D.S. the Messenger

by Raymond McClary

  “Oh my stars!” The woman excitedly whispered in a southern accent.

  “Now what’s the matter?” The man asked.

  “It’s him, the out of town stranger. He’s the one that disrupted our church services yesterday. He told the pastor that she may have been infected with AIDS when the pastor committed adultery with this stranger’s brother.”

  The man stood up to take a look at Sage and asked. “Then why is he here?”

  “I don’t know but he said that he’s a messenger, but believe you me when I tell you, he don’t deliver good news. He is creepy and I fear his eyes.”

  The woman grabs her sweater and says, “I’m convinced that no good news comes from him when he is around.”

  “Well I’m going out there to see what he wants. Are you coming with me?”

  “No I most certainly am not! I’m staying right here.”

  The man walks out to approach Sage but by the time he gets close to him, Sage had already begun speaking to the women at the table.

  “Excuse me. Good morning ladies.”

  “Good morning.”

  “I’m looking for Mayor Heather Soles.”

  As he was talking to the women, he immediately recognized Gabby. Her hair was cut shorter than when first recognized in his dreams and she was exceedingly beautiful. All of Sage’s focus and questions were directed towards her only.

  Gabby says, “Well, Heather Soles is no longer the mayor, I am.”

  Sage’s eyes widened.

  “I see. Is there any way I can get in contact with her?”

  “If it’s political, I can easily assist you.”

  “No Madam Mayor, it’s not. It’s personal. Will you help me?”

  “Well could you tell me what it’s in reference to?”

  “No Madam Mayor, I have to deliver a message specifically to her.”

  After staring at him, Gabby picks up her phone and calls her mother. “Mom, are you done?”

  “Almost. I should be ready in about ten minutes.”

  “I’m on my way to pick you up. Bye.”

  Gabby hangs up the phone and approaches Sage while grabbing her coat and says, “I will take you to her.”

  Gabby turns to her assistant. “I will be back shortly…hold all of my calls until I return.”

  They walked outside and within seconds, a black Lincoln Continental Limousine pulls up in front of them. Sage opened the door for her. “Thank you.” Gabby said while entering the limo. “Sir, are you getting in?”

  “No, I will follow you with my car.”

  “Please Sir, I insist.”

  After thinking about it for a moment, he steps inside the vehicle. “Thank you again.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  Gabby smiles, “So, now that I know that you know who I am, what’s your name? Should I call you Mr. Messenger?”

  He smiles and says, “Mr. Mecan would be fine.”

  “Okay. I want you to understand something Mr. Mecan, I treat my life outside of the political arena as well as my mother’s personal affairs, very private. We are a very close knit family.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you really?”

  “Yes. Sometimes there are moments when a family member says or does something that would be best kept as secretive as possible and in your case, political scandals can easily develop and not just ruin a career, but tarnish the family name.”

  “It seems as though I should have put my foot in my mouth Mr. Mecan.”

  “Hmmm.”

  Sage turned his head to look out of his passenger window and watched the lightning flash across the gray cloudy sky followed by a thunderous sound that felt as if it was on the roof of the car. Gabby jumped and grabbed his arm surprising him.

  Sage asked, “Are you okay?”

  “Mr. Mecan, I am sorry. I’m just petrified of thunder and lightning! If I had known that it was going to rain, I would not be out here.”

  Gabby slowly releases his arm. The rain began to pound on the car as if the rain was mixed with rocks.

  “It’s beginning to hail and I am unable to drive through it Madam Mayor. I have to pull over until the storm passes!” The driver yelled.

  “Do what you must.”

  Gabby glanced over at Sage staring at the downpour, who was as calm as no one Gabby had ever seen before. “This does not bother you one bit, does it?”

  “I just see it as watching God work.”

  “And scare me half to death in the process.”

  “Well you are to fear him.” They stare at each other for a moment. Gabby frowns while reaching for something to drink. Sage could smell her perfume that has a very attractive scent. “That’s a nice perfume you have on. May I ask what fragrance? I’d like to purchase some for my wife.”

  Gabby smiles and asks, “Do you find it alluring?”

  “It does have a scent that’s captivating.”

  “It’s not a perfume, but two body sprays that I use. They mix perfectly with my body chemistry. I’ll tell you what they are but I don’t think you will get the same results with your wife as you are getting with me. I’m sorry, that came out a little disdainful.”

  “It did sound as if you are arrogant, but I understand your intent of enlightenment.”

  The car began to move and within moments, they pulled up to a medical building when Gabby said,

  “Mr. Mecan, your persona does not give me the impression that delivering messages is all that you do for a living.”

  The door opens and Gabby’s mother gets inside the car and says, “I thought you would have to pick me up in a canoe the way it was raining. Gabby, who is this fine specimen we have here? Is he another one of your male models visiting from out of town?”

  Heather smiles from ear to ear at Sage.

  Gabby says, “No. As a matter of fact, he is here for you.”

  “Gabby my birthday isn’t for a couple of weeks but I do say, you certainly know my taste.”

