"So lemme get this straight...I haven't heard you speak two words in months and then Cindy shows up...and you perk up" the brunette genius asked, not with anger, but confusion. His mother just smiled at him.
"It just felt like a wake up call sweetheart...Seeing someone from the past return with a bright future. It made me realize that because of my constant moping and alcoholism, I stopped the one person I love more than anything from pursuing something that wanted to attain their whole life" at this point his mother was smiling still, but tears were streaming.
"I'm just sorry baby...I'm sorry that I stopped you from living your life."
Jimmy stepped over and sat beside his mom, and put an arm around her shoulder while she wept into him.
"Don't apologize mom, it's not your fault. It's...'His'," the man said with disdain, "It's all his fault."
The boy and his mother sat in silence. She finally raised her head from his shoulder and wiped a few secluded tears away.
"I talk to Cindy, she gave me a good reference on an AA program. It's just a few blocks in the city."
"Then I guess you'll need a car to get there."
He pulled a card from his coat pocket with a car dealerships and a persons name on it and sat it on the coffee table.
"Give this man a call sometime tomorrow. He'll send a car to pick you up and he'll help you pick a vehicle. He'll take care of the rest."
"But Jimmy, we cant afford-" but she was cut off by the him raising his hand up.
"Mom, you let me worry about money. I just want you to get better"
And with that, he disappeared into his room and crashed out.
The next day, Jimmy got up early to have a meeting with guys at the bar.
He walked through the doors and was met with the familiar smoky scene. Sitting at the bar was Sheen and Carl watching the news.
"How did the paperwork look" Jimmy asked, taking a seat next Sheen. Sheen nodded his head.
"Looks easy enough. I've got a line on some weapons at the moment, guys leaving them in a van two blocks over from the flower shop in an alley. Van is also gonna be our transport, it has the works."
"I've talk to a couple of guys from the department of transportation. I've got a roadblock set up for supposed construction that should detour the route. Give em time to call it in and then we'll hit it."
Jimmy nodded his head and gazed up at the tv.
"Heard you've got a date tonight Jim" Sheen stated, throwing back a small shot of liquor.
"We're just going out to dinner" he answered simply. Sheen smirked and looked at Carl out of the corner of his eye.
"Should I go ahead and mark a date down for the wedding"
"Give it a rest Sheen. She just wants to catch up."
Sam walked out of his back room office and threw down the stack of papers Jimmy had yesterday.
"My best judgment, to keep this cost-efficient, eliminate the 4th man. This is a small enough job that you three can pull it off and keep a nice chunk of change with it"
"You really think that's the best plan Sam" Sheen asked.
"I would really hope that you 3 strapping young men could take 2 geezers down in the middle of nowhere. Just get it done and get payed, I've already set the money washing up. Just get it done" and with that, the old man was back in his office.
The boys hung around the bar all day until it was around 7, Jimmy headed home and got ready for his date with Cindy. He was in an out and at Sheens door at 7:45. But to his surprise, Sheen didn't answer. He was met with a pair of green eyes and a short, black dress.
"Hey Jimmy, you ready to go?" she asked put her jacket on.
"Yeah, where's Sheen and Libby?"
"They actually disappeared upstairs, and haven't come down for a while. And I wasn't about to go investigating" at that Jimmy smirked.
"Well, we'll leave em to that then. I know a little restaurant in the city if you're ready"
She smiled and walked out to his car.
"Hmm an Audi huh?" she asked admiring the young mans car.
"Yeah, I got a good deal."
"An Audi on a bar tenders salary...Maybe I'm in the wrong business" she joked, but Jimmy raised an eyebrow.
"How did you know I was a bartender?"
The blonde girl hesitated and smiled back.
"Judy mentioned it yesterday."
Before long the kids were sitting in the restaurant, Cindy looking over her menu while Jimmy observed her.
"See something you like" she joked, not looking up from the menu. Jimmy blinked in surprise. She laughed at his reaction and put the menu down.
