Dark Heart

by Eve L Mitchell

  I had checked with Gregor, he had followed Jay and Gerry out this morning and they were well on their way to who-gives-a-fuck-where. I’d also texted my little brother to tell him I knew what he had done, emphasising that he wasn’t coming back here anytime soon.

  We’d had an exceptionally warm autumn, but the cold front had finally moved in and the snow had started falling again late last night – there was thin covering again this morning. I gave the bookings and allocations to Jim in the shop, he pretty much ran the floor when I wasn’t here.

  “Heading out already?” Jim asked. It wasn’t a criticism, he had a tendency to speak as if everything was a question. I thought he had been mocking me when I started, but I quickly realised that was just him. He could fix anything in a car though – if he couldn’t fix it, then it couldn’t be done.

  “Yeah, you all good here?” I leaned back to see Daisy had pulled on one of the guys’ sweaters. She still flashed me a blinding smile when she saw me though. I shook my head as I turned away.

   “She’s harmless Aaron,” Shadow murmured beside me. He’d come in early this morning to make sure everything was ok after last night. Usually I just met him at the gym, but he was mothering me. I grunted at him, as I double checked the work sheet. I handed it to Jim again as I bent to pick up my jacket.

  The two of us headed out and across the yard. The repair shop was located on Madison Avenue, the gym was in Old North Boulder, on 15th Street, which was about five miles away. We drove over in silence, I was looking forward to hitting the punchbag again. I still had some tension that needed out.

  We parked and got out, Shadow opened, a few of the regulars were there already, eager to get in. My phone buzzed in my pocket as I made small talk. I pulled it out and read the text quickly.

  Skinner: Lela gets in at 4:30, change of plan we’re leaving early. Don’t be late picking her up.

  I fumed internally as I read it again.

  Me: Fuck off

  I shoved the phone back in my pocket as I headed up the stairs into the gym. The phone buzzed again.

  Skinner: I’ll see you when I come back - we can talk more about Alicia. 4:30 – don’t be late

  Shadow took the phone out of my hand before I threw it across the room.

  We put our stuff in the small office and as I got ready to work out, I tried to push the thought of Skinner and his step-brat from my head.

  I had helped a few guys with their training programs, spotted a few on the weights and had a good workout myself and was feeling better. I was heading out of the changing room when I heard Shadow yell out my name.

  I rushed over but I slowed as I approached, his dark skin looked pale and he was fixated to the screen.

  I took the phone from him, he had about twenty messages from Maria, she was in the hospital, losing blood. His phone rang in my hand and he snatched it off me.

  “Maria?” His eyes narrowed. “Who the fuck are you?” He started pacing. “Sorry, I understand…yeah is she ok? Is the baby ok? Tell her I’m coming.” He was heading out the door and I followed.

  I turned back quickly and scanned the guys in the gym, I called out to Jordan – one of the regulars – tossing him the keys, to lock up in case I wasn’t back in time. “See you tomorrow?” I called out to Jordan as I hurried after Shadow. Jordan yelled an affirmative behind me as I jogged down the stairs after Shadow.

  Shadow was still on the phone. “What do you mean she’s alone, why aren’t you with her?” Another pause. “I don’t care if you aren’t family, get the fuck into the room with my wife.”

  He hung up and we got into the car, I watched him and knew it was best not to push. He didn’t move. I waited.

  “Want me to drive?” I asked quietly. He nodded and we quickly switched places. Once I was in, I looked at him. “Where is she?” I asked him. He looked like a startled rabbit in the headlights.

  “She can’t go through this again,” he whispered. They had been through three miscarriages and at seven months, this was the furthest they had gotten in any pregnancy.

  “Shadow, where is she?” I asked him. He looked at me and I didn’t flinch from the pain I saw.

  “Boulder Women’s Care on Arapahoe.” He came back to himself. I nodded and headed to the hospital.

  “Who phoned?” I asked as I navigated my way over, it was going to take about twenty minutes in this traffic.

