baby. The baby seemed to know Valerie was looking at her. She stretched her hand out to Valerie.

  “Look,” Mike pointed to a bulge in her belly. Entwining their fingers, he put her hand on her belly with his hand over it.

  “Wow,” Valerie said.

  They touched their baby’s hand until the baby turned away to suck her thumb.

  “She’ll be here soon!” the doctor said. “So you’d like me to sell these photos to People magazine?”

  Valerie laughed.

  “We’ll see you next week,” the doctor said and left the room.

  Mike helped Valerie up.

  “Did you feel it?” Valerie whispered.

  He looked at her for a moment and grabbed some paper towels to wipe off the gel. Unsure of what to make of his silence, she dressed quickly and they met her security detail to get out of the doctor’s office. The security guys got them past the paparazzi and into a waiting car. They rode in silence to the Detroit Street garage. When the garage door closed, Mike looked at her and smiled.

  “Did I feel her?” Mike asked. “Oh my God, Valerie. She’s amazing!”

  Nodding, Valerie began to cry. Mike’s long arms wrapped around her. They sat in the warm garage crying and hugging each other and their baby.

  CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY-FIVE

  Circles

  Monday evening—6:35 P.M. MDT

  “Okay Sissy,” Sandy pointed down the baking aisle of the Five Points Safeway. “Can you grab the ultrafine sugar? It’s next to…”

  “I know where it is.” Still charged up from her dance practice, Sissy twirled down the wide aisle.

  “Nash?” Sandy looked around for the boy. He ran over with a dozen eggs.

  “You think we still have time?” Nash asked.

  “What’s your watch say?” Sandy pointed t
o the countdown timer on his watch.

  “Eleven minutes and four seconds,” Nash said. “That’s not enough…”

  “We’d better hurry,” Sandy smiled. “Go get the ice cream while I look at the strawberries.”

  Nash took off. Sissy came back with the sugar.

  “What else do we need?” Sissy asked.

  “Just a few more things,” Sandy said. “I appreciate your help.”

  “I’m glad Teddy gets to come back,” Sissy said. “What did his Mom say?”

  “Blah, blah, I don’t need to put up with his crap, blah, blah, I’m a drug addict not an alcoholic, blah, blah, blah,” Sandy rounded the corner to the fruit and vegetable section and stopped. “She seems to think it’s all right to be falling down drunk in front of Teddy. But he’s been living with our rules.”

  “Children of addicts can’t be around drugs or alcohol. Period,” Sissy repeated. “Well, I don’t care what she says. If she was that drunk, Teddy shouldn’t be with her.”

  “Right. I’ll tell you Teddy’s Dad is furious. I don’t think Teddy’s going to be forced to see her for a while.”

  “Maybe when he’s older he’ll want to see her,” Sissy said.

  “Maybe,” Sandy said. “I don’t see the strawberries. Do you?”

  “Over here,” Sissy trotted over to the organic section. “Should I pick?”

  “No, let me,” Sandy pushed the cart to the organic section. “Can you tell Nash I forgot whipped cream?”

  Sandy was looking at the strawberries when Nash tossed the vanilla ice cream in the basket.

  “Two Points!” Nash said. Sandy gave him a mock clap and he bowed.

  “She forgot the whipped cream,” Sissy said.

  “I didn’t,” Nash pulled the whipped cream out of his pocket. “Are you getting raspberries too?”

  “Delphie doesn’t have enough?” Sandy set a plastic clamshell of strawberries in the cart and went to look at the others.

  “She didn’t think so,” Nash said. “You want me to…?”

  “No, I’d like to get them myself,” Sandy said.

  “Why do you have to look at them yourself?” Sissy asked.

  “I guess it’s something I got from Mom,” Sandy said. “You remember, Sis, we would go to all those fruit stands. She would chat and look at fruit. She always wanted to make sure she had exactly the right fruit for her pies.”