“What’s wrong?” Toni asks as her hand splays across the car door, fingertips pressing onto the glass, mingling with the dog’s nose’s smudge marks, kid fingerprints and the thin film of carbon monoxide remaining from the few cigarettes Henry and I steal on our solo drives now and again. She pushes her sunglasses up on her forehead.
“I know this sounds weird,” I begin as I swivel my head back and forth squinting at the vertical and horizontal lines that crisscross a multitude of times a few hundred feet away. “But I’ve dreamed about this intersection so many times, only that in my dreams, it commingles with a similar maze I drove all the time out in California that now I’m lost.”
Toni laughs. It’s one of those laughs that no matter how upset you are, you can’t help but laugh too. And the laughter continues, leaving you breathless, holding your ribs or, in my case, crossing your legs in hopes you don’t wet yourself.
“Okay, okay, okay,” I suck in the air as I roll down the window hoping the breeze will help. She tries to stop, holds in a few giggly chuckles, and then bursts out laughing again. Neither of us notice the car that’s pulled up behind us and it’s not until I see the gentle swagger of his hips ensconced in a loose fitting belt that I suddenly sit up, look in the rearview mirror and see the black and white sedan parked behind us off on the shoulder.
“Having trouble?” His voice filters in through my window. Toni leans onto my lap and looks up.
“She’s lost,” Toni offers. “Either that, she’s been sleep-driving.”
“Toni!” I screech as I push her away. She giggles.
“I see. You ladies haven’t been smoking marijuana now, have you?”
“No” I say quickly shaking my head, my dark, red curls swishing back and forth, as they tumble forward. “I’ll even prove it. Give me a bag of Doritos and see if I can’t resist.”
I ignore Toni’s giggles.
He crouches down and I’m staring at the most incredibly gorgeous face I’ve ever seen in person. I take a breath because even more strange, he’s the face I’ve been haunted by in my dreams. It’s surreal.
“So what seems to be the problem?” He asks as he pulls his shades off.
“I’m a bit confused. I haven’t been in this area for—well, for a very long time. Frankly, it looks a lot like one of the areas I used to drive almost daily in California.”
He nods.
“It just so happens our highway planning director is from California,” he says with complete and utter sincerity. Toni bursts out laughing, slaps my arm, which apparently is directly connected to my funny button because I laugh too. The officer smiles.
“So where are you funny ladies headed?” He asks.
“Honeywell Drive, specifically.” I’m prepared to tell him what area, but he says: “Outside of Jackson, just before Rives Junction?”
My mouth opens as my jaw feels like it’s suddenly filled with a good fifteen pounds of lead which may be nothing to a bench pressing momma—a feat I’m proud to have accomplished in gross determination to shed and keep –shedded—but the jaw isn’t one that, blessedly, is exercised in such manner, although my husband—rather, ex-husband—would have loved to had seen.
“How is it you happen to know?” I ask. Toni slaps me again.
“He’s a cop for Chri- Pete’s sake.”
“I know that, but this is Kalamazoo,” I retort.
He laughs, drawing our eyes towards him.
“I’m from that area,” he explains. “Used to live on Honeywell as a matter of fact.” I look at his nametag but it doesn’t ring any bells. He notices.
“My mother remarried when I was fourteen. He—my step dad—adopted us. You’re Charlotte Grayson, right?”
I nod, dumbfounded.
“Charlie,” Toni corrects. He frowns.
“I go by Charlie now,” I say. His frown fades as he smiles.
“We used to call you Spider,” he admits. I roll my eyes. Toni never heard that story about that part of my past and immediately sinks her teeth into it.
“Spider?” She laughs. “She hates spiders!”
“Charlotte’s Web,” I reply dryly.
“Oh my,” she stops, suddenly somber. “That was such a sad book.”
“So – who are you anyway?” Toni asks.
“Oh! Sorry. Yes, I’m Richard Blankenship”
“You didn’t go by Richard, though, did you?” I ask, still unable to dredge up a recollection.
“No,” he shakes his head. “Dick.”
His voice is quiet and it takes a moment for me to even process what he has said. Toni’s leaning over, pushing her double D’s into my arm.
“What?” She says.
“Dick,” I repeat. “Dick Blankenship. Yes, I remember. Geez, and you gave me grief over my nickname? A lot of nerve, bub!”
He laughs softly.
“Long time ago,” he pats the door twice. “Tell you what, I’ll lead you to your road, then you can take it from there.”
“Okay,” I nod as I flex my fingers over the steering wheel.
“Visiting family?” He asks.
“Looking at a house,” I reply.
“Really? You’re moving back?”
“Yeah,” I nod as I squeeze and release the steering wheel. “I’m staying with my aunt in Battle Creek until I get settled.”
“Starla and Jake Felter?”
“That would be them,” I nod.
“Tell them hello for me will you?”
“Sure,” I nod. He claps the side again and pushes off toward the cruiser. Toni flips down her visor and peers into the vanity mirror as I watch the rearview.
“Nice ass,” she says.
“Tell me,” I reply.
“He’s not married,” she nudges me.
“How do you know?” I’m shocked.
“No ring.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” I say as I turn the engine over and settle it into gear, foot clamped down tightly on the brake. “I happen to know for a fact cops won’t wear rings.”
“Oh. To keep their wives out of harm’s way?” She says with a nod. I shake my head.
“Nope. Because of badge bunnies,” I reply as I watch the cruiser enter traffic from my side view mirror. I slip into gear and ease onto the accelerator as I gently release the clutch.
“What?” She looks at me sternly. I follow Richard out onto the freeway taking delight the traffic has purposefully given wide berth to our entrance.
“If some hot chick’s looking to get out of a ticket, sees he hasn’t got a ring, she’ll come on to him. Some of the guys take full advantage.”
“Really? I’ll be damned,” she stares out the window. “I’ll have to remember that.”
We laugh again.
Author’s Note: “Charlie, The Angel” is a current novel I’m working on. Portions of the novel will be published here in hopes of having folks like yourself read it and offer comments. Constructive criticism is always welcome and helps me as I forge ahead with my dreams, goals and aspirations. Thanks! K