Chapter 10
Lexi stared out the window of Mike's truck along the familiar route from the DA's office back to her home, her mind spinning in several different directions. She had limited time to begin to execute her plan, and it all started with Michael. She silently prayed to the God she wasn't sure she believed in anymore that somehow Michael might one day forgive her. She waited for him to pull out into traffic before she began the conversation.
"Um… Michael… Can we talk?"
Mike cut his eyes in her direction, lifting his eyebrows at her. "Of course… My place, or yours?"
Lexi quickly responded. "Your place, please… It's… um, private."
Mike turned onto his street, his heart thudding in his chest. "How 'bout we stop for takeout first? I haven't been to the market in a few days," he said, grateful he had picked up around his living room before going on his 48-hour shift. He hadn't been anticipating a guest when he had left his residence a couple of days ago.
"Um…"
"My treat, Lex," he stated, knowing why she was hesitating. "I went by the bank earlier and cashed a check."
"I'm really not hungry," she said. Her appetite had been minimal for several days now. Today's events hadn't helped it to improve, either.
Her comment worried Mike. She had never been shy about eating around him. "Well, I'm starving, and I need to break a twenty, so I'll have a couple of bucks for my part of the food next shift," he said, hoping to encourage her to change her mind. "I'll get us burgers and fries. Just try to eat what you can, Lexi. I know today's been really stressful for you."
She looked down at her lap, then gazed out her window again. "Yea…"
Half an hour later, and after a hurried trip by the corner market, Mike parked his pick-up truck in its usual parking spot. He reached for the sack of groceries while Lexi grabbed the bag of fast food and together, they walked up the stairs to his apartment.
Mike fished his keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. There were no words exchanged; none were needed. They had done this before, although the routine no longer felt as comfortable as it once had.
Mike dropped his keys into the bowl in the foyer, emptying his pockets of the coins that tended to fall out when he sat down on his sofa and adding them to the glass bowl. He quickly walked towards the kitchen to put away the groceries. "Why don't you call your mom and let her know where you are. I'd hate to worry her," he suggested. "Soda?"
"Yea… I think I can drink one."
"I've got ginger ale. It might help settle your stomach," Mike said with a slight smile, reaching for a couple of glasses in his cabinet. He poured the soda while Lexi made the phone call. It was brief, but at least she had let her mother know what was going on. For that, he was grateful.
"Alright, it isn't a gourmet meal, but it'll have to do," he said, taking a seat. He winced a little, twisting his aching back to stretch it. He hadn't worked a double shift in over a year, and both days had been busy. He got very little sleep and what he did get had been interrupted for multiple, exhaustive runs.
Lexi noticed the look of pain on his face. "Are you okay?"
"Yea… It was just a long shift. I'm a little stiff," he said, unwrapping his burger.
"I can give you a back rub after we eat," she offered. "You seemed to like the last one."
As much as Mike needed the massage, he couldn't help his skepticism. Why would she offer to do something nice for him when she'd been treating him so badly over the last couple of weeks? Then his fatigued brain figured it out. She was stalling.
"I appreciate that, but it isn't necessary. I'll just get a quick hot shower to loosen up the muscles and then we can talk, okay?" He saw the hurt look on her face, but he knew his response had been the right one. "Lexi, it isn't that I don't want that… Really, I do… I just don't think it's a good idea, considering where our relationship is right now."
Lexi nodded in agreement, realizing that he was right. She was avoiding the impending conversation. "I know… You're right."
Mike finished his burger and fries, all the while wondering why Lexi was suddenly acting so differently. She hadn't been nice to him, or anyone else, for several days. And after the events of today's meeting at the DA's office, he was beginning to hope that maybe she was about to share more details with him. It was obvious that Bri knew the truth, but Lexi had silenced her. Was she about to trust him with the rest of the story? He wadded up the burger wrapper as a darker thought crept into his mind. She had been distant on the ride home. Was she about to break off their relationship?
