by J. L. Drake
I knocked on my neighbor’s door, only to get a smack to the head for begging for food. I trudged on. My shoes squeaked, and my feet were numb as the night dragged on. I decided to take a new direction and headed south into the wealthier neighborhood, knowing I was taking a bigger risk.
I walked for a long time. It was getting dark when I found someone’s gate wide open. I looked ahead to a red door, and I remembered a story I heard from my teacher that a red door meant welcome. I slipped my body through and hurried down the driveway.
I raised my cold knuckles to the door and knocked as hard as I could, hoping it wasn’t too late to ask for food.
The door opened, and there stood a sweetly smiling lady holding a teacup and saucer.
“Sweetheart.” Her voice nearly brought me to tears. “What on earth are you doing out here so late?”
“I-I…” I couldn’t even think. This lady just called me sweetheart. No one had ever called me anything but boy. “I was wondering if you could spare some food?”
Her eyes widened as my words sank in.
“Please, I’m so hungry, and if I go back without food, my momma will hit me.”
She didn’t miss a beat as she wrapped her warm arms around me and pulled me into the comfort of the big house. “Come in, and I’ll warm up some soup for you.”
“Really?” I nearly tripped over my own feet. Oh my, the house was huge and warm. They must have paid a lot for heat, because Momma always said it was too expensive to heat our small place.
“Sue!” she called as we passed by the staircase. “Could you please come down here?”
The kitchen had a fireplace! I could hardly believe my eyes, and I headed over to seek its warmth. My bones soon thawed, but I still shivered in my damp clothes.
“Here.” The sweet lady handed me some clothes. She pointed to a restroom and urged me to go change.
The person in the mirror didn’t look like me. I looked like everyone else. Just a kid in normal clean clothes. I loved how they felt. I rubbed the dirt from my face and ran my fingers through my soaked hair so it lay flat.
I headed back out to the kitchen where my growling tummy led me to a yummy smell. The lady was stirring a huge pot of soup.
“Come and sit, dear.” She pointed to a stool at the island. I climbed up as she set a steaming bowl of soup next to me and then placed a roll with butter next to it. Oh my, even butter! Wow! I bowed my head and gave thanks. We never prayed at home, but this sure was something to pray over.
“What is your name?” she asked as she eased onto the stool across from me.
“Mark, ma’am,” I muttered through a bite of the roll. Oh my, it was so good!
“Nice to meet you, Mark. My name is Abigail.” She gave me a warm smile. “The clothes fit well, as I thought they would. He’s about your size.”
“He?” I wondered who he was.
She refilled my milk glass. “Yes, the little boy who lives here is about your age. What are you, seven or eight?”
“Seven, ma’am.”
“That’s a good age.” She handed me another roll. “Where do you live?”
I swallowed a large piece of bread and tried to remember my manners. “I live in the trailer park on Sixth Row.”
Her face softened, and I knew she knew exactly where I lived.
“You’re out late.”
“Nah, Momma doesn’t like me home when she’s drinking. She sends me out lookin’ for food when she doesn’t want to take me to the soup kitchen.” I placed my soup down and remembered I couldn’t go home empty-handed or I’d get another beating.
“Thanks, miss, for the food and clothes. Do you think it would be okay to take a roll with me? Momma doesn’t like me to come with nothin’ for her.”
She placed her warm hand over mine. “You eat, Mark. I’ll make you something to take home to your momma.”
Really? “’Kay.” I started to eat the soup as fast as I could just as someone came into the kitchen.
“Sue,” Abigail whispered, “we have a late night visitor.”
“Oh,” she eyed me and broke into a large smile, “are you a friend of my son’s?”
“Umm, no, miss.” I drank the entire glass of milk, and as soon as I put it down, Abigail refilled it. “Thank you.”
“Of course. Boys like you need lots of milk to grow big and strong. Do you drink much milk?” I shook my head. I thought I had milk once. It tasted really good.
