Blind, Thick-Headed and Handsome – 25
CJ awakened hearing what seemed like the sound of cabinet doors opening and closing in the kitchen. She looked over at the empty place Matt had previously occupied on the bed and decided to go towards the source.
"Matt," she called out as she walked towards the kitchen, tightening the belt on her robe.
As she rounded the corner she saw him feeling his way around the kitchen, noisily putting clean dishes away.
She was about to ask, "Why don't you let me help you with that?" but caught herself. Matt Houston was a man who didn't like being idle or babied.
"I see you've been busy," she said with a leftover yawn.
"Oh hi, CJ and good morning. Yep. Just trying to be productive."
"Well you're doing a great job," she complimented as she gave him a hug.
He gave her a gentle squeeze in return.
"What's for breakfast?"
"Hmm, good question. I haven't been to the grocery store since before the honeymoon."
She opened the refrigerator and started sifting through its contents, announcing the names of possible ingredients for making breakfast for two. For her it was a long anticipated task, but it might not be for Matt. What could she find for him to do that would make him feel useful?
She lifted a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and swore.
"Oh, damn. Must they always make these bottles so hard to open?"
"Oh, I can get that for you CJ."
She smiled out of the corner of her eye and handed him the bottle.
He opened it easily and handed it back to her as CJ retrieved a carton of eggs.
"It looks like the eggs are still good. How about you find a bowl and beat some while I look for something else?"
"You got it."
While Matt felt his away around the kitchen working on that task, CJ continued peering through the contents in the refrigerator, bringing out several suspicious items.
"Hey Matt, wanna smell something bad?" she asked as she brought a carton of milk under his nose.
He made a face, "Ooooh wee, CJ! I guess French toast is out of the question, huh?"
She brought out a loaf of bread from the cabinet.
"Most definitely. The bread's bad, too. It's green."
"I'm almost glad I can't see that, CJ!"
She felt the tension fill up inside her as she realized she had to add a grocery run to the list of chores she had to complete in a day's time. Having a sudden wedding and being gone for two weeks led her with much to catch up on in addition to taking care of Matt. She should be accustomed to the latter since she had been doing it for years now, but assisting a blind husband was new territory for her.
Matt didn't seem to be in a much better frame of mind since all throughout breakfast he didn't make much conversation. She hoped he at least enjoyed the makeshift meal of scrambled eggs and oatmeal, though. The way she prepared it - with love - hopefully it was both tasty and easy to enjoy.
"How is everything?" she asked.
"Great, CJ," he answered in a tone that was undetectable as positive or negative.
"You know, this is our first breakfast together as a married couple in our home."
Our home? Matt thought.
"Ya mean your home, CJ."
She could have debated him but after last night, figured it wouldn't be a good idea.
"Yeah, I guess I do. Sorry."
She changed the conversation.
"Ya know, Will came through like a champ moving all your stuff here. How about after breakfast we get the house in order, huh?"
"Okay, CJ."
"You and I can go through everything I'll fill you in on what it is and you can tell me where you want it, if you want it at all."
"Okay, CJ," he responded flatly again.
It didn't seem like that monumental of a task until an hour later when CJ opened the door to the spare bedroom. "Oh my gosh," she gasped as she scanned the room of wall-to-wall boxes, bags, clothing, shoes, books and few other things that she couldn't put into a category.
"What is it, CJ?"
"Uh, maybe we should do this later."
"That bad?"
"Yeah, that bad."
CJ ushered Matt out of the room and closed the door behind them.
"I should probably make that grocery run now."
Well, there was no way Matt was going to join her, so CJ would have to go it alone, which meant that Matt would be left to fend for himself in the house.
"Are you sure you don't mind me leaving ya?"
"No, not at all. Don't worry about me, CJ. I'm just gonna sit back and relax and listen to the radio, ya know, take it easy like you and the doctor said I should do."
With that comment CJ was suspicious to say the least, not to mention hesitant. But they needed food, and with Matt's facial injuries, eating out wasn't an option. She could have meals delivered, but she didn't want to ruin their privacy or ask for help, for Roy, Chris and Murray were already busy picking up the slack vacated by both her and Matt's absence at work. And she wasn't about to call someone to stay with him - that certainly wouldn't make Matt feel any better about himself.
