Some decisions are ones you never want to make and I'm sure most of us have been in this same position at one time or another... Happy reading
Shadow Runner
***** ***** *****
Sandy had been awake, but still in bed, for about ten minutes. From her position, she could see out the window and into the backyard. A blanket of snow was beginning to form on the trees and bushes outside. The first storm of the year was early by about a month. Quietly, she rose from the bed, pulled one of the soft goose down quilts around her, and walked over to the windowsill.
The view outside was a serene and it never ceased to amaze her in the beauty of it all. The world, or at least her little part of it, had been transformed from the brown of fall to the white of winter overnight. She let her eyes shift and caught sight of her reflection in the glass.
Dark brown hair with eyes to match. Not a looker, as the guys sometimes put it about other women, but she could hold her own. At only five foot four she could be a force to be reckoned with, it tended to an asset in the police department. People underestimated her and it cost them dearly; any number of the punks she'd dealt with for the past three years could attest to that.
She looked back at the snow-covered scene. Her eyes wandered to the doghouse sitting against the far edge of the wall. Biscuit was in there with just his nose and front paws sticking out the dog door. The two-year-old German Shepherd never went in his shelter unless his life depended on it, so she figured it must be cold out for him to be in there.
She softly tapped on the window glass to get his attention. The animal lifted his head and his ears perked at once, but he did not leave the doghouse. The message was clear, 'It's cold out here, so unless there is food involved, I'm not coming out!'.
The dog was content to stay where he was, but she knew that attitude wouldn't last long. Eventually, hunger would overcome the cold and he would expect to be feed; the dog was a walking stomach. How David afforded to even feed him boggled her mind.
David.
The thought caused Sandy to turn around and look back at the bed. She was caught off guard by the fact that David was also awake. He had his head propped up on one elbow and she had the feeling he'd been looking at her for some time.
He had the heavy blue comforter pulled half way up on his chest, his light brown hair hung down into crystal blue eyes and he was one of the few people she knew who had a tan year round whether he was in the sun or not. Back in California it would not have been a big deal, but in Denver it was a different story. They continued to look at each other for a few more minutes; the silence was nearly deafening.
"And just what are you looking at?" she finally asked. His smile was becoming contagious so she had to make a conscious effort to keep a straight face.
"You." He replied casually, "Just trying to make eye contact. Why, is that a problem?"
"No, no problem at all. But there is a fine line between making eye contact and the piercing gaze of an ax murder." She paused for a moment, "Better work on it some. People are going to get the wrong idea about you."
David chuckled, "Hey, I resemble that remark. Come over here."
Sandy walked back to the edge of the bed and sat down next to him. He tilted back some and continued to look at her and soon the smile was replaced with a serious look, "How are you this morning?" he asked.
"Fine... hell, better than fine, great in fact. How are you?"
"You are beautiful." He replied softly.
Sandy looked away, a distant and sad expression coming over her face. She suddenly felt awkward sitting on the bed with him.
She'd known David ever since moving from San Diego three years ago. They had always been good friends, but the dating had only started a few weeks ago and last night was the first time she had stayed with him.
David reached over to touch her. He pulled at her chin so that she was again looking into his eyes. "It's true... and I'm not just saying that 'cause I'm lying here buck naked."
"Oh, thanks!" She gave him a scowl, "Is that an original line? You should write that one down so you don't forget it."
He gave her a smug look, "Made you laugh, and that was the whole point..." David's expression softened, "but you know I meant it. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."
Sandy reached over to him and he obviously thought he was going to be on the receiving end of a kiss, so when she smacked him in the head with a pillow it caught him totally off guard. They began wrestling and laughing on the bed. After a few minutes there was less wrestling and more holding going on.
He held her close and kissed her deeply as she ran her fingers through his hair gently.
Outside the German Shepherd was making his presence known to all by barking his head off. A clear indication if people were going to be up he'd best be fed.
