Chapter 16
They say forgiveness is the key to a happy life, that carrying resentment and bitterness around like old handbags is bad for the soul. Minnie believes it. The only problem with that is the fact that she’s not always good at practicing what she preaches. Who is?
It’s hard, thinking back on that week spent alone, wallowing in her own pain, hating Gage, and hating herself. Miserable. All that energy she spent trying to convince herself that her love for the man she had come to know was a waste could have been spent differently.
Gage offered his regret on a silver platter. His shame. His own self-loathing and his desire to be someone else. He also offered the one thing that truly gave credence to all of the above; his unwavering love for her, despite their past.
The week after their earth-shattering reunion feels like falling in love all over again. Having him near, in her bed, nodding along with all her unreasonable ticks and quirks, fixing the sticky latch on her kitchen closet, blowing the dirt and dust out of her garage-
Everything is as it should be now.
She’s been looking forward to today; she’s been invited over to Gage’s for another day of good food and whatever else the guys have come up with.
It’s the first time she’ll see them as a group since her revelation, knowing who they all truly are.
Her phone rings as she juggles her tray of baked goods.
Placing them in the driver's seat, Minnie answers.
Ariel chirps brightly on the other end. “Hey! Can you chat?”
“Just a sec.” Settling into the driver's seat, Minnie transfers her sister to the Bluetooth speaker. “I just walked out the door. I’m headed over to Gage’s; we can chat while I drive.
The guys are playing cards, and Marlin plans to grill some pub burgers for lunch.
” She’s really looking forward to those pub burgers.
Marlin truly is the undisputed grill master.
“Did you lock your front door? Twice?”
The urge to get out of her car and go check the front door pulls at her like a cord. “Don’t you play that game with me, Ariel. I locked it. Twice!” But, did she…?
“Maybe a third time?” Ariel teases playfully, knowing Minnie’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies. “Just to be safe?”
Growling, Minnie throws herself out of the car and marches up to her front door, jingling the doorknob. When she gets back in her driver's seat, she hisses, “It’s not kind to play with the mentally unwell.”
“Oh, Mouse. You’re not mentally unwell; you’re neurotic.”
“It’s called OCD, you uncultured goon.”
Ariel makes an unladylike noise, echoing in the car as Minnie pulls away and begins to drive. “I was calling to tell you about this new job I’m looking at, but I’m more interested in this development you’ve mentioned. Off to Gage’s place, hmmm? All’s well in Pound Town again? Color me surprised-”
“You don’t need to be so crude about it,” Minnie replies with exasperation oozing from her tone. “But if you need simple terms and words, then yes. All is well again. We’ve worked out what we have between us. I’ve conquered my fears. I’ve made my peace with who he once was.”
“That doesn’t sound simple.”
“It wasn’t. It was freaking hard, Ariel.” Minnie itches one of her eyes while sitting at a stop sign, moving her glasses aside briefly. “You don’t just forgive a man overnight. I’m at acceptance, but forgiveness is still brewing. That simply takes time, but the intent is there from my end.”
“Yeah, imagine that. Especially if he held you hostage-”
“…Ariel...maybe you should just talk to me about your prospective new job. Let’s talk about that. Tell me of your exotic ambitions! Father will be pleased.”
“Ha. Exotic ambitions? You make me sound like I took a job as a stripper. I won’t let you off easy!
Your drama is spicier. Anyway, I’m torn,” Ariel is saying through the Bluetooth speaker of Minnie’s car.
“On one hand, I’m glad you’ve found the strength to move beyond the past. That’s such a powerful step for you.
The flipside is, Gage is still that guy. Are you really sure about this?”
“He’s not still that guy, you naysayer,” Minnie shoots back as she turns the wheel, heading towards the dreary Harrow’s Row. “Haven’t you been paying attention?”
“Urgh, yesss, but-”
“No buts or ifs, Ariel. He committed a crime. He served his punishment and did his time behind bars. That time changed him. Meeting me changed him further.” Huffing, Minnie begins her journey past scores of broken-down apartment complexes.
“You didn’t see him when he admitted his regret to me.
There was shame in his eyes. He doesn’t want to be who he was thirteen years ago. And you know what? Neither do I!”
Silence falls between them as Ariel digests Minnie’s resolve. Sitting at a red light, Minnie chews on her lower lip, wondering how Ariel is going to react to her clapping back.
“I like the fire, Mouse.” There’s a soft laugh filtering through the speakers. “Cheers to a new you?”
“Cheers indeed.”