  “Some guy called Matt, I think? He isn’t allowed in with her as he told them she wasn’t family, so he’s in the waiting room.”

  “Matt?” I shrugged it off as I drove. “Maria isn’t going to want some stranger in there with her, man, she’s waiting for you,” I said gruffly.

  “She shouldn’t be alone,” he muttered. He fidgeted beside me, urging the car to move faster though the traffic.

  I eventually got there, we ended up just leaving the car, the parking here was insane and we didn’t have time to be courteous. I parked half on the grass and we ran into the waiting room.

  I saw a familiar blonde head bent over a phone and pulled up a little. Matt looked up at the same time as I saw him, I saw his eyes widen in surprise. He jumped to his feet and I was ready to block him, but he was hurrying to Shadow.

  “Ronald?” Shadow eyed him as he turned to him. “Maria told me I would recognise you because you’re huge, she was right.” Matt smiled, it worked, I saw Shadow relax slightly. “She’s in Room 301, she’s getting tests done. I’m so sorry, I got her here as quick as I could. The nurse is waiting to take you to her.” Matt hurried over to the reception and spoke quickly to someone on the desk. He motioned for Shadow to go over and then Shadow and the nurse went through a swinging door.

  Leaving me with the all-American hero. I eyed him as he approached me.

  “What happened?” Ok, so I could be friendlier, but I wasn’t his friend. Or friendly.

  Matt ran his hands over his head. “Man, it happened so quick. I was at Pearl Mall, she slipped on some ice. I was coming out of a shop and saw her slip, I caught her on the way down. One minute she was thanking me for catching her, the other she was doubled over and screaming.”

  My whole body was tense as I watched him. He looked shaken and unkempt. This guy, actually all three of these guys, were the preppy kind. The ones who wore the right thing and looked like A&F models. Although today, this one looked like he fell in a gutter.

  “She knew she was bleeding and I phoned 911, they told me what to do, to get her here. That’s what I did.” He slumped down into a seat and looked at me. “Your Ronald’s friend?” Matt shook his head. “Of course you are,” he muttered, without waiting for an answer.

  “You call him Ronald to his face again and you’ll be the one in the hospital bed.” I grinned savagely at Matt. “His name’s Shadow.”

  Matt glared at me, then his shoulders slumped. “She told me this was their fourth try on the way over. Man, I really hope she’s ok.” He looked at the doors, frowning as he worried his bottom lip.

  “You can clear off, her husband’s here now.” I stared down at him. “We don’t need you here.” My message was clear.

  He looked at me and sat back in the seat. “I’m not leaving until I know she’s ok. You don’t need to sit beside me, I’m not interested in a conversation with you.” He looked up to the reception desk and smiled at the middle-aged nurse behind the desk. “The nurse is going to keep me updated.”

  Fucker.

  I contemplated sitting over on the other side of the waiting room – but it was clear I made him uncomfortable – so I sat down beside him. I grinned to myself, as I saw him shake his head in disbelief.

  It was a while later that he got up and I thought he was finally leaving. I closed my eyes once he was gone. I wasn’t going anywhere, they might need me.

  “Here.”

  He was back, holding out a coffee. I took it without a word. He sat back down.

  “I drink it black,” I muttered.

  He shrugged. “Tough. Leave it and I’ll get it wh
en I finish this one.” He nodded at his own cup and resumed the silence.

  “Why are you still here?” I demanded.

  “Told you, I’m not leaving until I know she’s ok.”

  “You don’t even know her,” I argued. How the hell were these fucking people back in my life?

  “I know she’s scared,” he said softly. “I know how desperate she is for this baby, I could feel it in every word she spoke on the way over here and I know I am not leaving. Not until I know they are ok.”

  I took a gulp of the coffee. God it was awful – no one needed this amount of milk in coffee. What was wrong with him?

  The doors opened and Shadow came out. I jumped to my feet, as did Matt. Shadow passed me and engulfed Matt in a bear hug. My eyes widened. Shadow didn’t show affection, he was like me that way.

