Chapter 4

I popped the door open, laughing. Beth's fist connected with my left temple as I leaned down and poked my head out the door. The last thing I saw before blackness claimed me was the tears streaming down Beth's face.

I don't know how long I was unconscious but as I came around I heard Beth sobbing, "I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!"

I opened my eyes and looked up into her face, my head resting on her knees, and said in a voice that sounded as weak as I felt, "You could have just told me you were pissed you know?"

Beth started with a jerk dropping my head violently back onto the tiles of my front step with a solid "thwock". Stars swam in front of my eyes for a moment and I felt a moment of vertigo.

"Jesus Christ Beth, wait till the paramedics get here before you beat him up anymore!" I heard Josh exclaim with a chuckle. I also heard a siren in the distance getting closer. I was suddenly very tired.

Beth leaned over and said, "Please don't pass out again, Alex. I don't think I could take that... I just couldn't bear it."

She started to cry again and I decided that I could not bear that (I never could stand to see Beth cry). So I stretched out my hand and brushed the tears away and said, "Help me sit up Beth, I'm not going anywhere at the moment." Beth leaned her cheek into my hand and placed hers on top of mine.

She had never shown this depth of feeling for my touch in all the time I had known her and I wasn't sure what was going on. She had closed her eyes so I could not see what they held in them.

"Beth? Beth, look at me Sweets," I said.

Sweets had been my nickname for her ever since we first met my freshman year in college. She had spent an entire month helping me prepare for a calculus exam I was sure I was going to fail.

With her help I had aced the exam and the class. I had gotten her a box of custom made liqueur filled chocolates that had "Worlds #1 Best Friend" stamped in them. I had addressed the box "To Beth the Sweetest of the Sweets."

Corny I know but hey I was nineteen and not the most suave guy on the planet. I mean I was dating my future wife after all.

Beth looked down at me and then over at her brother. Josh nodded and Beth helped me into a sitting position. She knelt behind me and supported my back.

"Are you ok? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you..." I took her left hand in mine and intertwined our fingers.

"Shush... It's Ok I know you didn't mean it." I brought her hand up to my lips and lightly kissed it.

I felt Beth tense against my back and I started to ask what was wrong. As I turned my head I caught a glimpse of someone ducking down behind the hedge row to our left. I watched Beth as she watched the hedges. I chuckled.

"Harvey, get your ass out here! You've got Beth spooked all to hell and my nerves can't take this right now!" I screamed.

Harvey stood sheepishly and came over to us with his trademark golfer's cap in his hand. "I'm sorry I spooked Miss Beth, Alex, but I came out as they come up and she hit you. I didn't know what was going on and got scared."

Harvey had been in the Marines during the Korean War and a guest of Ho Chi Min in Vietnam. He was a little quirky but he was still a nice guy. But even as tough as he was, he was still in his late sixties and life had not been easy on him. He tended to watch everything going down on the block and if something wasn't right he'd call the cops. Our own, slightly shop worn, guardian angel.

"It's Ok; it was just bad timing on my part Harvey," I said. "I'll be alright. Beth and Josh will take care of things."

I tried to stand up and Beth tried to hold me down. The paramedics were pulling up and I didn't want them to pull out the stretcher.

"Sweets, you need to let me stand up. I need to go talk to the nice men in the ambulance," I said in a teasing tone. I smiled at Beth to let her know I wasn't mad at her.

"I am SO sorry Alex. I didn't mean to hit you," Beth started to cry.

I could see her eyes start to tear up and said, in a low tone, "I know you didn't Beth. Please don't cry. You know I can't stand that. I'm just fine."

She sniffed, fighting back tears, and helped me to stand up and brush my slacks off. We headed over and let the paramedics take a look at me. They pronounced me fit for duty as it were and told Beth and Josh to keep and eye on me for the next few hours. They didn't think I had a concussion but if I started slurring my words or getting tired rapidly they should take me to an E. R.