June

by Erik Schubach

  I froze up when a hand was suddenly in mine. I exhaled and relaxed and squeezed her hand and smiled. She was doing this in front of her sister. Fran didn't miss it and grinned herself then ran on ahead as we entered the park.

  As we walked, the little one continually ran ahead to look at the water from a bridge, or to chase some seagulls then coming back to us. I just reveled in the contact of Vanessa's hand in mine. Then she released it, but before I could miss the contact she had both hands wrapped around my arm and leaned against me as we walked.

  We sat down on the Great Lawn looking over Turtle Pond to Belvedere Castle. There was a man there with a cart doing a free kite-building workshop using nothing but straws, string, and trash bags. We sent Fran off to participate. Then just sat back on the grass, bracing ourselves with our arms behind us, and just let the cool breeze swirl over us.

  I looked over to Vanessa. She was trying to relax, but her eyes were darting everywhere. I asked, “Is everything ok?”

  She nodded. “It's just too exposed here. They can see us to easily, they are always watching.”

  I asked, “They who?”

  She looked at me for a few seconds and hissed, “I'm not crazy!”

  I smiled. “I know you aren't. I'm just trying to understand a bit.” Then I placed a hand on hers. “I'll change the subject. What do you two do on Park day?”

  She looked at me for a couple seconds then down at our hands and she laced our fingers as she locked eyes with me. I was lost and falling into them. No wait, I was really falling as she pulled us down to laying on our backs, staring at the clouds floating so far above. Then she said simply, “This.”

  I turned to look at her profile. She really was quite striking. Most people wouldn't give her a second look because her clothes just screamed 'homeless.' I just sighed and memorized the curve of her neck and every line of her face as she stared almost serenely at the sky.

  A smile quirked at the corners of her mouth and she turned to me and grinned. “What?”

  I smiled back and shrugged. “Nothing, you're just beautiful.” Then I turned my head to stare at the sky again. After a moment I swear that she snuggled against my side. It was a comfortable silence, just soaking in each others presence. Then she looked at me again and I turned to look at her. Our faces were inches apart, I glanced down at her lips as she whispered, “Tell me about June.”

  I looked back up and could barely think, looking into those sparkling pools of blue. My god! After all these years! I understood my Mother's song, Oceans of Blue! I mean I knew all about it, but now... I truly understood.

  I nodded and just started talking about my life, growing up, and all the amazing people I have met along the way. I have never had such an attentive audience. Once the topic of Lizzie came around, I got the blonde imp talking about Fran too. It was eerie how similar our protective streaks were over our sisters.

  I was able to coax her into telling me more about her life growing up. I understood this woman more and more. Then she closed her eyes like she were in pain or fighting something. She shook her head and shot a hateful, warning glare off to her left and then turned back to me and put her forehead against mine and just looked into my eyes. I could feel her grip on my hand relax as she stared. I was torn between staring into her eyes and staring at her inviting lips. They were just an inch away.

  We both jumped back, startled at Fran's voice, “Awww, just how cute are you two?” I looked at the smiling imp. She was holding a smallish kite in her hands. I took two calming breaths then smiled and looked between the sisters. “Zoo?”

  Fran deflated and Vanessa prickled. Oh. I just said, “My treat, it is only fair, you bought brunch.”

  This seemed to make Vanessa relax and Fran did a fist pump. “Sweet!”

  We took our time, we didn't have anything to do or anyplace to be, it was so relaxing and fun. Watching Fran having a blast was so much like watching Lizzie have fun. We would relax on the benches every once in a while and more often than not, Vanessa would put her forehead on mine and just stare into my eyes. I was more than willing to oblige. If it weren't for her tantalizing lips hovering so close all the time, I'd... It was slightly frustrating not knowing her intentions.

  When she excused herself to use the restroom and Fran slid onto the bench beside me, she said, “It calms her you know. Like the music does.”