  Heather reached and grabbed his leg and in one continuous motion, Sage takes Heather’s hand off of him.

  “I have a message for you but I prefer to tell you this alone Mrs. Soles.”

  “You can tell me in front of my child. Do you know what it is Gabby?”

  Gabby motions her head no and asks the driver to step outside of the car for a moment.

  Sage said, “Very well, Perry Strong, the man in which whom you had an intimate relationship with, is dead. Perry died from AIDS.” Both women gasped. “From that one encounter, he may have infected you with the virus that causes AIDS. This ends my message.”

  The silence was so concentrated, that their heartbeats were as loud as the storm that had just passed.

  Gabby asked, “How do you know this? He told you what he did to her?”

  “Not explicitly what he did to Mrs. Soles, but if I told you I really believe it would be hard for you to understand.”

  “Of all of the messages to deliver, sir, this has got to be one of the most horrible and if not the most alarming one of all.”

  “That is why I had preferred to drive my car and follow you instead. This is a disturbing message to carry.”

  Heather sat there motionless. Not a word mentioned. Gabby’s tears combined with her mascara, covered her cheeks entirely. Gabby tapped on the window to alert her chauffeur to let him know that it was time to go back to the office. Not a word was uttered during the return trip back.

  As the car approached the Mayor’s office, there were media vans everywhere. The media crew swarmed the mayor’s recognized limo as it was forced to come to an immediate halt.

  “What in the world is going on?” Gabby yelled.

  Gabby picked up her cell phone and called her assistant.

  “Can you tell me why the media is outside the office?”

  “I’m not sure Madam Mayor but it has something to do with your mother and that gentleman that came in here this morning.”

  “This next question may sound a little ridicu
lous but why have you chosen not to contact me?”

  “Well you did say that you wanted me to hold all of your calls and….” Gabby disconnected the call.

  “It appears your message travels faster than the speed of light Mr. Mecan.” Gabby cleans her face and reapplies her mascara. Then Gabby cleaned her mother’s face who was still silent. “I don’t know how we are going to get inside with these cameras all over the place.” Gabby said.

  “I can’t be seen by the cameras.” Sage said as he grabbed an umbrella from underneath the seat.

  Gabby asks, “What are you going to do with that?”

  “I’m going to escort your mother in. I’m sure you can handle the little crowd. But you have to be the diversion.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You talk while I get her inside Madam Mayor.” He smiles. Gabby exited the car from one side and as the majority of the news personalities ran towards her and began questioning her about the allegations of a sex scandal, Sage aided her mother from the other side and ran through them like a giant rocket with the umbrella used as a cover until they were inside.

  There were media in there as well, but without the cameras. The assistant ushered them into the Mayor’s office. Gabby entered the building and ordered everyone that was with the media to leave immediately and that someone would address them with a statement later.

  Just as the last person had left, a man burst inside yelling, “Where is she? Where is my wife?” Sage heard him and knew that it was Heather’s husband. He stormed into the office and slammed the door behind him.

  “Well Heather, are you going to tell me whether these rumors are true or not?”

  “Dad, I don’t think you and mom should be discussing this right now.”

  “Oh, why not? The whole town thinks your mother’s a tramp! I don’t care where we talk about it, but I don’t think there is any better time than right now! So Heather, are you going to say something, or just sit there like a statue?”

  Heather remained silent.

  “I guess it is true that you got that AID virus.”

  Gabby wanted to correct him but sat down instead as he continued to talk, “All these years of being together! We’ve weathered so much. The loss of our home to that storm and the long struggle of rebuilding, the time when we thought we would lose Gabby at birth and all those days and nights praying together! When your parents died two days apart from one another and we were scratching up every cent we had to bury them! Then you got into politics, and I thought it was a good idea since you were laid off and wanted to do something for our small town! But damn, I didn’t know that you wanted to do the town! Or should I say the men in the town!”

  “That’s enough daddy.”

  “No it is not Gabby! Your mother is a disgrace.”

  He walks behind the desk.

  “This will get world press because you were political! I can’t believe you belittled yourself to this point! Next to our previous president, you have got to be the dumbest political figure in captivity! And to think, I have to sit back and watch you die!”

  Heather jumped up and grabbed a large pair of sharp scissors off of the desk and said, “Not if I see you die first you ignorant, insensitive, drunk, son of a bitch!”

  People rushed into the office and grabbed her as she was in mid-air and half way over the desk, swinging the sharp edge at her husband, leaving a six-inch scratch across his throat. His eyes widened with horror as he fell back against the wall holding his neck with one hand and pointing with the other screaming, “Get her away from me! The bitch has gone crazy! It’s that AID! It’s that AID!”

  “It’s AIDS, not AID you illiterate lush! Let me go so I can cut his ass too short to shit!” As everyone was trying to subdue her, Sage was trying to get out of the office and leave that building.

