I Knew You Were Trouble: Accidents Happen (10 page)

"If shit happens... anything you can't handle," Toni said, handing me the paper, "call this number and tell them who you are." He put his hand on my shoulder like we were old friends. I didn't like it there, but I didn't dare move it off. "Find a way to fix things between Rose and Adeline. I'll stay out of it, but know that she's my blood. I will not hesitate if I feel she has been wronged." I guess that is what passes for family bonding in the mob. A threat, a demand and a magic number that solves problems. I stuffed the number into my pocket.

"Good," Toni said, smiling at my obvious agreement. He held out his hand like some kind of trophy. I shook it strongly, trying not to appear as weak as I felt. He moved to the door and opened it for me. I sensed he didn't do that often. Another form of apology I suspected.

"Take care of her," Rose pleaded as I began walking out.

"I intend to," I told her. Mountains of stress flowed away when the door closed behind me. Not the visit I had intended at all.

Chapter Fifteen

Corey's Steakhouse was huge. It had a pitched green roof that looked almost homey, held up by faux pillars with a big front porch lined with benches for the evening rush. It was more trough than fine dining. Decent food, served quickly in an eat-and-get-out fashion. They churned customers as quickly as possible. Not the gourmet atmosphere I envisioned when I thought of Adeline's cooking.

I stepped inside and was welcomed by no fewer than three high school-age greeters. The place was packed and the tables ran deep into the building. A central bar and the many wooden partitions only allowed you to see a handful of tables at a time.

"How many in your party, Sir," a young man fighting an acne problem asked.

"Actually, I'm looking for a waitress named Adeline Morrison," I responded politely.

"There's no visiting during working hours," the boy returned quickly. I smiled, not really concerned with the rules.

"Are you going to make me walk around looking for her?" I asked pleasantly. A mother with a family waiting for a table off to the side gave me a dirty look. I smiled at her also.

"I can get a manager if you wish," the boy said, obviously practiced with people who wished to bend the rules.

A loud crash of dishes echoed from the left side of the restaurant, beyond my viewing range. It went on for a couple of seconds before it settled. There was a smattering of applause followed by a loud, "You bitch!" I didn't hesitate and moved quickly. I knew there could only be one person in the middle of the disaster.

"These are new pants," an older man yelled, "you're going to pay for this." His face was red with anger. There was some kind of burgundy sauce running down the left leg of his khaki pants. His wife was trying desperately to pull him back to his seat. Everyone at the surrounding tables was watching the scene. That is where I found her.

Adeline was on her knees, her back to me. She was trying hard to pull plates and cups back to the tray she had spilled. I could see her shoulders shaking and I knew she was holding back tears. "I'm so sorry," she choked out and tried to wipe his pants with a rag.

"Don't touch me you incompetent..." the man started, then stalled, when he saw me coming fast. I had removed my glasses and my bruised eyes were on his. All the anger from the past week was boiling under my skin.

"Sit!" I said loudly. The man did. He will never know how intelligent that move was. I pulled out my business card. "Send me the bill," I said, handing the card to his wife. The man started to open his mouth. "It was an accident, leave it at that," I added firmly. He did.

Adeline was shaking, and I could hear her choking back a full cry. She had heard me, but she wasn't turning around. I knelt down next to her and started helping her fill the tray. Our hands met over a cup. The dam burst and the tears flowed. I wrapped her in my arms, ignoring my complaining broken rib and the restaurant at large.

"Don't ever leave me again," I whispered in her ear, "I am less without your touch." She cried, she nodded and she squeezed me until I saw stars. "I love you," I added. More tears.

I helped her to her feet, straining not to look as weak as I was. A manager arrived, eyes wide at the mess around our feet. He looked at Adeline's bloodshot eyes and whispered something into the microphone attached to his headset. "Adeline," he said calmly, while looking at me, "take this gentleman to the back. I have a team coming to clean this up." He moved to the irate man with the burgundy stain and began trying to retain his patronage. I liked the manager, efficient if nothing else.