  I squinted an eye in question, she grinned and blushed. “Looking into your eyes. She says she can see the music playing in them.” Then she smiled and shrugged. “She never talks about anyone she meets when she's out spinning. Then you come along and I can't shut her up.” Now her smile was an evil grin.

  I was about to ask a million questions when Vanessa rejoined us. My frustration meter pegged out, and I just surrendered and smiled at the two. “What do you want to do next?”

  I think I did more in the park that day than all the years I spent here at college, and it was so much fun. Though I think Vanessa and I were having more fun watching Fran have a blast. I bought us some snacks from a vendor in the early afternoon, I didn't miss Fran taking the extra cookies, wrapping them in a napkin and putting them in her book bag.

  Near the end of the day, we just all stood on the bridge and talked. We talked about everything and nothing. I was feeling so much closer to these two. I wished I could stop the sun in the sky and made that day stretch on. I threw a few ideas around in my head, including an army of ants and some rubber bands, or a temporal distortion field to hold the sun in place.

  Twilight was settling in on the city like a blanket, so we reluctantly started the walk back to their place. Vanessa gripping my arm and laying her head on my shoulder the whole way. I said goodnight to Fran and she gave me a sneak attack hug then disappeared through the pulled aside metal siding of the shop.

  Vanessa just smiled after her then turned to me and nudged her head to where Fran had gone. “Thank you so much for that. I haven't seen her have so much fun in such a long time.”

  I just nodded with a smile, then she leaned in and placed her forehead on mine. Drinking in my eyes once more. I could feel her relax. She swiveled her head up slightly, not losing contact and I swear her lips nicked mine. I was getting so hot and I wanted her lips. I could see her eyes on my lips, but then she got a cute but cruel smile and whispered, “Not yet. I almost have enough to get checked out and get my meds. I want to be clear headed.”

  Then she pulled back and I comically growled, “Graaahhh!” To her giggling pleasure. The frickin' tease! She was killing me! I've never wanted a person so much in my life! The only other woman in my life who ever got my motor running, Lucy, couldn't hold a candle to the things Vanessa did to me. What an odd term, couldn't hold a candle to, just what in the heck does that mean? I mean... oh, right, the story.

  Then she kissed me on the cheek while I was doing my internal rant. I lost all brain function as she left her lips on my cheek a second longer, then I blinked twice with a smile and she was gone, pulling the steel siding back in place.

  I heard her voice calling out, “Friday night. Board-game night.”

  I absently murmured through the tingling on my cheek. “Ok.” I uncurled my toes, and looked down, huh, when did I do that? I put a hand on my cheek where her lips had been then almost skipped off down the alley, then I stopped dead in mid skip. Wait a minute, did I just agree to hang around in the city for another week for board-game night? Then I felt like hugging myself. Yes, yes I did. Suddenly I was in no hurry to get back home to Seattle and Vancouver.

  Chapter 9 – Seventy-Two Hour Hold

  The following week was interesting. The very next day I got a call from Vanessa, calling from a payphone near her place. Wondering if I wanted to hang. After my heart slowed back down I said, “Sure, cool, whatever.” Then gave her Kat's address.

  We hung out every day while Fran was at school, but she would leave every afternoon to be “home” when Fran got there. She wouldn't let me go watch on Tuesday and Wednesday night when she went
off to DJ. I was noticing as the week went by that her erratic behavior was getting more intense. I flinched in pain every time she struck her own head, and her arguments with people who were not there were getting more animated.

  I was able to convince her to make an appointment to be seen. They earliest they could get her in was a week and a half from then. I told her that she would have the money by then to see the doctors.

  Of course, I kept trying to convince her to take the job too. I seriously think she is the best person for the job, her ear for music is unparalleled. I went as far as giving her two checks in an envelope. One, a signing bonus, and the other a moving allowance. I was hoping all the zeros would tempt her. I had said, “I know you haven't said yes... yet. But This is just to show you how serious I am. It is an open job offer, all you have to do is cash the checks to accept.”