  The woman who had noticed him when he entered the building yelled at him, “Why are you in this town doing this? You were at the church and I may be mistaken but I’d bet that you had something to do with that radio woman, and now this! Can you explain why you are doing this? What good does your presence in this town bring?”

  The room became silent and the air still while people in the room separated as he walked towards the door.

  Then a voice pierced the solid silence and said, “Closure.” Sage turned around and recognized that Heather, appeared alone in a dark forest even though surrounded by lots of people that she knew very well. Sage cracked a smile as he left the office. Her husband yells, “You are over fifty but treated your body as if you were in your early twenties.”

  “You act as if you are the victim! It’s been years since you’ve touched me, so I know you and your little Willy have been whoring around!”

  “Well now that you ended our marriage and confirmed the divorce, it does not matter what you know! But if my little Willy and I did as you call it, whore around, Willy would be well covered! But it’s not about me and Willy! It’s about you and that AID you got, trick!”

  “Aghhh! I’ll kill you! Let me go! Let me at him!” Everyone in the office was trying to calm Heather down as Sage managed to get out of the building and into his car. It began to rain again. He placed his key in the ignition and started his car. As he reached for his laptop, someone knocked on his driver side window. It was Gabby. He rolled down the window.

  “Yes Madam Mayor. Is everything okay?”

  “Would it be okay if I got into your car?”

  “No, I don’t mind.” Gabby hurried to the other side and jumped in.

  “Well are you going to drive?”

  He raised an eyebrow and asked, “To where may I ask?”

  “We’ll go to my place…If media is there, then we’ll go somewhere else. Unless you are in a hurry to leave this town?”

  “Based on the love and embracement I received from your constituents in your office Madam Mayor, how could I refuse? But I would like to know why are you trying to leave with me?”

  “Because you…Please can we just go?”

  “I don’t know how you were able to just sneak out of your own office.” He pulls off and passes the media vans and groups of newscasters as Gabby slides down the seat in hopes of not being recognized. As they approached her home, Gabby noticed the area was vacant.

  “Pull around to the back of my house.” Gabby removed keys from her pocket book and pressed a remote button causing the garage door to open. He backed up into the garage and turned off the car.

  “Madam Mayor…”

  She interrupts, “Please call me Gabby. My judgment of you tells me that you should.” They got out of the car. “Are you hungry Mr. Mecan?”

  “Please…Call me Sage. My judgment tells me that you should.” They smile.

  “As long as there are no cars seen around the house, the media is pretty predictable when it comes to not hanging around. Is there anything in particular that you like to eat? I must warn you, I am a bit of a health food nut.”

  “That’s good to know considering I have been trying very hard to avoid the fast food restaurants.”

  Gabby opens up her cabinets and asks, “Do you like tuna?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, I’ll prepare enough for you also for your trip out of town.”

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s no bother, bearing in mind that you are closer to us than anyone would have ever thought you to be.”

  His cell phone rings. It’s Deva. “Excuse me for a moment please.”

  “Sure, you can go into one of the other rooms for privacy if you wish?”

  “Thank you.”

  He began to talk. “Hello my queen and how are you?”

  “I’m doing fine my king. And you?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Sage, I got a call from a woman named Bianca. She told me that you gave her my number to receive guidance? What’s that about?”

  “Bianca works at a hotel that I checked into last night, who happens to be the daughter of the owner of that hotel.
I gave her your number because Bianca does need guidance but from a self-awareness perspective. The impression that I was getting from her is that she lacked the understanding of her self-worth and potential of anything that Bianca applies her mind to. But being as though I’m a man and can only give my viewpoints, I thought it would be better if…”

  “I see where you are going with this.”

  “I thought you would. Other than that, is everything else okay at home?”

  “Yes, I’m just finishing up some paperwork. You haven’t received any calls from the stores have you?”

  “Happily I must say that I haven’t and I must say that I’m rather elated. It appears that I have to rethink my organizational infrastructure once I return home.”

  “It wouldn’t hurt…Baby, when are you coming home?”

  “I anticipate tomorrow…Sometime late in the afternoon, but don’t bond me to it.”

  “Be careful Sage.”

  “I will…I love you.”

  “I love you too Sage. Talk to you later.”

  “Yes you will. Bye.” He hangs up his phone, asks Gabby if he could use the bathroom to wash his hands. After he returns to the kitchen, he sits at the counter and looked at Gabby who was staring at him.

  He asks, “What’s wrong?”

  “You are very loving to your wife. I was just wondering how long it would last?”

  “Well, if your optimistic level rises any higher, it may just tickle my feet. To answer your question Gabby, it will last until I take my last breath. I can sympathize for the amount of pain that you have for your parents. Not just for your family but for the many families I had to deliver this similar message to.”

  “You delivered this message to Angela?”

  He nodded his head yes.

  “Maybe that is why I haven’t talked to her today.”

  Gabby places his plate with two sandwiches on it. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Water would be just fine thank you, not just for the food, but for your hospitality.”

  Gabby gets two glasses from her cabinet and fills them with spring water that she removes from the refrigerator.