Chapter 32

word count  1096

“DAMN IT! That's as far as I can lift it!” Buzz's blasting voice echoed throughout the house! “When I tell you that's as far as it will go, I fucking mean it!”

Jeannie, in the bathroom applying lipstick, cringed when she heard the outburst. “Oh dear God! Is he going to chase away another physical therapist?” she murmured. Buzz had three different therapists in the past week. Soon they would run out of people to send. She finished the lipstick and tossed the tube in her purse. She needed to get going. But first she ought to tell him she was leaving. She dreaded the task.

“Buzz! I'm going out for a while!” She yelled it from the hallway, not wanting to break into the PT session and grateful she didn't have to face him.

“AGAIN! Where the hell do you go everyday! OOOW! Quit pushin' on my leg...”

She dashed out while he was still yelling at the therapist. Glancing at her watch, she noted Adam wasn't home from school yet. She had wanted to make sure he was home before she left, but the boy wasn't here like he was supposed to be. She fought back tears. It was all so frustrating, sneaking around to get her treatments without letting Buzz know and at the same time trying to be as good a mom to Adam as possible so he didn't feel neglected.

She worried soon it would start to show. What if the chemo made her hair fall out? Or what if she started to vomit a lot? Or she might get emaciated like the people she'd seen in photographs. What if she died? She was lost in thought and didn't see Hank Bower coming up the walk, colliding with him as she walked.

“Oh Hank! I'm sorry!” He always surprised her with his distinctive features, a chin that jutted out boldly contrasted against tiny eyes that were too close together, small black pearls that were always searching, yet soft and kind.

“Not a problem! I was coming to visit Buzz. How is he today?”

Jeannie blushed. “You don't want to see him right now. He's up there biting off the head of the latest physical therapist.” She shot a worried glance toward the house.

“Oh, I see. Yeah, I heard physical therapy can be painful. He wouldn't like that. For such a big man, he can be wimpy.” He chuckled.

“Yes, and with a woman being the therapist, I guess he figures he can brow beat her.” Jeannie looked away, feeling she'd said the wrong thing.

Hank gazed at her with knowing eyes. Jeannie could tell you a few things about that. He noted today her eyes were puffy and red, her face thin and drawn. She looked defeated. Not that she didn't always seem downtrodden. Being married to Buzz would do that. But today, it was worse. “Say, are you going somewhere? Can I give you a lift? I've got free time now that they've transferred our caseload because of Buzz. And God knows I can't visit him right now.”

Jeannie smiled back. It would be a lot easier if she didn't have to drive herself. And she liked Hank. He had a good heart, an open mind. She could just tell him it was a doctor's appointment, not radiation therapy. It would be like taking a cab, that's all. He didn't have to know.

“Where to?” he asked, holding the car door open.

“General Hospital,” she replied. “I...I have a doctor's appointment.”

“I see.” He internalized her words, thinking. “I hope you're not sick!”

Jeannie settled in the seat as Hank got in the drivers side. She waited while he turned the key in the ignition. “It's just a check up,” she said.

“I see. I worried because I know you've been under a lot of stress with Buzz being laid up. Hell, Buzz can cause stress in the best of times.”

She gulped, surprised at his candor. They'd reached a red light, and he turned to look at her point blank. Those gentle eyes reached, dissected, pondered. It was all more than Jeannie could handle. Sitting in the car with this thoughtful man, she burst into tears. He pulled over and parked and wrapped his arms around her.

“It's okay, Jeannie. Now tell me what's wrong,” he murmured.

She looked back, a grateful tear running down her cheek.

As it turned out, by the time they got to the hospital, she had told Hank everything. And this man could handle it, even if it was his boss's wife who confided in him. If there was one thing Hank Bower was known for, it was his unwavering ability to follow the unconventional path.

__

Jack Bowen and Steve Learnagel flattened themselves against the wall of the restaurant and tried to hide from sight. The homeless man and Adam were coming their way.

“Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!” Jack murmured. The two boys held their breaths as the man and Adam passed. The two went to sit at the number seven bus stop.

“We gotta get outta here,” Steve hissed.

“Well, they're way over there. Let's go inside. If we see them coming, we can dash in the bathroom.” That said, Jack ran for the DQ door. Steve followed. They took seats deep inside away from the windows. From this safe distance, they watched Adam board the bus, and the homeless man waved good bye as the vehicle pulled away. In the time it took for Jack to turn and grin at Steve, the homeless guy disappeared. The two settled in to enjoy their hot dogs.

After finally plopping in the last of the bun, Jack leaned back in his seat and chuckled, taking a sip of soda. “We dodged a bullet on that one!” He stuffed a mound of french fries in his mouth.

“You can say that again!” Steve returned, grabbing a handful of Jack's fries for himself.

“I wouldn't be so quick to say that,” Gil walked up, his badge evident on his belt and his characteristic grin in full play. He held out his palm to display the bullets Jack had sold to Adam. “Not when you've been selling guns and ammo to little kids.” He snapped his finger and two other plain clothesmen came from the back.

“How did you find us?” Jack stammered.

“Adam spotted you as soon as you turned the corner. You guys don't hide very well. I had a call in for back up before you even saw us.”