The Hospital Visit

It wasn't a needle that struck me, it was nail. A finger nail from the older woman that I had met in the alley way behind Ally's Alley. I had fainted from fright, exhaustion, who knows what else.

I woke up to Rascal looking over me at the hospital. My first initial thought was that we were both dead because the way that he was looking over me and his head was blocking the light which gave the impression that the light was a halo. Rascal was concerned, for once.

"Baby, you've been out for two weeks. What the hell happened?"
My voice croaked as I attempted to speak for the first time. "I was hoping you'd tell me."
"Jack found you down behind Ally's, passed out and we've been trying to wake you up since!"
"Ally's Alley?"
"Yea, did you go down there for a round? After hours?" He looked at me like I was up to no good and my heart sank past the hospital bed, for that was true. I was up to no good that night, and well, I was hoping in that moment that my feeling of guilt wasn't read all over my face as well.

"Can you get me something to eat? I'm starved."
"Sure, that's fine, just wait here."
"It's not like I'm going anywhere."
Rascal smirked and left the room, leaving the door just slightly ajar. I could see beyond the door into the hallway, white walls, white floors, pale lights. One just past my range of sight was flickering... it was really annoying. I finally had a chance to look around my own room. There was a curtain on my left, seperating me from the other patient in the room, if there was one. It was as silent as the grave over there.

I tried to piece the night that I remembered last together, from deciding to go out with Jack after his shift, to getting to the bowling alley, to seeing that woman. Who the hell was she?

The blinking light finally quit and died down the hall. As well as the next five lights that led up to my door. The hospital blankets don't give you too much to warm up to, as I soon discovered that a draft came through the open door. I buzzed for the nurse using the bed monitor for another blanket and closed my eyes. I figured it was just me waking up a few weeks after some weird reaction to the coma (if that was the right word) and I was just imagining things. Lights don't go out in succession like that, turning on maybe, but not turning off.

I heard the curtain next to me snap back, but I kept my eyes closed. I didn't want to give the appearance that I was awake, nor available to talk. But as I closed my mind to all that was in my room, and concentrated on the returning footsteps to my room, I could feel myself floating away again, and that stab once more. This time it was in my arm, but I fell once more into the darkness that I now feared.

Adventure

It's easy enough to convince yourself that you're not cheating on the one that you're with, but what about the others? I went with Jack that night to have an adventure, but not to cheat on Rascal.
Oh God, Rascal, if I only had known what God was planning, I wouldn't have dared gone out.

Rascal and I had known each other for years. Years. We met before college, probably at some local party. Dated for a few years, crashed on each others couches for a few more, then ended up buying an apartment together in the city. No real love, just dates that ended in crashing back on the couch with a couple of funny movies and endless popcorn. If it wasn't for the morning wake up kisses you might have thought that one of us was playing for the other team.

But now here is Jack, offering me an adventure that I've never had with Rascal. I've never gone somewhere spontaneous with Rascal. I'm not cheating. I'm just having an adventure, right? I kept trying to convince myself of this. It wasn't working.

I met Jack after he closed up the shop. He turned, grinned at me and hooked his arm around my left arm. It was tight enough to look like we were together, but loose enough that I could run away. A back door. Maybe I should leave! "The mind is willing but the flesh is weak" ran through my mind.

"You look nice, Nicole."
"Oh! Thanks... I guess ha ha. It's the same thing from before."
"I know. I just thought I'd mention that now."
"Oh."

We walked along the empty streets for a few moments when Jack pulled me down Ally's Alley. Ally owns the bowling ally in town, and the front entrance is located in the alley. Original idea for a small town like ours.
I could hear music coming from Ally's Bowling Alley, which I thought was strange, most of the places around town were closed early. Jack steered me into the Bowling Alley and I recognized a few of the faces from the bars. There was John, with his battle worn face from years of pimples and zits; Alice with her stringy hair from too many dyes; and Bernice with her tight lipped jaw that made her look like she was always eating a lemon. They all looked at me strange, probably because I was still hooked on Jacks arm, which I quickly dropped. We chatted with the bowlers who were there for the weekly bowl-a-thon and were surprised to see Jack on this side of town
A slightly chubby thirty something woman sidled up to me. She didn't look... all there.