"Do you mind if I get a little more ginger ale?"
Mike looked over at her, noticing that she had eaten a small portion of her dinner. Feeling a little sense of relief, he offered her a slight smile. "Of course not; make yourself at home, Lexi."
While Lexi poured another glass of soda, Mike cleaned up the remnants of his meal. "I'm gonna go take a shower now… so, um…"
"I know... Make myself at home, right?" she said.
Mike gave her a nod. He hoped her good mood was a permanent change, but something was niggling inside his gut telling him that something was wrong… very wrong. As Mike turned to walk down the hallway to his bathroom, he heard her calling out to him.
"Take your time, Michael. Your muscles need to be relaxed so you can get a good night's sleep," she called over her shoulder.
As soon as she heard his bedroom door close, she picked up the hamburger and French fries she had been nibbling on and threw them into the trash can, shoving her hand towards the bottom to cover up her deed. She then took the hamburger wrapper, laying it on top of the rest of the refuse so that Mike would think she had eaten her entire meal.
"Make myself at home, huh?" she mumbled, looking around his apartment. She ran her finger across his new television set as she meandered around the living room. She looked at the pictures of his parents on the etagere, noting how much Mike resembled his father. She continued walking across the floor towards the front door. There, on the table in the foyer, she saw the bowl where he kept his truck keys… and his loose change. She leaned around the corner enough to hear the shower water still running, then looked back at the coins. There had to be three dollars or more that Mike had just tossed aside. Did he really need that money? It wasn't much, right? She reached inside, counting out one dollar in nickels and dimes, then quickly tossed them inside her purse. As the sound of the water continued to run, she walked down the hallway, quietly pushing his bedroom door open. There, on his dresser, was his wallet. He had told her he had cashed a check, hadn't he?
A few minutes later, Mike stepped out of his bathroom, his wet hair finger-combed and a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked at the open bedroom door and drew his eyebrows together in confusion. "Thought I shut that," he mumbled to himself, closing the door and stripping off his towel. He quickly dried himself then dressed in sweatpants and a tee shirt. When he reopened the door, he was startled to see Lexi standing there.
"Geez… you scared me."
"Sorry," she replied, sheepishly. "I just thought I'd give you another chance for that back massage."
Mike looked deeply into her eyes, wondering what mysteries lurked behind the beautiful dark orbs. "Mmm," he groaned, wishing he could take her up on the offer. "How about a rain check?" Although Mike was neither a married man, like Cap and Roy, nor a serial dater like Johnny, he was not ignorant about women. He knew that she was trying to tempt him in order to delay their conversation. That could only mean one thing – bad news.
"C'mon, Michael…"
He knew she was stalling and he wasn't going to allow her to get away with it. "Next time," he said, using his hands to turn her around and head back towards the living room. His bedroom held too many memories. "This time… We talk."
Lexi released a sigh as she took a seat on his sofa, staring at her hands. This was going to be more difficult than she thought, but she also knew she had no other choice. It seemed that in all her life, the choices she had made really hadn't been choices at all. They were all decisions dictated by her circumstances. She swallowed hard.
"Okay… Um… first of all… I want to apologize to you," she began.
"For what?" Mike asked. He thought that she actually owed him several apologies, so which one was she talking about, specifically.
"For…" She looked up at him, tears glistening in her eyes. "For everything, Michael. For that day at the restaurant… For how I acted this morning about you buying Antonio those boots… For cursing at you during the meeting with the DA… Just… For everything."
"You've been through a lot, Lex," he said, stroking her hair out of her face.
"That's no excuse. You… You've treated me so much better than anybody else ever has… and I know I don't deserve it."
"Lex-"
"No, Michael. Please hear me out. I don't know why I do it," she said, looking away from him. She hated seeing the look of pity she knew would be there. "Just like with Bri the other day… I jumped on her like she was trying to kill my son or something, and… She moved out. Not that I blame her."
"Lexi… Please look at me."
"I c-can't, Michael."
