Chapter Four
They sat down opposite each other, and Kate smiled as she watched him stare at her for a few moments. She gave credit where credit was due; he did spend at least some of that time looking at her face.
Well, maybe she couldn't blame him. The goods were a little on display; given the heat she'd chosen to wear a new vest top with a scoop neck that had proven unexpectedly low. And since her last afternoon now seemed to be taking on a more interesting direction, Kate was prepared to suspend a few feminist principles for the next hour and cut him some slack; in fact she was starting to find it hard not to laugh. She let it go for a few seconds, but finally felt she should interrupt when he took a swig from his beer bottle without even shifting his gaze from them. "No tricks, I'm afraid."
"Huh?" Merle looked up, a slightly startled look in his eyes. She couldn't help grinning.
"You were staring so hard I thought you were expecting them to perform a trick, like... I don't know… talk or something. And they haven't spoken yet."
He looked at her warily for a moment, as if trying to work out if she was annoyed. Then he gave that deep chuckle again and winked at her. "Can they juggle?"
He shocked a gasp of laugher from her. "Not that they've told me! Though they might have been giving me the silent treatment all these years… which incidentally is what you'll be getting unless you look up, tough guy." Kate tried to look disapproving, but as he didn't appear to be at all chastised she was pretty sure she was failing miserably. Still, at least now he was looking her in the face.
"Alright, ya got me. So ya gotta name, darlin'? Or shall I jus' call ya Limey?"
"Oh no! Not Limey, surely you can think of something better?"
"Sugartits?"
She shot him a narrow look, but his raised eyebrows and widening grin suggested he had meant it as a joke, so she played along. "Well, by remarkable coincidence my name is Katherine, which roughly translates from the Ancient Greek for 'she of the awesome bosom', so why don't you call me Kate like everyone else and we can endeavour to steer the conversation towards something other than my boobs?"
He took another quick gulp of his beer. "Up to you, darlin', but I call that a damn shame. Them things ya got there are worth talkin' 'bout."
She leaned forward slightly, and joked, "Talk? A man like you, I'm surprised that's all you can think to do with them." She was slightly shocked when she saw his eyes darken, and his stare become more intense. She leaned back quickly. Whoa, obviously came out a little stronger than intended. Rein it back there girl, rein it back…
"And your name was something beginning with M? Sorry, I didn't catch it."
"Merle." He was still looking at her like she was meat and he was hungry.
"Ah, like Merle Haggard?" That seemed to throw him off track and ease the tension a little, as he frowned slightly. Okay, wrong thing to say apparently, but how many famous people are called Merle?
"Sure. Well, Katie," he continued, "how come ya hanging out here in Georgia, 'stead a drinking tea wit' tha Queen?"
"Oh, Liz was busy, so I thought I'd take a little personal time." She smiled to let him know she was joking, since she had actually met people who thought everyone from England knew the Queen. "No, actually my friend and I thought we'd do a bit of hiking, see a bit of the South. You know the drill. I've only been to New York otherwise, so I thought it would be interesting to see a very different part of the States."
His eyes narrowed. "And?"
He said it abruptly, which Kate found a little odd; however, she saw no harm in telling the truth. "I loved it. The woods and mountains were just beautiful, and the people are nice…at least," and she winked conspiratorially at him and shot a significant glance in Cheryl's direction, "once they realise you aren't a Yankee."
He smirked. "Yeah, ya Yankee talkin' don't go down real well here in Georgia." He looked to be considering her again. "How come ya in a place like this by ya'self? Y'all mentioned a friend; where they at?"
"Please, I've been in worse! I didn't even have to step over a chalk outline." He huffed what might have been a laugh and she continued. "Anyway, my friend decided to wait in the hotel lobby for the bus to take us to the airport. She's a bit nervous about being out and about with all this talk of an epidemic." He seemed to be smiling again at that, and she decided there was no harm in asking what he knew. "I don't suppose you've heard anything about what's going on exactly?"
"Shit, I ain't heard nothin' more than's on tha news. Heard some crazy stuff tha other day, people eating each other an' shit like that."
