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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 16, 2021 13:19:51 GMT -6
^^^ this X 100
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Post by udwe on Sept 16, 2021 13:52:24 GMT -6
Wow, what a cliff!
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Post by papaof2 on Sept 16, 2021 14:42:49 GMT -6
Trying to hold ..the cliff ....but these old ......arthritic hands ........can't hold on ..........much ..............l ...............o ................n
.................g
..................e
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SPLAT!!
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 17, 2021 13:40:56 GMT -6
Bret, its all your fault. I couldn't sleep last night due to laying awake wondering how this will play out. Lack of sleep for 36 hours caused me to do a face dunk in my lunch plate. Poor Kevin is in a bad position.
Wondering:
Is Tammy being honest? Or is she planning on lulling Kevin and then shooting him?
Cindy, Tammy and Randell are siblings having sex. I would be throwing up all my lunches from the past week.. Where does Cindy's husband fit in? Are they really married? What man would allow his wife to have sex with her brother? Is he a brother too? Are Tammy and Cindy the party women for the whole gang?
Is Deputy Katie really part of the gang too? Will Katie rescue Kevin? Or show up on the gang's side?
Inquiring minds want to know.
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Post by ydderf on Sept 19, 2021 1:52:12 GMT -6
Peeking over the precipice, backing away quickly. Hurry Bret take me past this cliff.
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Post by bretf on Sept 19, 2021 8:05:15 GMT -6
Hey, hope your arms are still keeping you up. Sorry Papa!
Chapter 41
Kevin stood still as a statue while trying to process what’d happened. Then someone grabbed him – Tammy? - pushing him back out of the kitchen. Tammy’s urgent orders sunk into his foggy brain. “Move, Kev! You’ve got to get out of here! Now!”
Trying to understand what was going on, he let her direct him slowly backwards. He was still in the entryway, with partial visibility of the kitchen when the room was illuminated by powerful beams of light shooting in through the windows. Something solid slammed against the window over the sink. Shards of glass flew inwards and a shotgun barrel protruded from the opening. People were shouting. They drowned each other out but he thought he heard “Freeze, don’t move”. As if he was capable of movement at the moment.
Tammy’s familiar voice close to him sunk into his muddled mind. “If you want to live, don’t move a muscle!”
Shaken out of his stupor, he looked at her, expecting to see his pistol aimed at his chest. Instead, Tammy held his pistol in a two-handed grip, aiming it across the room. She took slow, careful steps away from him. Just what was she playing at?
He looked to where Randall and his ilk were. After a moment of shocked hesitation, they didn’t seem to know about her either, they ignored the shouts to not move. For the second time that evening, his blood ran cold.
The thugs, One and Two, were both bringing pistols up in Tammy’s direction. Charley had a hand under his jacket in the place a shoulder holster would be located. And Randall was moving his pistol to bear on her.
Kevin swung his right hand around, the pocket pistol gripped tightly, thumbing the hammer back as he swung it. “Randall, it’s me you want!” he shouted.
Randall returned the aim at Kevin.
Kevin sighted on Randall’s chest and his finger tightened. And then, he hesitated, not squeezing the trigger strongly enough to slam the hammer down. Not causing it to strike the primer and ignite the powder. Not causing the explosive action that would drive the copper-lead projectile through Randall’s heart and end his pathetic existence.
At that critical moment, the old thoughts flooded his mind. What gives me the right to decide if a man lives or dies? I’m not God. It’s up to Him to make those decisions, not me. I can’t be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one. Only one being holds that right. Jesus preached forgiveness.
The gun was heavy in his hand and it was all he could do to hold it.
The room was filled with a cacophony of loud blasts as the others not having a mental debate fired.
The force of a bullet slammed Kevin back. The pistol fell from his hand as he collapsed to the floor. Gravity had never felt so strong but he slowly raised his head.
