Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
The next morning, after Truck had made a pot of coffee and a spinach and mushroom omelet, he heard a knock on his door. He was shocked to see Mary standing on the other side when he looked through the peephole.
He opened the door quickly and said, “Mary.”
“Surprised to see me?” she asked a little hesitantly.
“Actually, yes,” Truck told her. But he was just glad she was there.
He’d had time to think about what had happened the day before, and he’d realized the more abrupt she was, the more emotional she was feeling.
Whatever had happened right before she’d told the others about his continued headaches had obviously touched her deeply.
“Can I come in? We need to talk.”
“Of course,” Truck said, opening the door wider. He inhaled deeply as she walked past him and, once again, the feeling of familiarity swept through him.
Mary was lying in bed in front of him. Her head was resting on his arm, using it as a pillow. His chin was resting on top of her head and his free arm was curled around her waist. She was moaning softly, and Truck was murmuring quietly to her.
He felt helpless to help her. He couldn’t take away the nausea. He couldn’t magically fix her. All he could do was hold her and let her know that she wasn’t alone. That he was right there with her. Loving her.
He moved his hand to run his fingers lightly up and down her arm. Neither spoke, but he was letting her know without words that he was there. That she could lean on him. That he’d take care of her.
“Truck?”
He blinked and the vision was gone. It had been so real, he knew it had to be a memory.
Keeping it to himself, Truck said, “Sorry. Did you say something?”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Just haven’t had enough coffee this morning.”
She smiled at that. “You do love your coffee,” she said under her breath. Then louder, “I have to get to work, but I didn’t want to leave things between us the way they were, and I didn’t want to text you or talk over the phone.”
Truck was surprised. He didn’t know why, but this didn’t seem like the Mary he knew. She was more likely to hold a grudge forever, and he’d have to make the first move. “I always have time for you, Mary,” he said gently.
She looked at the floor. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I know I said it before, but I need to say it again. I’m not only sorry for blabbing about your headaches, but I know it’s not fair of me to tell you some things then clam up about others. I…I want to talk to you, but I’m scared.”
Truck took a step toward her and put his hand on the side of her neck. “Do not be afraid of me,” he ordered a bit gruffly, put off by the mere thought that she might be scared of him.
“I’m not scared of you, per se,” she said immediately, without pulling away from him. “I know you won’t hurt me…physically.”
“You think I’d hurt you emotionally?” he asked.
Mary nodded. “Every man I’ve ever gotten close to has.”
“I’m not them,” Truck said, willing her to believe him.
“I know. Which is why I’m here,” she admitted.
Not able to stop himself, Truck leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. It was a chaste kiss, but it felt more intimate than almost anything they’d done. It was a promise of sorts. “Whenever you need me, I’m there.”
She gave him a shaky smile. “Okay. As I said, I have to get to work. We have a meeting this morning with our boss. I think she’s going to announce layoffs, which sucks.”
“Fuck. Are you going to lose your job?” Truck asked with concern.
Mary shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably. But I think I’m okay with it if I do.
I…missed a lot of work last year, and it just hasn’t been the same since I’ve been back.
I was surprised my boss let me leave early yesterday, but I think it’s because she’s just collecting reasons to can me.
I think she’s bitter that she couldn’t fire me, and I’ve found that I just don’t have the same kind of drive to work there as I used to.
Not to mention the assholes we’ve had to deal with recently are making things really tense. ”
“What kind of assholes?” Truck asked, his hand tightening on her neck.
Mary shrugged. “That’s just it, I’m not sure. I mean, I’m sure they’re assholes, but they haven’t really done anything to make my boss do anything about them.”
“Mary. Spit it out,” Truck said.
“Sorry. It’s just that there have been lots of young men coming in and asking questions about renting safety-deposit boxes.
Which, on the surface, is fine, but they’re sketchy.
They seem too young to really care about renting one—statistics show that most renters are older—and I just get a bad vibe from them.
And I’ve told Jennifer, but she says that I’m just being paranoid. ”
“This doesn’t sound like something to fuck around with. What if they’re casing the place?” Truck asked. “They could be coming in to get information, to see the layout of the bank, to see how many employees are working, stuff like that. The last thing you need is someone holding up the place.”
