She wore green that night. A blouse in fact. It buttoned up and had a nylon feeling to it. It looked good on her. I wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, but I was too scared. In fact, I don't even remember what we were discussing because I was distracted by her smile, her eyes, her charm, her beauty. Although, one thing she said stuck with me. She told me she loved someone… who else could it be but me?
When we finished our meal, the waiter came over with fortune cookies. I put mine in my pocket for later. Stevie ate hers right away. The fortune said, "Love will surprise you. For good and for bad".
"I hate all this fuddy-duddy fortune cookie shit," she laughed.
"Fortune cookies were invented in California," I commented.
"I told you they were shit," Stevie snickered putting on her coat.
We headed out the door and she handed me £10,000 to take care of Frankie. She started walking across the street and something told me to run after her and tell her I loved her. So I ran to her. I noticed a blue car coming toward Stevie so I yanked her out of the road. As I dragged her away, a bullet just missed her head. Fearfully, she looked at me and I shoved her by the curb. Another shot was fired. As I charged toward the car, it zoomed away. I tried to race after it, but it was already gone. Luckily, I got the license plate and quickly wrote it down on a crumpled piece of paper in my pocket. Stevie peered at me with bulging eyes.
"It's okay. I got the license plate," I stated with slight relief.
I handed her the paper. She read it. Her hands trembled.
"No, no, no. This can't be."
"What is it?"
"River, get in the car and drive to my mum's."
We hopped in the car and sped to Bridie's house. When we arrived, I saw the blue Mondeo in the driveway. It was the same car and plate of the shooter. I looked over at her anxious face. She quickly got out of the car and headed for the front door. I rapidly followed behind her. She was about to knock on the door, but her hand unclenched and she put her ear to the door. I put my ear on the door as well. We were facing each other, giving each other nervous and horrified looks. I heard Bridie screaming at Frankie.
"Did ya do it? Did you kill her?" Bridie yelled.
"No, Mammy."
"Well why not?"
"I tried, but I missed and River pushed her aside and came after me. I bloody panicked and drove off. I'm sorry"
"What the feck were ya thinking? She was supposed to die! Now she's gonna know it was you! She knows your car, you dumbass. And she's still gonna ruin the family-again," she paused, "did they see you?"
"I don't know."
"Did they see you?"
"I said I don't know!"
"You damn fecking kid."
Silence.
Stevie stared at me with pleading eyes. Confused, I stood still. I heard Bridie say something about going out for a drink. Moving faster than light, I snatched Stevie's arm and threw her toward the car. Like shrews, we scurried into the car and I aggressively drove off before Bridie could see us.
For a few minutes we sat silently driving aimlessly. I wasn't sure if she wanted to go home, to work, I wasn't sure. Finally she spoke, "River, can I stay at your flat tonight?"
"Sure, sure."
"Thank you, River. Really, thanks."
When we arrived at my flat, I told her she could sleep in my bed and think things over. I slept on the couch. As I lay there, I thought about Stevie and how I didn't get to tell her I loved her. But now, with all that just happened, I realized I could lose her at any moment. I needed to tell her what she meant to me and quick.
Morning rolled around and we were in the car headed for work. We were coming from her flat where she changed clothes. Awkwardly, we sat in silence waiting for the other to speak. I chose to break the ice, "You're not going to turn the radio on?"
I had never ridden with Stevie without the radio on. If Stevie was in the car so was disco. But today, there was no music: no joy. She looked at me with this sad face, so unlike her. Again, we sat so quiet I could only hear the engine of the car. A manifest of Frankie sat in the backseat screaming, yelling, crying, telling me he wished the blood of his sister was spread all over the road. That her body was lying on the cold ground lifeless. I slammed on the break and yelled at Frankie, but he was gone when I turned around. Stevie didn't even say a word.
When we got to work, she sat at her desk and just stared at a picture of her and Frankie she had on her laptop. I knew I had to tell Chrissie about this. I explained everything to Chrissie and she marched over to Stevie.
"Stevie, I know you wanted to talk to me this morning. River told also told me what went down last night. Come. Come into my office and we'll chat about it together."
Stevie followed her and I behind Stevie. We sat in plain gray chairs in front of her desk. Ignoring me, Chrissie addressed Stevie.