Randall, his shirt turning red, staggered across the room towards him. Randall’s lips moved but Kevin couldn’t hear a word. His ears rang from the concussive gunshots in the tight space. He saw his shotgun leaning within reach of his foot. Seconds earlier, he couldn’t shoot Randall. Could he now? He tried to kick it free as Randall slowly raised his pistol. The angle was off and he only managed to push the shotgun farther into the corner. Randall trained the muzzle squarely at Kevin’s face and his finger tightened.
Jack and Jill leaped from beside him, flattening Randall with their combined force.
For the second time in under a minute, Kevin’s world went black.
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 19, 2021 8:13:56 GMT -6
Bret flings me from one side of the cliff face to the other side of the cliff Thanks for the chapter.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 19, 2021 10:11:30 GMT -6
I'm going to have some really strong fingers after all this cliff hanging. LOL At least Jack and Jill got them some.
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 19, 2021 11:00:03 GMT -6
It has to be a small cliff or Kevin could bleed out from a long wait until the next chapter.
Unless Kevin is wearing body armor?
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Post by bluefox2 on Sept 19, 2021 11:51:43 GMT -6
Kevin needs to re think his decision making process otherwise he might not live through the next incident. I realize that may sound cold but if it comes down to me or the thug I like to think that I will survive and he wo or she won't.
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Post by ydderf on Sept 19, 2021 19:47:45 GMT -6
Thanks Bret, whew made it past the big cliff.
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Post by udwe on Sept 19, 2021 21:14:14 GMT -6
Wow!
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Post by bretf on Sept 21, 2021 16:53:57 GMT -6
Chapter 42
Kevin drifted in heavy fog. He had no clue whatsoever where he was but it was peaceful. He liked it. Was he in Heaven? Maybe. Randall had shot him. Then the killer staggered across the room to deliver the coup de grâce. Apparently, he’d succeeded. So maybe he was in Heaven, even though he didn’t believe he was worthy There was no sign of Randall, the thugs, Charley and Cindy. They certainly weren’t worthy. And no Tammy.
Tammy the enigma. What on earth was she up to? He’d admitted long ago he’d never understand women but Tammy’s actions ratcheted his confusion up to a whole new level. She left him more confused than any woman ever had.
He looked around, trying to see through the heavy fog. Jack and Jill weren’t with him, either. The realization was bittersweet. They were his companions, his family. He couldn’t imagine living without them. But he must not be living. He’d moved on. And they were still alive, hopefully. Janice, take care of them! They, they, …He couldn’t form the words in his head of how precious they were to him.
He drifted through the fog effortlessly. Could he escape those thoughts and the pain of being separated from his family? What are the rules here?
The fog began to clear and his eyes opened wide. Oh my God! It had to be Heaven! It was the only possibility and God was facilitating the encounter. That’s Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma, Grandpa. I can’t believe this. Oh, wow! I’ve been thinking of you a lot lately. I wished I could ask you all kinds of things about how you lived. I was trying to get set up like you were before we had all the technology and machines. No, wait. Don’t leave, not so soon. We haven’t talked. What do you mean? Who’s coming?
How could they leave so soon? There was too much to say. Especially how much he loved and missed them. He’d rarely if ever told them when he could. Now he could and wanted to. But where were they? He had to tell them. Where’d they go?
#
“Katie, get over here! He doesn’t have a pulse! Stuff something in those holes to slow the bleeding. I’m starting CPR!
“Damn you, Kev, don’t you die on me! I won’t allow it on my watch! Where’s that damn ambulance and paramedics?”
“They’re on their way. Now, take it easy. But what about you? You’re bleeding.”
“Take it easy? Take it easy? Damn it, Katie, we got him killed! And I can wait.”
“Okay, at least ease up on the compressions. Do you want to add broken ribs to his problems?”
“What’s it matter if he’s got broken ribs if I can’t get his heart going? Or you let him bleed out. Now, help me, damnit!”