"What the fuck? You're joking, aren't you?" Kate was startled; since they were leaving neither her nor Shereen had listened to the news last night. He was still half smiling, but for a moment she thought his eyes shadowed faintly.
"Hell no! Tha's why my brother'n I are heading tha fuck outta town…"
"Out of Atlanta? It's happening here now…?" Kate was worried now. Christ, maybe I should head back to the hotel and wait…
"Naw darlin', don't get cha panties inna bunch." He reached across the table and lightly clasped her wrist before sort of patting her hand with his in an awkward gesture of comfort. Kate was quite touched, figuratively as well as literally, as he didn't seem the sensitive type. She glanced at his large tanned hand on her pale one, and absently noted that although his hands were warm and dry, they were a little rough.
"Atlanta's fine," To her surprise, he left his hand over her own, "I ain't a city boy. My brother an' I, we live out a ways in the hills, a little town 'bout 40 miles out. We're gonna pack our shit up an' head out ta our old huntin' grounds in tha woods, stay there until it blows over."
She felt a little calmer, but decided to change the subject anyway. "So… you hunt? I'm impressed, I don't really do survival stuff like that. I mean, it's not really life or death in London. Unless it's rush hour of course…" He looked a little puzzled; maybe he didn't get that last joke. "What do you hunt?"
"Whatever's around. Mostly rabbits, deer when i's in season, squirrel if tha huntin's bad…"
"Squirrel? Really?"
His eyes got that hard look again. "Yeah," he said shortly. Once again she wasn't sure if somehow she was on the verge of upsetting him; he was a bit temperamental, to say the least. She wondered if he thought she was going to react badly to him eating squirrel. Merle, my good man, you do not know who you're dealing with…
"I've never had it, though I've eaten a lot of rabbit which I suppose is quite similar to squirrel. I had guinea pig once but… hmm, no I think I was probably closer with rabbit. What would you say it tastes like?"
His jaw dropped, and he was staring at her in amazement. "Y'all ate guinea pig?"
"There's no need to look at me like I got up in the night and ate the family pet. I was in Peru and it was on the menu in this little restaurant, and I like to try new things and I thought, 'Well, why the hell not?" He was still staring. "So…still waiting to hear what squirrel tastes like?"
"Kinda like chicken. Bit more gamey though." he finally said, giving her a dubious look.
"Disappointing, but to be expected. Everything tastes like chicken apparently. I wonder if it means we're in the Matrix? I'd still like to try it though."
The perturbed look faded, and was replaced by a slightly cautious grin. "Mebbe we'll get some squirrel stew in ya before ya leave." He snorted, "Goddamn though, woman, fuckin' guinea pig!"
Kate laughed, and took the opportunity to slip her hand out from beneath his warm one, ostensibly to grab her beer and tip it at him, "Well, if guinea pig weirds you out, I won't tell you some of the other stuff I've eaten on my travels. You'd run away."
"Hell, I prob'bly would at tha'!" he grinned.
"Ha! And I thought you were a tough guy!" she threw back at him.
"And I thought ya was high class, but ya wandering 'round eatin' fuckin' pets!" he shook his head, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.
"Hey, don't judge me, O Slayer of Squirrels!" They were both chuckling now; maybe the alcohol was kicking in. "Honestly, I'm really very nice once you get to know me! I'm starting to think it's a shame we won't get to know each other better."
"Yeah? Why ya say tha'?" Something in his face shifted, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what.
"Umm… well because my bus will be here within the next 40 minutes, max. And somehow you don't strike me as the pen pal type."
"Can't argue wit' tha', darlin'. Still, I'm thinkin' tha' gives us more'n enough time ta get better acquainted…" She was about to ask what exactly he meant when his hand slowly slid back onto to hers. She looked up, and his eyes were fixed on hers, the blue colour somehow deeper and more intense.
Err… hang on, what's happening now…?
"Listen, darlin', I'm waitin' now on a… well, call him a business acquaintance; should be here any minute. But after tha', how's about me an' you take a little bathroom break together, if ya know what I mean?"
I'm so sorry, wha…?!
"I's quiet in here," he continued, taking her silence for assent, "an' people know me; they'll know better than ta bother us. An' don't cha worry about nothin', ol' Merle'll do ya right…"
Do me WHAT?!