David groaned softly, "Damn dog…"
Sandy smiled and pulled out of his embrace, "Better feed him before he chews a hole through the door…"
They got up, showered, and dressed. While David was feeding the dog, Sandy put on coffee and started buttering a piece of toast. She opened the Saturday paper, which was damp, but readable. Apparently the paperboy hadn't expected the early snow either.
"Damn, its cold out." She muttered as David returned from outside and closed the door behind him.
He gave her a mock smile as he stomped his feet to shake the snow from his boots, "Ya know it's no wonder you made detective so quick once you got out here. No minor detail slips past you."
"Ha ha." She sipped briefly at her coffee mug wincing as the hot liquid touched her lips, "So, what's the plan for today?"
He walked over and picked up a coffee mug from the counter and reached over to steal her last bite of toast. "I gotta to go in and finish up some reports but I was thinking," he paused for a moment to fill his mug, "since everyone is off tonight, we could go out to The Ranch."
The Ranch was a big country bar and restaurant and nearly dominated by local police, fire, and rescue teams. Sandy knew most the guys from work hung out there when off-duty and until six months ago, it had been a regular hang out for her as well.
Her last trip in there hadn't exactly been much fun and for intents and purposes she'd been avoiding the place.
David stared at her over the rim of the mug, "What do you think? Kelley says you hate us all, that's why you've been avoiding everyone."
Sandy smiled, "Please, we all went to the movies two days ago..." She took another sip from her mug, "I don't know David, after what happened in there, I'm not sure it's a good idea to go back just yet…"
He walked over and sat down across from her, "Don't you think it's time to let that go?"
She turned away from him, "You just don't know…"
He cut her off, "No, you're wrong. I do know, remember? I was there too."
She turned her head to look back at him. The pain she felt in her heart was reflected in his eyes.
He did know.
Sandy held his gaze for a few more seconds. Reaching over, she brushed some hair from eyes; her finger tracing a light scar above his right eye. Maybe he was right… maybe it was time to let it go.
She gave him a half smile, "What time do you want to meet over there?
***** ***** *****
For a Saturday night, the bar wasn't very crowded. The earlier snow had not been heavy, but it looked as though it would keep some away. Sandy smiled as she walked in through the massive double doors. It was good to hear Garth Brooks and the Judds at nerve deafening levels again.
They scanned the room and spent a few minutes looking for a table. Buster, David's best friend and partner at the Denver Police Department, found one in the middle area and the group moved to sit down as a waitress came over to take their orders.
"Evening all, what can I get ya?
Buster remained standing and placed a restraining hand on his girlfriend, Kelley, shoulders, "Here's the deal, majority rules tonight. Since there's three cops and one rescue puke, tonight is on you, Kelley."
"Think again…" She stood to point a finger in Buster's face, "Don't even think for a minute that I am going to be buying you drinks all night long. However, in honor of Sandy getting off her ass and back out here, where she belongs I might add, I will get the first round." She looked back at the waitress, "Coors Light for everyone."
"Good deal, I'll be right back." The woman jotted down the order and turned to leave, "By the way, welcome back Sandy. You're not going to start throwing things again are you?"
Sandy cringed slightly and murmured, "Thanks for bringing that up..."
"Blow it off Sandy…" Kelley moved from the table area and motioned for her to follow, "Come on, let's get something appropriate for dancing played…"
The waitress returned with the drinks just as they were turning to leave. "Hey, don't jet without paying!" Buster hollered.
"Don't worry, Buster." Kelley moved to walk away when Buster reached out and grabbed her hand.
"I love you, Doll."
She leaned over and kissed him, "I know." Then the two women moved over to the DJ's booth to see about getting some more music played.
David sat there shaking his head. He'd know Buster forever and never once seen him look at another woman the way that he looked at Kelley.
"You ever gonna marry that girl?" he teased.
Buster laughed, "Maybe one day… but as long as I'm a cop, she'll worry about me..." he paused to take a long drink from his beer, "I know, I know, she's Rescue and knows how the game works but still..."
"Come on Dude, you two have only been together since the beginning of time, why else would she be with you if she didn't love you?"
