“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
We walk to the park, silent and lost in our own worlds. She impacted me upon first meeting.
Doesn’t matter anyway, she’s taken. And has a child with the guy. Flirting with her was destined to lead nowhere.
Let it go.
CHAPTER 3
T ONK JR.
T aking a seat at my local coffee shop I greet my sister, “Celia, listen, I have a question for you. One that’s up your alley.”
There’s surprise in her voice as she asks, “Oh yeah? That’s great! I’d love to help. What’s going on?”
Wincing at the heat as I sip, I hear a game playing in the background with Luke, Diesel, and Atlas shouting. “It’s mid-April, how are they watching a football game?”
She flatly answers, “Recorded.”
I can easily picture them on that old sofa, the brothers with their long, dark hair bouncing as they fly up, impassioned about the success of some strategic play. Diesel shouting from where he sits because he always stays put. “The elders on a mission? I don’t hear Dad’s voice, or Honey Badger’s or Jett’s.” Fuse is probably off with Melody, they sneak off for alone time early most nights.
“Yeah. They left today.”
“You sound mad at me.” Pausing I realize what’s wrong. “I’ve been out of touch with you guys, haven’t I?”
She sighs, “I wasn’t going to say anything—”
“I can tell, Ceels.”
“—because I was just happy you finally fucking called. But yeah, you’ve been off the radar for months.”
A couple in their mid-twenties is arguing at a corner table over something wrong in their relationship. Can’t help but be distracted by it since I’m constantly conducting a study of people.
The argument is hushed but their body language says the relationship is over and it wasn’t her decision. His eyes are dead and he’s faced away except for his upper chest and an elbow that’s on the table between them. She’s leaned over the salt-and-pepper shakers. If the table weren’t between them she’d be on her knees begging for another chance.
My goal is to be a family and marriage therapist so every cell inside of me is urging, go help them work it out.
I pull my focus back to answer my sister, my voice becoming deeper since that visual is disturbing and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Yet.
“This is been a real exploration of manhood for me, Celia. I was stifled at the plantation, you know that. This is enabling me to—”
“I know. It’s just, even though we weren’t close, I was used to having you around. It’s weird to pass by your old room and know that you’re not in there with your nose stuffed in some book I’d never understand.” She pauses and adds with a laugh, “Or would want to understand. Anyway, forget it. I just miss you is all. So what did you call about?”
Inhaling her kindness with a deep, surprised breath, I close my eyes. “I miss you, too. I need to do this. I know that. But I miss you, too.” We sit on the phone in silence until Atlas starts swearing at the screen and Celia and I laugh at his breaking the sentimental moment. “Listen, I saw this bruise hidden on a girls arm. She seemed guilty about it, ashamed, definitely secretive. If I discovered that she was being abused, let’s say. And it’s possible that she isn’t. She may have…I don’t know.” I rub my face to force my interest away from the couple once more. Their debate is escalating. “My instincts are telling me that something bad is happening to her.”
I hear her open the refrigerator, the old hum so familiar I’d know it anywhere. “Look at you! You might be joining the Ciphers after all, huh?”
A smirk tugs as I pick at my cup. “You know that’s never going to happen. Fighting is not in my blood like it is in yours.” I pause, realizing I just hit a nerve due to Celia’s history. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
With gravity her volume lowers. “I know what you meant.”
“Why won’t you give me one more chance?”
Under my breath I tell Ceels, “Hang on.”
The boyfriend speaks quietly, hoping in vain to contain this before it gets worse.
Because it’s now silent in the shop, I can hear him. We all can.
“Luisa, I just don’t feel the way I used to anymore. Don’t make a scene. Let’s just have a nice amicable breakup.”
She picks up the salt shaker, uncaps it, pours it over his head. “Go to hell, Charley.” Snatching her bag off the chair she swings it over her shoulder and shouts to the café, “What are you all looking at? You never had your heart broken?” Tears hover in her eyes suddenly. Running for the exit, she stumbles. The door won’t open fast enough, fingers fumbling on the handle. It’s a push-exit door she pulls.
I leap to help her, my phone spinning on the table. Pushing the door open I gently whisper, “Just move on. Better is waiting.” She blinks at me, unleashing a fat teardrop down her right cheek as she hurries into the worst morning, sunlight mocking her.
The now-ex-boyfriend is glaring at me, and I flick him a glance.
Sliding onto my chair I grab my phone and ask, “You there?”
“Tonk, you may be more Cipher than you think.”
“You heard that?”
“I’m trained in surveillance, of course I heard that. I also heard that she didn’t thank you.”
“You know that’s never the point.”
“I know,” she laughs, “I was just testing you.”
A proud grin flashes across my face and I glance over to see if he’s still watching me.
He is.
Muscles-wise, he is larger than I am. But his face isn’t too attractive. I’m mixed ethnicity and not bad on the eyes, and I just got too close to his walking, breathing rejection letter. He wanted to be the last word in that signature. Not because of ego, but because somewhere in there he still cares. It will be some time before he’ll be okay with any man coming near
