Broken Wings (13 page)

We kissed. I could feel his tears, the ones he couldn’t stop, and I kissed them off his cheeks. We held on to each other and our passions grew. He made love to me with a desperation I welcomed. I never felt more giving, even when I sensed anger had slid alongside affection and actually had taken command. He was rough with me, and at times I tightened my arms around him to calm him down as much as to keep myself from screaming. He realized it and became more loving, whispering how sorry he was and how much he cared for me as he kissed and stroked my hair, all the while still inside me.

We made love longer than we ever had, and when he reached his climax, he cried out like someone falling. I brought my mouth to his and we kissed so hard, it was nearly impossible to breathe. When it was over, we rolled on our backs, gasped, and waited to speak.

“Are you all right?” he asked me.

“Yes,” I said.

“Thanks for bein‘ with me,” he said, and closed his eyes. I tried to stay awake a little longer, but the day’s events took on their full weight and soon, I was just as deeply asleep as he was.

A very loud rapping on the rear door woke me first. Keefer groaned, but did not awaken. I had to shake him.

“Someone’s at the door,” I whispered.

He opened his eyes, but he was totally disoriented and confused.

“Whaaa.”

“Keefer, you better wake up,” I urged, looking for my blouse and jeans.

“Open up!” we heard. “It’s the police!”

“Oh, no,” I cried. The door was rattled hard, and I had just managed to slip my jeans on when it was thrown open, the lock giving way.

Because we had no lights on and the night was overcast, the policeman turned on a large flashlight and searched the room, washing the illumination over Keefer, who was sitting up and rubbing his face with his palms, and over me, who was standing at the side of the bed, barefoot, buttoning up my blouse.

“Put on a light,” the policeman commanded.

“What is this?” Keefer asked.

“Put on the light!” the cop repeated in a louder, more demanding tone.

Keefer fumbled for the switch on the lamp and got it on.

Two policemen stood in the doorway, looking in at us.

“You,” he said, pointing the flashlight at me even though there was enough light to see everything now. “You’re Robin Taylor?”

“Yes.”

“Your mother called 911 and reported you missing.” He turned the flashlight toward Keefer. “You know how old this girl is?”

“It’s not his fault!” I cried. “His mother died tonight. I stayed with him to comfort him.”

“Comfort him?” the second policeman said, smiling. “That’s a good way to put it. Get your things together and come along,” he added.

“I’ll go home myself,” I said.

“Hey,” the first patrolman said, stepping closer. “Don’t you think we have better things to do than babysit some juvenile delinquent? I should take this guy down to the station and have him booked for corrupting the morals of a minor.”

“You’d better go with them,” Keefer urged.

“She didn’t have to do this.”

“No, she didn’t. If you would behave, she wouldn’t have to call us, now would she?” the second policeman asked.

I slipped on my shoes.

“I’ll call you,” I promised Keefer.

“If I were you, cowboy, I would tell her to stay away. This girl’s mother might still press charges against you,” the first patrolman told Keefer. “If she does, we’ll be back. You can bet on that,” he said.

Keefer looked at me and then urged me to go.

They put me in the rear of the patrol car, and I felt helplessly trapped again. Once we were on our way, the two policemen seemed to forget I was in the car, too. They got into a discussion about baseball and began to argue about the ability of a player. I didn’t have to wonder how Mother darling had discovered my whereabouts. I was positive she had gone to Kathy Ann, who surely told her everything she knew.

That was confirmed for me when we drove into the parking lot and, despite the lateness of the hour, I saw her peering between the curtains. I knew she couldn’t see my face, but I looked her way with contempt. I couldn’t wait to tell her off.

Mother darling was in her bathrobe, waiting, when the police brought me up to the apartment. Cory was in bed.

“She was where you thought,” the first patrolman told her. “Do you want to do anything more about that?”

I looked at her, terrified.

“No,” she said. “Thanks so much.”

“All right. You’d better behave yourself, young lady. You’re on thin ice,” he warned, and left.

“You’re just determined to sink my ship, ain’t you, Robin? You’re just not goin‘ to be happy until we’re both in so desperate a place, we got to call my father for help, huh?”