"Jack..." I suddenly didn't feel well. I had sharp pain in my lower back. As if a needle had pierced me. No wait, that was a needle. I blacked out. 

Ghost Story

"I'm not cheating, I'm not cheating, I'm not cheat... Oh my gawd ...."

I was back at the coffee house. I had an adventure that I wanted to go on, one that I had not gone on in a very long while.  Jack was closing up, again. I waited until all of the regulars, the people who knew me had already left before I returned... in a new outfit.

"Hey, uh, Jack... I changed my mind. Are you still free tonight?" Alright, I was still sounding desperate but at least my voice didn't waver this time.

"For you Nicole, I'll be free any time you want me." Oh gawd, that wink, and charismatic tug of his lopsided grin when he smiled... Oh please, I can't fall for him, I was with Rascal!

"Well, what time do you want me to stop by again? I can come back after you close up?"
"Naw, you sit your pretty little tush right there and we'll be ready to go in about 15 minutes. You don't mind that I smell like coffee when we go out, do you?"
Coffee? Coffee? It's only my favorite smell in the entire world! "Not at all!"

Jack wiped down the tables and chairs, refilled the canisters sitting on the counters and shooed the last of the customers out of the shop. It was only 7 p.m. but the coffee shops closed early around here, no one really wandered around after 7:30 anyways, no one ever liked the dark in this town.  When we first moved in Rascal was warned to keep an eye on me after dark, apparently there was a town superstition that a vengeful spirit was wandering the roads looking for his murdered mistress and wife. Or maybe it was just the mistress. I'm not one for fairy tales or ghost stories so I didn't pay attention.

Long story short, one of the original town founders, George Trian married a pretty little blond waif like beautynot much older than 15 from a few towns over and she died in childbirth. Poor thing. Well, he didn't waste any time finding someone to take care of his little girl and remarried.  So it's told is that he married the little girls older step sister, Belinda, who really wasn't that pretty. She was the maid of the family, and was never home when someone came to call for her hand so she never got married until her younger sister died. Well, she ended up raising her dead sisters daughter. Now since he has a woman at home that he doesn't really want, raising a beautiful little girl that he doesn't know how to raise, he decided to leave the town.  As the town founder, that is a little difficult, since everyone knows your name and your story.  Trian left behind his second wife and child and headed East, towards the mountain villages when the daughter, Vanessa turned 4.
Years passed and Trian never returned. In the meantime Trian's little daughter grew up and became the spitting image of her mother, much to the annoyance of her aunt/step mother. When she turned 16, Vanessa decided to head out and find her father. Knowing that he headed East, she headed out herself, alone. It just so happened that Trian decided to head home and see how the town that he helped found was doing and headed West. Halfway between the two towns father and daughter met at dusk and camped across the road from each other, both unaware that the other was there.  George got up in the middle of the night to do his business and wandered across the road to where Vanessa lay. Finding her laying there, her blond hair illuminated by the moon, curled under an aging blanket that once adorned his wedding bed, Train became frightened. It does not take much for a cheating man to become spooked. He believed that since he fell in love with the other woman, Clarissa from the other town, that his beautiful first wife had come to haunt him after he left Clarissa's village.
And so, George killed Vanessa in her sleep. None would have been the wise if he had headed East that very morning. However, being a foolish man, he headed West, back to his first town. Everyone at that point had been looking for Vanessa, not knowing that she had headed East and were shocked when George had entered the town.  They pleaded with him asking if they had seen the girl, small, waif like, blond hair, young, and George became frightened. He repeated three times, "No, I have not seen the girl that you seek." Belinda heard him state this three times and took him home. She sat him down and searched his clothes, his hair, and his shoes for a sign that he had indeed been cheating. She found on his backside, one of Vanessa's long blond hairs. She became furious believing that this hair belonged to his mistress, who in truth was not blond, but lost in time and legend, and struck George down. The townsfolk hearing the trouble rushed to the house and saw Belinda with the weapon and George dead on the ground, and lost no time in sentencing to a hanging until death. And thus George Trian, his first wife, his second wife Belinda and his daughter Vanessa had died. 
To this day, the townsfolk do not stay outside and keep an eye on their cheating husbands, and the husbands/dates don't dare cheat for fear that Belinda will come and strike them in their sleep.

