Chp 8
Marissa walked through the lush green grass of Central Park sometimes pausing to look at kids play and roll down the many hills or merely looked up at the sapphire blue sky and its citrine yellow sun.
Stella had given her a change of clothes in the car so she only faintly smelled of sewer but the smell still affected her senses. She headed over to the sprinklers where some kids were running through and having good times. She remembered when she used to go through sprinklers and water systems in Victoria and Vancouver when her parents were still alive. Undoing her hair and shaking it out she let the rays play games with her long veil of blond hair.
Stepping slowly into the sprinklers she let the refreshing water hit her; cleansing her body and doing a good number on her soul. Marissa never noticed a little girl come out front nowhere and gently tapped her hip. Marissa looked down; she met the gaze of a little brunette with pigtails. Marissa gingerly bent over and leaned on one knee. She smiled but the smile never reached her eyes.
"Hi, what's your name?" Marissa asked as a sprinkler jetted her back spraying her dark purple blouse.
"Gabby…what's yours?" The little girl asked shyly rocking on her feet back and forth.
"My name's Marissa; what can I do for you Gabby?" She asked as another jetted the back of her head sending her hair whirling in a wet mass; at that instant she didn't care.
"I just thought you looked lost." She said dancing around Marissa trying to dodge the water jets. Marissa smiled sadly.
"I've been lost for awhile Gabby, but not in the sense you're talking about." She took the little girls offered hand and began walking though the sprinklers.
"Well what kind of lost are you then?" She asked as her brow scrunched together in deep confusion.
"More along the lines of what I've been doing with my life." She said and sighed as water ran down her face; matting her hair to her face. Gabby looked up confused, and Marissa merely smiled weakly and tapped the little girl on the head. "Some day you'll understand. I have to go now but it has been nice talking to you Gabby." She let go of the little girl's hand and watched her prance off in the opposite directions towards a huddle of girls giggling and doing cartwheels in the grass. She was now soaked but she kind of liked it in a way; it made her feel like she had a purpose at the moment. She headed over to the park bench and just sat on it staring at the kids playing all around her.
Mac parked his car on the side of the street and got out. The heat permitted him to roll up his sleeves to his elbows as he made his way through the park searching for Marissa. He avoided the paths of the rampaging children playing Frisbee or catch so he walked along the trees. He stopped right before the sprinklers and thought better of it. He cut across the side of it and looked from side to side for any sight of his coworker. He could just imagine the thought going through the kids' heads. ((What was a man in a suit, carrying a police badge and a gun at his hip be doing walking through Central Park. He was just lucky that it got Gabby's attention.
She skipped out of the sprinklers to his side. The little 5 year looked from his shinny badge to his puzzled face.
"Hello mister policeman…what are you doing?" She asked as all her friends swarmed him wondering the same thing. Mac smiled at their curiousness and bent down in front of them.
"I'm looking for someone; maybe you girls can help me." He said looking into all their eyes one after another. They all erupted in big toothed grins.
"What does the person look like?" A little girl asked twirling a strand of black hair around a braid forming a loop.
"She about my height; only a little shorter, has long blond hair and maybe bare feet." He said looking in all the girl's faces to see if he found recognition in one of them.
"Oh you mean Marissa?" Gabby asked proud of herself for getting the question right.
Mac leaned over smiling. "Yes; have you seen her?" Gabby merely pointed across the field to a sheltered area beyond a little hill.
"Are you going to find her? Cause she said she was lost." Gabby asked and received nods from all the girls beside her.
"I'm trying to find her yes."
"Is she your girlfriend…cause my brother has a girlfriend and he tries to find her too." Melissa chirped up. Mac looked up at a girl with beach blond hair and smiled.
"No she's not my girlfriend."
"Is she your wife then?" Another one piped up. Mac shook his head and looked over the hill.
"Oh…okay then…come one girls lets go play with dolls!" Melanie said as she led the girls away one by one. Mac smiled as he headed towards where Gabby had pointed.
Author's Note: At first I wasn't so sure about putting this part in the fic but I decided against my better judgment to at least clear the waters a little bit and add a little pinch of humor though this fic is everything but. You like this chap? Review me please…No heat is appreciated but if you find something wrong with it I'll take it into great consideration for future.
Brit -xox-