Chapter Fifteen
~~~~~*~~~~~
The hot water felt good as it burst from the shower
head with a vengeful force, hitting his neck, shoulders
and back. Gary felt his whole body relax under the
waters tension relieving pressure. He leaned foreword
letting the water run through his hair then turned his face
up to the spray letting it wash away the blood and grime
from his ordeal of that day.
His rib cage felt like it had been crushed where he had
been kicked and he winced as the water beat down over
the bruises. The bandage on his finger was now merely
a soaked piece of cloth.
His headache was beginning to subside thanks to the
aspirin he had taken earlier, and right now he was glad
to have a break from the paper, at least for the rest of the
evening. The thought of seeing April weighed heavily on
his mind. Marisa had mentioned that she seemed upset
tonight when she came to the bar. He wondered if she
had been having those strange feelings again. He would
give her a call.
Shutting off the water, he reached for a large towel and
wrapped it around his waist then stepped from the shower
into the warmth of his bedroom.
He got dressed pulling on a clean pair of sweats and cotton
socks then eased back across his bed to stare at the
ceiling thinking about everything that had transpired that
day. The hold up the corner store, the young kid Michael,
Slugg and Mrs. Danado.
The name Danado still puzzled him, but the headline concerning
Tom puzzled him even more and he knew that he wasn't going
to rest until he figured out that was going on. Someone was
supposed to have entered the bar tonight and attack Tom.
But who?
He reached for the paper on his night stand. With tired
eyes he scanned it once again to make sure the article hadn't
reappeared. It hadn't.
He reached for the letter April had written him and read it again
then closed his eyes wanting to rest them for a few minutes before he
gave her a call. It wasn't long before he was snoring.
In the middle of the night, he stirred awaken by the fresh
scent of lemon blossoms about him and he drew in a deep
breath. He was going to have to thank Marisa for doing his
laundry. Shifting to get into a better position, his knee rested
against something uniquely soft. Then it moaned then moved
slightly. Gary's eyes sprung open. Pillows don't moan or move!
In the darkness beside him he could see a bundle rising and
falling gently in slow rhythmic motions. He bolted up in bed.
Cat?? He blinked trying to make out the figure in the darkness
beside him. N-No cat was that big! Reaching over quickly, he
fumbled for the lamp switch beside his bed and snapped on
the light. It was April fast asleep, her hair spilled about his pillow.
Gary frowned, puzzled. What was she doing here? How did
she---?? He spun around to look at his front door. How the did she
get in his room--how the hell did she get in the bar???
He glanced back down at her sleeping soundly beside him.
Her back was to him and she was still fully dressed, curled up
in a fetal position--the covers she had pulled haphazardly
over her small frame for warmth.
Oh boy. He picked up his wrist watch to take a look at the
time. It was 3:25 am. Now what. He blew out a tired breath.
He hated to wake her but he was in great need of sleep himself.
He glanced down wearily at his warm bed, then over at the cold
sofa in front the window. Rubbing his forehead in his hands he
debated his next move,
"Couch," he grumbled grabbing his pillow.
He clicked off the light and rose carefully from the bed
pulling the covers over April's uncovered shoulder. She stirred
moaning softly and rolled over wiping her eyes,
"Gary," She murmured sleepily.
"It's okay," he whispered, "go back to sleep, we'll talk in the morning."
"I'm sorry." she apologized
"It's okay" he whispered. "W-We'll talk in the morning."
Her lashes fluttered before she closed her eyes and drifted
back to sleep.
Grabbing a blanket from the closet, he settled
down on the sofa giving his pillow a few punches to
fluff it then pulled his blanket around him for warmth.
In the darkness he studied April sleeping soundly, as if she hadn't
had a good night's sleep in quite a while. The moon shone brightly
through the bed room window casting a bluish glow across her face.
Gary was perplexed, as he watched her sleeping soundly. He
wondered how she had gotten into his apartment or if he had
left his door open. Maybe Marisa let her in. But then, he knew
Marisa and she wouldn't have let her in without letting him
know about it.
As he sat there, he thought about the train accident that,
thank God, didn't happen. Their first meeting in the store
and the spilled contents of her package on the lobby floor.
How she had helped him gather his paper in the parking lot.
The way she looked as the wind blew through her hair that day.
He sighed rubbing his face in his hands. As much as he hated
to admit it--he had a feeling that he was falling in love with her.
From outside, the sound of a car starting up drew his
attention. Gary glanced towards the window. The engine
hummed quietly for a few minutes before the car pulled off slowly
the sound fading in the distance as it drove away.
Brushing it off and he drew his blanket tighter around himself and
settled back against his pillow.
Sitting there he thought again about what April had told him about
her life in New York, her fiancee ... ex fiancee, he quickly
reminded himself. He felt guilty for not calling her last night.
Through the large picture window, the street light from out side
reflected off of something shiny on the coffee table and Gary leaned
forward to take a closer look. It was the silver ring on Tom's key
chain to the bar. He reached over and picked it up to examine it closely.
The key wasn't on the table last night, at least he hadn't noticed it.
He glanced back over at April sleeping soundly. Did she…?
Aaargghh! It was late, he was tired and was thinking way too hard..
He slid down under the blanket, trying to get comfortable. He just
had to get some sleep or he would be useless in the morning.
