by APRIL ASHEIM
"See me?" The words confused her. Why would he want to see her if it wasn’t for the money? She was about to ask when her cell phone rang. It was Kimberly’s number from the office. Just her luck.
"I better be going," Spring said, closing the car door as she got in. John stood motionless, watching her. "If you want, I can give you a check. Please don’t cash it for a while?"
"Nah," John said. "But if you don’t pay up I’m gonna have to keep stalking you. You never know where I will turn up next."
Spring tilted her head but said nothing. She drove away wondering how she was going to explain this to Kimberly, and if Sarah was going to be okay. She would go to the hospital now to check on Sarah and deal with Kimberly on Monday.
"I just have to get through a few more months of this," she said to her bedraggled reflection in the rearview mirror. "And then Sam will get his inheritance and life will get easier."
Sixteen
"Are they supposed to look like that?" Spring studied the boys who sat propped up with pillows on the couch, watching their third straight hour of Murder She Wrote with Lanie. Their mouths hung open and their eyes were frosted. It had been four hours since their first dose of Ritadate.
"They’re fine," said Lanie during the commercial break.
Sam thumbed through a copy of Pride and Prejudice. "You worry too much, Pookie. Relax and enjoy the peace and quiet for a change."
Spring was torn. While half of her was glad they were no longer looting, pillaging, and starting small fires, the other half worried. "Maybe the dose they gave them was too strong." She read the bottle of Ritadate and shook her head. "Side effects include drowsiness, depression, loss of appetite, loss of self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and diarrhea."
"Loss of appetite?" Lanie stood up and snatched the bottle from Spring’s hand. "Very interesting."
Spring offered the boys one last worried glance. "Mom, can you watch them for a while. I want to go meet Chloe."
Lanie nodded, still reading the bottle. "I think I’m coming down with some defective attention problems, too," she said as Spring slipped out the door.
"So what’s up?" Chloe was sipping on her Diet Coke, clicking her long fingernails against the cheap plastic of the table. Chloe was so pretty and exotic-looking, favoring their father, that Spring sometimes found herself envious of her sister. With her high forehead and propensity towards curves, Spring took after Lanie and shuddered when she thought what the future held for her.
"This has been a really bad day." Spring scrutinized the menu, unsure of what to order. She was torn between a hamburger and a club sandwich. "A really bad life, actually."
Chloe stretched her arm across the table and gently took the menu from Spring. “I know. I saw the news."
"The news? What news?"
"Well, Rob and I were having sex on the couch and all a sudden he starts cracking up. ‘What’s so funny?’ I asked, and he’s like, isn’t’ that your sister giving CPR to a penis?’ And sure enough, it was."
"I was on the news?" Spring felt her face redden.
"It was quite inspiring, really, and gave me some ideas on what to do for Robert." Chloe smiled and patted Spring’s hand reassuringly. "Oh, It’s not that big a deal. Everyone gets fifteen minutes of fame."
The waitress came to take their orders. Her face looked like one of Ms. Droll’s inkblots. "What’ll it be, ladies?" she asked.
"Two pork chop platters, mashed potatoes, spiced apples." Chloe ordered, handing back the menus. The waitress scribbled in her pad and plodded back to the kitchen, her white shoes squeaking with every step.
"I hate mashed potatoes," Spring moaned, stirring her soda with her straw.
"The condom gonna be okay?"
Spring nodded. "I think so."
"So, what else is going on? I know you didn’t call a meeting just to discuss work, amusing for me as it might be." Chloe caught the eye of a rugged cop sitting at an adjacent booth. She pushed out her chest in his direction and he smiled.
Spring strummed her fingers across the table and waited for her sister to turn her attention back to her. "Trevor is in town."
"No way! Spring, that’s great. Did he come back for you? You guys gonna finally get together?"
Spring’s shoulders rose then fell. "I wish I knew. I only saw him for a few minutes and I haven’t had time to process it yet. My life is a blur right now." The waitress returned with the two plates. Spring grimaced at her potatoes but picked at them anyway.