"Stevie, you've been acting strange recently, you've been staying late, using police cars after hours, and now your family tried to kill you, what's going on?" Chrissie asked persistently.
"There are a lot of things you don't know about me. A lotta things you should know. Things that involve you."
"What are you talking about, Stevie?"
Stevie peered over with those same pleading eyes from the night before. Reaching to her, my clammy hand grabbed hers. She didn't flinch or move; she instead squeezed my hand. And that's when she told us everything. She told us about the sinister Michael, she told us about Frankie, about Judge Read and his affairs and his illegal court rulings, the illegal immigrants, she told us about everything.
"I have proof of it all, too. I've been working on this case since 2003 and it's all finally come together," Stevie said.
What was I supposed say to Stevie? Sorry you were raped and your son thinks he's your brother? Sorry that your family would rather have you dead than accept the truth? Sorry that your son tried to kill you? No. Nothing could be said to her. And what was I supposed to say to Chrissie? Sorry your husband has been having affair after affair? That he too will be arrested? Nothing could be said.
Both Stevie and Chrissie began to cry. They got up from their chairs and hugged.
"River, get your sodding ass over and hug us," Chrissie laughed through her tears.
So we stood there embracing one another. Grateful we were together and alive. Grateful for the comfort and friendship of each other.
Two and a half weeks later, Stevie was back at work and her family in jail. Chrissie filed for divorce. She said maybe if things had been different, she would have stayed with him, but something was telling her to leave him and stay here with the rest of our sad sorry department.
It was nearly 5:30 p.m. and Stevie was getting a Dr. Pepper from the vending machine. Smiling, she danced over to her desk. She smirked at me excitedly.
"I'm thinking banana milkshake and burgers. With extra cheese and no onions. Then afterward we can go sing a little karaoke… What do ya say?" Stevie enthusiastically said.
"Yeah, sure, but what about your diet?"
"Screw that diet shit and all that counting points shit. Oh! And River, you're gonna sing tonight!"
We walked to the car together in silence. I could tell she was hurt beyond that bubbly attitude. I didn't turn on the car for a minute or so.
"Come on, you nutter, turn the car on," she impatiently demanded.
"Why didn't you tell me, Stevie? Why didn't you come to me. I would have helped you."
"You were too busy talking to yourself to listen to anyone. In fact, I wonder if you even listen to yourself, nutty-nut-nut."
"I told you. I don't talk to myself."
"Screw you, Mr. Magoo," she laughed.
"Anyway, I just want you to know I'm sorry."
"For what? You can't change the past. You can only live in the moment and I'd rather have fun than be depressed about shit no one can't change."
"Okay. Burgers and karaoke."
We picked up the burgers and a banana milkshake. She sipped her milkshake and ate her burger. I ate a few fries and took a bite of Stevie's burger. I never understood how she could eat that.
At karaoke the options were "I Love to Love", "The Tide is High", "Mambo No. 5", or "I'm in the Mood for Dancing". Of course, Stevie picked her favorite song: "I Love to Love".
She sang until one in the morning. When we got in the car, she turned on the disco channel and sang the whole way to her flat. As I pulled to the curb beside her house, she turned the music down a few notches and looked at me.
"I had fun, but next time I want you to sing with me," Stevie demanded.
I looked at her staring for a few seconds before speaking. I was about to say something and I wasn't even sure what I was going to say.
"You know, the other night, I wanted to tell you something-"
"Tell me something and not talk to yourself, well you've made progress, Mr. Magoo," she interrupted.
"Stevie, I- I love you. I love you more than life and I thought you should know that."
Blinking, she looked and me and a smile crept across her face.
"I thought you'd never admit it. Kiss me, you nutter. "
She reached over and kissed me. It felt great to feel her lips pressed against mine. I waited nearly twenty years for this moment and it was worth the wait. She let go and smiled wider than I'd ever seen her smile before.
"I love you too, Mr. Magoo, nutter, nutty-nut-nut, loon, looney tune, lunatic, screwball," she teased, giggling like a little girl.
Cranking up the music, she yelled for me to sing.
So, for the first time since I was a boy, I sang. I sang loud. We sang together. Unaware where I was going, I drove away. Just driving next to the woman I loved.