"I think she likes the cuffs." Buster shot David a harsh look, "If you tell her I said that, you are a dead man! Savvy?"
If that statement had come from anyone else, David might have laughed, but Buster was a good friend combined with the fact that he was also a small mountain of muscle and could rip a person's arm off without even thinking about it.
"Yeah right," David teased, "Drink your beer, you freak."
"How's it going with Sandy? Buster inquired.
"You know I've always liked her but with everything else that's was going on... the timing was never right." David took a long swallow from his beer and looked over to where Sandy was still standing at the DJ booth. "It's looking better…. But with all she's been though, I don't want to screw this up."
"Never happen Bro, not you," Buster waved at the bar for another round, "you've always been there for her no matter what. That's what counts."
***** ***** *****
The night was going well Sandy thought and so far she'd felt none of the anxiety that she had expected. They spent the night laughing and carrying on, and even David went out and danced which was a miracle in its self. By eleven o'clock the place was pretty much packed and they all had a good buzz going. Around twelve-thirty, Buster wanted to do dance and since Kelley was off doing God knows what, Sandy went out with him.
It wasn't until they were coming off the floor that she realized there was about to be a problem. She had been hoping against hope the weather had kept him away, but there he was bigger than life.
At 5 foot 11 inches tall and 240 pounds of nearly solid muscle, Michael was a little hard to miss--even in here. Dressed in blue Levi's and a black turtleneck with the gold seal of the Denver fire department on the upper right breast, he still looked good.
He was looking right at her and once he had made eye contact with her, started to walk over. Quickly, she turned back to Buster in order to get him back out on to the dance floor. This was neither the time nor the place. The problem was that Buster was clearly not up for more dancing,
"Girl, what are you doing? Don't you usually slow dance with the guy you came with and not his best friend?" He suddenly recognized the look on her face. He'd seen it too many times not to realize what the problem was and instant anger took over, "Where is he?"
By this time Michael had reached them, "Hello Sandy, I thought you'd never get off the floor, but then, you always did like the slow ones. I've been looking for you all night."
Kelley suddenly came bounding up behind them, "Dudes, check it out, guess who is here…" She quickly pulled back as she realized they already had a good idea who was there, "Never mind I see you already know."
Buster leaned over and whispered in Kelley's ear and she was gone in a flash since Sandy barely even acknowledge her presence in the first place. She was still in shock, and before she could even get the words out, Buster spoke them for her. Not quite as tactfully as she would have put them, but it was the question on her mind.
"What the fuck are you doing here Little Man? Shouldn't you be out fanning a flame or something?"
Sandy cringed slightly. Buster never was one for small talk, or an even temper for that matter. This was not good, not good at all.
"Officer Buster, soooo good to see you too. Arrest any jaywalkers lately?" Michael smiled a humorless grin, "Is it against the law for me to be in this public establishment?"
Buster took a step forward just as David walked up with Kelley from the side. He put his hand on Buster's shoulder and pulled him back, "Let it go man..." He then let his attention be drawn to the man in front of him and nodded slightly, " Hello Michael."
"Hello David…. How's the head?"
David scarcely flinched but Sandy caught it none the less and knew he was struggling to control his anger, "Fine. How's your jaw?"
"Well this is just great, just like old times. We should all get together and do this again real soon." Sandy said as she pulled the group apart. " It was lovely seeing you, Michael… Come Dave, let's go."
"Sandy, hold it." Michael called out, "I want to talk to you."
He reached out and took her by the arm to pull her back by him. David saw the movement, whipped around and grabbed Michael by the shoulder to shove him back, "Not a good idea, she is with me."
"David," Michael gave him a smug look and murmured, "That doesn't mean she'll be leaving with you…"
That one comment was all it took to provoke Buster as he grabbed Michael by the shirt and pulled him close, "Oh I think it does…"
"You got something in mind?" Michael questioned darkly.
"How about I start by kicking your ass right up to between your ears?" Buster responded through clenched teeth.
"You are hardly worth the effort…"
David reached over and pushed Buster out of the way, "OK, how about you and me Pretty Boy? Maybe getting your ass kicked again by me is a little more you're speed."