#
Dad, Mom! Oh, thank you, Jesus, it’s so good to see you. Both of you, together. So, we are in Heaven? All of us together again? Yeah, Dad, I grew up. I wish you’d have been there for it. Maybe you’d have kept me from doing all the dumb things I did. I really needed you because I did a lot of dumb things. And I know I gave Mom a lot of heartburn and gray hair getting to this point.
Yeah, I guess. I suppose I turned out alright and I’ve helped a lot of kids and families. But look what it got me. Although, it let me see you guys. You, you’re not going to disappear like Grandma and Grandpa did, are you?
Good! I’ve really missed you, even if I didn’t know you, Dad, I still missed you!
#
“Stop CPR. I’m going to tube him. Easy, easy. Thank God his trach is clear. Dang, how many slugs did he take, anyway? Okay, just a bit more. Aaaand, there, I’m in. Inflate the balloon. Good, bag him. Resume chest compressions.
“Are you good? I need to get a line going if we’re going to save him. Hey, easy! I’m doing all I can, now continue compressions and I’ll get this going.
“Okay, it’s in. Billy, hold this bag. Jeff, let’s wire him up. Okay, stop CPR. No, I’m not going to shock him, he’s flat-lined, not in V-fib so it wouldn’t do any good; this isn’t TV. Resume CPR.”
#
Did I do wrong, Dad? I mean, should I have shot him? Jack Randall? It just didn’t feel right to take another man’s life. Not even him and I know he’s a rotten waste of flesh; a woman and child abuser.
Yes, I knew he was going to shoot me but I couldn’t pull the trigger when I needed to. You went to war and must’ve had to shoot people. How did you deal with it?
Huh. Well, I see your point, but it’s still hard for me to believe my life’s more important than someone else’s, even him. He was someone’s child, too, you know.
Well, yeah, he is, or was an adult and made his own choices.
Yes, he was the aggressor and came to me, so I guess you’re right.
No, I’m not sure. I think he was killed, too. Someone was with me and I think she shot him.
A friend? Wow, Dad, that’s a tough question and I wish I knew the answer. I honestly don’t know what she is.
Hey, hold on. Where’re you going? Dad, Mom, come back!
#
“Alright! We’ve got a weak pulse. Get the gurney over here. On my count; one, two, three. Good, get the straps. Billy, I want you with me. Nice job, ladies. Hopefully, you saved his life and we get him to the ER in time. And we can get him in with all the damned Covid cases flooding the place. Let’s roll.”
“Okay, now can I see how bad you were hit?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
“Well, you’ll live. It’s a through and through. But we need to get you sewed up. Can you drive or do you need Reynolds to take you?”
“I can manage. But help me get Jack and Jill. I can’t leave them here.”
“Good idea. We better grab their food and bowls, too. Do you want me to call Janice?”
“Naw, I’ll take them.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, now help me.”
“Okay. And call me when you hear anything about that hard-headed fool. I sure wish I could’ve talked him out of staying here.”
“You and me both, sister. Now let’s get his dogs. This hole is burning like crazy. And you’ve got a crap-load of work here.”
#
Mom, Dad, hey, where are you. Where’d you go? Grandma, Grandpa? Why’d you all leave? Mom, Dad, oh there you are. Why’d you disappear like that? Don’t leave me alone like that again. Please, I don’t know how this place works.
#
“Billy, he flat lined again. Begin chest compressions.”
#
Kevin drifted. And he didn’t only drift in fog; it felt like the fog had invaded his mind. Other than the brief periods he was with his parents, nothing made sense. Time had no meaning in the odd place. Whatever the rules of this place were, they were bizarre.
His mom and dad returned from wherever they’d gone, only to disappear again in the blink of an eye. Through the daze, he thought he saw Deputy Katie. And Tammy. It was hard to tell with them both wearing masks. Plus, he saw Walt. Janice. Even his children, Hannah and Noah. They flitted in and out like his parents. And his grandparents. He got to see them again, but they too were gone in a flash.
