Walker and Valerie

by Annette Stephenson

  “I did well, and things were looking good. I was twenty-one; I owned the movie theater. I was feeling really good about myself. A regular started talking to me. He asked me out for a date. I thought he was nice. I knew he had a job, and he made good money. We went out. We ended up in a relationship for about three months. You need to understand, I never dated in high school I never had time. Even though I went to junior prom I went with a group of girls from the soccer team. I never had a boyfriend, had never been kissed. So, I thought everything was more or less normal.”

  “Okay, what happened?”

  I knew he was going to hate this part.

  “Well, we decided it was time. We had made out on the couch a few times, but it was time for more. We got undressed. He laid with me on the bed. We were making out. Then I thought he was moving to go down on me, but that’s not what happened. He used my legs to jerk himself off. He liked their dead feeling.” I started to pull back from him so I could bury my face. He stopped me and crushed me back against him.

  “Please don’t hide; you did nothing wrong. I know this is very painful, but you are okay. I’ve got you,” he said.

  “A few years later he went to jail for desecrating a dead woman. He was a mortician, so I suspect he had been doing that for a long time. He is still there as far as I know.”

  Walker sat there with me on his lap for a long time just holding me to him while I cried. I knew I had shocked him. I didn’t know why I was crying so much. Maybe I’d just held onto it for too long. He shifted and grabbed the box of tissues, offering them to me.

  “Feeling a little better now? Though your eyes are probably gritty, your nose is stuffy, and you think you look like a mess?” He smiled at me.

  “Yeah, something like that. I need to go to the bathroom, too,” I said.

  “Okay, put your arms around my neck, please.”

  I did as he asked, and he set me down in my chair. I went to the bathroom and washed my face. My eyes didn’t feel so gritty after that. I went back to the living room to find Tabby-Girl had taken the spot on Walker’s lap. He was petting her, and she was enjoying it.

  “She likes you; she doesn’t sit on many people.”

  “Good to know; the feeling is mutual, though I hope her mistress likes me, because I like her,” he said. He was being sweet.

  I smiled at him. “You are growing on me.” I laughed.

  Chapter 11

  Walker

  “I think it is my turn to share. I would like to hold you again, please?” I asked her. I hoped she would let me hold her again.

  She looked at me. I could tell she was having trouble deciding. “You remember the picture I showed you of me and the drama club kids?” She nodded. “Do you know I am still friends with all of them? I wasn’t allowed a Facebook account or other social media accounts, but I had email. I stayed in touch with all of them. I am not the kind of person that walks away just because things get tough, or change. I am here until you tell me to go, Val.”

  She seemed to let that sink in. “I liked being in your arms,” she said quietly.

  I gently nudged Tabby-Girl out of my lap. I went over to her. She put her arms around my neck before I could ask. We settled back down on the couch. Tabby-Girl found a spot to cuddle into both of us. This was really nice. “I liked having you in my arms.” I smiled. I enjoyed the feeling of her in my arms. She was pretty, with her long hair falling down her shoulders.

  “Well, you have told me some things that were very uncomfortable. It is only fair I share mine too. You will be very surprised to know that I know women find me attractive.” I smiled.

  She giggled.

  “I happen to enjoy women. I enjoyed more than my fair share up until three or so years ago. You should know that I am clean. I never was with anyone without protection; we got tested all the time in the army. There are no little me’s running around either. Anyway, a little more than three years ago I met a woman named Jessica.” I felt her stiffen.

  “Jessica and I met in a bar. She seemed to be a pretty girl looking for a good time. We talked a little, danced a little, then we agreed to leave. I explained I only did casual; I was not into serious relationships. Dinner and sex—that was it. She said she was fine with that. We had a good night. She left in the morning. The next weekend came … we agreed to a date. We went, had a nice time, fine. So now we were at the third weekend in and I got the call we were going on a mission. I told her I had to go. She didn’t like it, pouted, and said I shouldn’t go. I didn’t have a choice; it was my job. I told her we could talk when I got back. I got back. I let her know I was back; she came over, and all seemed fine. She apologized for her behavior and it was forgotten.”

  I looked at Val. She was fiddling with the hem of her shirt. I laid my hand over hers and gave her a squeeze. She linked her fingers with mine.

  “Now it was the fourth time I was leaving on a mission since I met her. She threw a fit, tears, the works. I told her I was not playing. I was sorry, but this was my life, and I would never leave my team by choice. She asked how could I not love her more than my team. That was when I realized I’d fucked up. Never once had I told her I loved her. We dated, slept together, but in the course of almost three months we did that there was no talk of moving in, no exchanging of keys, just dinner and sex. I didn’t know where she got this idea from. This was casual.” I took a few breaths and cleared my throat.