Mike reached around her, pulling her against his chest. He loved the way she felt resting her cheek along his torso. The fact that she didn't pull away was encouraging to him.
Lexi leaned against him, hearing his heart beating against her ear. She reached her hands up, stroking his muscular biceps. "I'm… scared."
He kissed her lightly on the top of her head. "Of me?"
"No… I'd never be afraid of you… I'm scared… of me… of how I'm behaving… what I might do."
Mike didn't know what to say to ease her fears. He pulled her tighter to his chest, using his hand to cup her face protectively against him. "What do you think you might do?"
Lexi immediately regretted starting this conversation, but she needed to try to complete it. She owed Michael more than just her life. He had been so good to her young son, and he was a great friend to Marco.
"Lexi?"
"Just that… I feel so… I dunno, like a fish out of water."
Mike wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "How so?"
"You know… Like I don't belong here… in this life… being back home…" She hesitated, unable to explain her feelings. No one could understand it unless they had lived on the streets. She immediately began to change the direction of the conversation. "And especially that… I'm afraid that I… that I'll mess up… with Antonio, you know?" she stuttered.
"How?" Mike asked, sensing that she had suddenly changed her mind about what she had been planning to say.
"Well… he was… he was happy… until I came back into his life… I… I'm wondering if I should've stayed away."
"He's happy, Lexi. He loves you," Mike drawled out, the mixture of fatigue, full stomach, and a hot shower taking its toll.
"I don't know, Michael. He seems happy sometimes and sad sometimes. I don't want to be an embarrassment to him when he gets older… like I am to my family… and…" She paused, trying to figure out how best to bring up the subject of Ricardo and the fact that his upcoming release would likely mean more embarrassment for her and her family. She droned on for several minutes, not really saying anything. Then she heard the sound of Mike's soft snores. She turned to look at him, seeing his head resting against the back of the sofa, his mouth slightly open. How much had he actually heard?
E!
Marco reached across the seat of his sedan, grasping Beverly's trembling hand. They had met with Ms. Coats together and separately, and whatever Beverly had discussed during her private time, had left her visibly shaken. Things had gone so well during their joint meeting, and Marco had felt a sense of relief after his solo session, so what had happened that had left Beverly so upset?
"Babe?" Her only response was a sniffle and a gentle squeeze of his hand. "Slide over here, please."
Beverly complied, pushing herself into the center of the bench seat, grateful when he wrapped his right arm around her shoulder. He pulled her into his side as he drove, feeling the tension in her body.
"Why don't we go back to my apartment? Bri is working and I don't want to leave you alone when you're like this," he said. He really wanted to know what had happened that upset her, but he had been cautioned not to ask her any questions. She had to tell him what she wanted him to know, when she was comfortable sharing it. He hoped that it would be soon because his heart was breaking for her right now.
"Yea," she said, gulping back a hiccup. "I, uh… I really need to talk to you about something… something… 'mportant," she said, sniffling again.
Marco's heart sank into his stomach. "Baby… whatever it is… we're gonna be okay."
She didn't respond, continuing the ride in silence. Marco kept his eyes on the road, knowing that if he looked at her, he might lose control of his emotions, as well. He needed to stay strong, even if his world might be crumbling. But what could have happened that had upset her so much?
Ten minutes later, they were walking into his apartment. Beverly looked around, running her fingers beneath her eyes, further smearing her eye make-up.
"Why don't I get you some water?" Marco asked, hurrying to the kitchen while Beverly sat down on his sofa. Moments later, he handed her a glass of ice water, then took a seat beside her.
Beverly sipped the water, enjoying how it soothed her parched throat. She set the glass down on the coffee table then leaned back, resting her head against the sofa. "Marco… I haven't been completely honest with you."
Marco licked his lips, his level of anxiety rising with each breath. "A-about what?"
"About something that… I…" She inhaled a shaky breath. "I'm afraid that you… you c-can't ever fo-forgive me for."