"You only live once, Spring," Chloe said, raising her fork to her mouth in a toast. "Live it up."
"There’s more. Sam is going to inherit a lot of money if I marry him."
"Really?" Chloe said, shuddering. Her bosom jiggled enticingly and the policeman next to them noticed. "He would have to inherit fucking Fort Knox for me to marry him."
"I’m not like you, Chloe. You take risks. I can’t."
"And why is that, sister of mine?" Chloe asked Spring. The waitress returned to their table with a receipt she handed to Chloe. "Look at this," said Chloe, waving to the cop. "That nice man paid for our meal and left me his number."
"Fantastic," said Spring, wishing that she could use her feminine wiles the way Chloe did. Things came easy to women like that. "Maybe I don’t take risks because I’m the oldest. Adler’s theory of sibling birth order."
"Bullshit! Save that mumbo jumbo for your work, will you? Spring, I’m gonna tell you something I should have told you years ago. I didn’t because once you know, I will no longer be able to manipulate and exploit you for my own personal gain."
"Wow. How did I luck out and get you as a sister?" Spring worked her fork against the rubbery pork chop on her plate, trying to saw it in two. When she realized the futility she picked it up with her fingers and gnawed on it, glad that Sam wasn’t around to witness this public display of barbarianism. "Now, what is it you are going to tell me?"
"Your problem is that you don’t stand up for yourself. You let everyone walk all over you and make decisions for you."
"Do not."
"Really? Did you tell Trevor that you wanted more of a relationship than one based on booze and sex?"
"It didn’t seem important until he was leaving."
"Did you tell the counselor you didn’t want the boys medicated? Insist that they try alternative approaches for their ADHD?"
"No."
"Tell your boss where to shove that penis?"
Spring sighed. "No."
"Tell me you wouldn’t take mama? Or that you wanted to order for yourself?" Chloe raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow at her, her lips forming a wicked half-smile.
"Okay, I got it. I’m a doormat. What am I supposed to do? I can’t change my nature."
"You are too nice, my dear. Nice girls become everyone’s bitch. You have to learn to be the bitch. I can teach you." Chloe grinned.
When Spring said nothing her sister continued.
"...You gotta make a stand, Spring. Figure out what you really want out of life and take back control. Until you can do that, you are always going to depend on someone else." Chloe paused, giving the cop one last sideways glance as he waved goodbye to her. "For now, I think you need to do one thing." Chloe purred, her eyes lighting up like embers on the log of a dying campfire.
"What’s that?"
"Get laid, preferably by someone who doesn’t come to bed in animal costumes." Chloe wriggled her nose and made bunny ears with her fingers over her head.
Spring turned her head to tune her out, as thoughts of Trevor’s warm, naked body washed over her. What she wouldn’t give to feel that way again.
Spring drove home, one hand on the steering wheel, the other dialing Trevor’s number. A lazy voice on the other end answered.
"Hello?"
She was surprised. In the two years he had been away he hadn’t picked up the phone when she had called once. She was sure the number had been changed. "Trevor...it’s me."
"Hey! What are you up to beautiful?"
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"I don’t have much time. Can you meet me tomorrow? I need to talk to you."
"Okay. Sure. Where? When?"
"Paradise at six tomorrow."
"You got it, gorgeous." A pause. "I’m free tonight, too, if you wanna come hang out for a while."
For a moment she thought about going to him, driving dangerously fast, ignoring stoplights. She took a deep breath.
"No, not tonight. I wish I could, trust me. But I can’t."
"Okay. Tomorrow then at Paradise. Wear something sexy."
Spring had it all worked out. She was going to the grocery store while Lanie watched the kids. If she was quick she could grab what she needed and still have enough time to see Trevor afterward. Sam was out at the bookstore so she scrawled him a quick note and left it on the kitchen table.
