22. Sam
22
SAM
“Do ya need a straw so you can drink a can of suck it up?” ~ Archie “Witty” Whitlock
“Well, hello, Officer Whitlock.” Judy Haines beamed from behind the front desk at Sunset Acres. Today, her long salt-and-pepper hair was worn down; usually, it was in a braid. And I noticed that she had some makeup on, which I’d only ever seen her wear for church. A little lipstick, eye shadow, and mascara.
“Hello, beautiful. You got a hot date later?”
“Just might.” Her smile widened as she picked up the receiver of the phone. “He’s been waitin’ on you in the rec room for over an hour.”
“I’ll go get him.” Witty was my date for Kenna’s parents’ anniversary party.
“That’s okay, I’ll page him,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Let everyone know how popular he is.”
As much as I appreciated Judy indulging Witty’s love of attention, I didn’t think he needed any help in that area. I know they say that everyone is the star in the movie of their life, but when it came to Witty, he wasn’t just the star; he fancied himself a Tom Cruise megastar.
Judy pressed a button and spoke into the phone. “Mr. Whitlock, your grandson is here to pick you up.” Her voice was broadcast through the speakers. When she set the phone down, she asked. “How’s your leg doin’?”
“Good.” For the first time since my accident, I wasn’t lying when I said that. I hadn’t actually thought about it at all today. My mind had been preoccupied with Kenna. We hadn’t had a chance to talk at all about last night before her mom interrupted us.
I knew I’d see her tonight at the party, and I also knew she’d be on a date with Jonah Fucking Walsh. Kenna’s mom mentioned it while we were cleaning up the kitchen this morning. She told me she’d invited Jonah when she and Kenna’s dad ran into the two of them at the Christmas Festival. She also made a point to let me know that she was the one who encouraged Kenna to take him as her date. I wasn’t sure if that was her way of telling me to back off of Kenna, or if she was letting me know that it wasn’t Kenna’s idea to go with Jonah.
Either way, I was not looking forward to this evening. If it were up to me, I’d skip the party altogether. Even though I’d rather eat sushi that had been left out for six months than see her with another man on a date, I knew I couldn’t bail.
Chuck and Marcy Hale meant too much to me. They had accepted me and included me in their family dinners, holidays, birthdays, and just daily life. They showed up for me at graduations, sporting events, and when I ended up in the hospital.
So even though I was dreading seeing Kenna on Jonah’s arm, I had to suck it up. Tonight wasn’t about me or even about Kenna; it was about celebrating the love, commitment, and life that two very special people had built together.
The automatic door opened, and Witty appeared. He wore a three-piece suit and a fedora hat. He looked great, but I noticed the suit was looser on him than the last time I’d seen him wear it, which was only a couple of months ago at his 90th birthday party. A lot of the guests commented on how robust he appeared for a man of his age. But tonight, tonight, he looked frail.
“Lookin’ sharp, Witty.” I smiled, hoping to mask the concern I was feeling.
“The old man still cleans up nice, huh?” He tipped his hat to Judy. “You’re lookin’ pretty spiffy yourself, young lady.”
She grinned. “I clean up nice, too.”
Witty patted me on the shoulder. “You don’t look so bad yourself, son.”
“You both look very handsome!” Judy exclaimed before pointing her finger back and forth between me and my grandpa and warning, “You two behave yourselves and don’t break too many hearts.”
“Can’t make any promises.” Witty winked. “Don’t wait up, darlin’.”
“And take it easy on the dance floor,” she continued. “And I do mean both of you.”
Judy’s comment was directed at me because of my knee. At the station earlier, Betty refused to let me help her with some boxes she was carrying to the storeroom for fear I would reinjure myself. And yesterday, when I was pumping gas at the Pit Stop, Velma Ferguson, the proprietor, came out with two lasagnas and a crock pot worth of chili she’d made for me, so I didn’t have to worry about dinners for a week. And when I was in the hospital, dozens of flower arrangements were sent to my house to wish me to get well soon. I’d asked Delilah, the owner of the Flower Pot, if the town had cleaned her out.
I appreciated the fact that so many people in town had been concerned about me, and were genuinely willing to help in any way they could. I might not have a lot of blood family, only Witty, but I had a list of a hundred people I could call who would drop everything if I needed them. Sure, there was a ton of gossip, and everyone in a small town knew everyone’s business. But when you weighed out the pros with the cons, I’d say the scale definitely tipped to the pro side of things.
I waved to Judy as we headed out to my truck. On our way across the parking lot, I noticed Witty was moving a little bit slower than usual. He’d lost the pep he typically had in his step. Also, his coloring was a little gray.
“You feelin’ alright?” I asked as I pressed the fob, unlocking the doors.
“Just a little tired.” He wagged his bushy gray brows as we climbed into the truck. “Didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Neither did I. In fact, I hadn’t gotten any sleep until about six this morning. I’d laid in bed with Kenna wrapped in my arms and gone on a roller coaster of emotions. I thought that I’d be able to get off of the ride in the light of day, but I’d been strapped to the sucker against my will.
I’d finally given in to my greatest temptation. I’d taken a big ol’ bite of the forbidden fruit. I’d opened Pandora’s Box. I’d spilled the milk, and there was no putting it back. I’d crossed a line I promised myself I would never cross, and I still wasn’t sure what the consequences of my actions were going to be. I’d tried to play out every possible scenario, but I couldn’t come up with one that made me happy. Because none of the outcomes I’d imagined ended up with me and Kenna together.
“What cat has got yer tongue?” Witty asked as we headed across town to the community center.
“What?” I questioned.
“What woman has got your head tied in knots?”
