Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Breathing in the briny night air, Ray followed Marisol off the ferry and down the walkway. The last ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on a Thursday night had been pretty quiet aside from a few noisy drunks.
“Thanks for inviting me to go with you and your friends tonight,” Ray said. “Les Misérables was amazing. I’m glad you dragged me out of my cave. Although now, I’m going to be humming, ‘Can You Hear The People Sing’ for days.”
Marisol snickered. “I know, right?” A nursing student at the University of Washington, Marisol was twenty years old, brown-eyed, brown-haired, and a total sweetheart.
She and her mother lived next door to WoodSong, so Marisol and Ray ended up friends, despite the six year age gap.
“I’m ready for the revolution. Burn the patriarchy. ”
“Hooyah, get out the pitchforks.” Then Ray winced. “Ah, maybe not yet though. I need to buckle down and get some work done, or I’ll be eating mac ‘n’ cheese for meals.”
“That’s way ick, woman.”
As they entered the shadowy parking lot, Ray inhaled and stretched. She’d needed this night out to remind herself life was for the living. She’d mourned long enough. Two months where she’d done basically…nothing.
Maybe it’d helped being kinda prepared since, each time, the doctors had warned George the cancer would probably return.
It still hurt. And, to be honest, she’d mourn Faj for the rest of her life.
But she’d finally crawled out of the pit of grief and wasn’t pouring out a fountain of tears every few minutes.
His sons had been pretty devastated, too, and they’d all cried together.
A Marine, Tomo took leave and arrived the day after her, which was good since Faj only lived another week.
Kaden had already been flying back and forth from the East Coast, dividing time between his wife who was recovering from a car accident and his father.
Tomo and Kaden had needed her, and gods, she was grateful to get to show Faj how much he meant to her. To be there for him the way he’d been her anchor for ten years.
“I was kinda surprised you were free to join us.” Marisol bumped Ray’s shoulder companionably. “George told Mamá you’ve been seeing someone.”
Ray huffed a laugh. Marisol’s mom did love to stay abreast of all the gossip. “Not since I got back, and I’m sure not looking to jump into another relationship.”
In fact, Theodore had been pretty pissed off when she broke up with him. Then he proved Faj’s point by demanding why but not believing her when she told him. “How about you?”
“Nada. I haven’t found the kind of man I want. Still looking.” Marisol walked alongside the line of trees toward where Ray had parked the car. “So what are you doing in the shop now? Anything as fun as your horror thingies?”
Ray snorted. “Always. One place in Pike Place Market will take anything I offer. I have a couple of Cthulhu statues complete with facial tentacles, a piece with a kraken crushing a ship in its tentacles.”
“Mamá is still appalled at what you make. Way back when, you should’ve heard George telling her you were into Lovecraft and all things creepy. Mamá finally decided it was a teen thing and was grateful I was only into boy bands.”
Too funny. Marisol’s mother was such a sweet—read proper—person.
Marisol grinned. “I can’t wait to see what she thinks of you adding the blue-green ends to your hair. I love it, by the way.”
“Thanks.” Laughing, Ray held up a strand of hair, still pleased with the way the red-brown turned into turquoise.
She needed something…vivid…to remind herself she was alive.
“Anyway, I do have normal woodturnings your mom would approve of. Candle holders, decorative boxes, and bowls to drop off at the galleries here and in Seattle.” The small stuff provided a nice paycheck, especially during tourist season.
“I need to get word out I’m back and available for custom work. ”
The desire to simply hibernate swept over her, and she shoved it down. “I’ll make those calls. Plus, George had two contracts for projects he’d been working on.”
“Oh.” Marisol pursed her lips. “He was all about ‘you finish what you start.’ Did he ask you to complete them?”
“Actually no, he said the clients knew the jobs wouldn’t get done.” Reaching her red SUV, Ray leaned against the door. “And it’s been a couple of month since he…”
She choked and set her mind on the projects.
The beautiful work he’d already begun cried out to be completed.
How could she leave it undone? It would make her feel…
like she hadn’t lost him completely. Her voice cracked as she said, “The wood is in the shop, and since he started the work, I’ll see if they want me to finish.
Our styles are similar, and I can change mine to be closer to his if needed. ”
Marisol patted her arm. “You know, George boasted about you all the time. Said you’re already really well-known in the Northwest, and eventually, you’d be even more famous than him.”
He’d been proud of her. Ray’s eyes stung with sudden tears. Gods, Faj, I miss you. “Well. Let’s get our butts home.”
