Eighty-seven
It was 7:40 p.m. when Kali emerged from her bedroom wearing a long black satin dress with red lace trim.
"Oh, don't you look lovely!" Margo exclaimed. "But you can't go with your hair hanging down like that!" she added. "Can I do a nice French braid in your hair for you?"
"Thank you, I'd like that very much," Kali answered, following Margo into the kitchen.
"Here, have a seat and I'll do your hair up real nice," Margo said before disappearing into her bedroom.
Kali sat patiently, wondering what plans Wally had for her tonight. He was so excited; she smiled at the memory of his eagerness to please her.
Wally's words played in her mind, "Kali, do you believe in love at first sight?" he had asked, "...Because that's when I fell in love with you." Kali smiled at the sweet memory of his tenderly spoken words. She loved him so much, more than she thought it was possible for one person to love another.
She closed her eyes, recalling their time together earlier that evening. An unexpected myriad of conflicting feelings flooded her mind. This night had been one roller coaster of emotion for her. She was hurt, angry, uncertain, hopeful and then joyous.
Kali was not concerned that their relationship grew under such unusual circumstances. In fact, she believed that the common experiences they shared were what brought them closer together sooner than years of dating ever could have. She supposed it was similar to the bond people form when they experience a major tragedy together. They had been through a lot, but she knew it only cemented their relationship and now that Wally understood her feelings, she knew their future together was certain and sure.
She let the image of Wally's smiling face fill her mind. She could imagine spending the rest of their lives together: a perfect storybook ending.
Margo returned to the kitchen with a plastic comb and long piece of red satin ribbon.
"I thought I'd weave this red ribbon into the braid in your hair," Margo said as she drew closer to Kali.
Kali smiled and nodded. "What a good idea! Thank you so much, Margo."
"Any idea where Wally is taking you?" Margo asked, as she carefully ran the comb through Kali's long dark hair.
"He didn't say," Kali answered, beaming with excitement.
"It's so nice to see you and Wally so happy together. I'm glad you were able to clear things up with him," Margo said, carefully weaving the red ribbon into Kali's hair as she began the French braid.
Kali sighed. She was glad that things were back on track with Wally too.
"Listen Kali, I don't want to see you get hurt," Margo said hesitantly. "I know you haven't known Wally for very long and that you both have gotten very close in such a short amount of time, but..."
Kali froze. She didn't like the sound of where Margo was going with this.
"… Wally is different," Margo explained. "I mean, he's so impetuous."
"Yes, I know…" Kali replied, "It's one of the things that I love most about him."
"Kali, his boyish charm is endearing, but from what I know about Wally, I don't imagine he is capable of making a long term commitment, at least not the kind of commitment any nice girl like you should expect. Just watch yourself, don't expect something you may not get from a man who may never commit."
Kali remained silent. There was no doubt in her mind that Wally loved her, but she hadn't really expected Wally to make a long term commitment, such as marriage, so soon in their relationship.
"Margo, what makes you think he wouldn't want to marry?" Kali asked curiously.
"Well… as much as he likes to flirt with the girls, he hasn't ever expressed an interest in settling down. In fact, he's often said he wasn't ready to settle down. I just don't think he's the marrying type. Maybe it's because of the work he does as 'Flash', I don't know. Please, Kali honey, don't misunderstand. Go ahead and enjoy your time with Wally, but just don't get your hopes set on anything permanent with him," Margo warned.
Kali shifted uncomfortably in her seat, as she reconsidered things. She knew he loved her; everything he said and did showed her that. Weren't his actions proof enough of his true enduring love for her or were they merely an indication of feelings that would diminish in time?
Kali mulled over Margo's words. She didn't want to admit it, but Margo's comments got to her. She began to wonder. Even though Wally may have, in the past, expressed his reluctance to settle down, it certainly didn't mean that he would never want to settle down; Did it? Kali wondered. Wally had already broken off with her once, was it because he was afraid to settle down? Was it foolish for her to hope for a commitment from Wally?
Eighty-eight
It was 7:45 p.m. and Wally's ankle hurt like crazy. Even though Wally passed the officer's breathalyzer test, the police officer insisted on having Wally 'prove' his sobriety. After walking a straight line, touching his nose with his finger ten times, and counting backwards from 100, the officer finally decided to let him go. That was, of course, not without a giving him a traffic ticket for driving without a Drivers License, which Wally angrily stuffed into his pant's pocket.
The officer returned to his duties directing traffic and sent Wally on his way.
As Wally traveled along the traffic detour's route, he grew increasingly anxious. There was no way he was going to make it back to Kali in 15 minutes, even if he turned around and headed right back to Marty's house. He needed to find a pay telephone to call Kali and let her know he would be late. Where is the nearest phone? He searched both sides of the road as he continued down the street.
Spotting a floral shop on the road up ahead, Wally decided to stop there to purchase some red roses for Kali. It was the least he could do, he reasoned.
As he pulled up to the storefront, he realized that without his wallet, he had no way to pay for the flowers. Glancing at the fuel gage, he realized the car was low on gas. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the loose change. He had a total of 78 cents. That was better than nothing, he concluded.
Wally was about to start up the car, when he heard the florist shop's security alarm go off followed by the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. Wally hurriedly reached into his suitcase, threw on his Flash costume, and dashed into the floral shop without a second thought.
Inside the store, the owner of the shop lay, groaning in pain, on the floor behind the counter. He had been shot in the abdomen and was bleeding profusely from the bullet wound.