After she packed me a box of food, she led me out to a garage.
Abigail drove me home, and the car started on the first try! The seats were warm as I sank into them. Wow, they had a lot of money. I wanted to know what it felt like to drive in a car, especially one that had the heat working.
“Umm, thank you for everything,” I nervously said as we got close to our trailer. “Momma might get mad…” I didn’t want to talk about how she beat me for no reason. I opened the door, and before I stepped out into the rain, I turned to her. “Thank you for the food. I’ll return the clothes tomorrow.”
Abigail placed her hand on my shoulder. “Why don’t you keep the clothes and come back for dinner tomorrow?”
My stomach tightened at this. “Really? Ah, okay, thank you.”
Little did I know those clean clothes would earn me the beating of a lifetime.
***
The warm sun beat against my sore eyelids. A shadow crossed over me and my senses kicked in. I reached for my gun, but it wasn’t there. Oh shit! Where am I? My memory raced back, but it was fuzzy. Someone touched my arm and I grabbed the hand and pulled them down.
“Oh!” a female voice gasped.
I opened my tired eyes and saw a pair of deep green eyes staring back at me.
“It’s okay,” she whispered as her long brown hair moved about her midsection. “I’m a nurse, and you’re at North Dakota Hospital. I was just going to check your temperature.”
I recalled the few memories I had before I blacked out. I loosened my grip, but she didn’t remove her hand right away.
“Can you answer a few questions?” Her voice was calm and soothing and seemed to ease the pounding headache behind my eyes. I gave a careful nod as the pain started to surface. “Do you know your name?”
I nodded.
She smiled.
“Do you know what year it is?”
I nodded.
She smiled wider, which made her face light up. Damn, she was pretty.
“What color are my eyes?”
I started to nod, but stopped when I saw her angle. She wanted an actual answer. I couldn’t help but grin.
“Well, that was worth the wait.” She laughed gently. Wait? “You’ve been out for a day and a half.” She started to fiddle with my IV bag. “But that’s normal, considering what you have been through. You know you were shot?”
Okay, she must have been under the same contract as Molly.
She glanced at her bright red watch. “My shift ends in twenty, so Alvin will be your nurse for the next twelve hours.” Alvin?
My stomach sank. She was a hot little thing. I watched her as she busied herself with her tasks and wrote on her clipboard. Sexy green eyes, tight ass, and long brown hair with a slight wave through it. The black scrubs showed off her Converse sneakers that made me smile, considering most nurses wore practical shoes. I thought of those horrible Crocs some people insisted on, even to the point of sticking decorations in the holes.
She continued to scribble on her chart, then flipped it closed. “Can I get you anything?”
I stared at her for a moment. She didn’t shift like she was uncomfortable as some women did when they were around men like me. She just stared back with a faint smirk.
I cleared my throat and managed to grunt out, “Water.”
“Sure thing.” She opened a small fridge and returned with a yellow cup and straw. She held the straw to my mouth and waited for me to take it. I felt like a fool, so I raised my hand, but she batted it away. “I had to sponge bathe a sixty-ye
ar-old man earlier. You can handle me taking care of you for a few moments.” I grinned, feeling sorry for her, and opened my lips and downed the inch and a half of water she gave me.
“More,” I croaked through a sandpaper throat.
She shook her head with a sad face. “Sorry, that’s all, Major.”
I placed my hand on hers to make her stop. “Please.”
“You could vomit and do damage to your stitches. You had a lot of medication—”
“I won’t, I promise.” My hand flexed. I needed water so badly. “Promise.”
Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. “Just a tiny bit more.” Her laugh made me happy. I could see she was breaking her own rules, and I loved it.
Like before, I downed the entire thing in seconds but didn’t push my luck.
“Not a word.” She pointed her finger at me as she stepped back. “I know where you live.” She laughed and moved her hands in the air to outline the room. “Room 2203.” Her nose scrunched as she opened the door. “Get some sleep, Major Lopez.”