Being one of the new kids on the block, I didn't believe in such rubbish. The better question was, should I believe in these tales when I myself was about to cheat on Rascal?

I Ain't!

I went back, after I put on another shirt to Jack's work. I don't know why, but I did. I had his shirt in my hand too, with full intention of giving it back. As I was putting my hand on the door I realized that I should have washed it, but it was a little late for that.  He had already seen me.
He leaned over the counter and gave me a flirty grin, his teeth were white, and absolutely perfect. They weren't straight, his front teeth were slightly crooked, tilted inward. It made him that more handsome. Ugh, why was I thinking these treacherous thoughts? What about Rascal? I ... loved? ...Him?
"Hiya Sunshine!" It was too late to turn back now, I was already in the coffee house.
"Hey Jack, whats brewing?" Smooth you cheater, how smooth. - Beat - "I brought back your shirt, but I didn't wash it..."
"That's fine sugar, I'll do it myself." Then he winked at me! Alright buddy, That's it.
"Alright, later Jack! See you next week!" And on my heel I turned and walked away! I walked away from him! I walked away from a cheating situation! How honest I am! How wonderful a feeling how... happy I felt!
Walking back to my, our, apartment, I thought of something. Why hadn't Rascal and I ever have sex? Why hadn't we ever gone past that particular kind of situation? It's been two years! Is something wrong with me? Are we in that much of a set routine?
I decided to shake up things a bit, and I called him, at work. My heart throbbing and my mouth growing dry I dialed his number, expecting the worst and expecting the best. Rascal picked up:
"Hello?"
"Hey babe! I just wanted to call and say hi!" I said it a little too cheerily, it sounded like I was up to no good.
"Okay? Hi?" Okay now it was awkward. Awkward pause. Awkward pause.....
"Also could you pick up a pizza or something? I'm feeling like a dinner out." Smile into the phone, everything is good....
"Okay? Sure...? I'll do that. But um, did you get my note? I won't be in till tomorrow afternoon."
"Oh right, well, maybe tomorrow then." I know I sounded desperate.
"Sounds good. Alright, I gotta get back to work. Have a good one."
"Yea, you *click* too. " Well that's food for thought.
He didn't say he loved me, he didn't say he missed me, he didn't say... anything.
Maybe I will go out with Jack, just this once.... What trouble could it cause? Seriously?

Mundane

I realized yesterday that we've been living together for two years.  What was there to prove that we loved each other? That we still had fun? That we were still romantically involved with each other? There was nothing, except for a few pictures printed from the local convenience store.  That certainly didn't prove anything. Didn't prove that we loved each other, didn't prove that we were still in love, didn't prove that we even knew each other. We just looked like we lived with each other. 
But it was too late to go back. I couldn't remember who I was before I met him. Before any this happened. There was college, and the years in college, and the hard work I put into college then he didn't continue with college, he left but why? I never understood. I never understood why he didn't finish with college. I still don't understand why he backed out of the firefighting business too. I never brought it up to him, I wonder why now.
This is what I asked myself as I read the newspaper and drank my coffee.  The funnies weren't holding my attention today, but the tabloids were. Apparently Ivan Qua came out with a new song about broken relationships and well his wife of three years left him. It made me think about how neither of us have left yet after two years. We were in a rut and living together, like an old married couple. Except without the arguments, sex life or well, any communication whatsoever. We had our friends so we had a social life. We both worked so we both had a work life but was there anything else for us?
Right about here Jack, my coffee maker leaned over and flicked me upside the head.  He always did that to grab my attention.  "Want another cup?"
I automatically raised my cup, he always gave me free refills.  Never understood why but he did.
"Whats wrong hon?" I sighed and dropped my glass. 
"Whaddya want Jack." He sat down next to me in the booth, and filled my glass that was still halfway full.  He flashed me a grinning smile. "Let ol' Jack help you out."
"Ha ha Jack, you know that you've been a great friend but I don't think there's anything that you can do. It's home stuff."
He scooted closer to me, the chair scraped on the linoleum.  As he leaned in I could smell his cologne, it was coffee, I could have guessed that.  "C'mon hon, I promise I won't laugh. What did you do? Break a window? Forget to call your mother?"
"Very funny." I replied. I still hadn't looked at him since he sat down.
"Tell you what," He got up from the chair, "Swing by after shift, I'll take you out. Rascal won't mind will he?"
He meant Rascal, I knew it. I don't think Jack even knew his name, or at least his real name. Wait, he wants me to cheat on Rascal?
"What are you aiming at Jack. What's your angle."
"Angle? Ha ha, there is no angle hon. Just want to show you a good time, one that you haven't had in a while."
I suddenly felt uncomfortable.  I got up and dropped my newspaper on the floor and all over my chair. He laughed and helped me collect it, which in turn made the coffee spill over and drenched my dress. He laughed even harder, and offered his shirt. "I've got an extra one in the truck, forget about it." Then with a wink he disappeared behind the counter, shirtless.
I had only a glimpse of his perfect body, but I knew that the memory would live with me forever.
I left my sodden paper and broken coffee cup behind and donned his shirt. I laughed, it matched my dress.
I walked home with a hurt pride, but with the determination that I would prove that I could have a good time without Mr. Casanova.
When I got home I found a note on the table from Rascal. It said that he was working the late shift and wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon.
Maybe I did have the time to have a good time...

