“Excuse me? Police station?” Mom asked, her voice rising.
“It was nothing, never mind. I’l be home soon.” But I heard the phone being moved around and then I heard Trixie.
“Jet! Where are you? Your mother’s been worried sick.
What’s this about a police station?”
I closed my eyes, overcome with relief that Mom wasn’t alone. I sank down on the sofa, leaning forward, I put my elbows on my knees and my head in my hand. “Trixie, I’m so glad you’re there. Is Mom okay?”
“No she’s not okay, we’re both not okay. You didn’t come home last night.”
“I know. I’m so sorry. Is she al right? Was she able to get to the bathroom, take care of herself?” I asked.
“She’s fine. She got herself up, walked to your room and saw you didn’t come home so she cal ed me. I came over and took care of her.”
“Has she had breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Were you able to get her she dressed?”
“Yes! Where are you? You didn’t answer your cel . We cal ed the bookstore; they didn’t know where you were. No one was answering at the club. We were scared to death.” It then occurred to me where I was and my head snapped up and I looked at Eddie. He was standing; shoulders leaned against the wal , arms crossed on his chest, watching me.
Shit.
I looked back at my knees. “I’m at Eddie’s.” Silence.
“Trixie?”
I heard her say, not into the mouthpiece, “She’s at Eddie’s.”
The phone was moved around again and Mom said,
“You’re at Eddie’s?”
Her tone was both hopeful and snoopy. Neither of these were good things.
“It’s a long story. I’l tel you later. Listen, Mom, I’l be home as soon as I can.”
“No, no, don’t rush. We’re okay. Ada’s coming over and Trixie’s managed to rearrange her appointments. Take your time.”
I closed my eyes and prayed for divine intervention.
I waited a beat and nothing happened.
Guess God was busy with war and famine and the like.
“Mom, I’l be home as soon as I can get there. Okay?”
“Is Eddie bringing you home?”
“I don’t know.”
“Am I going to meet him?”
“I don’t know. Listen, Mom, I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, dol face,” she said, her voice total y changed from pissed off mother on the edge to sweet as pie. “See you.”
I pushed the on/off button and looked up at Eddie. “I’ve got to cal Indy.”
“I cal ed her before I came home. She’s not worried. Her people come and go as they please,” he said.
Not me, I worked mornings. She needed me for the rush hours and that’s when I worked for her. I’d never been late for Indy.
I got off the couch, put the phone in its receiver and walked across the room, passed Eddie, to the bedroom. I nabbed my slut shoes and sat on the side of the bed.
“Your Mom okay?” I looked to the side and Eddie was leaning in the doorway.
I bent double and started to slip on my shoes.
“Yeah. Trixie’s there and Ada’s coming over.” The next thing I knew, Eddie was crouched in front of me and he took my shoes away.
My head jerked up.
“Hey!”
“I want you to get back into bed,” he said, straightening out of his crouch.
“What? ” I screeched, half flipped out, half angry, jumping off the bed, which placed me standing less than a foot away from him.
“Get back into bed,” he repeated.
“I can’t get back into bed. I have to get to work.” I began to slide away but he twisted his torso and tossed the shoes in the direction from whence they came. After he’d done that, he came back around and his arm came out, blocking me.
Then he said, “I carried you from the station to the truck, from the truck to bed and took off your skirt and shoes, and you slept like the dead the whole time. Work can wait. You need some rest.”
I couldn’t think about Eddie carrying me around or taking off my clothes or how any of that made my bel y feel, so I didn’t think about it and focused on the current drama.
“Work can’t wait. I need the money,” I told him.
“How much did you give him?” Eddie asked.
I stared at him.
“Who?”
“Your Dad. How much did you give him?”
“Your Dad. How much did you give him?”
My blood pressure skyrocketed.
“That’s none of your business,” I snapped.
He took the mini-step forward which had me moving back. The backs of my legs hit the bed and I had nowhere to go but down and he was inches away.
“Move back,” I said.
“I asked how much you gave him,” Eddie repeated.
“Move back!”
“How much?”
“Five hundred dol ars, okay?”
I gave in. I had to, he was leaning into me and I had nowhere to go and I real y needed room to move.