Though confused and wrapped in the mind fog, he decided he wasn’t in Heaven after all. Not when he saw Debbie. You’re too late, Debbie. I don’t have anything left to give you. You took everything but my life and Randall took it.
Shaking his head in dismay, he wondered, Who’s next, Randall and his group?
Once, he thought he saw Jack and Jill at a distance. They wouldn’t come to him. He looked around for his parents. Maybe they could reach the dogs for him. But they were gone. And so were the dogs.
He was in a very strange place.
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Post by 9idrr on Sept 21, 2021 18:25:32 GMT -6
Boy, you left me on a helluva cliff.
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Post by cavsgt on Sept 21, 2021 20:29:52 GMT -6
WOW You are the master. Once again you have set the stage for -----anything.
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Post by udwe on Sept 21, 2021 21:14:10 GMT -6
I'm faaalling off the cliff!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by arkansascob on Sept 22, 2021 8:35:16 GMT -6
Cliff or no cliff. That was one of the best chapters so far. You have always painted pictures with your words. This was more than a picture.
Thanks Bret
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Post by ydderf on Sept 23, 2021 3:34:53 GMT -6
I'm done commenting on cliff's. A big thank you Bret for your effort.
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 23, 2021 7:51:49 GMT -6
“You and me both, sister.
Tammy speaking to Katie – is this just 2 women talking to each other? Or are Tammy and Katie actually sisters?
Which would mean that Cindy, Tammy, Katie and Janice are all sisters with Randall as their brother.
Patiently waiting for the next chapter.
MOAR!
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Post by bretf on Sept 23, 2021 12:21:34 GMT -6
Thank you!
Before I post more of the story, I want to take the time to say “THANK YOU” to you, all my friends and readers. As is often the case with my stories, this one has been fluid, ever-changing from where I’d planned on taking it. Your comments caused many of those changes. When you’ve speculated about different things, often hitting the nail on the head for what I was thinking, it made me adapt. I didn’t want to be predictable, I wanted to keep you guessing if I could. Hopefully, I succeeded.
So, again, thank you all, and many of you need to pat yourselves on the back for helping direct this tale.
Bret
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Post by solo on Sept 23, 2021 12:30:12 GMT -6
Thank you!
Before I post more of the story, I want to take the time to say “THANK YOU” to you, all my friends and readers. As is often the case with my stories, this one has been fluid, ever-changing from where I’d planned on taking it. Your comments caused many of those changes. When you’ve speculated about different things, often hitting the nail on the head for what I was thinking, it made me adapt. I didn’t want to be predictable, I wanted to keep you guessing if I could. Hopefully, I succeeded. So, again, thank you all, and many of you need to pat yourselves on the back for helping direct this tale. Bret I picked up on this and stopped speculating.... HA HA! Thank you for sharing your huge talent with us. When you are rich and famous, don't forget us, the little guys!
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Post by iamnobody on Sept 23, 2021 13:10:15 GMT -6
I didn’t want to be predictable
You have succeeded VERY WELL!
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Post by 9idrr on Sept 23, 2021 18:28:39 GMT -6
Thank you!
Before I post more of the story, I want to take the time to say “THANK YOU” to you, all my friends and readers. As is often the case with my stories, this one has been fluid, ever-changing from where I’d planned on taking it. Your comments caused many of those changes. When you’ve speculated about different things, often hitting the nail on the head for what I was thinking, it made me adapt. I didn’t want to be predictable, I wanted to keep you guessing if I could. Hopefully, I succeeded. So, again, thank you all, and many of you need to pat yourselves on the back for helping direct this tale. Bret So, guesses can lead to story changes, huh? Will Randall survive just long enough for our boy to sue him for injuries? Does Kevin prevail in civil court and take possession of the bad guy's chain of strip clubs and massage parlors? Can we write me into the story to interview prospective new hires? Nah, with my luck, those businesses would likely be owned by the Gay Gladiators biker gang and they'd bump me off by the third paragraph. Never mind. PS Bret, I Know I still owe you a review.
