Chapter 130: Home Again Lickety Split

The five hour drive home, all alone in the rental car, gave me a chance to deal with my demons. I knew I had a problem, I just chose to embrace it. So it made me a little weird. Let the rest of the world see me as strange, what did I care. Hell I saw the world as strange, so I guess we were even.

I hit the security gate of the apartment at 8PM, almost exactly, I walked, with my half duffel bag hanging over my shoulder, the short distance to my apartment. Even though the place was as sterile as an operating room, I was glad to be home. I walked down to the end unit, then I knocked on the door. Cheryl came to the door, to my great surprise Kate was standing behind her.

"Oh sorry I didn't know that you had company." I said. Cheryl's answer was to kiss me passionately right on the well lit walk in front of her apartment. I wouldn't have been that brave, but then I hadn't lived in a world with almost no privacy for all those years. Then again maybe I had. We just reacted to it differently, I guess. I kept my private life as private as possible, Cheryl lived as though she were still inside, at least in some ways.

"Come on in silly," Cheryl say pulling me through the door. "You know Kate," she said positively.

"Yes I do. How are you Kate?" I asked.

"I am just fine Maxine," she answered.

"Your Lawyer friend Jen called me today. She said you would be home in a couple of days. She also said you were okay, just busy,"

"I managed to break free a little early, so I came home. Has everything been okay here?" I asked.

"Every thing as been fine as far as I know. You might want to check with your friend Lois though," she said. She was still a little miffed that I had asked Lois to take care of things.

"Okay, did the package come for me?" I asked.

"Yes, hold on I'll get it for you," Cheryl said.

"I know this is a little awkward," Kate said while Cheryl retrieved the package.

"No, this is a lot awkward. Are you two sleeping together?" I asked.

"Sorta, it isn't love or anything. We just have sex together, and it is really fun."

"I can imagine," I said with a soft smile. There was still some tension, but I was fighting hard to be civil. After all I had no ties on Cheryl.

Cheryl came back with the box containing my phone. I checked the battery. It was almost dead of course. "Well, I should go charge this thing. Good to see both of you again," I said.

"Bullshit," Cheryl said. "If you really need to charge the phone, go hook it up and then come back. Come have a drink and lets catch up."

"I don't know Cheryl, I think you two would prefer to be alone," I suggested.

"Look, I know you did it with Kate, and Kate knows I did it with you. We are really sort of family. So go plug your phone in and come back. That is an order." Cheryl said.

"At least give me time to eat," I demanded.

"You don't need to eat, just plug in your phone and come back. I'll fill you in on all the news." Cheryl demanded. I needed her to be demanding and I needed to give in to it. I needed to just react for a while. I didn't need to make plans, I didn't need to try to think ten moves ahead, I needed to just go along and let my mind rest.

"Alright fix me a bourbon and coke, and I'll be right back," I said. I went to my gun stash where I returned the Colt 1911 to it's rightful place. I had only three small hand guns in the closet hide away. I chose a chrome plated .380 semi automatic.

This thing is just about useless as a weapon, but it might make a decent paper weight, I thought as I slipped it into the waist band of my only decent jeans. There was clothes shopping in my future.

When I got back to Cheryl's apartment, Kate was all warm and sexy looking. Either Cheryl had been sexing her up, or more likely she was on something. Since I was no longer a cop, I didn't care what was causing her droopy eyes.

"Okay, what have you been up to since I had to go away?" I asked.

"I got the job with Helen," she said happily. "You are right she is a real love and so is her dog."

"Ah yes the dog, Skeeter." I said. Thinking of Skeeter always brought a smile to my lips. "So what are you doing for Helen. Did you get a driver's license?" I asked.

"No Helen picks me up at 4AM and brings me home when the work is done. I know I have to get a license and a car soon, but right now I have the bike and Helen says she doesn't mind."

"So what are you doing for Helen?" I asked. I really was interested. While I talked to Cheryl, Kate walked over and sat on the sofa beside her. Kate pressed herself against Cheryl then pulled Cheryl's arm behind her head and over her shoulder. Cheryl's hand ended up on one of her plumb breast. I recognized it as a possession thing, and it made me smile.

Cheryl smiled back because I didn't get all bent out of shape. Cheryl was having a great time. She would have loved to see a cat fight over her. I had no desire to do any more fighting, not even for her.

"I help Helen prepare the food for the food trucks. They load out at five so we are cooking a day ahead and putting it into the coolers. The way it works out, we are not under any pressure time wise."

"That's great, what time do you finish?"

"Most days I'm home by noon. After the trucks all check in and unload, we put the food that didn't sell into a box and carry it to the shelter. Helen said to take whatever I want, so I never buy anything these days. Now what would you like?"