  “Thank you,” he said gruffly as he stood back. Matt was bright red and I watched my friend curiously. “I will never be able to thank you,” he muttered still holding onto Matt’s shoulders.

  “Is Maria ok?” I enquired. Shadow looked at me and nodded. He turned back to golden boy.

  “You carried her here from the Mall? They said if she had made impact when she fell, it would have been worse – but you caught her. Then you carried her here?” Shadow was shaking his head in wonder.

  He carried her? From the Mall? Good God, could he be any more of a fucking saint?

  “She needed help, they told me to get her here quickly, they said if I could be quicker than the ambulance, without hurting her, do it.” The guy was flustered at the praise. I felt my eyes narrowing.

  “Matt? You ok?” I heard the familiar voice behind me.

  For fuck sake, they were all out today.

  I turned to look at Colton Dawson. His eyes flicked to me but dismissed me just as quickly.

  “Cole, this is Maria’s husband and well…you know Aaron.” Colton nodded at Shadow and met my stare coolly.

  “You know these guys?” Shadow asked me. I nodded as I watched Colton. He walked over to his friend and handed him a backpack.

  “You ok here?” Colton asked Matt.

  “Aaron?” Shadow asked me again.

  “Yeah, passing acquaintances.” I murmured to him. He caught my eye and turned back to the others. He knew that look meant I would tell him later.

  “Maria asked if you were still here, I was to tell you she is ok and the baby is going to be ok. She’s being kept overnight.” Shadow was still looking curiously between the three of us. The tension was palpable, I remained as outwardly relaxed as possible.

  “That’s terrific news.” Matt shook Shadow’s hand. “I’m just going to be another few minutes and then we’ll be gone.” His eyes flicked to me and then to the backpack.

  “Changing?” I asked. Matt glanced down at himself and it was then that I realised his jeans and jacket were dark with blood. I looked quickly at Shadow, hoping he had missed what I had just carelessly revealed. Captain America was trying to be subtle and I was just blurting out the obvious.

  “I won’t be long,” Matt said to Colton as he passed to go into the bathroom.

  Shadow had been making his way back to the hospital wing, he looked back at me. I waved him towards the doors. “I’ll wait, don’t worry,” I assured him. He nodded at me as he retreated back to his wife’s bedside.

  I looked at Colton. He was looking back, waiting.

  “What are the odds?” I smirked at him. Truth be told, I didn’t mind this guy. He was controlled and distant with people. The other two were like yappy little lapdogs, the younger brother an accident waiting to happen, but Colton was reserved. I usually liked people who weren’t getting into my business or sharing their business with me.

  “I didn’t think I would be seeing you so soon.” He was always softly spoken too. He didn’t show his emotions like the others, except that one time after the drink spiking incident. I didn’t even mind that the fucker had sucker punched me that morning in the shop, because I knew I would have done the same thing.

  “I was hoping it would be never,” I said to him as I resumed my seat. He huffed in acknowledgement.

  “Your brother likely to turn up?”

  “Nope. Took a break from Boulder,” I bit out.

  “Good to know.” His stare was unwavering. I held his stare. He sat down after a moment.

  We sat in silence. It was almost comfortable. Matt finally came out from the bathroom, he looked his preppy self again. Colton stood and I looked up at him.

  “See you around boys.” I closed my eyes in dismissal. I heard them leave. Hopefully that was the end of them.

  I sat there for a while, with my head tilted back and my eyes closed. I heard the whispered conversations from those around me, thinking I was asleep. They thought they were discreet in their hushed whispers of ‘look at all his tattoos’ and the desperate pleas of mothers to their daughters of ‘don’t let him catch you looking.’ A few of these were followed with rather heavy sighs, which meant the daughters were either looking anyway, or the mothers were.

  My ink didn’t wear me, I wore it. With pride. I wasn’t hiding behind it; my skin had been flawless before and in my opinion was flawless now. I knew what image I projected, I didn’t give a fuck. You didn’t like what you saw? Don’t look. Simple as that. My torso, back, arms and neck were inked, most of them were of my own design and all of them were inked by Maria. I didn’t trust anyone else, she had an impeccable eye and expert skill.