Grabbing a handful of clean paper towels nearby, Flash quickly looked around. There were no customers or other workers present, he observed. The empty drawer of the cash register was still open, and there was no sign of the robbers. Flash knelt down beside the injured man and, in an attempt to stop the bleeding, put pressure on the bullet wound.
"Flash? Is it really you?" the wounded man asked excitedly, forgetting his pain.
Flash smiled, "Yes, sir, it's me. Please lie still," he said.
"I don't believe it!" the man said in amazement. "The Flashis here in my store!"
Recognizing the sounds of ambulance and police sirens approaching from the distance, Flash held the paper towels firmly against the man's bullet wound still trying to stop the bleeding. "Help is on the way," he said gently.
"Can I have your autograph?" the man begged.
"Sure," Flash replied smiling warmly. "I'll stop back in a few days, when you're on your feet again," he promised.
Bright flashing lights from the ambulance truck and police car shone through the glass windows of the storefront announcing their arrival.
The ambulance workers burst through the door first, followed by a single police officer.
"Right here, guys!" Flash called out.
"What happened?" asked the police officer.
Flash stepped back to make room for the medics. As he rose to his feet and came face to face with the police officer, Flash immediately recognized the man as the same officer who had given him a traffic ticket just a few minutes earlier. He stared in angry disbelief at the officer. What, is this the only police officer on duty tonight he muttered to himself.
"Two punk kids robbed me!" the storeowner said to the police officer. "They were just kids, couldn't have been more than 15 years old…."
"What do you know about this, Flash?" the officer said turning his full attention from the injured man to Flash.
"Me?" Flash answered with surprise. "Nothing. I just got arrived here when the security alarm went off."
"Hmm, so you didn't see anything?" The officer scribbled some notes into his notepad.
The ambulance workers carried the shop owner out to the truck and began tending to his bullet wound.
"Well, if you don't need me…" Flash commented, heading for the door. As he began to walk, his ankle began to throb again.
"Hold on there, just a second Flash," the officer called after him.
Flash froze in his steps. What now? he wondered.
"You didn't see anyone since you arrived?" the officer asked.
"Huh? No, sir. Not a soul," Flash said, standing with all his weight on his good leg.
"So, you wouldn't happen to know whose car that is?" the officer said, pointing to Flash's car parked in front of the floral shop.
"What?... No, of course not…. I have no idea.… How would I know who that car belongs to?... I just got here…. I don't need a car you know… I can run much faster than a car you know…. I run everywhere…. " Flash rambled on nervously.
"Are you okay?" the officer asked, looking at Flash suspiciously. "Have you been drinking?"
"NO!" Flash answered sharply.
A surprised look appeared on the officer's face.
"A-hem," Flash cleared his throat. "I mean, no sir. I'm fine. I have not been drinking," he answered in a polite but deliberate tone of voice.
"Good to hear that," the officer said moving closer to Flash's car. He walked around the car inspecting it and jotting down everything he saw. "This car looks familiar…" he said.
Flash watched helplessly as the officer peered into his car through the backseat window.
"There's an open suitcase back there," the policeman murmured, jotting that information down too.
"I really don't think this car has anything to do with the robbery…" Flash commented, hoping to get the officer's attention away from the car.
"You just never know…" the policeman shot back. He continued looking through the windows into the car.
Suddenly, the officer's car radio sprang to life, "Calling Unit Fifteen, Officer Randall please respond."
Flash bent down and rubbed his sore ankle, as he watched the officer hurry over to his patrol car. As soon as the officer's back was turned, Flash ducked into his car and changed back into his regular clothes.
A quick look confirmed that the officer was still in his patrol car, as Wally turned the key in the ignition of his car. With any luck at all, he'd be back on the road and a mile away before the officer discovered Flash and the 'suspicious' car were gone!
With a smug smile on his face, Wally pulled his car back onto the road and merged into the heavily congested line of slow moving traffic. He leaned back and let out a deep sigh.
Eighty-nine
Kali paced back and forth in the living room. Where is he? she wondered.
The grandfather clock chimed its melodic tune. Eight-thirty.
"Wally should have been here thirty minutes ago!" Kali fretted.
Marty looked up from his newspaper, "Calm down. He'll be here," he said, returning his attention back to the paper.
"Really Marty, why can't you men at least call when you're going to be late!" Margo said slapping Marty on the arm.
"Hey!" Marty said, looking over at Margo. "What was that for? I'm here, aren't I?"
"Well, it's just that you men don't know what it is like to be sitting around waiting for you guys," Margo shot back.
"What?" Marty placed the paper down on the coffee table and turned to his wife, "What do you mean? Last Saturday I had to wait 45 minutes for you to decide which set of earrings and shoes went with your purple flowered dress."
"That's different," Margo argued.
"Different? How?" Marty asked, looking confused.
"You didn't need me to call you to tell you I was going to be late, did you?" Margo asked, smiling mischievously.
"No, that is true," Marty conceded, "But, that's only because you're always late. Now, if you were actually going to be on time, then I'd probably need a phone call!" Marty chuckled.
"Veryfunny!" Margo said, sticking her tongue out at Marty.
Kali walked over to the telephone and picked up the receiver. The long droning sound of the dial tone hummed loudly in her ear. She sadly replaced the receiver to its cradle and walked out of the room to her bedroom.
Her eyes sought out the framed wedding photograph on her dresser. Somehow, staring into Wally's smiling face in the picture, gave her a sense of reassurance.
"I love you, Wally, and I know you'll be here as soon as you can," she whispered. Closing her eyes, she held the photograph close against her body and hugged it protectively.