Killing Me Softly(A Broken Souls Series)

“You can get an apartment and live in the dorms?”

“Most guys who do that will split the rent and will have to make an appearance at the dorms every now and then. I can afford to get a place without them, I just want to live off the income I deserve. The military gives you BAQ which helps pay for housing. If you’re unmarried and lower ranked, you live in the dorms so you don’t get a housing allowance. I’m letting my other money can sit in the bank and make money, I want to make it on my own. Sure, I’ve used it to buy a couple of luxury items, but I try to refrain as much as possible. Looks like Sam has an aggravated customer. I’ll see you later.” He kisses my forehead and walks away. His jeans are nice.

The customer is raising his voice and giving Sam hell. “Hi sir, can I help you with something?” I ask the short bald man in front of me.

“I have a coupon for two dollars off and this nitwit won’t let me use it.” He shoves his coupon my direction.

I look at the piece of paper and up at Sam, he shrugs his shoulders.

“Sir, this is for a different vitamin store. They went out of business last year.” His coupon is two years old, but I’ve seen him a couple of times with his daughter. I think she said he has early dementia. “Since you’re a regular, I’m going to honor the coupon. Sam, please reenter his purchase and give him the two dollars discount,” I say and smile to the man. I can’t help thinking of my dad when he’s irrational and I’m sure a store clerk pissed him off.

Tate with his own apartment and me hanging out with him. That will test my reclaimed virginity decision. I haven’t told Tate how young I was when I gave myself to a boy. I wasn’t particularly interested in having sex when I did, but Bobby was leaving for college and he didn’t want to be the only virgin in college. Since I had already had sex, I didn’t think it was a big deal to have sex again. I didn’t go out looking for sex, I had to go on at least three dates with them before I put out. Andy was the same way and we held true to our word, no date, no sex. If I have to look back on my life and figure it all out, I’d guess I was looking for acceptance. Maybe I needed the intimacy with a man to make up for the father figure I had at home. My life is different now, and I feel like it is better for me to focus on the relationship before messing it up with sex.

“Are you having a stroke?” Sam says so loud I jump.

“What the H! What’s wrong with you?” He scared the crap out of me.

“I’ve been saying your name over and over and you were spacing out. Maybe you shouldn’t take drugs and go to work.” Sam is being his obnoxious self as he talks in my face.

I step back away from him. “I was thinking.”

“Of Mr. Wonderful? He’s got game, that’s for sure. He must be gay and playing the military straight card. Straight men don’t make candy bar flower pots.”

Instead of saying anything, I stomp on his foot and then say, “He’s NOT GAY!”

“Worker’s comp! You broke my toe you….”

“Don’t finish that thought!” I grab my pot of candy and walk back to my office, he can straighten up the store by himself tonight.

***

“Hey dad, you’re up early this morning,” I say and pour him a cup of coffee. His night meds are making him groggy in the mornings.

“Yeah, I need to work on the plants today. It was late when you came in last night, where you with that girl Bethany?”

Was I with that girl Bethany? Yeah, this is going to be a long morning. “No, I was with Tate, we were working on two songs we’ll be doing at a gig we have this Saturday night.” Wait for it.

“Oh that’s nice. What songs did you come up with?” Dad takes a long sip of his coffee.

An alien seriously stole my dad. No drug can be this good. “Well, we’re going to do a Nancy Sinatra song “These Boots Are Meant for Walkin’” and Joss Stone with Rob Thomas’ version of “Stop Draggin My Heart Around.” We slowed it down with the guitar and put a cool vibe to the songs.”

“You sure went for some older songs. I’d like to hear your version though.”

This miracle drug should be given to everyone everywhere! “We’re performing this Saturday, Bethany is going to video us doing our duets so I can see how we do together. You’re welcome to come to the club.” Time for Captain Crazy to appear.

“No, I’m not ready to go to a night club. All the flashing lights and loud music, it wouldn’t be a good scene for me. I’m glad you have a gig so fast. Did you hear back from the attorney?”

“Everything is good with the contract. I’m excited, but most of all, I’m excited that you’re sitting here with me and you’re not freaking out. We’ll be sure to let your therapist know.”

Dad picks up the newspaper and puts on his reading glasses. I’ve entered an episode of “Leave It to Beaver.”

“You know I’m still bi-polar, even on the drugs. They help me see the world with clearer eyes. I’m not over the fact that your boyfriend is in the Air Force, I’m just able to understand you’re an adult. That little Italian place in the strip mall would be a nice place for dinner. They’re not too expensive and it is usually quiet.”

“Dad, we’ll have to come up with a time and when our schedules will work out. He’s in training and I have inventory coming up next week. It will be a couple of weeks before I’ll have a date and time. I’m happy the medicine is helping you, I wish they had put you on it long before now. We still have to talk about my mom. Bethany and I are going to the Y to run, do you want to go? You’re getting soft in the middle old man,” I tease.

“Soft? I can still do more sit-ups than you. Would you like to see?” He teases back. “No kiddo, the plants need me.”

On the way back to my room I notice he has a western book sitting on the end table. It’s good to see he’s reading, that’s a tell that he’s feeling good.

My phone buzzes on my nightstand.

GOOD MORNING! JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I THINK YOU’RE AMAZING. YOU’RE A GOOD PERSON AND I’M HAPPY YOU’RE MINE. 7:45 am

This is going to be a good day.

***



Chapter Thirteen. Breathless

Norman, Oklahoma is the home to the University of Oklahoma and one of the best football teams in America. It has the biggest collection of underage clubs for eighteen and over in Oklahoma. They’re the coolest places to hang out. We’re meeting at Don’s house to ride together to Norman. I got here before anyone else, so I suck it up and go to the door. Tracey is wearing a hot pink hi-lo dress with a pair of neon green wedges. I’m not sure how to act around her since the night I stayed over.

Bethany and the guy she was making out with at the bookstore the night I met Tate, are meeting us at the club. Sam and his new stripper girlfriend are meeting us too. One of Tate’s air traffic control friends and some other guy are riding with Tate to Don’s house. “Margarita?” Tracey asks and hands me one before I answer. “I’d need half a dozen margaritas before I got up and sang in front of anyone. Tate told us how you guys sang that one night and you were offered a deal. That’s never heard of, you were in the right place at the right time, for sure.”

I don’t have the heart to tell her I can’t handle tequila, not after the night Andy and I puked our guts up in John Seymour’s front yard. We lost a game of seven and took so many shots I’m sure we damaged our livers for life. It was a stupid game that you go around in a circle and every time you get to a derivative of seven or a number with seven in it, you have to switch directions. Sounds easy enough, unless you’ve already been drinking. Every time you mess up, you have to take a shot. We weren’t math scholars that night and vowed never to play a number game for shots again. I sip on the margarita trying to convince my stomach that I won’t over drink.