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“I’ll just finish my food, whoop ass at bowling, and drop Nana off before heading straight home. No worries here.” I wince when I try to stand, ending up with my ass back in the chair when my knee gives out. “Okay, so maybe I’ll finish my food, listen to Nana bowl, and then head home.”
Alan lets out a sharp whistle that has my ears ringing. “Over here, boys. And ignore her protests, she’s all bark and no bite.”
“Bullshit. I have teeth and I love to use them.” I bare said teeth at the two cautious auras slowly getting closer. “I don’t need to see the medics, boss. I’m fine.”
“Just let them check you out. Ease an old man’s worries, will ya?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, fine! Then I get to enjoy my greasy food in peace. Thanks, Ry.”
“Cool trick. I was trying to be as quiet as possible.” He praises with a smile and I grin, my back straightening.
“Finally, someone who appreciates my amazing superpowers!” Yummy smells reach my nose as, what I’m sure is a large platter laden with my order, is placed on the table behind me. The sliding of metal against metal giving away Ry’s movements.
I’m impatient as hell as the paramedics check me over–Gizmo and Snitch only kicking up a small fuss at their proximity–and the verdict is exactly what I thought it would be. I only have minor cuts and abrasions and nothing is broken. Though I will have to take it easy on my knee for a few days. So, apparently, I’m to take a couple days off of work and ‘rest’. The chief’s words, not mine. Which works well for me! That means I don’t have to work that case with Nic now, or spend my time listening to him grumble and complain about me. I just get to kick back at home with Gizmo and Snitch while still getting one hundred percent paid leave. Fuck yeah.
When everyone leaves–with the kicking, screaming, and hand-cuffed beer-bitch in tow–I’m finally able to relax with Nana and enjoy the food. She lets me stuff my face for a full five minutes before deciding to preach life advice to me once more.
“See. If you had a partner in all things, tonight would never have happened.” The mother of all I-told-you-so’s leaves her lips, but every word is laced with sadness.
“Not this again,” I grumble, continuing to shovel mozzarella sticks and french fries into my mouth.
“I’ll leave it be, just…give it a shot, Bell. One real try at making it work. Lord knows Alan won’t be in the field with you much longer with the way his home life is going, and you’ll need to be able to work with someone after he can’t.”
“Picked up on that too, did ya?”
“Oh yeah…his dictator is being really hard on him these days. Though, I’m not sure if it’s for love or…monetary security that’s driving her actions. I met her that one time when I brought you lunch at work, shortly before my…relocation. She’s definitely something else, that woman.”
“He deserves better, that’s for sure. But he’s far too good of a man to leave her.” I shrug before taking a huge bite of my cheeseburger.
“Well, he’s a big boy. He can handle himself.”
“True, true.” I continue shoveling food down my gullet, smiling at the noises Gizmo and Snitch are making as they enjoy theirs too. “But, c’mon, let’s just enjoy the rest of the night and try to ignore that I smell like a stale brewery, yeah?”
“This isn’t over.” She pats my cheek gently before digging into her own food.
“It never is, Nana. Not when your stubborn ass is around.” She laughs jovially, choking on the bite of food in her mouth.
“Damn right, girl. You really are a detective, huh?”
I chuckle at her dig, warmth flooding my chest. She may annoy me half to death, but with Nana around, nothing can bring me down.
5
Bang!Bang!Bang!
I wake with a start, immediately reaching out for my cane. Somehow, I end up twisting my legs in my blankets and I fall to the floor with a bang as loud as the ones currently pounding at my front door.
“Shit!” I groan out as I sit up and rub at my hip. A chorus of chittering and frantic squeaks sound around me as Gizmo and Snitch start zooming around the room, urging me to stop the loud knocks at my door. Only police knock like this. “Fuck! I’m coming, I’m coming! Don’t break my door or you’re fucking paying for it!”
I hastily unwind my sheets from around my legs and climb to my feet, my hands reaching out blindly to grab my cane. Pun fully intended. I don’t need it to find my way around my own house–I could run laps in this place without even needing Gizmo and Snitch’s echos to help–but when someone is banging on your door and you’re a twenty-eight year old female who lives alone, well, it’s a handy tool to have to protect yourself with. Even if I have already shown myself incapable of fighting off an attacker, as proven by my ass-beating the other night.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The knocks jar my teeth as they reverberate off the walls, each one pushing me further and further into a blinding rage. Somebody better be on their fucking death bed, or I swear to all that is holy, Iwillmurder someone.