  “I told her I only did casual. I apologized that her feelings were so hurt, but I was not going to call her anymore. She stormed out and I thought everything was over. I did feel really bad that I hadn’t realized her feelings had gotten so deep. I liked fun and casual; I thought she understood that. Anyway, I left for my mission. I was gone for two months this time. I thought in one way this was perfect. She would have had time to move on without me being around.” I was quiet a moment.

  “That’s not what happened at all, is it?” Val asked.

  “Nope, not even close. I got back. I walked into my apartment; nothing was out of place enough for me to notice. I went to the bedroom, and there she was, sleeping in my bed. I woke her up to find out what was going on, to get her to leave. She said no, she lived with me now. I called the police and got her forcibly removed. I took my camera footage of her breaking in into the police station and pressed charges. She ended up in jail for eighteen months, for breaking and entering and trespassing. I was hoping that she would have learned her lesson, but I found out this week she is here in Chicago. She has been served restraining orders, but now I have to be more vigilant of what is going on.”

  “That’s just unreal. Why do people do that kind of stuff to others? What is the point?” Val shook her head.

  “I really don’t know. After everything that happened with her, I stopped dating like I had been. There was a doctor on base. She was a single mom. She didn’t have time to date but like me, she enjoyed sex. So, whenever we had time, we would meet for a night or two. But I never went back to the bars to pick up women after that. I wanted something different. In fact, you are the first woman since all of that happened that I’ve asked out on a date.”

  “Wow, how special, you ask someone on a date who couldn’t possibly stalk you.” She shook her head and started to shift to get away.

  I stopped her and held her still. She turned her face to mine. “Val, I don’t even want to know why something like that would pop in your head. But I want to make this very clear to you right now. Are you listening to me?”

  She looked at me, pursed her lips, and nodded.

  “When I asked you out the second time, I told you that you are attractive, independent, and respected. I meant that, and still do. I didn’t ask you out because I thought you were a ‘safe choice’ as you are alluding too. I think you are amazing. Everything you have done, you have done with very little help and support. Not only have you done it, but you have done it well. You have more strength and determination inside of you than most. I find that attractive. I never once saw your cha
ir as something that would stop you or slow you down. If you wanted to stalk me, you would, but that’s not who you are. You see a problem, you look at your tools, and you overcome it. Your chair is just a tool for you to get around, nothing more nothing less. Val, I do like you, a lot, I think I could easily fall for you. I find you very pretty. I love your hair. Your eyes sparkle when you laugh, or when you glare at me, which you do a lot. I really enjoy your company. You have a brain in your head, and you use it; that’s very sexy. You are very independent. When you put your mind to it, there is nothing that will stop you. That’s beautiful. People respect you. I saw the patrons in the theater. They all picked up after themselves and each other when they left. They know you can’t make it up the stairs, so they respect you enough to leave it so the next group of patrons gets a great experience too. That’s the kind of person I want to be around, the kinda person I want to be with.” I watched her as I spoke. She was thinking about the things I said. Letting them sink in.

  “Val, please don’t put yourself down, or talk bad about yourself around me. It just pisses me off because it’s all untrue,” I said, pushing her hair behind her ear.

  “I will try,” she quietly said. “You said you wanted something different now. What do you want?”

  Good. She had been listening. I hoped she listened to all of it, “I started to want a serious relationship. I saw what Randy and Marie had before we lost Randy, then Hunt met Eve, the woman he had loved for three years. You might know her as Dawn Early?”

  “You know Dawn Early?” Val’s eyes got big.

  “Yup, she is pretty cool. Her best friend Charlotte is the love of Domino’s life. Ammo and Mary, even Ape and Greta. I see what they have, their partnerships; they are all very much in love and I want that now. Do you know what you want, Val?”

  She thought about it for a while. “I want nothing less than what my grandparents have, which I think is what you see your friends having. A loving partnership that gets you through anything together.”

  I lifted her chin so she had no choice but to look at me. “Would you like to see if we could have that?”

  She took a deep breath. “Yes. I am scared, but I think the gains would be worth the risk.”

  “You set the pace, Val. Unless it is for your health or safety, I will not ever ask you to do something you don’t want to do or don’t feel comfortable doing.”

  “I can live with that.” She smiled at me. I loved her smile; it was bright and made me think her heart might feel a bit lighter now that she had shared so much.

  I pushed her hair back again; it was really just an excuse to touch it. It was so silky, and I liked how it felt running through my fingers. “You are beautiful when you smile. I like seeing joy on your face.”

  She blushed. “Well, you are very handsome, and quite cute when you smile.”

  I laughed. “Thank you, beauty. I really hate to leave you, but I think you should get some rest,” I said.