The Game

Tanya called me up Friday night, her nephew Trent was playing on Saturday afternoon and was wondering if we wanted to go? Rascal wasn't home yet, but I knew he'd love to see Trent play, so I booked Saturday afternoon with Tanya.
We all met the next day in the corridor leading into the gym. The cheerleaders had their stand with the amateurs running it. I bought my weekly bag of skittles from them and we shuffled into the gym trying very hard not to get mud on the playing court. Tanya looped her arm into mine and steered me to the very end of the gym, down where the band was setting up. One boy was already toot tooting away the National Anthem as warm up.  As a tease while we were walking up the worn benches lined up against the wall Rascal took my other arm and pulled me away from Tanya. She laughed and rolled her eyes, I could hardly hear her laugh from the noise the trumpeter was making!
Finally the Hawks bounded into the gym and the crowd settled down.  Trent is number 45, and the bench warmer.  Unfortunately.
12, 19, 22, 39 and 7 ran out to the court and were instantly cheered on by the crowd.  They played the game to the best of thier ability, absolutely creaming the other team, the Sharks.  Then tragedy struck. 
Number 7, poor John, was shoved into the wall. He collapsed onto the floor. The whistle blew and as a crowd we centered our focus onto John on the floor.  From our vantage point we could tell that he broke a part of his arm.  The paramedics on hand ran forward and checked his arm and once seeing that he could stand on his own they moved him away from the game. The game was over. Or was it?
The coach was talking to Trent, was he going to be able to play?
The coach gave a signal to the records board and the buzzer played again. Trent gave a yell and ran out to the floor and the other boys gave him a high five, he was going to play! With three minutes left to the game, Trent was the sub for number 7!
Two minutes went by, then another thirty seconds, and the boys were sweating bullets to grasp the lead again. Finally, with ten seconds left to the game Trent was fouled upon.
He stood at the three point line, both teams lined up in front of him. Our boys in thier stance hoping for Trent to make the basket, the other team showed they were hungry for the ball, hungry for the lead. In unison we held our breath as the ball left the referees hand and a solitary whistle rang out. Four thumps as loud as heartbeats echoed in the gymnasium. With a slap against the leather ball Trent lined up his sights and flicked the ball into the air. Slowly it turned in air in a never ending arc and with a swish fell through the basket. 
Suddenly Trent was thrown into the air by his teammates, his coach, the short-skirted cheerleaders and his friends. I saw him being kissed as well from the tall blond cheerleader and I internally cheered for him for that. His social status will be upgraded in less than two hours for that one. And for that I was grateful.
Afterward we said good night to Tanya, she was staying behind to pick up Trent and take the boy home... if he ever made it out of the locker room alive. 
That night Rascal and I went home, hot and crazy after the game.  Crazy - in a good way - in a very good way. He held the door open for me to the apartment, but then as I went through he gave me a quick tap on my backside. I squealed, I was still hyper from the sugar I consumed from the game and ran inside - it reminded me of how it used to be...  before we grew mundane.
I tried to be quick while he was busy with the door but he still snagged me by my belt looped and pulled me closer and tried to kiss me. I was being a tease, I wouldn't let him. I giggled and pushed him away but his grip grew stronger. I dropped down low and managed to get out of his grasp, then he picked me up swung me over his shoulder!
Helpless I giggled and thumped on his back asking to be let go!
Laughing he let me go... headfirst into the couch! I laughed and bounced off of the shredded thing and wiggled onto the floor. I felt like a little kid, playing hard to get, but we were happy and excited, what more could we need right then and there?
He threw himself over the couch and pulled me out from under the blanket I was hiding under on the floor. Poor hiding spot, but I didn't want to get too far!
He pulled me back onto the couch and started tickling every inch of me that he could find, my arms, my legs, my stomach, my neck every where that he could get.
I giggled and laughed, shrieked and had fun. It's hard to fight back when the person you're fighting has you pinned and is tickling you to death! Haha, Damn you Rascal!
I twisted away again and he grabbed my unprotected toes... and started playing piggly-wigglies with them! My most ticklish spot! I giggled and laughed crying 'stoppit! I'm ticklish!' and during one long giggle he leaned over and ....kissed me.
It had been so long since he had kissed me like that....