  I had gotten so much closer to the woman during that week. All we did was talk. Well, talk and watch television. She was obsessed with the music channels and the news. She was holding on to me more and more, and teasing me with her lips near mine every time she needed to calm down and place her forehead against mine, peering into my eyes. She would always leave me with a long, lingering kiss on the cheek when she went to meet Fran.

  Thursday she dragged me along with her simply by saying, “It's Thursday.”

  She laid her head on my chest as we watched Singing in the Rain in the alley from the rooftop. I don't think we said a word to each other that night. It just seemed so intimate to me sitting there with her lying on me playing with my hands. I was sad when the movie was over and she shooed me out of the place.

  I don't know why I was so excited on Friday. Ok, that's a lie, Friday is Board-Game Day! Kat is such an evil friend and made sure to tease me relentlessly about my excitement. She joined me at Fran's begging, and we headed out Friday night to Vanessa's.

  We parked across the street like the prior week and made our way into the alley. I looked around then tapped lightly on the siding. We waited and nothing happened. We looked at each other then I pounded a little harder. Nothing. I was getting a little worried so I pulled the siding away and we entered. It was very dark, all shadows and dim light cast through the upper windows. It didn't look the same. Oh, there was no light in the office. It was amazing the difference a little light could make.

  I used my cellphone as a flashlight and we went into the office and all of their stuff was there, even Fran's book bag. Then I turned around looking for Vanessa's backpack. It wasn't there. The girls must still be out. Should we wait? I felt like I was invading their home.

  I looked at Kat and made a head motion to where we had come in and we started for the hidden exit when I heard something. It sounded like... I turned and I ran for the stairs and pointed my cellphone up and saw the outline of a small person huddled into a ball against the roof door. It was Fran and she was quietly crying, that's what I had heard. I ran up the stairs and stood in front of her as she raised her teary eyes to me.

  Her voice cracked as she asked, “June?”

  “Yeah Small Fry.”

  She stood and engulfed me in a desperate hug. She was saying things between sobs as she clung to me. “They took her... I hid like I'm supposed to... they took her away!”

  I kissed the top of her head and just kept hugging her. Trying to calm the little one. “Shhhhhh... it's ok Fran. Shhhh... it's going to be alright.”

  She slowly got control over her crying then I grabbed her shoulders and held her at arm's length so I could look into her eyes in the shadows of the stairwell. “Who took her hon?”

  She bit her lip. “The police. She... she was having an episode. She went out to the alley because she was afraid of hurting me. I heard her screaming at the voices to leave her alone. Then a couple minutes later I heard other voices. I peeked through the gap. The police were there trying to calm her down. They tasered her! She didn't do anything and they tasered her because she wouldn't calm down and kept screaming at the voices! The bastards! Then they cuffed her and dragged her to the car.”

  Tears were flowing again. My chest was tight as well. I pulled her into another hug and whispered, “It's going to be ok. Come with Kat and me and I'll see if I can't find out where Vanessa is.”

  She nodded into my chest then I released her. I put my arm around her shoulders and walked down the steel stairs. I signed to Kat, what was going on. She had a concerned look on her face. We were half way to the exit then I stopped. I passed Fran to Kat. “Just a sec.” I ran back to the office and grabbed Fran's book bag and the box that had all their games and personal stuff. We could get the rest later if things went south on us.

  On an afterthought, I put the stuff down then wrote a quick cryptic note to leave on the desk. “Precious cargo with June.” Just in case they released her and she were on the way back. I didn't want her to worry about Fran.

  Then we left and hurried back to Kat's. The crying and worry over Vanessa had worn Small Fry out and I brought her to my bed in the guest room and tucked her in. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and promised again. “We'll find her.” She just smiled sadly and snuggled into the pillow. She reminded me so much of Lizzie at that age.

  Then I shut the door and rushed to the couch. Kat was in the kitchen making us some coffee as I started war dialing all the emergency services in the area to find Vanessa. My chest was tight and I had all sorts of emotions storming around inside. For some reason, rage was the predominant one and I couldn't tell you why.

