hair among the rickshaws, tourists, and Dalmatians. I can’t hear her voice over the birds or the noise spilling from ghetto blasters. And the crowd drinking spiked Slurpees on the balcony at Fat Tuesday doesn’t see me seeing her.
Finally, I lose her. Next turn, I’m staring at the steroid-enhanced arm of the law.
“Need some help, son?” the cop asks. Caitlin and Elsa stand on the corner. Elsa smiles and waves. Then a skater blocks my view.
“No, sir.” I emphasize the sir slightly. Way to deal with cops is give them the respect they think they deserve.
“Might I ask what you’re doing here?”
You might. With probable cause. But I shrug. “Waiting for someone.”
“These ladies say you’re bothering them.”
“Don’t believe I spoke to them, sir.”
His cop eyes meet mine. It feels like an hour. Spots of perspiration appear on his uniform, and I see wheels turning. He knows there’s a restraining order, knows I’m on the same planet as Caitlin. He’s trying to put two and two together to make a legal violation so he can haul me off and get out of this heat. It would take a miracle to get me out of this. Then I get one.
Leo steps from behind a line of cars. He holds aviator sunglasses in one hand, fingers in the other, fingers that, incidentally, are attached to this tiny, pretty brunet who’s gazing adoringly at him.
“Nick, what it is!” he says, looking from me to the cop and Caitlin, then back at me. He doesn’t acknowledge Elsa. “Been waiting long?”
“Long enough,” I fake it. “Where were you?”
Mr. Cool smiles and leans against a rack of Spanish newspapers. “Picked Neysa up from a school-related function…” (Smile at the cop) “And all the nuns need something done. Tote that barge. Lift that bale—that kinda stuff.”
“A Christian martyr,” I say. “Don’t let it happen again.”
The cop looks from the pet store on the right (which sells only Akitas) to the tattoo parlor on the left and, possibly, sees his air-conditioned squad car fade to memory. “You were meeting here ?”
“I always wanted a dog,” Neysa says, straight-faced.
On the corner, Elsa rolls her eyes. Leo must decide the cop needs more convincing. “Hey, you know Ray DeLeon?” he asks, identifying Ray from our family violence class. “He’s with the city police. He’s my cousin, knows Nick too. Ask him.”
The cop considers. “Well, if you’re friends of Ray’s.”
“Don’t forget to say hello to his girlfriend, Diana,” I add. Ray would say anything to change the subject away from how he knows us.
The officer strolls to where they’re standing. “Sorry, ladies. Can’t arrest someone just for being in the Grove.”
“He was following us,” Elsa whines.
“That’s fine.” Caitlin grabs Elsa’s arm. “Let’s go.” Elsa protests, but Caitlin’s feet are in motion. I watch her go. When the cop leaves too, Leo faces me.
“In a spot of trouble, eh?” he says in his best James Bond impression.
“And you, my truant friend?” I say in the same accent. “Missed you in class today, chap. Last week too.”
“Poor, dear Nick.” Leo tut-tuts, still British. “That ugly chapter is behind me, my boy.” He gestures, by way of explanation, to the brunet. “This is Neysa. We’re back together.”
“Nice to meet you.” She holds out the hand not in Leo’s.
I take it. It feels like a warm bird, and I watch Leo’s grip on her other hand tighten until, finally, she releases mine.
“Hot girl,” Leo says, his eyes following Caitlin down Main Highway. “Stick with me, I’ll help you get her back.”
I felt like someone had tightened the lug nuts on my face. Caitlin should have been in the group that came out before. Was she making me wait on purpose? Had she already left? I didn’t need this on top of Tom’s sermon. I stalked the suddenly empty halls, not exactly sure where the chorus room was, but finding it by the sound of Caitlin’s voice .
“Rejoice!
Finally, I lose her. Next turn, I’m staring at the steroid-enhanced arm of the law.
“Need some help, son?” the cop asks. Caitlin and Elsa stand on the corner. Elsa smiles and waves. Then a skater blocks my view.
“No, sir.” I emphasize the sir slightly. Way to deal with cops is give them the respect they think they deserve.
“Might I ask what you’re doing here?”
You might. With probable cause. But I shrug. “Waiting for someone.”
“These ladies say you’re bothering them.”
“Don’t believe I spoke to them, sir.”
His cop eyes meet mine. It feels like an hour. Spots of perspiration appear on his uniform, and I see wheels turning. He knows there’s a restraining order, knows I’m on the same planet as Caitlin. He’s trying to put two and two together to make a legal violation so he can haul me off and get out of this heat. It would take a miracle to get me out of this. Then I get one.
Leo steps from behind a line of cars. He holds aviator sunglasses in one hand, fingers in the other, fingers that, incidentally, are attached to this tiny, pretty brunet who’s gazing adoringly at him.
“Nick, what it is!” he says, looking from me to the cop and Caitlin, then back at me. He doesn’t acknowledge Elsa. “Been waiting long?”
“Long enough,” I fake it. “Where were you?”
Mr. Cool smiles and leans against a rack of Spanish newspapers. “Picked Neysa up from a school-related function…” (Smile at the cop) “And all the nuns need something done. Tote that barge. Lift that bale—that kinda stuff.”
“A Christian martyr,” I say. “Don’t let it happen again.”
The cop looks from the pet store on the right (which sells only Akitas) to the tattoo parlor on the left and, possibly, sees his air-conditioned squad car fade to memory. “You were meeting here ?”
“I always wanted a dog,” Neysa says, straight-faced.
On the corner, Elsa rolls her eyes. Leo must decide the cop needs more convincing. “Hey, you know Ray DeLeon?” he asks, identifying Ray from our family violence class. “He’s with the city police. He’s my cousin, knows Nick too. Ask him.”
The cop considers. “Well, if you’re friends of Ray’s.”
“Don’t forget to say hello to his girlfriend, Diana,” I add. Ray would say anything to change the subject away from how he knows us.
The officer strolls to where they’re standing. “Sorry, ladies. Can’t arrest someone just for being in the Grove.”
“He was following us,” Elsa whines.
“That’s fine.” Caitlin grabs Elsa’s arm. “Let’s go.” Elsa protests, but Caitlin’s feet are in motion. I watch her go. When the cop leaves too, Leo faces me.
“In a spot of trouble, eh?” he says in his best James Bond impression.
“And you, my truant friend?” I say in the same accent. “Missed you in class today, chap. Last week too.”
“Poor, dear Nick.” Leo tut-tuts, still British. “That ugly chapter is behind me, my boy.” He gestures, by way of explanation, to the brunet. “This is Neysa. We’re back together.”
“Nice to meet you.” She holds out the hand not in Leo’s.
I take it. It feels like a warm bird, and I watch Leo’s grip on her other hand tighten until, finally, she releases mine.
“Hot girl,” Leo says, his eyes following Caitlin down Main Highway. “Stick with me, I’ll help you get her back.”
I felt like someone had tightened the lug nuts on my face. Caitlin should have been in the group that came out before. Was she making me wait on purpose? Had she already left? I didn’t need this on top of Tom’s sermon. I stalked the suddenly empty halls, not exactly sure where the chorus room was, but finding it by the sound of Caitlin’s voice .
“Rejoice!
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