Lash chuckled. During the days that he’d spent watching Naomi, he figured that he had to find some way to keep the dog quiet. There was no better way to win a person’s heart—or a dog’s—than food.
He scratched behind Bear’s ear, something he’d seen Naomi do whenever she was visiting. After one of her rides, she’d sit in the living room and stare off into space. Bear would get a sad look in her eyes as if sensing her owner’s pain. The dog would lick her fingers cautiously until Naomi would snap out of it and place the dog in her lap.
Bear’s ears perked up.
“You hear her coming, too, huh?”
Bear wagged her tail.
“Okay, go back inside. You know how she gets after her rides.”
Bear barked in response and ran to the front yard. Lash peeked around the corner to watch. A mass of dark hair spilled out of Naomi’s helmet as she took it off. Her eyes looked puffy and her nose red. Tear streaks stained her cheeks. Lash shook his head and wished he could do something to take away her pain. He couldn’t understand why he cared. He’d been on lots of assignments where he’d had to watch people struggle with grief, but there was something about Naomi that touched him. She was like a wild bird, full of life and fire, that had her wings clipped, no longer able to fly. The girl he first saw ceased to exist.
“Hey, Bear,” Naomi said sadly as she bent down and patted her head.
The porch door swung open, and Chuy jogged out barefoot. “It’s about time you got back. Where were you?”
“None of your business.” She pulled the key from the ignition and got off the bike.
“Welita is worried about you riding that thing.”
“She’s always worried.”
“It’s different this time. A friend of hers saw you a couple of days ago on your bike. She said you were doing eighty, maybe even ninety.”
“So?” She crossed her arms.
Chuy scowled. “So Welita doesn’t want to wake up one morning and find out you’re splattered all over the highway. Neither do I.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know how to ride.” Naomi headed for the front door.
Chuy blocked her. “Give me the keys.” He held his hand out.
“What?”
“Give. Me. The keys.”
“Screw you. I’m not giving you anything. Get out of my way,” she said as she attempted to walk around him.
Lash clenched his hands into fists as he watched Chuy grip her arm. He’d never seen Chuy manhandle her. Family member or not, Lash was ready to do him bodily harm if he did anything to hurt her.
“Stop it, Chuy. I’m not giving you my bike.” She wrapped her fingers around the keys and held them behind her back.
Chuy grabbed her fist and attempted to pry her hand open. “I’m taking them whether you like it or not. I don’t want Welita worried about you every time you get on that thing.”
Bear ran around in circles, barking, as Naomi tried to pull her hand away from him.
“You’re hurting my hand.” Naomi hit his muscled brown arm.
Lash was about to risk his hiding place and go after him when Bear growled and lunged at Chuy, biting his big toe.
“Damn it, Bear. Knock it off.”
Lash grinned as he watched Chuy hop on his other foot while trying to rub his injured toe. He was beginning to really like that dog.
Naomi threw back her head and laughed. “Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?” He sat on the porch steps and examined his toe. “I think she broke the skin.”
Naomi sat down next to him and examined his toe. “You big baby. She can barely make a dent with all those calluses.”
Chuy dropped his foot on the ground, and his face turned serious. “Look, Naomi. I’m all for you having your own ride. I was the one who fixed it up for you, but I’m worried about Welita.”
Naomi sighed. “I know. It’s just that”—she swallowed—“it’s the only thing that’s keeping me together.”
“Please, Naomi.” Chuy looked at her sadly. “Do it for Welita? Give her some peace of mind. It’ll only be for a while.”
Naomi looked sadly at her motorcycle and then back at Chuy. “Okay,” she said as she dropped the keys into his lap.
“Aren’t you coming inside?” Chuy asked as Naomi walked away from the house.
“I’m going home.” Naomi ran a hand over the bike as she passed it.
“Wait. I’ll give you a ride.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll catch the bus.”
Chuy jogged to her and stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him. “Hey, you’re not mad at me, are you?”
“No, I’m not mad,” she said. “I just want to be alone.”
“It’ll only be for a while. You’ll get your bike back soon,” he said. “I promise.”
Lash saw the look on her face as she turned away from Chuy and walked down the street to the bus stop. He caught a glimpse of her face as she passed underneath a streetlight, and he was overwhelmed with trepidation. Most of the time, he went to his own place when she settled in for the night. This time he had a feeling that he should stay near her apartment—just in case.
***