I gave her a salute, and she moved out into the bright hallway. That chick was funny. With the pain clicker in hand, I soon dozed off to a heavy sleep.
***
Manuel
My fat lip made it hard to drink from the glass. I drooled as I popped three Advils. What a fucking night. I spat blood off to the side and ran my tongue along my back teeth. Shit. The molar was cracked, and half of it was gone.
“You look like shit,” Billy muttered as he walked out of the locker room.
I waited for him to leave before I changed my shirt and tucked my gun in its holster. My cell vibrated, and I cursed when I read the text.
Noah: Five days before first payment.
I swiped my thumb to open the phone and scrolled the page down to refresh the email. Nothing. Motherfucker was going to get me killed.
I caught my reflection in the locker mirror that hung on the door. Rage burned from my gut right through to my skin. I hated that we even looked similar. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the memory I knew was coming.
“Hey there, big fella, what’s your name?” His smile was sleazy, and I knew what this man wanted. I knew because this wasn’t the first time it had happened. Mark’s red jacket caught my attention through the window, and my anger grew as he ran to his freedom while I had to stay in this fucking hell.
Fuck it. I glanced around and saw I was alone. Spinning the top, I opened the Snapple bottle and downed half of it. The vodka was strong. I gave up measuring it long ago. These days it was just a splash of juice, and the rest was whatever liquor I could get my hands on.
With that, I slammed my locker and went to take what I needed.
CHAPTER TWO
Mark
The next forty-eight hours were rough. Nurse Alvin was a complete ass who couldn’t even read my damn chart. Then there was Nurse Dawn. She thought she was at a fucking quilting class, sticking me with her flippin’ needles. Where the hell did these people get their degrees?
My head hurt, my side hurt, and this goddamn place wouldn’t give me any food.
The sheets needed to be burned, the walls were insanely bright, and they needed some fucking food! I can’t wait until they deliver my Jell-O. Really Jell-O? That shouldn’t ever be considered food. They brought it in, and they took it back out. Get the fucking point! I hate Jell-O!
“What-up, sunshine?” Cole smirked from the doorway, and by the look of it, he had been watching me.
“Go away.”
“Still milking it?”
“Screw off.”
“Aw, someone seems pissy. What, they not feeding you?” I flinched, but he saw it. His hand flew to his chest. “Ah, brother, I wish you were there last night. Abby made one huge rib eye, with this sauce that was—”
“You’re dead to me.”
He laughed as he jumped forward, moving out of the way for…there she was.
“Hey, guys.” She beamed as she headed for my IV. “Now, you look much better.” She gave me a wink.
Cole shot me a look as he checked her out.
“Savannah,” I mouthed back, getting a middle finger.
She opened my chart before she asked, “How are you, Colonel?”
“Quite well, thanks,” he glanced at me, “Mia.”
Really, asshole, first name basis?
“Good.” She looked at him, and I flipped him the finger back. “Glad to hear it.”
Cole’s phone went off, and he excused himself from the room.
Yes, leave.
Mia took a moment to finish the paperwork, swiping her long bangs out of her line of sight.
“Deep green.” My voice was gruff.
She looked up. “Pardon?”
“The color of your eyes. They’re deep green.”
The corners of those green eyes crinkled as her cheeks pinked up, turning them a few shades darker.
“Good.” There was a lightness to her voice. She slid the chart into the sleeve on the end of the bed. “What day is today?”
“Wednesday.”
“What’s your name, Major?”
“Major Mark Lopez, with the United States Army.”
“Good.”
“My turn,” I stated. “What’s your name?”
“Huh.” She chuckled as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Mia Harper. I’m a nurse for North Dakota Hospital.”
“How new are you?”
“How…?” she trailed off.
“The last two jackass nurses I had didn’t know who you were.”
“You were checking up on me?”
Shit. “No, I—”
“Why were you checking up on me?”