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Post by bretf on Sept 24, 2021 8:52:29 GMT -6
Epilogue
“Kevin, c’mon, you’ve got to wake up.”
Kevin rolled away from the offending hand. He wanted to sleep and ride the dream he was in as far as he could. The dream world he’d been immersed in was very pleasant. But the hand wouldn’t allow it.
“C’mon, wake up, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart. He smiled and groaned as the dream vanished. “That was a good dream. I wasn’t alone anymore. I had a loving wife. She let me sleep in and brought me breakfast in bed.”
“Ha! So just what do you consider me? And the last year?”
Kevin smiled. “You’re better than a dream, darling. A lot better.”
“You too. But now you’ve gotta get up. Cindy has been calling and calling, wanting you to come and squeeze her teats.”
Kevin sighed and shook his head. “I never should’ve told you that story.”
“But it’s such a good one.”
“Whatever. But speaking of,” he said and raised his eyebrows, “she can wait and you’re right here.”
“Sorry, sweetheart. It’ll have to wait for later. I’ve got breakfast going. And even if you want it in bed, you’ve got to go do the deed with Cindy, first. She won’t let up until she feels your sweet caresses.”
Kevin chuckled. “I guess there’s no getting out of it, is there?”
“Nope, and just remember, you brought it all on yourself.”
Kevin sighed and got out of bed. The cat that’d been pressed against his legs let out a disgruntled meow at being disturbed, but settled back into the comforter. It was easier to rise than was often the case. Jack and Jill weren’t beside the bed to greet him, allowing him to rise without being mugged by flashing tongues. Following a trip to the bathroom, he dressed and went to the kitchen. His bride smiled and handed him a steaming coffee cup. He sipped and then set it down, only to have her hand him a bucket with warm water in it.
“On your way, now, and I’ll finish breakfast while you take care of Cindy. Oh, by the way, the neighbors invited us over for a barbeque this afternoon to celebrate our anniversary and them getting such a nice home.”
“Do you want to go do something just the two of us instead? This is the only first anniversary we’ll get,” Kevin said.
“Yeah, but we’ll get all the other ones after this. It’s an important day for them, too. Now get out there so we can eat.”
Kevin smiled and pushed the screen door open. Looking back, he saw Jack and Jill wouldn’t be joining him. Not when there was a chance of food falling from the breakfast prep. “Traitors,” he said.
He walked to the recently erected goat barn. Missy, his milk goat waited impatiently, her udder full. “Okay, girl, I’m here. But I’m starting to wonder if we need to rename you. My darling wife refuses to call you Missy. Ever since I told her a story, you’ll always be Cindy in her view.”
Kevin poured grain into the feed box, locked Missy-Cindy into the stanchion, and settled down for the morning milking. Or in his wife’s terminology, squeezing Cindy’s teats. As he did, he recalled the crazy events that’d transpired, ending with him being married.
#
Kevin slowly regained awareness. He was in a bed with tubes and wires running everywhere, all attached to or poking him. An out-of-view machine behind him made irritating noises, including clicks accompanied by a feeling of bliss. He wasn’t sure what it meant or where he was.
A woman appeared beside his bed, masked, and wearing hospital scrubs. She looked at the obnoxious machine, poked some buttons and caused it to whir, paused, and then leaned over him. “Welcome back, Mister Andrew. You’ve caused a lot of teeth-gnashing from our staff and your friends. It’s good to see you coming back to us.”
He tried to speak but couldn’t.
“It’s alright Mister Andrew. Now that you’re awake, we’ll pull that tube. But I have to tell you, your throat will feel pretty raw for a while. Now hang tough while I get the doctor.”