“No,” I said. “You don’t understand what happened.”

“No, I don’t understand. I guess I never will. Just go in and go to sleep. I’m exhausted, and so is Cory. We’ve been hired to play at a much more respected place. It’s taken a big effort and a lot of concentration, but that’s what responsible people do. They try their best. I’m warnin‘ you for the last time, Robin Lyn, you’re not goin’ to ruin my chances. Now go to bed.”

“Don’t you even want to hear anything?”

“No,” she snapped. “But I will tell you this. The next time you disobey me, I’ll call the police and I won’t come to the courthouse with you.”

She went into their bedroom and closed the door.

I was too tired to cry or to care. I went to bed and slept longer than they did. When I opened my eyes, I could hear them having their breakfast. The radio was on. I lay there, hoping they would get up and go out before I rose. Finally, she opened my door and stepped into the room. She was dressed.

“Well,” she began, “I suppose you’re proud of yourself.”

“Are you going to listen to me?” I asked.

“You can’t tell me anything that will justify your behavior since we arrived here, Robin. I told you when we left that I was goin‘ to need you to be a responsible person because I would be too busy to watch after you as if you was a child. I thought I was doin’ you a favor takin‘ you away with me. I thought you’d want to be part of my life, not a burden.”

“I’m not trying to be a burden, but I have this friend, Keefer Dawson, and…”

“I know all about him,” she said.

“You don’t know anything about him, Momma.”

“Oh, I’m Momma now, not Mother darlin‘?” she said, smiling.

“Will you just listen. He’s a very nice person. It’s not what you think or whatever that jealous Kathy Ann told you.”

She sighed and looked at the ceiling.

“Okay, you listen,” she said. “Cory went back to his friend at the supermarket, and he had a nice talk with him about you. His friend is willing to give you a chance, despite what you’ve done. This would help you a lot, too, Robin. The court will be pleased you’re doin‘ somethin’ worthwhile and respectable. You’ll be able to have some expense money and you won’t be idle and gettin‘ yourself in trouble.

“You go back there today and ask to see Mr. Ritter. We said you’d be there before two and you could start today. You better not screw this up, Robin. This is absolutely the last time anyone’s gonna do somethin‘ to help you.

“We’re goin‘ off to Del’s garage to work on our music for tonight. I want you to come right home after work. If I hear you went back to that boy, I’ll do what the policeman told me to do. I’ll have him arrested. You understand me? Well? Don’t just lay there glarin’ up at me, Robin. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I said coldly. “I understand you real well, Mother darling.”

She flared her eyes, spun on her heels, and walked out, closing the door sharply behind her. I remained in bed until I heard them leave the apartment. I was certainly in no mood to see Cory and hear his sarcasm.

As soon as I could, I called Keefer.

“I’ve been afraid to call you,” he said. “What happened?”

I told him everything.

“We’d better be careful.”

“Did you call your sister and tell her about your mother?” I asked.

“Yeah, but she doesn’t want to come back for the funeral. She doesn’t want to see him under any circumstances, and she can’t do our mother any good anyway, she says. I guess I can’t blame her. I told her I’d see her someday, and I will.”

“You’re not going to just pick up and go without telling me, are you, Keefer?”

He was silent.

“Keefer?”

“No. I have some things to plan out yet,” he said.

“I’m going to see you no matter what my mother threatens. She won’t do anything anyway, because that would expose her even more and she’s too nervous about spoiling her chances to be a big country singing star.”

“Well, be careful,” he said.

I told him what they had arranged at the supermarket.

“Where’s that market?” he asked. After I told him, he was silent again and then he said, “That might be good.”

“Why?”

“I’ll tell you later when I see you,” he promised.

“When is your mother’s funeral?”

“It looks like it’s tomorrow. He’s just tryin‘ to get it all over with fast as he can so he can get back to his miserable ways. I wouldn’t a known anything if I didn’t call my cousin Charlie. He’s the only one on my father’s side has anything at all to do with him and only because he’s almost as much of a drunk.”

“I’d like to be there with you,” I said.