"It's just...I don't know, weird seeing you again. I thought after we stopped hearing from eachother every so often, you had just fell off the planet for good" he admitted honestly. She played with her earring mindlessly.
"School just started getting more and more time consuming and then I started working and-" the she stopped abruptly. He raised his eyebrow at her.
"You okay" he asked.
"Umm yeah," she laughed, "just thinking about school. Anyway how's life been here?"
"It's been okay...Between work and taking care of mom, it's been stressful. The bar may seem quiet but it's a pretty big handful." The waiter came to their table and took their orders and left.
"So what exactly did you study in New York?" he asked mindlessly. It seemed to take her a moment before answering.
"A lot of things actually. I dabbled all over the place. But mostly in law." Jimmy felt his body tense up a little.
"Oh law? Any particular area?"
"Like I said, all over the place. But mostly field work, which is why I'm back. I'm here to work with Retroville PD on high level investigations." Jimmy felt his body double the tensity. She was a cop?
"That's interesting. Any particular cases at the moment?"
"Now Jimmy, we both know that's against the rules to discuss," she laughed again, "Why? Are you doing something illegal Mr. Neutron?" Laughing more this time. Jimmy just smiled back. She's acting too nonchalantly for her to be interrogating me...I mean, why would she do this to a childhood friend anyway?
"Jimmy you okay?" she asked after his long pause.
"Yes, yes. Just lost in thought for a moment. Anyway, where are you going to be living here?"
"I actually bought my parents old house, just across the street from you." Are you fucking kidding me now?
"Wow, your just jumping right back into the fold now" he joked.
The waiter brought back out their meals and they ate in mostly silence. They were soon back in the car and driving aimlessly.
"You seem a little distance Jimmy" she asked, he noticed he was being quiet.
"Did me being a cop scare you" she laughed again. That laugh was like angelic music to his ears.
"Please, me scared of little Cindy" he joked back. She slugged him playfully in the shoulder to which he smiled.
"But seriously," he began, "Remember yesterday when you visited mom? How did you get in?"
"Well, the door was actually a quarter of the way open when I arrived. I knocked a few times, when no one answered I guess my cop instincts kicked in. I crept inside and found Judy staring blankly at the tv, in a daze. When I stepped in and spoke to her, it was like I had never been gone these past few years. We had a long talk about everything, and she acted fine. But ya know...I saw all the vodka bottles. I know things have been hard for her but alcohols not the answer"
"Wait wait...The door was cracked you said?" This was weird. He never left the door open, maybe unlocked on an accident, but never open.
"Yeah, I forgot to ask Judy why it was open actually. Why? Is that weird?"
"Yeah mom hardly ever goes outside, and even then it's out in the backyard. But she never goes out the front door anymore...That's odd."
"Do you think someone broke in?"
"I wouldn't think so. But thinking and knowing is two different things. I'll have to look into some things at home later."
"So what happened Jimmy? With your mom?"
Jimmy tensed up, and his hands squeezed the steering wheel.
"How about we leave that for another day, huh? I don't wanna ruin this date over something stupid to me" he asked, silently pleading. She smirked at him and placed at hand over her chest.
"A date? My, my, Jimmy! Very assuming aren't we?" she joking over-dramatically. She smirked back and laughed.
They sat in silence again until he pulled up in front of Sheen and Libbys home.
"I had a nice time tonight Jimmy, it was fun catching up and just hanging out again" she smiled. He could drown in that smile.
"Are you going to be free again any time soon?"
"When I found out, you'll be the first to know" and with that she pecked him on the cheek and went inside.
He smiled inwardly and had a dopey look on his face. Then it was replaced with a darker feeling when a fact crept inside his mind...But she's a cop. Why, why, why...
Thanks for all the positive support recently guys! It gave me the initiative to write another chapter tonight! Just keep them coming and I'll keep this story on track guys! Once again, thank you all!