Chapter 44

When I awoke at‭ ‬6AM, ‭ ‬it was cold in the cabin.‭ ‬Since there was no thermostat on the oil heater, ‭ ‬I turned it up two notches and went back to bed.‭ ‬It usually took less than twenty minutes to get some heat into the room.‭ ‬Even then it meant showering, ‭ ‬then stepping out onto a cold floor.‭ ‬The throw rugs helped, ‭ ‬but the floors were still cold.

The coffee maker worked its magic while I took my morning shower.‭ ‬I needed it.‭ ‬I had been so screwed up the night before, ‭ ‬I simply fell into bed.‭ ‬The shower and the coffee worked wonders.‭ ‬Except for the fact that I had a burning sensation when I peed, ‭ ‬I was feeling much better.‭ ‬I made a mental note to have Ed's son Jeff, ‭ ‬the doctor, ‭ ‬run a STD test.‭ ‬If I had picked up anything, ‭ ‬I didn't want to leave it untreated, ‭ ‬or to pass it on to someone like the Gunny.‭ ‬I felt sure that he could handle it without getting all redneck on me, ‭ ‬but some people couldn't.

I stopped for a biscuit on the way to the office.‭ ‬Even with the stop I pulled into the parking lot at exactly‭ ‬8AM.‭ ‬It was my usual time.‭ ‬I was pleased and a little curious, ‭ ‬when I saw Helen's van parked outside the office.

‎"‏Hello, ‭" ‬I said after I had pulled in beside her van.

‎"‏Hello yourself, ‭ ‬I brought you some company, ‭" ‬with that she opened the door to her van.‭ ‬Skeeter came bouncing out.‭ ‬Helen had her on a long lead, ‭ ‬so she could move around a little.

‎"‏Wow, ‭ ‬doesn't she look good, ‭" ‬I said after I was out of the van and hugging her.

‎"‏We saw your friend Jen on TV, ‭ ‬then the story on the news yesterday.‭ ‬Skeeter told me you needed a hug, ‭ ‬so here we are.‭"

"Damn, ‎ ‏that is one smart dog.‭" ‬I pulled the big black dog into my arms.‭ ‬She just went limp.‭ ‬All the energy she had shown before just melted away.‭ ‬She became an armful of unconditional love.‭ ‬As I held her something in me changed.‭ ‬I began to cry.‭ ‬I was crying because of the Russian thug, ‭ ‬but not for him.‭ ‬I was crying for the bit of my soul that got lost in that bank's parking lot, ‭ ‬a part of my soul that would never grow back.‭ ‬There were lots of pieces of me missing in different places for various reasons.‭ ‬I cried for all of those as well.‭ ‬It was scary, ‭ ‬but also cathartic.‭ ‬While I cried, ‭ ‬Skeeter licked my face.‭ ‬It was her way of saying, ‭ ‬its okay mom.‭ ‬In a way I was still her mom, ‭ ‬even if I had loaned her to Helen.

‎"‏Get this dog trained to visit nursing homes, ‭" ‬I said to Helen.‭ "‬Send me the bill, ‭ ‬but do it.‭" ‬I said that as I blew my nose into a tissue.

‎"‏Funny you should say that, ‭ ‬I had the same idea.‭ ‬She has done so much for me‭; ‬I thought she might help others the same way.‭" ‬She paused a moment to wiper her own eyes, ‭ ‬then reached inside the van.‭ "‬Here, ‭ ‬I brought breakfast for you guys.‭ ‬I hate to go like this, ‭ ‬but Skeeter and I have to be on a construction site by nine.‭"

"Bring her back anytime you can, ‎" ‏I said it as they climbed back into the van.‭ ‬I stood watching, ‭ ‬my arms filled with brown bags, ‭ ‬as the two of them drove from the parking lot.

I called Lucas before I went inside.‭ "‬Swing by the office before you start on the cameras at my place.‭ ‬Helen came by and left a breakfast for you.‭" ‬It was the message I left on his phone, ‭ ‬since he didn't answer.

Inside the office, ‭ ‬I ate Helen's breakfast and put the sausage biscuit in the refrigerator.‭ ‬I can always reheat it for lunch, ‭ ‬I thought.‭ ‬Without Lucas for the day, ‭ ‬I would either have to put everything off a day, ‭ ‬or work it myself.‭ ‬I decided that working it myself was the best option.‭ ‬There were two sets of papers already on hand, ‭ ‬but I would try to pick up a couple more, ‭ ‬before I left the office to make deliveries.

While I waited for the calls to come in, ‭ ‬I checked out Marty's bicycle website.‭ ‬I went through his catalog looking for just the right motor setup.‭ ‬When I couldn't find it, ‭ ‬I knew that like it or not, ‭ ‬I would have to talk to Marty again.

I called Jennifer on my cell phone.‭ ‬I used it because incoming calls went first to the desk phone, ‭ ‬then if not answered‭; ‬they got switched to the cell.‭ ‬By calling on the cell, ‭ ‬I could still take business calls.

‎"‏Jennifer, ‭ ‬where is Marty today‭?"

"You could say good morning.‎ ‏After all I did keep your ass out of jail with that brilliant move Saturday.‭"

"Which brilliant move was that‎? ‏Seems to me that getting myself admitted to the hospital, ‭ ‬while things shook out is what really kept me out of jail.‭ ‬Neither of us had anything to do with that.‭"

"Oh no bitch, ‎ ‏it was the press statement.‭ ‬That is why you aren't doing it with a mop handle today.‭"

"Oh I bet there is a bill for that service‎?"

"Of course there is.‎ ‏Lawyers are not allowed to do anything without some kind of gain.‭"

"Send me the bill, ‎ ‏but right now tell me where Marty is.‭ ‬I hate to admit it, ‭ ‬but I need a favor.‭"

"Well he sure as hell owes you one.‎ ‏Those two producers from Boston managed to get you and his bike business mentioned in their interviews.‭"

"I doubt that he is going to see it that way, ‎ ‏so where is he today‭?"

"Let me have him call you.‎ ‏He is somewhere out of town, ‭ ‬but I'm not sure where.‭ ‬I can run his ass down though.‭"

"Does Bob know how close you two are‎?" ‏I asked with a laugh.

‎"‏We are not all that close anymore, ‭ ‬and yes Bob knows.‭ ‬Bob likes to watch remember‭?" ‬She laughed then hung up on me.

I had a feeling that it was going to be an odds and ends day.‭ ‬Something told me that all kinds of BS was going to fill my day.‭ ‬All I could do was roll with it‭; ‬men can't handle that kind of day.‭ ‬It makes men crazy not to be able to stay with a task until it is complete.

Women on the other hand, ‭ ‬juggle a crying baby, ‭ ‬a hot stove while cooking dinner, ‭ ‬and a vacuum cleaner all at once.‭ ‬We just have the right kind of brain for it.

Ed came in while I was on the phone with Jen, ‭ ‬so as he walked by I handed him one of the bags from Helen.‭ ‬He filled up his coffee cup, ‭ ‬then sat at his desk to devour Helen's bag-o-breakfast.‭ "‬Damn, ‭ ‬that woman can cook‭?" ‬he said to himself.‭ ‬I heard him but couldn't voice my agreement, ‭ ‬I was bantering with Jen.