  I found her. She had been booked at the local precinct's intake center for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. I was signing what was happening for Kat as I spoke on the phone. I wrote down the address of the holding facility and hung up. I looked up and caught the car keys that Kat had already thrown toward me and caught them with one hand. Kat stood and said, “Hurry. I've got the Small Fry.” I nodded my thanks and I was out the door.

  I made record time getting to the station. I ran up to the front desk and the lean, long faced officer manning it looked up at me. I caught the appraising look that all guys don't think women can see. Then I said, “Hi, I'm looking for a woman that was brought in a couple hours ago. Vanessa Brighton. What is her bail?”

  He looked at me again and then typed something in his computer. “Yeah, the nutcase. Bail hasn't been set until they evaluate her. They sent her ass to Bellevue. Crazy bitch tried to bite my fingers when we booked her.” He seemed pleased for some reason.

  This enraged me and I tried to fight down my anger as I placed my fists firmly on the counter and leaned in toward him. My voice was tight and low and came out in a harsh rasp, “This is not a humorous matter. The woman has an illness that you are making light of. I'm ashamed to have people like you wearing a uniform.” Then I growled and turned away and headed out the door as I looked up the address to the mental hospital on my cell.

  I parked on the street by the Bellevue psychiatric building. It was late evening now. I looked up at the large brick structure that seemed too cheery and architecturally pleasing for its purpose. I made my way in and stopped at the front desk and smiled at the pleasant looking, silver haired, African American woman in a doctor or nurses uniform. “Hi, I'm looking for a woman that was brought in tonight, Vanessa Brighton.”

  She smiled back and typed on her computer. She gave me a sympathetic look and asked, “Are you family?”

  Without missing a beat, I said, “She has no family that she is talking to, I'm her employer...” then added, “And I think I might be her girlfriend.”

  She tilted her head. “You think?”

  I shrugged with an apologetic smile. “It's hard to tell with her. It's complicated.”

  The woman let out a quick laugh and said, “Ain't it always?” Then she sighed. “But I'm sorry, you have to be an immediate family member or have power of attorney to speak with anyone about her.”

  I quickly lied within a heartbeat of her saying that, without blinking, “I hold power of attorney for all her medic
al decisions.” Shit. I wonder how many laws I'm breaking.

  She eyeballed me. I was afraid she was going to ask for some paperwork or something and I could see her hand tapping on her counter a couple times then she squinted an eye. “Hang on a minute miss?”

  I sighed. “June, June Harris-West.” She gave me a knowing smile, she had a good bullshit-o-meter but she was a good woman.

  A couple seconds later she hung up and said, “If you want to wait in the lobby, her doctor will be down in a minute to speak with you.”

  I reached across the counter and grasped her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I took note of the name on her badge and then said softly, “Thank you Michelle.” She nodded while pursing her lips. I hope I don't get her in any trouble. She's a nice woman.

  I sat fidgeting in the lobby. There was an older man sitting in the corner reading a newspaper. I was looking around as I drummed my hands on my legs. My worry was making me a wreck. I was worried about Vanessa, I was worried about Fran. I was worried about everything.

  Then a man in a well-fitted suit came walking into the room, he had a metal clipboard and had the bearing of a man who was worked to the bone. He flipped up a sheet on his clipboard. “Umm... Miss West?”

  I stood like I had been catapulted from my seat. “Yes, that's me. How is she?”

  He held an arm out in an ushering motion. “Come on back to my office and we can talk.”

  As I started through the doors, Michelle stepped up beside me and handed me a piece of paper with a cautioning look. I looked discreetly at the paper, it was a form for temporary Medical Power of Attorney for me to fill out. I folded the paper and put it in my purse as I shot her a thank-you and an embarrassed smile. I had no doubt she was sticking her neck out for me.

  I followed the man down the hall and up to the second floor and into an office that faced out over the street. He had me sit in one of the two comfortable lounge chairs that faced a rather small, antique looking desk. The chairs and the desk seemed out of place in the room that just felt a little too, I don't know, clinical?