"Okay, the portable phone is on the counter. I'll be back in about an hour," she resigned, fully intending on making it a quick trip to the grocery store.
It seemed that there were a few dozen people who had other ideas. At first it wasn't too obvious, but as soon as she entered the store, she sensed that somebody was following her – and than it seemed as if it was more than one the time she returned to the parking lot she realized she had become too famous to even run errands. She hurried to her car just ahead of them and picked up her mobile phone, "Get me Lieutenant Hoyt please – it's urgent."
Hoyt and few other officers were there in minutes to handle the tabloid readers and inquiring minds so that CJ could be on her way and return to the impaired husband she left alone. Before she backed out of her parking spot, though, she asked Hoyt to keep the incident quiet for now, not wanting to draw more attention to it or alert Matt about it. As she drove home she hoped that Matt was faring better than her.
The doorbell rang and Matt was a bit reluctant to answer it.
"Who is it?" he called out from the other side of the door.
"Is this the Houston residence?" the woman called back.
Well, sort of, Matt thought, trying to recognize the voice.
He opened the door and the woman gulped a moment, taking in his distorted appearance.
"Matt Houston?" she asked, not recognizing him at first.
"Yep ... wait ... is it ... are you?" he enthusiastically asked.
"Yep, in the flesh. How the heck are ya?!"
A hour later when CJ arrived home she was puzzled to see an unfamiliar car parked in front of her house. With several bags in hand she rushed towards the front door, worried that Matt had an unwelcomed visitor. As she drew closer she could hear the faint sound of a woman with a thick drawl speaking. She started trying to place the voice when a man's voice stole her attention. Was that … could it be … her husband ... singing?
"I don't see why these women treats me so mean
I don't see why these gals treat me so mean
Sometime I think I'm some man these women ain't never seen."
CJ walked inside and opened her mouth in a wide gasp.
"Well, hello there, Mrs. Houston!" the woman said as soon as she saw CJ enter the room.
For a minute CJ thought she was in the wrong house … or perhaps the twilight zone … or having one of those weird dreams after having too many exotic drinks. For not only was Hannah Travis and one of her band mates sitting on her living room couch, Matt was sitting next to them holding a guitar!
"Hey CJ, look who dropped by just to see us! And look, they brought me this nifty guitar!"
Nifty?
"Wow! Hi Hannah. What a nice surprise!" she said extending her hand.
"Thank you. You remember my lead guitarist and right-hand man, Curly Joe?"
"Ah, yes. Hello."
"How do you do."
"Hannah and Curly have been teaching me a few chords and telling me about Blind Lemon Jefferson, Father of the Texas Blues. Can't believe I've never heard of him."
Blind Lemon Jefferson? Ah, maybe she shouldn't judge. Matt was in a better mood than when she left.
"Oh, I think I heard of him. Didn't he also have quite a reputation with the ladies," she asked Hannah with a grin.
"Uh huh," she answered, prompting Matt to straighten his posture.
CJ would have loved to sit and watch the infantile jam session, but remembered she had food she didn't want to spoil.
"Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some groceries to put away."
Matt caught his manners, "Ah CJ, do you need my help?"
"No, I can manage. Why don't you just stay there and learn the rest of the song? I'll be listening," she smiled.
"Okay. Are ya sure?"
"Yep."
As CJ walked into the kitchen she heard Matt and Hannah chiming in together and secretly hoped he wasn't going to rip a stitch reaching for the high notes.
"Lord I got up this morning with sure enough on my mind
Got up this mornin' same thing on my mind
The woman I love she keep a good man workin all the time.
I'm settin' here wonderin' would a matchbox hold my clothes
I'm settin' here wonderin' would a matchbox hold my clothes
I ain't got so many matches but I got so far to go."
CJ caught herself smiling. It appeared that not only did Matt find a new hobby, his light-hearted Texas drawl had returned, too.
Who'd a'thunk that singing the blues would put Matt Houston in such a good mood?