“I know, but maybe it’s better you stay away for a few days. I’ll find a way to get in touch. Sorry about all the new trouble I got you in,” he added.

“You didn’t get me into any trouble, Keefer. I get myself in trouble. That should be my middle name. My grandpa used to say he knew exactly who my father was. ‘He’s Old Scratch.’ ”

“Who’s that?”

“The devil,” I said, and laughed. “Maybe he was right.”

“Well, if all his daughters are as pretty and as nice as you are, he’s not so bad after all,” Keefer said, and we both laughed. “Be seein‘ you,” he said. His voice, small and hopeful, lingered in my ear after we hung up.

I didn’t have much of an appetite, but I made some fresh coffee and then had some toast and jam. I really didn’t want to go to work in a supermarket, but I had to agree that Mother darling was right about my earning some expense money, altough I wasn’t thinking of having it for incidentals and recreational expenses. I was thinking I would work awhile and save up enough to go off with Keefer some day, just as he dreamed. The idea became more and more exciting and possible. I couldn’t wait until we were together again and we could make some real plans. I would convince him to find some other work here in the meantime. With the two of us earning, we could have enough to travel and find a new and happier life someplace. Why not? Mother darling would probably be grateful. She probably wouldn’t even report my leaving to the police. As long as I wasn’t around and couldn’t hurt her reputation and spoil her chances, why would she care?

With new motivation and energy, I dressed and started out to make the best impression I could on Mr. Ritter at the supermarket. Before I left the complex, I stopped at Kathy Ann’s apartment. For once, she wasn’t planted in the window, watching for me or anyone else to fill her boring life with new gossip. But I was still fuming.

She opened the door, surprised and then immediately frightened by the look on my face.

“I’m not supposed to hang out with you, remember?” she said, and started to close the door. I put my foot in the way to stop it.

“I know you told where I would be last night. I know it was because of you that the police arrived.”

“I couldn’t help it,” she wailed. “Your sister came down here and begged my mother to let her speak to me. It was so late and my mother was very upset. My father was still asleep, thank goodness, or it would have been worse.”

“Why did you do it?”

“My mother called me out and she said if you know something to help this woman, you had better talk now, Kathy Ann, or I’ll see to it you’re punished for the rest of the summer.”

“You were just jealous,” I accused, my eyes fixed on her so firmly, she couldn’t look at me. “Charlotte Lily said you had a crush on Keefer and you were just a bitch, weren’t you?”

“No.”

“You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to tell Charlotte Lily what you did so she can tell every person who knows you what a creep you are to betray someone. No one will ever trust you again,” I vowed.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head.

“I couldn’t help it.”

“Me neither. I can’t help it, either,” I said. “Go have something else to eat. Maybe they’ll take you in the circus some day,” I spit at her and walked away.

She closed the door behind me. I was sure she would be trembling all day and what she would try to do now was call everyone she knew and explain what happened. That, I thought, would create more problems for her, because I really didn’t intend to bother talking to Charlotte Lily. I couldn’t care less if she had any friends or not, but once she started to talk about it, they would wonder why she was being so defensive and that would be just as effective.

I left for the supermarket and arrived there about twenty minutes later. Mr. Ritter made me wait for nearly as long and then finally called me into his office.

“Well,” he said, “I try not to hire anyone with a history that would make me think twice about having them around money in my store, but I’m going to make an exception with you. You have a good friend in Cory Lewis,” he added. “I hope you appreciate that.”

It took all my effort to smile and swallow down the words I wanted to say, but I did and nodded.

“Even so, I want you to understand you’re on probation here, a test of sorts. I don’t expect you to ever, ever be late for work, understand? The floor manager, Tammy Carol Allen, will show you around, describe your exact duties, and tell you when you take a break and what’s expected of you. Don’t come here wearing makeup like a clown or wearing anything that might be inappropriate. You don’t smoke in the store, and I don’t want to see you chewing and cracking gum in your mouth, hear?”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Always be clean-looking and neat. People expect to see the employees looking that way. We’re handling food here. Never sass a customer, no matter what. You’re always polite and helpful. We pride ourselves on service. Always be sure to ask if the customer wants assistance with his or her packages, hear?”