Hang tough? As if I can move. Kevin stared at the ceiling, trying to arrange his muddled thoughts. They wouldn’t come together.
The machine clicked and Kevin drifted.
#
The next time Kevin saw the nurse, that he was coherent enough to register anyway, she carried a newspaper. Turning it to face him, he saw a bold headline: FOUR KILLED IN POLICE SHOOTOUT.
“You’re famous. You made the front page,” she said.
“I wish I hadn’t.” Kevin studied the headline and thought. There’d been seven people in the house, that he knew of, anyway. Five thugs, him, and Tammy. “Who was killed, does it say?” His chest tightened. Was Tammy one of the dead?
The nurse turned the paper back and looked closely at the news story. “Okay, it appears it was three men and a woman.”
Kevin’s chest tightened more. The machine behind him made noise, indecipherable to him. “The woman? Who was she?” he croaked.
“Oh, let me see. Wow, she was a busy lady. She had several drug busts, both for using and delivering.”
Kevin recalled the night he’d been in The Watering Hole and witnessed Tammy selling dope. Damn, she was worse than I imagined. But why’d she do what she did when her family showed up? Realizing the nurse was still talking while his mind drifted, he said, “I’m sorry, I missed that part.”
“Then she had some arrests for prostitution. Yes, a very active lady. At the time of her death, she was working as a stripper and was suspected of selling dope in the club she worked at.”
He perked up. “Stripper?” he asked.
“Yes, and there’s a photo of her. She was a looker. She must’ve done well as a hooker and stripper both. Did you know her?” the nurse asked, turning the paper and showing Kevin.
It was Cindy, not Tammy. He breathed a heavy sigh. “A little. What a wasted life.”
“It appears so. And the men, now they were some real hard-cases. First class losers. They all had extensive arrest records and spent quite a bit of time in prison. And this one guy, man, prison sure didn’t rehabilitate him. It says he was killed on the very day he was released. His name was Jack Randall. The other two were Dwight Anderson and Robbie Thompson. Did you know them, too?”
So Randall was dead. Good! And the other two must’ve been Thug One and Thug Two. “We had run-ins. Does it say anything else about another woman, Tammy Brown? Or a guy named Charley?”
“It says two people suffered critical wounds. That would be you and Charley. I’ve seen him. Unless something unexpected happens, he’ll recover so he can spend the rest of his life in prison. But no Tammy Brown. It does say, however, that two officers received non-life threatening injuries.
“Also, the police are going to make a wide sweep of other people implicated in the drug ring.”
Kevin missed her last statement. He was stuck on the part of officers. Officer? Was Tammy an officer? The machine clicked. The feeling of bliss washed over him and his mind drifted into nothingness.
#
“Oh, Kev. Thank God. How’re you feeling?” Mindful of the IV tube in his wrist, Tammy grasped his hand.
“Tammy? What, I, where, why’s your arm in a sling? What’s wrong with your eyes?”
Tammy wiped the tears away. “What do you remember?”
“Randall,” he rasped. Staring at her, more came back. “And, oh, yeah.” His face fell.
It was hard to read her with the mask required by Covid protocols but her eyes showed pain. “I need to explain some things to you. How doped up are you? Can you think and process what I tell you?”
“I think so, but Tammy, you, him, Cindy?”
“Yeah. So first thing, don’t take any more of those pain meds than you absolutely have to. I know you’re tough, so please, limit them. If you don’t, prepare for me to kick your butt until you do. They’re highly addictive. That’s where this story begins.”
“Wait. Before you get into it, where’re Jack and Jill? Are they alright?”
“They’re staying with me. They’re fine.”
“But, but they never liked you,” Kevin said.
Tammy shot him a rueful smile. It was concealed by her mask. “You know, I wasn’t exactly fond of them either. I always told you I was a cat person. They lay on me at home and I must’ve smelled just like them to your dogs. But now that Jack and Jill have met the cats and we’ve spent quite a bit of time together, we’re doing alright together.”
