Chapter 14: A Solo Mission

After the Montana job, The Onyx was quiet for almost a month. There were no notifications and Elaine never popped in unexpectedly. Jewel was spending most weekends with Cody and he was coming to her place most weeknights.

“OK, I think it’s time,” said Cody.

Jewel spun away from the refrigerator holding the milk that was destined for a shelf.

“Time for what?” she asked with a slight warble in her voice.

Between her voice, and the look on her face, Cody laughed. “Oh, heavens no, not that,” he said quickly. “I think we need to go mattress shopping this afternoon. I’ve been staying here a lot of weeknights and your double bed just doesn’t cut it.”

Jewel put the milk in the fridge and laughed.

“OK, mattress shopping. Sure, it is time for that.”

Cody put his arms around her as she turned to him and kissed her.

“What did you think I was talking about?”

She rolled her eyes and spun out of his grasp. “Let’s go get dressed and test some mattresses.”

They dressed and took her car because she wanted to fill the gas tank before starting a week of commuting to her job.

“Head north. The mega-furniture store has a big sale, including 50% or more off select mattresses. According to what I read online, the reviews for one of the heavily discounted ones are very good,” said Cody.

Jewel turned at the light and headed north. In a few miles she turned right again into a huge parking lot that serviced the town’s second-largest retailer behind the Wal-Mart / Sam’s combination.

“Good morning, my name is Morty, how can I help you?” said a rotund man with a bushy mustache when they approached the bedding department.

Normally, Cody would tell him they were just looking and proceed to find the mattress on his own. He surprised Jewel when he said, “I found the XJY-1100 mattress online and wanted to see it in person.”

“An excellent choice. Underrated in my opinion and did not sell that well. It’s over here.”

Morty led them to the back wall and pointed to a king-sized mattress.

“This is the king-sized. We have California king, king, and queen in stock.”

Cody and Jewel sat on the edge.

“Oh, c’mon,” Morty said. “Throw your legs up and see how it feels.”

Jewel chuckled while Cody rolled his eyes. Neither were comfortable laying down on the mattress in a crowded store but they had to admit that the mattress was very comfortable.

“You, ma’am,” said Morty, “stay still while he gets up. You,” Morty said looking at Cody, “get out of the bed and do so roughly. Bounce a bit, get up, then flop back down.”

Cody did as he was instructed.

“Now you do it,” he said to Jewel. She also lumbered out of and back into the bed.

“Smooth. Even trying to move excessively you didn’t feel anything on the other side, did you?”

He looked back and forth between Jewel and Cody. Both agreed with a nod.

Cody looked at the price tag and started to say something. Morty interrupted him. “Don’t look at that yet. It’s on sale. But come here for something.”

He took them further down the wall and pointed to a modern bed frame. It was made of tubular black aluminum and had reading lights arching over the headboard.

Cody looked at Jewel and was surprised that she seemed to really like the bed frame. He liked it, too.

“Listen,” Morty said in a low conspiratorial voice, “that mattress is 60% off. This frame is 50% off. If you go with the king-sized and get both, I’ll take another 10% off the price, and best of all, I can have it to you by tonight.”

Cody returned to his more cautious self and told Morty, “That sounds interesting. Can you give us a few minutes?”

Morty nodded and slipped a few bed frames away but stayed close enough to let other salespeople know that they were his clients.

“What do you think?” Cody asked.

“I love them both,” said Jewel, “but he said king-sized.”

Cody said, “He did. Your room will fit a king-sized bed. It will be very tight on my side, and we’ll have to move your end table, but it will fit. For the price, it is an amazing deal. The mattress alone retails at almost $3,500. With the discounts he is offering, we can get both the mattress and bed frame, and probably linens, for less than the original price of the mattress.”

“And have it tonight,” Jewel said with a grin, clearly warming to the idea of getting a bed and mattress.

Cody called Morty over and said, “We’ll take them both. Start the paperwork. We’re going to go pick out some sheets and a comforter.”

Morty offered an exaggerated bow and said, “Of course. Find me at that register when you are ready.” He pointed to a register tucked into a corner.

An hour later Cody and Jewel had their new furniture paid for and scheduled for delivery by 7:00 PM.

“Let’s stop for a mid-day meal. We can then go to the grocery on a full stomach. Tonight we can just do snacks with a movie,” suggested Cody.

They spent the rest of the day out – food, groceries, Wal-Mart, and a trip to Best Buy. They got home a few minutes before six. Before they could get their supplies inside, a truck pulled up to deliver the bed.

“Good timing,” called out Cody. He showed the two guys where the new bed was to go and asked if they could put the old one in the garage. Less than an hour later the new bed frame was built and the mattress unwrapped and placed.

“You are all set. Now you just need to add sheets,” said the older man. Cody thanked them and slid the man two twenties. “Share that with your partner.” The man nodded and smiled. “Of course. Enjoy your bed.”

Later, Jewel and Cody were laying in their new bed surveying the room.

“It’s huge!” said Jewel.

“It is but I think it fits OK,” replied Cody.

Jewel snuggled closer as she rolled onto her side. She crooked her leg ran it up Cody’s legs and over his crotch. Suddenly, everything went very still.

“Fuck,” said Cody.

“Why did you buy such a big bed when you are going to be all over one another?” asked Elaine as she smirked in the doorway.

Cody shook his head as he paced in the living room. Time was stopped and he could have stayed in the bedroom but he thought it felt weird to be sitting next to his frozen girlfriend.