  “You are right. I am tired now; it’s been a long day.” She looked at me. She had want in her eyes.

  “Val, may I kiss you before I go?” I wanted her to understand she was the one in control.

  “Please,” she whispered. I cupped the back of her head and brought my lips to hers. A soft moan escaped from her as I deepened our kiss. She was totally rocking my world. I knew I would never let her go, not without a fight.

  We were breathless as the kiss broke. “Val,” I said as I crushed her to me. Her arms went around me and she gripped me just as hard. I cleared my throat. “I should go. I would like to pick you up tomorrow at 2:00 if that is okay?”

  “Umm … what are … what do you have planned?” She was nervous.

  “Arms around my neck, please.” I picked her up so I could get her to her chair. “Well, many of us at Forces believe Sunday is for family time. I would like to take you to Domino’s to share it with us. If for any reason, at any time you want to leave, we will leave, but I think you will enjoy being around the people there.”

  “Okay, but you do promise to take me home if I say so?” She looked up at me, almost not believing I would do anything she wanted.

  “As soon as you say the words.” I took her hand and kissed it. “I am going to head home now. I will see you tomorrow, okay?” I walked out the door.

  “Okay. Call me when you get home, so I know you got there okay?” She smiled at me.

  “Sure, lock up for me now.” She rolled her eyes at my bossiness. I heard the locks click and headed home.

  Chapter 12

  Valerie

  I had been adamant for so long about not dating, but last night talking with him, sharing the worst, made me realize something. I was not the only person who had had a bad experience in a relationship. Walker’s experience was just as unpleasant. I realized Gabby was right: I was lonely and not enjoying life. I needed to stop closing people out if I didn’t want to be lonely. She was also right in that I could pick a lot worse than Walker. So far, he’d already showed he would take care of me, he could be a good friend through thick and thin, and then there was his kiss. He was so sexy, and so hot. Okay, I needed to stop that train of thought.

  It had been a long time since I had gone somewhere like this. Walker had borrowed Domino’s van to pick me up. I liked that he was considerate of my independence to get around on my own. While I didn’t mind so much if he was the one picking me up, carrying me, and holding me, I was an adult, not a child. I didn’t like being manhandled when I could do it myself. I was getting really nervous. If I could, I would be bouncing my legs a mile a minute. Instead I was playing with the sleeve of my jacket.

  “Val, you okay?” He looked in the rearview mirror at me.

  He jarred me out of my thoughts. I was liking that he felt concerned for me. “Just nervous.” I shrugged.

  “Once you get there you will see there is nothing to be nervous about.” He smiled. A few moments later, he pulled into the Forces’ parking lot. “Here we are. Have you been here before?”

  “No, Domino came to me at the theater when he wanted me to let him set everything up.”

  “Okay, so the one side is the offices, the other side is Domino’s home. That garage over there is where this and my Jeep are kept, and I live above it, in the little apartment there.”

  “That’s a nice commute to work.” It was all I could think to say. The place was huge; it had to have three floors. It looked like a remodeled mansion that was split down the middle.

  “You have no idea. Let’s go in,” he said. He let me work the controls to get out. He locked it up and led us to the ramp that had been built to get up to the porch. He opened the door for us and held it until I was in.

  “Hey, Valerie, glad you could join us. Come down to this end. I will make room for you,” Domino greeted as I took in the room. The kitchen and dining room were huge. The kitchen had stone counters and different levels for accessibility. There were a man and a young woman in the kitchen working together on the food. The dining area held a long table that had benches on either side. It looked like it could seat an army. Domino was at one of the table ends, with a few women, two teenagers, and a couple of men around him.

  “Hello.” I wanted to explode with my nervousness. Then I felt a hand on my back rubbing small circles. Walker was right there.

  “Hey, everyone, this is Valerie. Val, you know Domino. The woman to his right is Charlotte. Next to her is Eve, then Hunt then Hack. Across the table are Maddy and Ally. I am not sure which is which.” The girls giggled.

  “I am Maddy. That’s my sister Ally,” one said.

  “And next to them is BB or Mary.” Mary laughed.

  “In the kitchen are Ammo and Gena.” Everyone gave a chorus of hellos, and Ammo said, “Hiya.”

  “So, this is what we do on Sundays: sit around and gab just like a family. Eve and Hunt were just telling us about their property out by Sugar Grove,” Domino explained, looking back at the couple for them to pick up their story. I had joined Domino at
the end. The girls and BB made room for Walker to sit to my left.

  “We finished the tactical runs, and I was hoping Ammo would come test them.” Hunt looked to Ammo for approval. “If he finds them acceptable then I thought the Sunday after next, we could have family day at our house and try them out with paintballs.”