Adeline lead me back through the kitchen to an employee break room. She had been wiping her eyes along the way. When we arrived, she turned and her lips caressed mine. The soft kiss quickly warmed to a forceful desire. Her hands circled my head and she pulled me closer. She was mine again. That kiss was worth every ounce of pain it caused in my chest.

"Look what I did to you," Adeline said when she pulled her face away. There was sadness in her eyes. I hated that sadness. She brushed her hand lightly across my cheek, trying to wipe the bruising away.

"I know a secret," I said quietly, "I want to give it to you, but you must not act rashly with it. You will want to, but you can't." I wiped my thumbs across Adeline's cheeks, taking the remnants of her tears with them. She looked at me, a mixture of concern and confusion. "I'm afraid I will lose you if you find out another way."

"Tell me," Adeline said. Her eyes held love, so I did. I told her all of what I found out that morning. I didn't care how Rose or Toni felt about Adeline knowing. Secrets could only hurt us now. When I was done, I stared fearfully into her eyes.

"You will never lose me again," Adeline said softly, ignoring the knowledge of her parents. The kiss was more passionate, more us. I lingered in it, wanting time to stop. The world made sense again. The manager entered. We separated. He looked at both of us with a half smile.

"Your shift is covered," the man said to Adeline, "take the day and decide if this job is right for you."

"It isn't," I answered for Adeline. Adeline looked at me and nodded in agreement. She was a chef, not a waitress. The manager smiled. Saved him the trouble of having to consider firing someone.

"I hope this doesn't mean you won't enjoy a meal with us once in awhile," the manager said, in full sales mode. This guy was underemployed. A problem solver who never loses sight of the goal line.

"Of course not, Frank," I said, looking at his name tag. I put out my hand and he shook it.

***

"It makes sense," Adeline commented as we drove away from the restaurant, "a lot of things make sense now." I had to agree. "I'm still not talking to her," she continued, "not after what she caused." Adeline reached over and stroked my bruised face. "I can't believe he thought you were a gigolo."

"Am I not hot enough?" I joked.

"You could make a good living," Adeline answered judiciously, a sly smile gracing her face. She turned away to look out the window. "I am afraid though," she admitted slowly.

"Of us?"

"Of the future," Adeline said, "look what's happened to you. It hasn't even been two weeks." I looked toward her, then back to the road. No tears, no sadness, just thoughtfulness.

"You're assuming the past dictates the future," I philosophized, "I say the worst has been done. It will be smooth sailing from here on out." I looked over quickly and saw Adeline didn't hold to my optimism. "I don't regret any of it," I added, then chuckled, "I could have skipped the beating, but it was a minor cost for knowing you."

"What if it gets worse?"

"What if it gets better?" I dueled. Adeline smiled.

"How sore are you?" Adeline asked. I looked over to very provocative smile. There was a sparkle in her eyes that I could feel between my legs.

"Not that sore," I lied with a vast smile.

"Good," Adeline said, her hand moving to my leg. I returned my eyes to the road as her hand climbed up my thigh. "I am told makeup sex is pretty good." I decided the speed limit no longer applied to me.

Chapter Fourteen

I waited at the altar, or what masqueraded as one, in the small Las Vegas chapel. The past few months had been the best of my life. I hadn't been beaten up for a while, so I decided to propose during the lull. I wasn't even half done with the question when Adeline said yes. I think she feared something might happen before the end of the question.

Adeline was enrolled in a culinary school. She was on a new level of happy, which put me one step higher, somewhere around ecstatic. Adeline eventually made up with Rose, but never acknowledged Rose as her mother. It was Adeline's secret now, and it would die with me if she wished it.

Oliver was looking a little worse for wear next to me. He was experiencing stripper detox. As promised, he threw me a bachelor party that involved three strip clubs and ended around four in the morning. It was the first time in my life that random naked women held little interest. Oliver made up for my failings. I had a lot of fun watching him fall in love about ten times.

"You ready?" Cathy called from the entryway. Cathy had remained Adeline's sister. Adeline preferred it that way. Cathy was the only family she had known and acknowledgment of the truth would ruin that. Cathy did take care of her growing up. Adeline thought she was more of a sister than some real sisters. Since I had proposed, Cathy gave up her protectiveness and embraced me as a brother. At least we would have someone for the holidays. I nodded to Cathy and straightened up. Cathy signaled the old lady at the piano and 'Here Comes the Bride' started.