  Eventually when one particular woman was irritating me with her insufferable protests about my tattoos, I opened my eyes and levelled her with a glare. She shut up and held her purse to her chest, because obviously I was three seconds from mugging her. In a hospital waiting room. It’s what us tattooed freaks did. I rolled my head back and forth as I stretched out the knot that was still there from last night.

  I stood and very obnoxiously – with little consideration for anyone’s personal space – stretched lazily. My shirt rode up and I flexed my arms out wide. I noticed little Miss Housewife eagerly tracing every inch of my exposed skin. I brought my arms down and just for the fuck of it, winked at her. With her face scarlet and a death grip on both children beside her, she moved.

  I sat back down and pulled my phone out. I had three missed calls. I had put the phone on silent and off vibrate when we came into the waiting room. The calls were from the shop. I stood and made my way outside, it had been snowing again and it looked like it was sticking this time.

  “J & Sons Autorepairs, we fix what can’t be fixed,” Daisy’s voice came chirping over the line.

  “What do you mean we fix what can’t be fixed? That doesn’t even make sense,” I snapped at her. What fresh idiocy was this girl spouting?

  “Hi Aaron, we’ve had a few calls for you, but Jim said we weren’t to bother you, but they were getting more regular.” I heard her pull the phone away from her ear as she hollered for Jim across the floor. I winced as I hoped to hell there were no customers to hear her screeching. “When we couldn’t get you at the gym, we thought we should phone your cell.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” I snapped. Christ, even at the other end of the line I wanted to throttle her.

  I heard a shuffle and then Jim was on the phone. “Aaron?” I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

  “Yes. What is that airhead jabbering on about?” I snapped. I was pacing restlessly and noticed that my truck had been clamped - for the irregular parking no doubt. Fuckers.

  “Skinner called here a few times looking for you. The last time he said something about you not being at the airport and…well he was kinda angry and shouting?”

  I looked at my watch. Shit. It was after five. Step-brat must have called her mother when there was no one to pick her up. I kicked the clamp on my tyre and it fell off. A useless prop. I picked it up and tossed it behind the bushes.

  “Alright, thanks Jim, if he calls again you haven’t spoken to me.” Jim was muttering something unintelligible as I head
ed back into the waiting room.

  “Wait, who’s out on runs?” It was snowing, there was no way there wasn’t one of our trucks out picking someone up.

  “Johnny’s out near Lafayette, but that’s it so far.” It was my turn to mutter, I was going to have to get her.

  “Alright, ignore him if he phones and tell Daisy to change her greeting, it’s stupid.” I hung up. I went up to the nurse’s station, three of them eyed me. I smiled my most welcoming smile, two immediately frowned and one blushed. Gotcha.

  “I need to get a message to my friend, his wife was taken in this morning, Maria Jackson?” The blushing nurse nodded. “I have to leave, can you let him know for me please?” She nodded again. I flicked a glance to the other two, still frowning.

  “I could go get him if you wanted?” she whispered. She didn’t look at me and her face was the colour of a fire hydrant. She ignored the loud clearing of the throat behind her. She darted a look up at me and I smiled again.

  “That would be so kind, would you mind?” She shook her head and stood quickly and departed the station without looking at the other two.

  I stood back. A guy can only be scrutinised by disapproving middle aged woman for so long before knowing it’s best just to walk away.

  A few minutes later Shadow emerged. He shook his head at me as he approached. “Left my cell in the truck,” he acknowledged.

  I handed it to him. I’d picked it up earlier when we got here. “She ok?” He nodded at me. “I forgot about the step-brat,” I told him. He groaned as he tilted his head back.

  “Oh man, I’m sorry,” he started.

  “Don’t be a dick, I would be sitting out here all night, you know that.” He grinned ruefully at me. “I just want you to know why I am not out here, if you came out.”