How in the hell had he known that I was thinking about a woman?
“No one,” I lied. I wasn’t sure if he bought my denial or not because I kept my eyes focused on the road.
“You find out when you can get back to work?”
I knew why he was asking. He thought I was in a funk because I was sidelined from work.
“I’m back now. On desk duty.”
“Good. Good. You know what they say about idle hands.”
My hands weren’t idle last night. They’d made Kenna come. Twice. Well, the second time, they’d had help from my cock. Still, they were itchin’ to do it again.
I’d hoped that once we slept together, it would scratch that particular itch. It would take away the taboo nature of my desire for her. But, if anything, it was making me want her more. Being with her was a hit of the strongest, most addictive drug, and I wanted another taste. Literally, I wanted to taste her. I was kicking myself for not going down on her. For only pleasuring her with my fingers.
In the moment, I’d just felt so connected to her. The look in her eyes had held me captive. It was as if she’d needed me to be close to her. I felt like going downtown would have been abandoning her. Plus, it was all new to her, and I hadn’t wanted to do anything that would make her feel uncomfortable. But what if I never got another chance to do all the things I’d always dreamed of doing with her?
As we pulled up to the community center, my mind was still obsessing over the night before, when I saw Betty waiting outside.
“There’s my two favorite men!” She waved both hands at us as we pulled into a spot.
I noticed that every time she saw Witty, her eyes had a little extra sparkle. I’d always wondered if the two of them had ever hooked up. But, to be honest, I’m glad I didn’t have that answer. There was something that you couldn’t un-know, and them being together was definitely in that category.
She waited for us to park and get up to the front of the building. When we approached her, we both offered her an arm, and she stepped between us and wrapped her hands around our biceps. “It must be my lucky day; I’m in a Whitlock sandwich.”
I chuckled as Witty and I escorted her inside. When we walked in, I was blown away by the decorations. The theme was Enchantment Under the Sea from the 80s classic Back to the Future . It hadn’t surprised me when Kenna told me her idea. That woman loved all things 80s. She’d decorated the hall exactly like the movie, with the shiny tinsel wall coverings, balloons, a giant seashell, string lights, and a banner. But she’d also added a personal touch. The walls were lined with huge, blown-up photos of her parents from the time they were teenagers until now.
There were a few couples in town whose relationships I’d always envied and wished I could emulate. Walker and Dolly Briggs, Jasper and Loretta Reed, and Chuck and Marcy Hale. I’d admired the Briggs’ and the Reed’s from afar, but I didn’t know their love stories, I just knew that they still seemed smitten after decades of marriage. But I did know Chuck and Marcy’s story. They’d been together since Marcy was a freshman in high school and Chuck was a senior. They’d been married for forty years, together for forty-four, raised three kids, and were still madly in love.
As I looked around the room, I felt myself welling up with emotion. I don’t know if it was because I’d just had a significant birthday or if it was because of last night, when I was feeling particularly vulnerable and sentimental, but I was beginning to think that what all three of those couples had was truly all that life was about. What else even mattered?
Beside me, Witty asked Betty. “Is your dance card full, young lady?”
Betty chuckled as Witty led the two of them to the center of the parquet floor. As they swayed in time, another couple caught my attention.
Jonah and Kenna. They weren’t next to each other. Jonah was talking to some of the guys from the fire station, and Kenna was speaking to her cousin Taylor. But I didn’t miss the way his eyes kept slicing toward her. He couldn’t go ten seconds without looking her way. But it’s not like I could blame him, because I couldn’t either.
“Hey, man.”
I turned and saw that Milo had walked up beside me. Even though I knew it was none of his business, since Kenna was an adult, I still felt a little strange that I’d slept with his sister.
“Hey.” I tried to act as normal as possible.
“My mom wanted to know if you’re on duty Christmas Eve. Mason is going to be in town, and she wants to have a whole thing.”
“I might be; I don’t know yet.” I’d volunteered for the holiday this year because a few officers had gotten married and started families this year. In fact, Brady Calhoun and I were the only single officers left.
Milo started talking about his holiday schedule and plans that he wanted to run by me of things to do while Mason was in town, and the Cowboys’ chances at the Super Bowl. I tried my best to listen, but I was distracted when I noticed Jonah and Kenna hit the dance floor. Together. They were slow dancing.
Apparently, I was a glutton for punishment, because as Milo continued talking, my eyes kept scanning the room and landing on Jonah and Kenna. I couldn’t help it. All I could think as I watched the two of them dancing was mine. Mine. Mine.
“Sam.”
I heard Betty’s voice behind me, and I turned and saw Witty standing beside her. He was swaying a little back and forth, and his coloring didn’t look so good. He looked as white as a sheet.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” I asked both of them.
Witty waved his hand at me. “Just got a little light-headed, that’s all.”
“Do you want to sit down?” I asked, looking for a chair.
“I think he might have had enough excitement for the night,” Betty commented.
I looked at Witty, thinking he would argue with her because he loved a party, but he didn’t.
“Oh, okay.” I stepped beside my grandpa and offered him my arm. To my surprise, he leaned on it. I looked at Milo. “Can you tell your parents we stopped by and congratulations?”
He nodded. “Will do.”
As we headed out, I couldn’t help but glance one more time at Kenna. She was dancing with Jonah. Laughing at something he said. The sight hit me like a sucker punch in the gut from the Incredible Hulk.
“Sorry, son. I didn’t mean to be a party pooper,” Witty apologized as we walked out of the community center.
“You weren’t,” I answered honestly.
I would rather get impacted wisdom teeth extracted without any Novocain than watch Kenna and Jonah together. Witty had un witting ly saved me from a night of pure torture.