I expected to see Adeline round the corner in the white dress she and Cathy had picked out. It wasn't a full wedding dress, but I was sure it would be beautiful on her. Oliver and I were slightly informal ourselves, in black suits, white shirts and blue ties instead of tuxes. It didn't make sense to go the whole nine yards when we were practically eloping.

Cathy's eyes went wide and she flung her hands out in front of her in the direction Adeline was coming. I heard something breakable hit the ground followed quickly by other, non-breakable, things. "Oh, honey," Cathy said sorrowfully, moving quickly off to the side, out of my vision. I started moving toward the entryway, hoping it wasn't what I knew it was.

Adeline came around the corner, Cathy helping her along. Half her hair was undone, the rest still in the bun she spent so much time creating. The bouquet of flowers was mostly broken and her white dress had something dark splattered across the front. The piano player stopped and the Justice of the Peace coughed uncomfortably. Adeline was on the verge of tears. I didn't know how to undo it.

"Damon," Oliver called. I turned. Oliver had a pot of flowers he had grabbed off the altar. He held them out to me. His silly smile was all the instruction I needed. I undid the button on my suit jacket, pulled the pink carnations out of the pot and dumped the contents, a greenish fertilized water mixture, down the front of my white shirt. I handed the pot back to Oliver and marched the flowers to Adeline.

"Sorry," I said softly, "I had an accident back there." I took the broken bouquet out of Adeline's hands and replaced it with the carnations whose stems were entirely too long. A tear formed in her eye that belied the smile on her lips.

"I love you, you know," Adeline said. I tossed the ruined flowers onto the floor and cocked out my elbow. She put her arm through it, and I nodded to the lady at the piano. The music started again, and I walked my bride to the Justice of the Peace, who had finally seen everything.

Epilogue

Adeline was shaking when the fifth meter registered the same as the others. Panic coursed through her as she looked at them arrayed along the counter. They all agreed. A sixth seemed insane, but she thought she should run to the store again anyway.

Adeline heard the garage door going up and she bit her lower lip. Damon was home early. She quickly swept the meters into the kitchen drawer. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out the balsamic marinated chicken she had prepared for dinner. If she looked busy, maybe he wouldn't know something was wrong. She had no way of knowing how he would react. She didn't want to lose him over this.

"Got off early," Damon said happily, hanging his jacket in the closet.

"That's nice," Adeline stuttered, realized it, and added, "I'm glad you're home." Damon sensed Adeline was harried. He let it go.

"What's for dinner?"

"Chicken," Adeline answered and started transferring the breasts to a cooking tray.

"What's wrong?" Damon asked, suspicious of her one word answer.

"What do you mean?" Adeline replied as she set the oven temperature.

"You never make just chicken, love" Damon continued, "it always has a name I need explained to me." He moved closer and wrapped his arms around Adeline from the back. She leaned back and pecked his cheek, then returned to moving the tray of chicken to the oven. Damon released her a little surprised, wondering where his welcome home lips were.

"Did I do something wrong?" Damon asked, taking a step back. Adeline caught the edge of the pan on the side of the oven, lost her grip and it all tumbled to the floor. Frustration forced her hand. She turned to Damon with tears she couldn't hold back.

"There's been another accident," Adeline sobbed and fell into Damon's arms. He knew she didn't mean the chicken.

"Tell me," Damon whispered. He held her as she found the courage.

"You promise not to be angry?" Adeline pleaded. Damon promised, so she slowly pulled open the drawer. It took a moment before Damon figured out what he was looking at. He lifted up one of the digital meters. It was clearly displaying the word 'pregnant.' He pulled out another with the same results. He smiled, knowing the others would be the same.

"You will make a wonderful mother," Damon said, pulling Adeline back into his arms.

"You're not upset?" Adeline asked. Damon answered with his lips. A long welcome home, welcome parenthood, welcome-to-life kiss. Adeline melted into him. It was only an accident, after all.