To be continued...........................
~~~~~*~~~~~
The hot water felt good as it burst from the shower
head with a vengeful force, hitting his neck, shoulders
and back. Gary felt his whole body relax under the
waters tension relieving pressure. He leaned foreword
letting the water run through his hair then turned his face
up to the spray letting it wash away the blood and grime
from his ordeal of that day.
His rib cage felt like it had been crushed where he had
been kicked and he winced as the water beat down over
the bruises. The bandage on his finger was now merely
a soaked piece of cloth.
His headache was beginning to subside thanks to the
aspirin he had taken earlier, and right now he was glad
to have a break from the paper, at least for the rest of the
evening. The thought of seeing April weighed heavily on
his mind. Marisa had mentioned that she seemed upset
tonight when she came to the bar. He wondered if she
had been having those strange feelings again. He would
give her a call.
Shutting off the water, he reached for a large towel and
wrapped it around his waist then stepped from the shower
into the warmth of his bedroom.
He got dressed pulling on a clean pair of sweats and cotton
socks then eased back across his bed to stare at the
ceiling thinking about everything that had transpired that
day. The hold up the corner store, the young kid Michael,
Slugg and Mrs. Danado.
The name Danado still puzzled him, but the headline concerning
Tom puzzled him even more and he knew that he wasn't going
to rest until he figured out that was going on. Someone was
supposed to have entered the bar tonight and attack Tom.
But who?
He reached for the paper on his night stand. With tired
eyes he scanned it once again to make sure the article hadn't
reappeared. It hadn't.
He reached for the letter April had written him and read it again
then closed his eyes wanting to rest them for a few minutes before he
gave her a call. It wasn't long before he was snoring.
In the middle of the night, he stirred awaken by the fresh
scent of lemon blossoms about him and he drew in a deep
breath. He was going to have to thank Marisa for doing his
laundry. Shifting to get into a better position, his knee rested
against something uniquely soft. Then it moaned then moved
slightly. Gary's eyes sprung open. Pillows don't moan or move!
In the darkness beside him he could see a bundle rising and
falling gently in slow rhythmic motions. He bolted up in bed.
Cat?? He blinked trying to make out the figure in the darkness
beside him. N-No cat was that big! Reaching over quickly, he
fumbled for the lamp switch beside his bed and snapped on
the light. It was April fast asleep, her hair spilled about his pillow.
Gary frowned, puzzled. What was she doing here? How did
she---?? He spun around to look at his front door. How the did she
get in his room--how the hell did she get in the bar???
He glanced back down at her sleeping soundly beside him.
Her back was to him and she was still fully dressed, curled up
in a fetal position--the covers she had pulled haphazardly
over her small frame for warmth.
Oh boy. He picked up his wrist watch to take a look at the
time. It was 3:25 am. Now what. He blew out a tired breath.
He hated to wake her but he was in great need of sleep himself.
He glanced down wearily at his warm bed, then over at the cold
sofa in front the window. Rubbing his forehead in his hands he
debated his next move,
"Couch," he grumbled grabbing his pillow.
He clicked off the light and rose carefully from the bed
pulling the covers over April's uncovered shoulder. She stirred
moaning softly and rolled over wiping her eyes,
"Gary," She murmured sleepily.
"It's okay," he whispered, "go back to sleep, we'll talk in the morning."
"I'm sorry." she apologized
"It's okay" he whispered. "W-We'll talk in the morning."
Her lashes fluttered before she closed her eyes and drifted
back to sleep.
Grabbing a blanket from the closet, he settled
down on the sofa giving his pillow a few punches to
fluff it then pulled his blanket around him for warmth.
In the darkness he studied April sleeping soundly, as if she hadn't
had a good night's sleep in quite a while. The moon shone brightly
through the bed room window casting a bluish glow across her face.
Gary was perplexed, as he watched her sleeping soundly. He
wondered how she had gotten into his apartment or if he had
left his door open. Maybe Marisa let her in. But then, he knew
Marisa and she wouldn't have let her in without letting him
know about it.
As he sat there, he thought about the train accident that,
thank God, didn't happen. Their first meeting in the store
and the spilled contents of her package on the lobby floor.
How she had helped him gather his paper in the parking lot.
The way she looked as the wind blew through her hair that day.
He sighed rubbing his face in his hands. As much as he hated
to admit it--he had a feeling that he was falling in love with her.
From outside, the sound of a car starting up drew his
attention. Gary glanced towards the window. The engine
hummed quietly for a few minutes before the car pulled off slowly
the sound fading in the distance as it drove away.
Brushing it off and he drew his blanket tighter around himself and
settled back against his pillow.
Sitting there he thought again about what April had told him about
her life in New York, her fiancee ... ex fiancee, he quickly
reminded himself. He felt guilty for not calling her last night.
Through the large picture window, the street light from out side
reflected off of something shiny on the coffee table and Gary leaned
forward to take a closer look. It was the silver ring on Tom's key
chain to the bar. He reached over and picked it up to examine it closely.
The key wasn't on the table last night, at least he hadn't noticed it.
He glanced back over at April sleeping soundly. Did she…?
Aaargghh! It was late, he was tired and was thinking way too hard..
He slid down under the blanket, trying to get comfortable. He just
had to get some sleep or he would be useless in the morning.
To be continued...........................