"Mom, watch the boys for me?" Lanie looked up from her video game and gave her a thumbs up. The boys lay with their heads on her lap while Lanie punched furiously on the controller buttons.
Spring had thought about it all night. Her one chance at true love was not gone. Trevor had come back into her life and she would make it right this time. As she pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store she looked down at her dress and wondered if she should be wearing something newer, but Trevor had always said he liked this dress.
She would make Sam a special dinner of meatloaf to soften the blow. Explain to him that while she was fond of him, she was destined to be with Trevor. Sam had to understand. He would want her to be happy. A sign at the butcher counter read Ground Beef - 99 cents a pound. Limit one pound per person. Does not have to be consumed on the premises.
The line was long and she sighed impatiently.
She felt a slight tap on her shoulder and she turned to look behind her. Dressed in a plain white T-shirt and faded blue jeans was John. "Always in a hurry, aren’t you, Spring?"
"Are you following me?" Spring began rifling through her purse, searching for her cell phone. "Isn’t this about the time a woman is supposed to call the cops to let them know she has a stalker?"
John shrugged his shoulders. "Suit yourself. I’m sure they’d love to hear our story." His eyes sparkled and Spring resisted the urge to sock him in the jaw.
"I told you I’d pay you weekly. You do realize it hasn’t been a week, right?"
"Well, technically it’s been several weeks since you ruined my vehicle. Do you know how hard it is to pick up chicks in a jalopy like that?"
Spring snorted, ready to leave when he spoke again, his voice an octave softer.
"Believe it or not I have better things to do than to follow you all over Phoenix. Ever consider this might be fate?"
"It would be my fate to have a bill-collecting stalker," she sighed.
"Well, Spring Rainbow Ryan, there are worse fates, I think."
Spring took a step back. "How did you know my middle name?" He really was a stalker. Maybe he had a trunk full of heads somewhere.
"Either I’m a magician..." He waved his hands in the air mystically. "...Or you were on the news."
Spring glanced from her left to her right. Several other people were looking in her direction. A few were whispering. One was blatantly pointing.
"See," John said. "You are a celebrity."
Spring stumbled and clutched her cart. "I feel dizzy all of a sudden."
"Next," called the butcher. Spring regained her balance and moved forward. John watched her and she felt a strange, tingling sensation. "What can I do you for?"
"A pound of ground beef please."
"It’s ninety-nine cents today." The man smiled approvingly. He scooped his gloved paw through the meat and set exactly a pound on the scale. "Do I know you?"
"I don’t think so."
His bushy brows knit together while he studied her. "You sure? I know I seen you before."
Spring heard John begin to speak but stomped on his toe before the words came out.
"Ouch," he said, laughing. "Why are you hurting me?"
"I know. You were on News at Noon! You’re the young lady giving CPR to that penis." The butcher’s eyes lit up with recognition. He rang the little bell on his counter three times. "Hey, boys. We have a celebrity here! Can I get your autograph?"
Spring left the line without her purchase as the other shoppers watched her flee.
"Some people like to be famous," said John, catching up to her. He handed her the ground beef, neatly wrapped in brown paper.
"I’m not talking to you. You were gonna rat me out."
John laughed. "No. I wasn’t. But it was kinda funny to watch you squirm a little."
Spring grabbed a small bag of potatoes as she passed through the produce section. John kept pace with her step for step. "You should be leaving me alone. Can’t you see my life is screwed up enough without some kid following me around pointing out what a freak I am?"
John blinked. He reached for her wrist, but she shook him away.
"Hey, I’m not a kid. And I never thought of you as a freak. I‘m just not used to talking to beautiful women."
Spring stopped but he was already on his way out.
"Take care, Spring." His plain T-shirt and his plain jeans disappeared from her view, and for some reason she was a bit sad to see him go.
He called me beautiful.
Looking at her watch, she noticed it was ten minutes until six and Trevor would be waiting at the bar. She raced towards self-checkout with her bag of potatoes and a feeling that some part of her had been lost.