Marco leaned over, pulling her into a warm embrace. He felt her trembling, felt her gripping his shirt collar so tightly that he was afraid the buttons were going to pop off. "Baby… Shhhh… Whatever it is… It doesn't matter… I love you… I'll love you, forever."
Beverly pulled away, knowing she had to get this over with quickly. She couldn't look at him, her shame was too heavy and she couldn't bear to see the look on his face. "Marco… I… when I was sixteen… I… I got pregnant."
His stomach churned, and he fought to keep it stable. "What… happened to the… baby?"
Beverly hugged herself tightly. She didn't want him to touch her, fearing that she would feel judgement in his touch. She rocked back and forth, her eyes squeezed shut. "I… I was taken to… to a clinic in… Mexico."
"Oh, baby," Marco groaned, knowing immediately what she was going to say. He reached out, not letting her pull away from him. "I'm so sorry…" He felt her body relax a little, feeling her head moving from side to side. "You were young..."
"I'm so… sorry… I should o'… tol' you… sooner."
"Shhhh," he soothed, running his hand down the back of her head. "Shhh…. I'm here, baby… I'll always be here."
"But… I-"
"Beverly," he said, running his hand tenderly down her back. "We all make mistakes."
"Mistakes?" she questioned, understanding what he meant. "You think that I WANTED to do it?"
Marco gulped, trying to lick his lips, but his mouth was suddenly dry. "Ohmygod… You mean… It wasn't your choice?"
"NO!" she wailed, standing up and pacing across his living room. "Of course not! Do you think that I'd…" She nearly lost her breath, unable to finish her question. She stared at the ceiling for several long moments, willing her pulse rate to slow down. "I… I hadn't planned on t-telling anybody until it was too late, you know?" She turned toward him, not giving him a chance to offer any answers to her rhetorical question. "But I screwed up… I told another one o' the girls. I was… young and… so stupid," she said, shaking her head. "I mean, how the hell was I gonna raise a baby? But I wasn't thinking about that… All I was thinking about was that… there was a life inside o' me… growing… someone who would… love me… I was so tired of having things taken away… of losing people… So… I figured that… no one could take away what was mine… I mean, really mine…" She looked at him forlornly. "But I was wrong."
"Bev," he whispered, his voice raspy. "I'm so sorry."
She inhaled a shaky breath, pushing through the rest of the story. "After the beating didn't work… I was dragged to the back of my pimp's van and… when we got to the border, he… he threatened to set me on fire if I… made any noise."
Marco felt his stomach clench and for a moment, he thought he might vomit.
Beverly continued; she had come too far to stop now. "I don't remember crossing the border, but I remember pulling up to the back of a clinic… It was already dark… I remember being held down… and some kind of a cloth being placed over my nose and mouth… and… when I woke up… It was over." She hung her head.
Marco stood up, slowly walking over to her. Everything made sense now. He understood why she had reacted so strongly to the possibility of a pregnancy… and to the heartbreak of finding out that she wasn't. Slowly, so as not to startle her, he walked up behind her and carefully wrapped his arms around her, turning her so that she was facing him.
"Oh, M-Mar-co," she wept.
"Sshhh," he soothed. "I'm so sorry for what you went through, but please understand, Bev… You didn't do anything wrong."
"But… I… my baby…"
"No… the wrong was done TO you… and to your baby. You didn't choose this outcome, did you?" Marco asked, holding her upper arms so he could look into her eyes.
"No… but… your faith says that-"
"I know what my beliefs are… and I believe that what happened to you was wrong… YOU did nothing wrong, baby… Not by anyone's standards…. Not mine, not the church's, and certainly not God's."
"But God's punishing me for not being religious and…"
Marco knit his eyebrows together. "You weren't raised with any sort of religious training during your childhood, and then you were basically tossed out onto the streets as a teenager. You've attended Mass with me, so I was kind of hoping that you'd decide to become Catholic."