Date Night

Wednesday Night at last!

We work so much that Wednesdays are the only days we can both take off at the same time. Its a relief actually, when the two week marker comes around. It means we can hang up the uniforms and go out and forget that we do work, at least for a few hours. Typically we'll go out to the movies, try something new for dinner or find something outdoorsy to do. A few weeks ago we bought tickets and went skiing, we hadn't done that in ages. We took our tumbles but we had fun, and that's what counts. 
This week, Rascal is still at work, but he'll get out at two, which is nice. He doesn't get out this early typically. This is also my week to plan our date night, and I had already done everything a week in advance. I planned a little get together with our friends down at the bowling alley, after all it has been three years since we've been together. I don't think he counts, I don't either, I just go by the years.

My cell rang, it was Tanya, one of my closest friends, she and her beau Scott we're on thier way to the alley. "I can't wait to see you hun!" She said, "It's been too long!" I laughed, it certainly had been too long. Too much time had passed since the beginning of the summer when we had our last get together. Tanya ran off the list of supplies she was bringing, soda, dessert and silverware. Scott was bringing the after party drinks. I sighed, Scott had to bring his drinks. The call waiting feature started to beep so I hung up on Tanya in the middle of her list of prices and clicked the button. The second I did I regretted it, it was Rascal's brother, Tommy.

Tommy and I never quite got along since he started dating Shanelle, a skanky little wench that I had known for years. When I had known her she was a little over weight, then arrived one day back at work 115 pounds lighter. Good for her. Then she thought she could throw her self around to attract the men. And she did. She attracted Bobby, Lou, Joe and Kyle. Somehow she got her talons in Tommy and hasn't let go. Tommy swears she loves him, but I know better. And that's where the arguments start.
I sighed as I addressed him "Whaddya want Tommy."
I could almost hear his eyes roll in his head. He told me once that I put an 'a' in his name, like I said 'Tommay'. I'm from New England, leave me and my accent alone.
"What I want 'cole, is Rascal."
"Rascal? What do you want him for?"
"Eh? Hang on." He unstuck himself from the other end of the phone and screamed at Shanelle, "I'll be right there!" He came back on. "Oh, Rasc's got my good board. I just wanted to get it from him."
"Why didn't you say so? He's got it at work. I think he's waxing it."
"Oh, great. Tell him I'll see him tomorrow then." Then as abrupt as he was, he hung up.
I shrugged and put my phone in my pocket. I survived another phone call from Tommy.