She pulled the door open and paused at the sound of a high-pitched, pained mew…followed by men’s laughter. More than one man. “What’s that?”
“Fuck, it scratched me.” The man was slurring his words.
“You’re more of a pussy than the pussy.”
The laughter grew louder.
“C’mon, grab it. I wanna toss it in with your pitbull. See which one of them wins.”
Ray stiffened. Surely the drunks weren’t trying to catch a cat to kill it.
“My dog will rip it to pieces, no contest.”
Those cum-sniffing dingleberries. Nope, not happening on my watch.
“Marisol.” She kept her voice quiet. “Get in the driver’s seat and follow me with the car.
“You’re going to do something crazy, aren’t you?” Cursing under her breath in Spanish, Marisol took the key fob, slid behind the wheel, and pulled the door closed. The window lowered. “Don’t die.”
“You got it.”
Only…even though she still did the karate katas George had taught her, she’d be one female against several men. Faj would say to think twice.
Right. She opened the back door and grabbed one of the baseball bats from the back seat. Years ago, Tomo had gone all drill-sergeant bossy as he taught her self defense. “Concealed weapons are illegal. But sports equipment is fine so long as you have all the shit needed to show you play the game.”
Swinging the bat to get a feel for it, she smiled grimly. I’ve got all the shit, Tomo. Even though she hadn’t played baseball in years. “Turn the brights on when I yell.” After a thought, she added, “Call the police if things go sour.”
Peace-loving, quiet Marisol gave a soft whine of dismay.
Ray headed toward the men’s voices—and her heart began to pound. This is so stupid. I’m outnumbered. But…it’s a kitty.
In the strip of trees next to the parking lot, several figures clustered together.
One big man held a small, dark brown cat by its scruff.
Anger swept through her. As she pulled up the hood of her oversized sweatshirt to hide her face, she heard the car tires on the pavement behind her. Good girl, Marisol.
With the baseball bat hidden behind her leg, she shouted in her deepest, raspiest voice, “Drop the cat and get the fuck out of here.”
“Fuck.” The second man, a lanky drunk, spun around.
The bearded man holding the cat looked Ray over and sneered. “Get lost, bitch.”
He knew she was female. Her gut clenched with fear. She was going to get hurt.
The third man had a beer belly but was twice her size. He took a step forward. “Yeah, butt out.”
The second one cupped his crotch. “Or stay. Another pussy to destroy would be good.”
Her fingers tightened around the bat. Yeah, Faj, maybe I should’ve thought more than twice.
All three men took a step forward toward her.
“Now!” Ray yelled.
The car’s brights came on and glared right into their eyes.
The men shouted. Blinded—and pissed off for sure.
Fast as she could, Ray slammed the baseball bat into the lanky one’s knees. He landed on his back.
She stepped back, spun left, and continued the swing, upward into the side of BeerBelly’s head.
The crack made her wince.
BeerBelly fell to his knees.
Beard-Face backpedaled—but didn’t drop the cat.
Assbadger. His free hand drew back for a punch.
Lunging, she rammed the bat right into his crotch.
His scream hit an amazing high note. When his hands whipped down to his groin, the cat went flying.
Yes! She caught the kitty in midair with one hand and tucked it against her chest. Claws painfully pierced her clothes and into her skin as it hung on for dear life.
Spinning again, building up momentum, she swung the bat into Beard’s legs. He hit the ground.
Tomo had a saying: “Never leave the enemy in shape to chase you.”
She sprinted to the car. The passenger door swung open, and she jumped inside. “Let’s go. Quick.”
“Madre de Dios, you are cray-cray.” Marisol backed the car up, changed gears, and stomped on the gas so hard the tires screeched before catching.
Ouch, ouch, ouch. How many claws does a cat have anyway? “Shh, shh, kitty, you’re fine.” Gently, she unhooked the sharp claws from her chest, settled the cat on her lap, and managed to fasten the seatbelt. Even as she tried to slow her breathing, she stroked the cat. Did a gentle cheek scritching.
Muscle by muscle, the tense little feline started to relax.
If only I could. Still quivering inside, Ray rested her head against the seat. What had she been thinking? The fight could have gone really bad. “You know, my goal for tonight was to get out and do something interesting. I thought a musical was just my speed.”
“You mean beating up men with a baseball bat wasn’t part of the plan?” For the next few minutes, Marisol kept busting into giggles.
Until the cat started to purr.
“Awww.” Marisol smiled over. “Hey, do you have cat food and litter, or should we stop at a store?”