Beverly looked down, still holding onto him. "I was hoping to, Marco, but what if they won't let me because of-"
"Whoa… the Christian faith is about forgiveness and a fresh start. I can't think of anyone who deserves a fresh start any more than you. So, if you want to become Catholic, then that won't be a problem, but…" Remembering her previous comment, he returned the conversation in that direction. "How do you think that God has punished you?
"I dunno… I mean, what if…" She looked up into his caring brown eyes. "What if… I can't… give you children?"
Marco felt like he had been gut-punched. It wasn't her anxiety of being pregnant that had been so overwhelming to her; it was her fear that she never would be. "We'll be parents, Bev. And we're gonna be great parents… either to our own biological children… or to the children we adopt… but either way… I know that you'll be the best Mom in the world."
Beverly felt the hot liquid streaming from the corners of her eyes. "You mean… You still wanna… marry me?"
"Of course!" Marco said, with a renewed sense of pride. "In fact… I want to marry you more than ever!"
He leaned his face down, his lips capturing hers. He could taste the saltiness of her tears, but he felt the love in her heart. She really did love him, and she trusted him enough to share her most secret pain. The kiss deepened, and Beverly melted into his arms. She was exhausted, but felt a new sense of self-worth. When the kiss finally ended, it was Marco who spoke first.
"Now, promise me two things, okay?"
"Okay."
"No more secrets… promise?"
Beverly smiled up at him, relishing the feel of his strong arms holding her up. "I promise."
"Atta girl," he replied, using his free hand to push her hair behind her ear. "I am so sorry that you had to endure that, and if you ever want to talk to me about it more, then I'm here for you… today and always."
"Thank you… Um, what's the second promise?"
"Why don't you stop taking your birth control pills. We'll have to control ourselves between now and our wedding night, but… maybe we can start a family right away."
Beverly felt her lower lip trembling and her eyes stinging once again. She tried to speak, but only a raspy sound escaped her lips. She nodded her agreement. "Most Catholics don't use them anyway, right?"
Again, their lips met, this time in a more chaste manner.
"You mean the world to me, Beverly."
"I love you so much," she whispered back. She was protected now; she was no longer that horrified sixteen-year old girl who suddenly found herself restrained on an exam table in a hot and dusty clinic somewhere in Mexico. Maybe… just maybe, God had found favor with her and had forgiven her for her past. But would He be willing to grant her a second chance to be a mother? She felt Marco shift slightly.
"Now… Why don't we talk about you applying to grad school next semester?"
Beverly reached for her glass of water. After taking a few gulps, she snuggled back against his warm body. "How about if I apply for next Fall? That way I could get used to married life, and maybe save up a little money since I'll be living here."
"Whatever you want, Bev… Whatever you want."
E!
In Mike's apartment, Lexi tiptoed to his bedroom to use the phone. She knew he was completely exhausted and she didn't want to wake him. She slowly eased the door closed before sitting on the edge of his bed and reaching for the phone. She dialed the familiar number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Marco; it's Lexi," she whispered.
Alarm bells sounded like klaxons in the lineman's brain. "Lexi, what's wrong?" he asked, worriedly. "Why are you whispering?"
"I'm at Mike's and… well, he fell asleep. He's really tired and I didn't want to wake him so… Can you come and get me? I need to get home."
He glanced over at Beverly who was sitting close enough to overhear the conversation. She quickly nodded her head. "Yea… I'll be there in about 15 minutes."
"Thanks, Marco. I knew I could count on you. I'll be downstairs on the sidewalk by the parking lot waiting for you," she said.
She hung up the phone, then sat staring at Mike's dresser beside her. There was his wallet, still in the same place. She needed money to carry out her plan. He probably wouldn't miss it….
E!
Beverly stood up, turning back to look at her future husband. His eyes were red, but there was no judgment in them. "Why don't you run me home before you pick her up? I'll be fine," she said, a smile finally making an appearance. "Besides… I want to be there when Bri gets home and Lexi and I are going to look at dresses tomorrow, so I'd like to get some rest."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she said, waiting for Marco to stand up. She followed him to the door, and when he held it open for her, she gave him a quick kiss. "Sometimes, I wonder if you're real… Thank you."