Sandy had no doubt how a fight between these two would go. Michael had size but David had speed. Michael would swing, David would swing back, Michael would swing again, and Buster would jump in and shoot Michael.
Not exactly how she and pictured the evening ending, but a fair guess at this point since, with the exception of the shooting, she'd seen it before between the two of them. "Both of you stop it right now! Damn, it's like the whole thing all over again…" Sandy turned to Kelley, "Get Buster out of here before this get out of control!"
She turned to David and pulled him over to the side, " Let me talk to him, I'll be right back. I promise."
David looked down at her and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, "Do not let him do this to you again."
"Hey, I came here to be with you." She kissed him lightly on the lips before she turned back to Michael.
"You're dating him now?" Michael watched as David walked back to the table where Kelley had Buster in a chokehold to prevent him from butting back in and shook his head. "Really Sandy, you can do so much better…"
She cocked any eyebrow at him, "You mean like you?"
"Yeah."
"Well I guess there really is no accounting for taste is there..." she murmured.
"Ouch, that hurt. But I probably deserved it. Truce?" He waited until she nodded her head in agreement, "Good, come on lets go and talk."
They found two chairs and spoke for a bit about friends and other people they both knew, how the job was, when was she going to try and go back to San Diego to see family. Finally, after a few minutes of small talk, Sandy was growing leery of the conversation and decided it was time to cut to the chase, "What do you want, Mike?"
"I wanted to see you. I went by the station but they said you were off. I was gonna go by your place but I saw your truck here and figured I'd take my chances."
Sandy remained guarded, "Fine, you've seen me. What do you really want?"
"You." He took her hand in his own and kissed it softly. "I want you back. I was stupid to throw it away five months ago. All that bullshit about needing time was wrong. I realize now when I was with you I was happy and I want you back in my life."
Sandy sat in a stunned silence. They had made plans to marry the following summer, so when he told her he wanted to postpone the wedding she questioned why. He'd told her it wasn't that he didn't love her; he just wanted some space so she agreed to wait until he was ready.
Eventually she found out the real reason was that he wanted to see other women and was livid over it. They had broken up and it wasn't pretty. A rather large argument ensued and ended in Sandy throwing a drink, not to mention the glass, at Michael one night at the bar.
He jumped up and went to grab her, but David stepped in and told him to let it alone. Michael got angry with him for 'butting in' and shoved him back. The fight was on from there but ended when Michael hit David on the head with a beer bottle but not before David got in a few good shots of his own.
David received seven stitches that night and Michael almost had his jaw broken when Buster jumped into the fray. It was rather sad because all three had been pretty good friends prior to this. It was a bad scene all around….
But that was then.
"I'm dating David." Sandy replied tightly.
"I don't care. I still love you."
That statement made her snap. "Have you lost you mind? You blaze in here after months and expect me to just drop what I'm doing just to be with you?! Do you know how long it's taken for me to get over you and what you did to me?!"
He started to respond but she cut him off before he could speak, "Really Michael, tell me, what am I supposed to say to this now? You broke up with me. You asked for the ring back, remember? And another thing it's been six months since we broke up, not five. Get it straight."
Michael just looked at her. "I know you have every right to be pissed and I'm not saying take me back and marry me tomorrow but I think I deserve a second chance.
"You have got to be kidding…"
"You owe it to me and yourself."
The bartender was just making the call for last drinks. Sandy couldn't believe it was almost two a.m. as it felt so much later. Michael stood up and looked at her, "Can I give you a ride home?"
"No, I have my truck here." She shook her head sadly, "Michael, I cannot believe you even think I would want to discuss this."
"I think you do. Can I come by tonight? Have a cup of coffee with you and at least talk more?"
Sandy looked over to the table where David and the others were. All three looked like they were ready to come over and rip Michael's arms off. She nodded to them indicating she was fine and that she'd meet them out side and watched as they left the bar. She felt as if her head had some how become detached from her body. Michael had a way of doing that to her… even after five… no… six months.