When Spring arrived at Paradise Pub it was ten minutes after six. Not only was she late to see Trevor, her time was also limited, as Sam would surely start to wonder where dinner was in a few hours. She looked at her reflection in the side-view mirror. Her time at the parade had given her a hint of a tan. Her lipstick was perfect, and her hair was combed and smoothed. For once she wasn’t a total mess. A good sign. Before leaving the car she changed from sandals into her silver heels and tucked some Kleenex into her bra.
The place was dark, kept dim so customers could forget about time. It had been over two years since she had been here on a Saturday evening, but it was like she had never left. The two pool tables in the far corner were occupied by men in faded jeans and tight T-shirts, blue collar guys, complaining about work, lack of overtime, and the impending recession. Young women in restricted clothing with flesh spilling out in obvious places chatted up guys old enough to be their fathers. Neon signs advertising every known beer company winked erratically around the room, like uninspired Christmas tree lights. The juke box was playing a combination of country music and classic rock. The rest of the world might pass, age, change, decay, but here in Paradise Pub things always stayed the same.
She saw him before he saw her. He was engaged in an animated conversation with a man occupying the next stool. She took a deep breath and made her way towards him. She placed her hand on the back of his shoulder, and he turned towards her, beer frothing at the sides of his lips. She resisted the urge to lean over and lick it off.
"Hello beautiful!" He raised his mug to her and elbowed the guy next to him in the ribs. "This is the love of my life I’ve been yammering on about. Isn’t she gorgeous?"
The guy nodded and sipped on his drink while Spring tried to control the vicious thumping of her heart. The love of his life?
Trevor patted the empty stool beside him and called out to the bartender. "Piña Colada for the lady, please. Two cherries. Pineapple. Whipped cream." He turned to Spring. "I miss anything?"
Spring couldn’t speak, but she managed to shake her head.
"Good. And keep them coming."
"I can only have the one."
Trevor frowned. He leaned over and brushed the hair away from her ear and whispered, "Hope you aren’t planning on leaving early. I got all night."
Spring closed her eyes and tried to picture Sam. "I don’t have much time. But I needed to see you. Can we go to a table for a moment?"
Trevor raised an eyebrow at his friend, who
nodded that he would survive a few minutes alone. Spring took his hand and led him to a small table in the far corner, away from the crowd. Their table.
"So what’s on your mind, beautiful?" Trevor walked his stool close to Spring’s, and she could feel his warm breath on her neck as he spoke. He was studying her, moving his eyes across her body like she were an undiscovered island.
"Why are you here?" Her knees were weak. Her body was reacting in strange ways. She had forgotten what he could do to her.
"Because you told me to be here." He winked and took a long swig as he hailed the waitress and motioned for another.
"No. Why are you here in Phoenix?"
Trevor nuzzled her neck and Spring closed her eyes. Sam. Sam. Picture Sam.
"There are some things I couldn’t stay away from." He placed his hand on her knee. "I miss the desert. It’s so...warm here."
Spring took his hand and placed it over her heart. Tell me you love me, she thought. Love me and I will take the boys and we will run away together. I just need to hear it.
Instead he grabbed her boob. "Honk, honk." He squeezed and Spring pulled away. "Oh, come on. What’s with western girls? Don‘t they have a sense of humor?"
Her face tightened. He stopped moving and looked at her, a look Blaine or Shane had given her when they knew that they were in trouble but were going to try and sweet talk their way out of it.
"Trevor. Do you love me? Is that why you are here?"
Trevor sat and thought for a moment. He pursed his lips together and looked up at the ceiling fan. Spring dared not breathe while he considered his answer. Finally, he sat his beer on the table and took both her hands in his own. "Yes. I love you. I’ve always, always loved you."
She knew it! He had come back for her. She reached over and hugged him, both arms firmly securing him, pulling him into her body. Their lips met. For the first time in a very long time she was happy. Wonderfully, deliriously, deliciously happy.