“Wait. How,” I tossed my hands in the air, “how did I lose control here?”
She chuckled and poured me some water.
“Oww,” I hissed, leaning way over to the side, “Shit that hurts.”
“Oh, God.” She rushed to my side, putting her hands on my shoulders to keep me from falling. “Easy, now.”
“You smell nice.” I gave her a devilish grin.
She closed her eyes then reached for a button to call for help. “You’re going to be trouble for me, aren’t you, Mark?”
“Me? Never.”
She pushed the button and waited for someone to answer. “Alvin, could you please give patient Mark Lopez a sponge bath?” My face dropped. “He seems to be bouncing back rather quickly.”
“Sure thing, Mia.” Alvin sounded a little too eager for me.
“No one is going to wash me.” I folded my arms with a wince. “I am a grown-ass man, been through worse than this. Give me the soap, and I’ll gladly wash myself.”
She leaned me back and tucked in my blanket. “Now, Mark, we have rules.”
Alvin came in whistling a tune.
“Out!” I shouted, but Mia’s face made me chuckle.
Alvin looked at her for help. “Mia?”
“Okay, Mr. Lopez.” A doctor came in, but stopped when he saw my fucked up room party. “So this is where my staff is hanging out.” He made a point to look at Mia, who shrugged, but winked at me when she patted Alvin on the shoulder.
Alvin walked out, but as Mia turned, the doctor called her back.
“Stay, I could use the company.” He gave her a smile, and she returned it, but I couldn’t tell if it was because he was her boss.
“My name is Dr. Evans.” He didn’t look up from his chart. I was a firm believer in eye contact, and it rubbed the wrong way he wouldn’t give it to me, the patient. “Mark, how are you feeling today?”
“Well, Doc, I feel like I’ve been shot.” Mia couldn’t hide her amusement at my comment.
“So it’s painful?”
“Yes, gunshots are normally pretty painful.”
“One would think so.” He nodded while he flipped through my chart. “I’m surprised I haven’t run into you before, considering this has been your third gunshot in the past five years. Jesus.” He
stopped when he realized what he said.
“Well, it’s not something I have aimed for,” I muttered, feeling sore and cranky. He obviously didn’t even get my intended pun. I didn’t like how quiet Mia was now that the doctor arrived. It led me to believe they had a history.
Dr. Evans came to my side, pulled back the blanket, and felt around the exit wound. “You’re either on a lot of pain medication, or you’re not in that much pain.”
“You learn quickly to internalize pain in my line of work, Doc,” I answered, feeling tired. “Five,” I sighed. “My pain on the scale.”
He smiled with a nod. “You have been down this route before.”
“Yup.”
Mia handed me a glass of cold water. A page had her leaning her ear to her shoulder as she listened. “Excuse me.”
Dr. Evans pushed the button on the intercom. “Alvin, you can come back in and give Mr. Lopez his bath now.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Trust me, Mark, this is not for you.” He snapped the chart closed. “You have a good day.”
“Oh, yeah, you too, Doc.” I snickered as he left.
Alvin came in with a grin. “You ready, Mark?”
“I hope you die a slow painful death for this.”
***
Mia
Twelve hours, two surgeries, and a near death later, I was pretty damn tired. The week had gone by fast, and there was a lot of buzz about the upcoming Friday night down at The Grid. It sounded kind of fun. However, the weight of people’s problems never left me when the shift ended. I needed time to process. Socializing with staff wasn’t something that interested me.
“Lopez is asking for another dinner.” One of the nurses shook her head. Mark was starting to grow on the staff this week. He was a terrible flirt with the older ladies, and he seemed to have caught the eye of Alvin too.
I held up a hand, grabbed my bag and book from behind the station, and hurried into his room.
“I knew if I complained enough they’d send you in.” He flashed a sexy smirk. Christ, his eyes looked right into me. Sometimes he made me feel vulnerable.