“Really? You’re not just saying that?”
“Yes, really. Although, my cats have been giving me the cold shoulder since I brought them into our home and spending time with them. But now, my story. As I said, pain meds, specifically opiates, is where this all starts for me.” Tammy pulled a chair up to his bed and sat in it.
Kevin turned his head to see her better. And waited. Not as if he had a choice but he wanted, no, he had to hear her story.
“When I was in junior high, my parents were in a car wreck. They were hit by a drunk driver. Dad was killed and Mom was hurt bad. It took her a long time to recover, and by the time she did, she was addicted to opiates, the pain meds. She couldn’t shake them.” Tammy’s voice cracked at the end. She turned her head and wiped her eyes.
“I begged her to get help but she wouldn’t. So, enter the Randalls. The senior Randall at first, and later, Jack, Cindy. The dad was a dealer and he facilitated Mom’s problem when the doctor wouldn’t prescribe any more pills. He went from supplying her to moving into our house, bringing his two kids along. Jack was three years younger than me. Cindy, about two years younger than him. It was a living nightmare. Jack was evil from a young age and even worse when puberty hit. From the start, I was sure he was molesting Cindy, and she was so young. Then, he came after me.” Again, she had trouble completing the sentence, and tears ran down her face.
“One night, he busted the lock on my door. He molested me right there in my bed while my mom was in her bedroom, stoned. I knew I wouldn’t get any help from her, so as soon as Jack was gone, I threw some things in a bag. I pilfered what cash I could locate and snuck out. I went to the bus station and had just enough money to get to the town where my dad’s parents lived. Looking back, I know I could’ve gone to the cops, but then I’d have ended up in foster care. So I know I made the right decision for me because my grandparents were good, loving people. However, it allowed Jack to stay out of juvie.”
Again, she stopped and wiped her eyes. Lowering her mask, she took a tissue from her purse and blew her nose.
“Grandpa and Grandma took me in. They’d never warmed to Mom and weren’t surprised that she’d turned into an addict. I was a junior in high school then, and they insisted I finish school if I was living with them. Mom called once, one stinking time, to see if they’d heard from me. I don’t know if she didn’t care or cared enough she was glad I escaped, but I’ll never know. I never saw or talked to her again. She OD’ed not long after. I didn’t even go to her funeral. I was afraid of the Randalls.
“So, I finished high school. And the whole time, I hated them with a passion, them and their drugs, and everything about them. It simmered in me and I made a promise on Mom’s grave to get them, someday, some way.”
It was quiet in the room but for the noises from the machine Kevin was hooked to while Tammy regained her composure.
“I took the ASVAB, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test in high school. I scored well and was recruited. The Navy recruiter pretty much promised me with my scores, I could get into the Master at Arms force, the Navy’s policing unit. So I entered the Navy straight out of high school and went into law enforcement. And throughout my career, every dirtbag I busted, I imagined it was one of the Randalls. I never forgot and the hatred burned inside of me.
“Katie, you know, Deputy Johnson, and I were best friends in high school. We kept in touch over the years, swapping stories from our jobs. I was retiring from the service but not ready to fully retire. Katie said there was an opening here that I might be especially interested in. Then she told me about a suspected drug ring her department was investigating. I couldn’t get here fast enough.
“I’d done quite a bit of undercover work over the years, so since I was new to town, they got me on at The Watering Hole as my cover. I ‘happened’ to run into Cindy one day and fed her a story of how I’d been making ends meet by supplying users at every place I waitressed. She bought it all, and I was back in the fold.”
She wiped her nose and eyes again, looking for the right words. “And of course, that’s where I met you. I befriended you because I knew Cindy and Charley were buying the house beside you. I thought I might be able to hang out with you and keep a closer eye on them. You were just so convenient. And then,” she stopped and sniffed, blew her nose and wiped her eyes. “And then, when you quit feeling sorry for yourself, I came to admire you and was drawn to you. I knew it’d be a conflict with work but I couldn’t stop myself from falling for you. I tried to get you away from home anytime I knew they were up to something to protect you. And then I all-but got you killed.