E!
Fifteen minutes later, Lexi shouldered her purse, dropped the note she had written onto Mike's coffee table where he would be sure to see it, then quietly left the apartment, locking the door behind her.
Mike's sleep-fogged brain heard the clicking of his front door closing. His eyes opened momentarily. He looked around the room with eyelids at half-mast, then slowly laid down on the sofa, snuggling a small pillow beneath his head as he curled onto his side. His eyes drifted closed, and his breathing became deep and even once again.
Outside of his apartment complex, Lexi stood beneath a streetlight waiting for her brother to arrive. She crossed her arms over her chest, shivering in the coolness of the autumn evening. She watched as cars passed by on the street and felt a strange sense of familiarity. Without thinking, she began pacing back and forth, never wandering beyond the light offered by the street lamp. She had learned long ago that danger lurked in the shadows – no matter which corner she was on.
Across the parking lot, a young man pocketed the drugs he had just discreetly purchased in the vacant lot across the street. He walked back to the place where he had parked his vehicle in the safety of the quiet apartment complex, lighting up a fresh cigarette while getting into his car. He inhaled a deep drag, blowing out the smoke through his downed window. He was about to crank it up when he saw a pretty young woman standing alone beneath the streetlight near the complex. He watched her for a few minutes, recognizing the meandering stroll. She had to be a working girl. He crushed the butt out in his car's ashtray as a wicked grin crawled across his face. He cranked up his car, moving it closer to the place where she stood, grateful that there were a few empty parking spaces close by. He eased to a stop, paralleling across two spaces so he could speak to her. If she was what he thought she was, then perhaps she would take the bait he was about to offer. If not, he would be able to make a quick exit.
"Hey, pretty lady… You need a lift?"
Lexi looked at him, her gut clenching. "Uh, no… my brother will be here any minute."
"Brother, huh?" he scoffed. "Well, where ever you're goin', I can give you a ride," he said, his pearly teeth peeking out from behind his curled upper lip.
Lexi continued pacing. She knew he wasn't a good Samaritan. He wanted to do her harm; she was sure of it. Deciding to engage him, rather than provoke him, she stopped her pacing and turned to face him. He didn't shift his car into park; he was prepared for a quick getaway. "So… Do you just hang out in parking lots waiting to rescue damsels in distress?" she asked, the bold facade from her past making an appearance. It felt oddly familiar and, in a strange way, comfortable.
He grinned, fishing another cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it. "I only offer rides to the pretty ones," he said with a grimace, lowering his right hand to his crotch. He shifted his position, holding the cigarette out the window and tapping off the ashes. "You'd like the ride I'd give ya, baby."
Lexi rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't talking about a trip in his car.
"You smoke?" he asked, eyeing her up and down, hungrily.
"Nope," she said, starting to pace again, turning in the opposite direction, edging closer to the stairway back to Mike's apartment. She heard the man shift gears and saw the car backing up slowly to match her position.
"That's too bad. I'd sure like to see how you blow…" he snickered, hesitating until she looked at him. "Smoke, I mean," he guffawed at his own lewdness.
She searched the parking lot and the street, her heart thudding inside her chest. When the man waved a ten-dollar bill out of his window, she froze. Where was her brother?
E!
"Are you sure you're okay? I can come back after I take Lexi home," Marco said, pulling Beverly close to his side as he pulled up to her apartment.
"I'm fine, really. I… appreciate the talk and…" She hesitated, looking down into her lap then back up at her fiancé. "I love you more than anything in this world, Marco. You know that, right?"
"Yes… Yes, I do. And I love you, Beverly. I can't wait for our wedding."
Beverly pulled back from him with a knowing smile. "But, we are going to wait… Right?"
Marco leaned in for a quick kiss. "Yes, good things come to those who wait."