"I'll think about it." She said softly.
"OK, it's a start, and that's a good thing."
"Michael..."
"Not to worry, I'm not pushing." He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek, "Give me a call if you want to talk."
***** ***** *****
As Sandy walked through the nearly deserted parking lot, she could see David and Kelley shoving Buster into the passenger seat of Kelley's blazer. Buster was still trying to get loose and most likely had every intention of going to find Michael in order to continue the earlier altercation.
David turned as she approach and started toward her. He pulled her to him and allowed her to slip her arms underneath his jacket. Buster used the distraction to try and make his escape and opened the door. David shifted slightly and kicked it shut before Buster could get his leg out.
"You OK?" David inquired cautiously.
"Yeah…" she said softly.
Buster quickly realized they weren't going to let him out of the vehicle and rolled down the window, "How did it go with super dope?" he called out.
Sandy remained quiet. She was thinking about how good it felt to be in David's arms when Kelley walked up. "Hey kiddo, what'd the jerk have to say?"
Sandy disengaged herself from David's jacket but kept her arms around him. "Not much, just wanted to talk."
Kelley gave her a sympathetic smile, "Well folks, I got to run and get this big ape home before tries to climb out the window…" She turned and walked around to the driver's side door, "I'll catch you both later. Have a good night."
As Kelley drove off, David starting walking Sandy to her truck. He took her hand in his and pulled her near to look into her eyes, "I know that look…"
"What look?"
"He's pulling a brainer on you. What? Does he want you back?"
Sandy pulled back in surprise, "What makes you say that?"
"I know you... and him." He gave her a rueful grin, "Listen I'm not gonna push you on this, you already know how I feel about you. There is nothing more in this world that I'd rather do right now than take you home with me, if only to have you wake up in my arms but I can't tell you what to do. You have to listen to your heart. It's the only thing you can trust."
He gave her a soft kiss on the head, "I tell you what, if you decide that you want company, or just want to talk tonight, give me a call. I'll be over in a hot second."
Sandy smiled. "OK, I'll call you. Now give me a kiss the right way..."
***** ***** *****
Sandy felt like the drive home was the longest one in history. By the time she got home, she was nearly freezing and her brain was turning flip-flops. She walked in and turned the heat up and went to change out of her boots and jeans. Once that was done, coffee was the next item on the agenda.
As she was waiting on the coffee to perk, she started going over the past few hours in her mind. Slowly, she walked back into the kitchen and pulled a mug down from the shelf and filled it with the rich coffee.
The coffee was a gift from David, French Roast, her favorite. Did it mean something? Well, if it did, the mug was from Michael.
Great,
she thought to herself, now I'm analyzing coffee. Where are the inkblots when you need them?She walked around her apartment looking at the pictures on the walls. Some were from her days with the San Diego Sheriff's Department but most were of Colorado. Ski trips, mountain climbing, camping, and of course the ones from both the police and fire department.
It suddenly occurred to her that David, Michael, and sometimes both, were in each and every one of the Colorado photos. They had all been so happy back then, and she wondered what had happened?
She smirked to herself, Well that much should be obvious. Considering the way she and Michael had broken up, it had obviously driven a wedge between him and David.
How do you choose between two people you love?
With Michael she had a past, and the truth was, she still did care for him, in spite of everything that happened.
With David, she had the comfort of knowing that he would always be there for her no matter what. He knew her better than anyone ever had… and she cared deeply for him as well.
She thought that if the two of them could have been combined into one person, the result would have been the perfect man. But since that wasn't going to happen, a decision had to be made and she knew she couldn't play both ends against the middle.
She looked from the pictures over to the bay window of the apartment. Outside it was beginning to snow again.
Slowly, she walked over to the sofa and sat down. This was not an easy decision to make, but in her mind she knew the choice was already made. The phone sat on the coffee table and she picked up the receiver and dialed a number.
One ring...two rings...a third.... click
"Hello?"
"Hi, it' me..."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AUTHORS NOTE: Ok who did she call because I'm not sure either…. J