I threw on my warm clothes and stepped out into the cold February air. Valentines day had just passed, all we did was pass a couple of cards to friends, family and each other. Not as big of a deal as it was when we were just kids. I walked down to the bowling alley, it was just across the street, lucky for us, and Tanya pulled up right next to me with Scott keeping shotgun. He grinned and held up the Bud Light. Tanya saw him and rolled her eyes just enough so I could see and socked him in the stomach. "Oh!" He reacted, "She got me! I'm going to die! Spousal abuse! Spousal Abuse!!!" Tanya and I started laughing, he keeps pulling the spousal card even though their marriage is never going to come.

We hustled inside and set up our little party, and little by little people started arriving in twos. Peter and Stephanie came next with the coleslaw and bread, Colin and Victoria were next with the cake and napkins, then Joe with Allie brought up the rear with the macaroni and cheese, Allies specialty. Now we were just waiting on Rascal... where was he?

A few minutes later he bustled in and the party started. We bowled as a team with Tanya, Scott, and Pete while Steph, Col, Victoria, Joe and Allie made the second team. Steph's team creamed us, yet again but we all had fun and pictures to share so everyone had a good time. After the cake and food was gone we all cleaned up, paid up and said our goodbyes. Rascal and I walked each other home, said our good nights and fell asleep holding each other still on the couch with his mothers blanket covering us.

Another beautiful ending to another beautiful evening.

Our Apartment

"Woman!" He yelled. "Get me a drink!"
"I ain't your slave!" I screamed back at him. "And besides that, you're already in the kitchen!"

Again the thumping ensued from the wall. "Shaddap in there! Or I'll have you evicted!"
I rolled my eyes and turned up the telly, some things never change.

Rascal walked in and leaned against the door frame. From the corner of my eye I saw him draw in a deep breath and look around the room. It was a little shabby, paint was peeling in some places, the furniture didn't match, and everything we owned was still in boxes from move in day, about a month ago. I tried to decorate, hung up a few pictures that we carried with us, framed a few smiling faces of us, but it still didn't feel like home, yet.
He tipped his can back and drained the last of the soda into his throat and shuffled back into the kitchen. The fridge door opened with a sticky sound, then closed again a few seconds later. Then the cookie jar that I had made in college clinked open and shut again as well. I closed my eyes, I forgot to make cookies yesterday.
Feigning sleep, I lay my head against the homemade blanket his mother made as a 'welcome home' gift. I think it was her first attempt to welcome me into the family.
With a soft thump Rascal landed on the love seat we had rescued from a side street. When we moved out we were going to get a new one, but for now this seventies themed piece of junk with one leg missing would have to do. At first it smelled like wet dogs, but we got used to the smell. The light hanging over the living room went off, after all this time he still thought that when I laid my head down, I was actually sleeping. Oh Rascal. I felt him carefully pull the blanket from under my head and replace it with a pillow from his side of the couch. I knew what was coming, and sure enough he draped the scratchy thing over me and left the room.
I opened my eyes and looked at the telly, he had even muted it so I could sleep. Sleep, that's what I needed. But it was only nine o'clock at night, what could have made me so tired? I looked again at the clock still puzzled, it wasn't nine at night, it was nine in the morning! I pushed the blanket off and heard a crackly sound. Startled I grabbed the blanket again and looked for an answer. It was a note from Rascal. It read:
"Baby, I was called in for 2 a.m. last night, and I won't be back until lunch. Hope class goes well. (R)."

How sweet of Rascal to remember that I had a first aid refresher course down at the gym today. How rude that he had to be called in for 2 a.m. though at the hospital. At least he'd be home for lunch. Lunch. Breakfast? Breakfast.
I tucked his note into my pocket and walked into the kitchen. The dishes from last night were still in the sink, the trash needed to be thrown out and the bills still unpaid. I sighed. Some things never do change.

After the kitchen had been wiped down, the phone calls made and the laundry started, I went in to the bedroom to get changed. We slept in different rooms most of the time, nothing personal, its just how it was. Sure enough, he forgot to make his bed, so, I made it. No big deal, just part of the chores.

Our life was mundane but we liked it that way. The neighbors liked it too, the said it was a refresher having us instead of the sexy party animals they had a few months ago. I work, he works, I made dinner, he makes breakfast, then we pay the bills. No frills,  no parties, no... anything. Date nights are the best though, we'll save up enough and we'll have a night out. That's our way of life.