“So, now you know my story and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
With that, she abruptly stood and rushed out of the room.
Kevin lay stunned from the revelation. A nurse hurried into the room. “Is everything alright, Kevin? Your visitor almost ran out of here.”
Kevin said, “No, everything isn’t alright. I want to talk about whatever dope I’m on that keeps sending me off to La-La Land.”
He didn’t see Tammy for several days, not until the day before he was to be released. She stood at the doorway and asked, “Can I come in, Kev?”
“Of course.”
She walked to the side of the bed and grasped the rail.
Kevin reached over and took her hand, squeezing gently. “That was quite a story you told me. I’m sorry the Randall family put you through it all.”
“Yeah, thanks, but they won’t do it to anyone else, now. So, are we good?”
“Yes. And well, I was drawn to you, too. Although, there were some odd happenings that made me doubt you,” he said. “And of course, my dogs didn’t like you.”
Tammy chuckled, “Oh yeah, your dogs. I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to share you with me. Plus, I don’t think they were ever around cats before and it was a pretty rough few days getting them all used to each other. I’m not sure if you remember me telling you, but my cats shunned me for days. Now, though, they all get along. Well, they put up with each other at least, just like a lot of families.”
“I’d sure like to’ve seen them,” Kevin said with a chuckle. “I’d bet it was pretty entertaining.”
“You could see them together, you know, every day,” Tammy said, giving him an intense look.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Kevin asked.
“Let’s quit beating around the bush with each other. I love you, Kevin. Let’s get married, here in the hospital, in the chapel.”
“You, you want to get married? To me?” Kevin asked.
“Yes, I do. We’ve already done the ‘till death do us part’ portion, and let me tell you, I didn’t like it, not one bit. But I want another shot at it following many years together. I want to do the ‘for better or worse and richer or poorer’ part with you, hand in hand all the way. We’ve already done the worse part. I can’t imagine anything we’ll face any worse than what we’ve been through. Now, I want the better, with you. You there for me and me there for you. You don’t like being alone and I’m tired of being alone.
“And by the way, I haven’t been sitting around while you’ve been laid up. With help from Katie, Janice, and her family, I’ve been taking care of your garden and chickens. We can and dehydrate everything possible, although we eat a fair amount fresh. I’ve gotten pretty good at preserving food and gardening and enjoyed it. Remember once, I told you I thought your ex was crazy to leave you like she did? I believe that more than ever. I like the life and want more of it. With you. Now that the Randalls are done, I’m tired. Tired of being around scumballs all the time. I need a new beginning. Hopefully, you’re ready for a new beginning. So, what do you say? Will you marry me or not?”
Kevin smiled. “I’d have to be crazy to refuse an offer like that. Well, crazier than I am anyway, so yes, I’ll marry you.”
Tammy lowered her mask and then bent down, their lips meeting.
When she straightened back up, Kevin said, “Wow! For once I’m glad Jack and Jill aren’t with me at the moment. I’d hate it if they’d interrupted that.”
Tammy smiled and lowered her head for another kiss.
#
Kevin stood and put away the T-stool, then let the goat loose. He walked out of the small barn and looked towards the neighbors’ house. He smiled and waved. “Hey Janice, thanks for asking us over.”
She waved back and called, “You’re welcome. And don’t bring anything except your appetites. I already raided your garden.”
He nodded and smiled. Jack and Jill came running from the house, looking longingly at the bucket he carried. He patted each, then turned to go to the house where his wonderful wife waited.
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 24, 2021 9:15:24 GMT -6
Bret - the ending was one I wasn't expecting. Thank you for sharing this story and for bringing me back from hanging on the cliff.
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