His comment and the look on his face made her giggle. She was tired, drained both physically and emotionally, but her heart felt lighter than ever.
Marco watched, making sure that she entered her apartment safely, before backing out of her driveway. He strummed his fingers on his steering wheel, humming to himself as he drove to Mike's apartment complex.
E!
Lexi listened as the young man continued to make sexual innuendos, and not so subtly offering to pay her for a quick service. She had done it countless times before and the money he was offering would be a great start for what she needed to do. She squared up her shoulders to face him, opening her mouth to speak, when she saw the familiar burgundy sedan turning into the apartment complex.
"Um, there's my brother… I gotta go," she said, waving her hand to ensure that Marco would see her.
"Damn it," the young man cursed, dropping the money onto the floorboard of his car, shoving the lit cigarette into his mouth, and quickly shifting gears. He drove across the parking lot, peeling into the street as he rapidly shifted through the gears, getting away from the complex as quickly as he could.
Lexi quickly jumped into the front seat of Marco's car. "Thanks for picking me up."
Marco saw the pained expression on her face, and the quick exit of the other car had not gone unnoticed by him. "Are you okay, sis?"
"Yea," she said, fighting to keep her voice calm. "I just didn't want to wake Michael. He worked a double and he was tired."
Marco gave her one last look, making sure that she didn't appear to have been harmed in any way. He pulled out into traffic before speaking again. "So… who was in the car?"
"W-what car?"
"C'mon, Lex. The car that was pulled up beside you when I turned in. You were talking to somebody."
"Oh… him. Um, he was just asking if there were any vacancies in Michael's complex. I told him that I didn't know because I was just visiting, and he… he left… That's all."
Marco pressed his lips into a thin line. He didn't believe her. Something was going on with his sister, and as soon as he got a chance, he was going to talk to his engineer about it.
E!
Sometime after midnight, Mike was startled awake by a siren screaming past his building. He pushed himself up from his sofa, his muddled brain still in a haze. He ran his hand down his face, then remembered that he and Lexi had been talking before he had fallen asleep. His eyes widened.
"Lexi?" he called out. "You still here?"
His calls were met by silence. As he pushed himself off the sofa, he saw the note laying on his coffee table.
'Michael,
I hope you slept well. I know you're tired and I didn't want to wake you up. Marco came and got me, so don't worry. Maybe we can talk later.
Lexi'
Mike sighed, a mixture of frustration and relief flooding him. He turned his wrist, squinting his eyes to see the time. Realizing that it was after midnight, he ran his hand through his hair. He couldn't call her now because he didn't want to wake up Mrs. Lopez and Antonio, but there was something unsettling in her behavior when their talk began. He had to know she was okay. He padded down the short hallway, plopping down on his bed and reaching for his phone. He had to confirm that she had made it home safely.
He quickly dialed his friend's number. When he heard the groggy voice on the other end, he quickly spat out his apology. "Marco, sorry. It's Mike. Did-"
"She's fine, Mike. I picked her up and took her home," Marco broke in. He could tell his friend was nervous.
"Oh, thank God," the engineer said, allowing himself to relax a little. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to-"
"Mike, what are you apologizing for? I've pulled doubles before, too. I know how it is."
"I know… but I shouldn't've fallen asleep on her. She…," he began, trying to lick his lips, but his mouth was dry and sticky. He knew he had fallen asleep with his mouth open. "She was wanting to talk and… Did she happen to, uh… say anything?"
Marco was about to tell him about the stranger in the car who was talking to Lexi when he arrived, but he thought better of it. She had assured him that the man had only been interested in renting an apartment. He had to learn to trust her. "No… No, she didn't. She just said that you were tired and she didn't want to wake you."
"Alright… I'll give her a call in the morning," the engineer said, stifling a yawn.
"Uh, Mike?"
"Yea?"
"It is morning," Marco said, snickering.
"Geez, you've been hanging around Chet too long. I'll see you on Sunday, pal."
"See you then, Mike."
