“Tex…”
“I know, I know. But I saw it on a commercial. I’m hungry and they bring food to your car. No one’s gonna let us in with you wearin’ wonton soup and fried rice.”
This, unfortunately, was true.
“I’m sorry about the El Camino, it’s gonna smell like hot and sour. I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”
Tex shrugged. “Better ‘n’ normal, I say.”
Then he asked me what I wanted, he barked our order into the speaker and I did my round of calls to the girls and boys of my circle, making sure they were okay, uninjured and unarrested. When I knew all was well in the world and I’d eaten tater tots smothered in frightening orange cheese chased by a chocolate malt, Tex fired up the Camino and we headed to Cat Land.
*
I took my second shower with the cat (named Rocky) watching me from the toilet seat. In my buying frenzy, I’d forgotten sleepwear so Tex gave me a clean flannel shirt and sweat pants, neither of which fit nor even came close but something was better than nothing. I shoved my Chinese Food clothes in a plastic bag and tied the handles tight.
Tex gave good sleepovers, after my shower, he got out his hooch, which burned when it went down but seriously took the edge off. He also got out a bag of corn chips and one of those huge-ass bars of chocolate with almonds. We snacked and camped out in front of the television and watched whatever was on, including commercials, which in the Age of the Remote was unheard of. Tex’s big console TV appeared to be purchased during America’s Bicentennial and didn’t have a remote and neither of us felt like getting up to change the channel every ten minutes.
Finally, Tex gave me a sheet, a pillow and a blanket and introduced me to Tiddles (a fluffy gray who settled on my belly), Winky (a sleek tiger-kitty with white feet who settled between my ankles) and Flossy (a tuxedo who settled in the crook of my arm). Tex put lights out and, as was per usual, I fell asleep.
I had a weird dream that started with the dial of a rotary phone, something I hadn’t heard in years.
Then, in my dream, I heard Tex say quietly (yes, quietly, this was how I knew it was a dream), “This Nightingale Investigations?” Pause. “Yeah, this is Tex MacMillan. Tell your boss I got somethin’ of his.”
Then the phone was replaced in its cradle.
I knew this was a dream, it had to be a dream because Tex would never give me up.
Never.
*
The next thing I knew, I was being lifted in the air and cats were flying everywhere.
I opened my eyes and saw Lee. He was adjusting me in his arms but looking over me at something.
I turned my head to see Tex coming towards us with my plastic bag, purse and shopping bags.
“Say it ain’t so, Tex,” I whispered.
“Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” Tex returned.
I looked out the window then back at Tex. “The sun’s been down for hours.”
In the quiet voice of my not-so-dream, Tex replied, “You know what I mean, darlin’.”
I made an annoyed noise because really, what do you say to that? I hated not having a comeback.
Lee was quiet through this exchange and started walking to the door.
Tex followed.
“I can walk, you know,” I told Lee.
“You can also run,” Lee replied.
“Not in these sweats, I can’t. They’re seven sizes too big.”
Lee didn’t answer, he also didn’t put me down until we got to the passenger door. He pressed me inside, slammed the door and he and Tex put my stuff in the trunk.
Tex waved as we drove away.
Traitor.
I said nothing all the way to the condo. Once Lee pulled up the parking brake in the garage, I got out and shuffled on bare feet to the elevator, clutching the sweats at the waistband.
Lee grabbed the plastic bag filled with my Chinese Food clothes, my purse and my shopping bags from the trunk and followed me.
We remained silent all the way up the elevator and Lee let me in the condo. I went straight to the bedroom to the drawer where Judy the Housekeeper put my undies. I dropped the sweats, put on some panties, left the flannel shirt on and slid into bed, on my side, with my arm wrapped around the edge and my hand tucked between the mattress and box springs. I was holding on for dear life, there was going to be no cuddling tonight.
I heard laundry noises, obviously Lee was taking no chances with my Chinese Food clothes and was relegating them to the washing machine without delay.
I refused to be embarrassed by this.
Lee entered the room and I ignored him. I heard the rustling of clothes, I felt him get into bed and he settled. He didn’t touch me or pull me to him like he normally did. I stayed tense and waited, five minutes, ten. Then, when I was this close to falling asleep, his arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me across the bed and half-pinned, half-spooned me.
I went rigid.
I felt him bury his face in the back of my hair and then he said, “I’m an ass. I shouldn’t have said that in front of Eddie. I’m sorry.”
Shit.