Mary’s eyes fell from his, and he wondered what that was about, but she simply nodded and said, “I know. But for some reason, as I said, my boss doesn’t seem to think it’s an issue. Anyway, so all of that stuff combined makes me not so upset at the idea of being laid off.”
“What would you do instead?”
“I’m not sure. But there are a ton of organizations around here that I could probably volunteer for until I figure it out.”
Truck had a feeling she knew exactly what she wanted to do, but wasn’t comfortable enough telling him yet. Again, he let it go. “You want to come back over after work?”
“Yeah, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. My home is your home,” Truck said, and he got the impression that he’d said that to Mary before.
She smiled. “Okay. I’ll text before I come over. Thanks, Truck. I’m sorry that I’m so bitchy sometimes. I…it’s just how I am.”
Truck leaned forward and put his forehead on hers. Their breath mingled together and he could feel the warmth of her body against his. Her fresh smell was sharper this close and he reveled in it. “I like how you are, Mary. And your bitch doesn’t bother me. I know what’s under her.”
“What?”
“My Mary,” Truck said simply.
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. They stood like that for a long moment before Truck reluctantly pulled back.
Mary looked up at him and nodded. “I’ll see you later then.”
“You will. And, Mary?”
“Yeah?” She paused with her hand on the doorknob.
“It’s going to be okay. Whatever you need to tell me, I’ll treat you with care.”
She stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded. “I know. I’m just scared you’re gonna be pissed enough to not want to do this anymore.”
“Nothing will make me pissed enough to not want to do this,” he gestured between them with a hand, “anymore.”
“We’ll see,” Mary said.
“Yes, we will. Later. Drive safe.”
“I will. Later, Truck.”
Truck stared at the door after it closed behind her. Another image came to him then, of Mary sitting on the couch. She looked ashen—and was completely bald.
He leaned over her with a bowl of soup and said, “You have to eat, Mary.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“I don’t care. You’re going to eat this.”
“I’m just going to throw it up later, Truck. Let it go.”
“No. Eat.”
She sighed and took the bowl from his hands. “Okay, but I’m going to say I told you so later when you’re holding me up as I puke.”
“Deal.”
Truck leaned down and kissed her pale, bald head…
Then the vision blinked out and he was once again staring at the door of his apartment.
“Son of a bitch,” he swore. His headache had returned with a vengeance, but he knew without a doubt that his memory was coming back.
The blips and spurts were annoying and confusing, but with each and every one, he understood more and more what Mary meant when she’d said their relationship had been complicated.
He hoped like hell she was going to explain everything that evening. He was beginning to make his own deductions, based on the things he’d been remembering lately, but he hoped he was wrong.
His stomach clenched and he prayed as hard as he ever had before that whatever had been wrong with Mary was in the past. He couldn’t have found her, again, only to lose her now.
Mary wasn’t surprised when Jennifer announced the new direction the bank wanted to take with the machines as tellers instead of humans.
She said that all but five of the tellers would be laid off in the next month or so.
Everyone would receive two months’ severance pay, and help would be available applying for unemployment benefits if anyone needed them.
She thanked Rebecca after the meeting for giving her a heads-up. Everyone’s mood was subdued that day, but all Mary could think about was Truck and what he was going to say when she talked to him later that night.
She wasn’t ready to break the news that they were actually man and wife, but she was going to tell him about her cancer.
One thing at a time. She was hoping that maybe learning about her cancer would somehow jog his memory enough that he’d remember their wedding ceremony all on his own, so she wouldn’t have to tell him and try to explain why he’d asked and, more importantly, why she’d finally said yes.
She guiltily thought about their framed marriage certificate still buried deep in one of the boxes she’d brought back to her apartment. She’d thought more than once about digging it out and hanging it up, but she didn’t want Truck to accidentally see it when he was over at her place.
But with every day that went by, it got harder and harder to keep things from Truck.
She was pissed the day before, and deliberately dodged telling him about her appointment, but by the time she’d gotten home she’d felt so guilty, she’d already planned to head over to his place this morning to beg him to talk to her. Luckily, he hadn’t made her beg.