Marco hung up the phone, then lay back down staring into the darkness of his bedroom. His thoughts turned to all the guys at the station. Chet was happy and getting married. Their captain had decided not to resign, and he and Becca seemed to have gotten their marriage back on track. Their senior medic had repaired his marriage and was helping plan a surprise party for their junior medic who had no idea that the woman he love enough to nearly die for was going to be there. Marco and Beverly were about to wed in just a few short weeks. What had begun as a disastrous year seemed as though it might end on a positive note for everyone – everyone except Mike. Mike Stoker was one of the nicest men Marco had ever known. He just wished that his own sister could see what she was doing to him. He had heard Beverly say it many times – the women she helped escape from prostitution returned to their pimps more often than domestic violence victims returned to their abusers. It took them twice as long to escape as it did a battered woman. Was it possible that in spite of everything that had been done for her, Lexi was going to go back to Ricardo when he was released?
E!
Mike Stoker stared at his coffee cup, not really seeing the wisps of steam rising from it. It was early on Sunday morning and the station was quiet. He had spent most of Saturday morning doing chores and trying to call Lexi, but Mrs. Lopez had told him that she and Beverly had gone shopping for the upcoming nuptials. Then headquarters had called asking him to split a shift with the B-shift engineer. He had left a message with Mrs. Lopez to let Lexi know he was called into work and that he would try to call her when he had a break, but that break never came until after midnight.
"Thanks again, Stoker," Hookraider said, dropping the morning paper in front of the engineer.
"Yea, no problem," Mike commented, opening to the sports section. Over the next hour he perused the pages of the LA Times without comprehending a single word. By the time Captain Stanley called for roll call, Mike realized that he had gone through the entire paper and couldn't remember a single headline.
The men of A-shift stood shoulder to shoulder in the apparatus bay. Their captain stood facing them, clipboard in hand.
"Alright, men… C-shift had a busy night so we're going to have to work on the hoses." Hank looked up at his crew. "Kelly, kitchen; please go easy on the spices, pal," he snickered. "Um, Stoker and Lopez, you'll have the hoses. DeSoto, you'll have the dorm, and Gage, take the latrine. Let's have a safe shift, fellas."
"A'right, Chet, how much damage are ya gonna do to my wallet today?" Johnny asked, reaching for his back pocket.
"Not as much as you did to my locker last shift," the Irishman huffed. "But just be aware that the Phantom knows all… the Phantom sees all…"
"And it looked like the Phantom did it all in your locker," Roy deadpanned, remembering the gooey mess from the previous shift.
"Aww, c'mon, fellas, that was Gage's mess, not the Phantom's. Besides, I can be a very frugal cook," Chet commented, innocently.
"I'd say Caroline has been better for you than I first thought," Marco added, opening his wallet as he waited for his partner to announce the cost of their meals for the next shift.
"A buck fifty each," the junior lineman stated, rocking back on his heels as money was shoved at him.
Mike opened his wallet, glad that he had broken the twenty on Friday. He withdrew a dollar, then his faced morphed in confusion. He quickly thumbed through the remaining bills, adding them quickly in his head. He had cashed a forty-dollar check and received two twenty-dollar bills back. After the trip by the corner market and purchasing the burgers and fries, he should have had a few singles, a ten, and a twenty left… but the ten-dollar bill was missing. He held the single dollar bill then fished in his front pocket for a couple of quarters. He had thought his change bowl had seemed a little bare when he left home yesterday, but he had simply dismissed it. Now he wondered if perhaps he had been right. He handed the money to Chet then returned his attention to his wallet. He recounted each purchase, knowing how many bills and of what denomination he received in return. So, what could have happened to the missing money?
"Lose something, Mike?" Marco asked, noting the look of concern on his engineer's face.
"Um… yea… I think so," Mike said, slapping his wallet closed. "I've got to go check in my locker and see if it's in there. I'll meet you out back," he added, knowing that the two of them had a lot of hose to hang, and a lot to talk about.