Kate just stared at him, the neutral smile that had served her so well in confusing or dodgy situations in various parts of the world still pinned to her face; she was too stunned to reply. She'd been hit on before, of course she had, but this was just so blunt, so…so… well, so in your face! And his confidence that she would agree was astounding! Had she really come across like that? She opened her mouth to speak, though she wasn't exactly sure what was going to come out of it …
Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her, and felt a presence loom over her shoulder. Merle had noticed too, and she was amazed at how quickly his whole demeanour changed. He slid back into his chair, moving one hand to his knee and keeping the other still clasped around his beer, apparently relaxed. However, she could feel the change in atmosphere, the tension that suddenly existed.
My brain can't cope with much more of this, she thought faintly…
"Garza," said Merle evenly, "can't believe ya on time fer once."
Kate chanced a glance over her shoulder. A tall Hispanic man was standing beside her, dressed in a white wife-beater and cargo pants. He was quite young, with long hair and a long face which wasn't quite good looking. He was covered in tattoos that went all the way up onto his neck. She couldn't read Spanish, but she was pretty sure some of the stuff written over him would ultimately translate as trouble.
"Can't be wasting time these days man," he said, his voice faintly accented, "too much weird shit going down." He glanced down at her, and somehow his cold eyes running over her figure made her far more creeped out and uncomfortable than Merle's fixed stare had. Garza seemed to dismiss her and turned back to Merle, who was watching him with an angry frown. "You doing business or you doing bitches?" He shot another quick glance her way "Or maybe you're doing both, but I ain't got all day, cabron."
Hey, did he just imply I was a prostitute…?!
Merle stood up slow. Even though Garza had an inch or two on Merle, Kate saw him tense, and she didn't blame him. Jesus, Merle looks fucking lethal… Merle spoke again in that same low, controlled tone.
"Y'all go wait fer me in tha men's room. I ain't doin' business wit' cha out here."
Garza jerked his chin in assent, and went round the bar and through the door. Merle didn't take his eyes off him for a second. Out of the corner of her eye Kate could see that Cheryl was scowling but apparently unsurprised. Obviously this was not the first time this kind of thing had happened in here.
Well done Kate, said the voice of Shereen in her head, now you're in the middle of a drug deal with a guy who thinks you're going to shag him in the Gents.
Unless you're going to give me some helpful advice, shut the hell up, Kate thought back, still slightly dazed by the situation.
Oh no, you don't attract crazy people, not you… mocked the voice of Shereen.
Merle turned back to her, and though he was clearly still on edge, he gave her a smile. "I won't keep ya waitin' long, darlin', but business before pleasure. Won't be more'n about 10 minutes, then I'll come get cha, so keep it warm for me, ya'hear?"
She stared at him, completely immobile, and fragments of random thoughts collided in her mind with what she should be saying. No way… I'm sure you're very nice but… argh, I need to lose the smile... in the toilets? in this place? eww… must be going, bus to catch…I'm not that kind of girl … oh my god this day has taken such a weird turn…
Unfortunately, those things seemed to collide in her mouth too, so all that came out in response was a slightly strangled squeak. Even more unfortunately, Merle seemed to take that simply as a request for reassurance. Smiling, he leaned over and pinched her chin with calloused fingers.
"Don't cha'll worry, darlin', I know yer a classy piece…."
She almost sighed with relief. Oh thank god, he'd been joking….
"…we'll use one of tha stalls."
As he left, Kate's brain fried completely.
…
Many thanks for the lovely reviews, I'm glad people like my Merle (…if he only were!) and I hope you continue to do so. Apologies for the long chapter but I seem to be on a bit of run at the moment, so I just thought I'd slip this in before the real Merle turns up tonight – can't wait!
A slight shout out to Slither with the reference to meat and him being hungry. Very funny film if you haven't seen it. Also, obviously, Katherine does not translate from the Ancient Greek for 'she of the awesome bosom.' Apologies to any Katherine's reading out there for misappropriation of your name
Fair warning, in the next chapter we will have graphic violence, so if you're more into the humour aspect of this do just prepare yourselves. This story will occasionally get a bit dark.