The streets shift from well-paved to cracked and littered with potholes. Minnie swerves a few times to miss shocking her suspension. “Don’t they ever fix these darn holes? It’s been months,” she grumbles, wincing when she catches one by accident.
“While this is happy news and all, I’m pretty sure Daddy is going to be more pleased about my news over yours,” Ariel muses, bringing up one of Minnie’s current sources of mental drama.
“Daddy won’t take it well.” Minnie narrowly avoids another pothole, so deep it might have eaten a cat. “But, what can he do? Be mad about it? That’s about it.”
“Ehh…I mean, I think that’s about it?” Ariel doesn’t sound so sure. “He certainly can’t pull calling the cops again. That would be crazy.”
Say it louder for those in the back, sister.
The gloomy rows of apartments soon vanish as Minnie turns down another street, heading towards the single-family neighborhoods of Harrow’s Row. Chaotic lawns greet Minnie in no time, front yards full of broken cars and junk.
The infamous Harrow’s Row never fails to make her feel on edge, but Minnie has a destination, and she’s never not made it there safely.
“You can tell Daddy my news after you tell him about the new accounting gig you landed,” Minnie says. “Is the job bringing you any closer to us?”
“Yes!” Ariel gushes. “That’s what I was excited to tell you. I’m able to relocate closer to home again!”
A squeal of excitement slips from Minnie’s lips. “Ariel! That’s great news. I’ll be happy to have you closer again. We can have more movie nights.”
“You know what’s better? I won’t have to sleep in your creepy guest bedroom anymore. Cuz I’ll have my own place close by. Once I figure that out.”
Minnie rolls her eyes, laughing. They chat a bit longer about the role itself, just as Minnie finally reaches her destination.
“I’m super thrilled for you, but I’ve got to go, Ariel,” Minnie says, squinting out her window as she rolls up onto the driveway of Gage’s place.
“I just got to Gage’s.” What on earth is going on here…
Watching with distant interest, Minnie observes the unfortunate scenario unfolding to her left on the lawn. There’s a loud mechanical whirring sound that coughs and pops loudly. Not only that, but repeatedly. There comes a roar of an engine briefly starting, followed by its untimely death.
“Who is failing at mowing the lawn?” Ariel quips with amusement in her lilting tone. The notorious sound has reached her ears.
“Not Gage, I can tell you that.” He would have fixed the lawnmower, no doubt about it. Taken it apart and put it back together. Minnie says goodbye to Ariel and hangs up, studiously not looking to her left as she turns off the ignition, gathering up her baked treats.
Why does he have to be out here? Unforgivable, Minnie muses.
When she steps out of the car, there’s no avoiding the fact that Red is unsuccessfully battling a mower. Shirtless. She can’t blame the old piece of machinery for not cooperating with him.
Unfortunately for Red, he does not cut the same figure as Gage. Instead, his scrawny limbs are pale, hints of sunburn touching his freckled shoulders. He’s already tossing a foul stare her way, disgruntled. “Ah, my favorite Champagne Hooker.”
Minnie wrinkles her nose. She’s a what? Not about to let him one-up her, the Brave New Minnie says, “Do put a shirt on; no one needs to see…” she gestures with her free hand to his half-clothed form. “…that poorly tattooed noodle body.”
He splutters, unable to determine if he’s angry or shocked by her statement. More color crawls up his chest, right to his face in a telling manner. Red really is his color and name, isn’t it? “…the fuck?!”
“Indeed, peasant,” she quips in a holier-than-thou tone. His eyes nearly pop out of his skull.
Lifting her chin, Minnie struts over to the open garage without another word to him, vaguely hearing him cursing her out in the background.
Whatever; she won. Her words cut his noodle form deep.
She won’t let him bring her down anymore.
He’s just the bastard with a scratchy voice, the one with a terrible tattoo that he thinks passes for a Ghoul.
He’s a little man who blames her for his problems. Too bad. He should blame himself, but looking in the mirror must be hard for him.
The door to the house is unlocked, so Minnie lets herself in.
The other three housemates are in the kitchen, seated around a circular table, playing a card game of sorts.
Gage looks up from his hand and smiles at her, all sharp and wicked in nature.
His eyes welcome her. “I thought I heard you verbally thrashing that idiot out there.”
Toeing off her shoes near the ratty rug, Minnie replies, “He was suitably wounded. I daresay he may not recover.”
His grin turns wolfish. “That’s my girl.”
Chase’s pale eyes go wide as he spots what she’s carrying. Namely, the tray of treats in her hands. “My favorite Uptown Girl. What did you bring me?!”