Page 85 of There Once was a Dancer
“I hope you’re watching, Rex.”
Candy took Aguilar’s chin in his hand and turned his face to the side. The ugly, raw bullet wound was visible now. Mars had taken a shot that even I could be envious of. It had most likely severed the spinal cord the second it entered his neck, dropping him instantly, and taking out the newest and hopefully last head of the Lima distribution network.
“You’ll be with us the next time, Rex!” Several of my brothers shouted.
A slow smile spread across my face. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelming satisfaction as my brothers noted my absence. My thoughts turned to Cachi. Now that the threat to his life as well as his family’s was gone, they would be free to live in peace.
I could only pray that the Policia Nacional del Peru had done their jobs and taken out the rest of the motherfuckers down in South America. What it would mean for me and Cachi and any future between us, was impossible to tell. It’d been so long, maybe he wouldn’t want me back…provided I wanted the same thing. I’d done a lot of damage and knew that a hell of a lot of ass kissing would be required, if I decided he was worth it.
I almost snorted with disbelief at myself. Of course, he was. I was the unworthy one who’d broken his heart.
I glanced at Judy when she suddenly let out a little sob. She looked pale and drawn as she reached for the laptop in front of her with a shaking hand. Somehow, she managed to close the screen down with one firm click and it went black.
Judy let out another sob. I reached out to her, and she grasped my hand, holding tight as our eyes met. “My God, is that what it’s like every time?” she asked, eyes wide, awash with tears.
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
She momentarily shut her eyes tightly as she shook her head before finally looking back at me. “I’m sorry for disconnecting the feed from the helmet cams,” she said. “It’s just that looking at the carnage in the light, isn’t conducive to my mental health.”
“I get it, honey. Civilians ain’t meant to see them things.” I really couldn’t blame her. If I was a civilian like her, seeing the cleanup and identification of multiple bleeding bodies weren’t images I expected a mom like Judy would want to remember. Much less, take home and explain to her husband and kids. We sat holding hands for long minutes before she finally felt strong enough to let go. She silently gathered up the laptop with hands that still trembled.
“I should go,” she said. She cleared her throat. “Oh, and by the way, you’re expected at the office tomorrow…Candy’s orders. He said to tell you—and I quote—‘Tell Rex to drag his happy, Texas ass into the office, come rain or come shine.’” When I laughed, she continued. “He said you have to go to the team, rather than them coming to you, since they’ll be tied up at the office the entire day doing paperwork.”
“Okay.” I chuckled, smiling at her. I figured Candy and the team just wanted the opportunity to congratulate me on my good news and go over the outcome of the raid now that the dust was settling.
“You’ll be there for sure then?” Judy asked as she stood in my foyer.
I nodded, smiling at her. “Yeah, Judy. I’ll get there somehow.”
She frowned. “Oh…I didn’t think about that.” She waved her hand at me. “Never mind. I’ll come by in the morning and pick you up.”
I shook my head. “Naw, honey. Thanks for the offer but Alain’ll be home later tonight. He’ll take me to the office when he goes in tomorrow mornin’.”
“Oh, that’s right. I completely forgot he’s staying here and he took you to the doc today.”
I smiled at her. “Yeah, he has one of them big 4x4 trucks. He just puts the chair in the truck bed.”
She looked at my electric wheelchair as her lips formed a silent O. “You mean to tell me that he got that heavy chair in his truck bed all by himself this morning?”
I chuckled. “It weighs just a little over a hundred pounds and trust me when I tell you, with the way Candy makes us work out, it weren’t no trouble liftin’ it.”
She nodded. “Fine. See you at the office.”
I smiled, hugging her tightly as she bent to hug me. “Thanks, honey. I’ll see you at the office. Hey…and…thanks for all this. It felt real good to know I was missed.”
She grinned back, saluting me. “Mission accomplished then. Good night, Rex.”
I followed her to the door, holding it open for her. “Good night, honey.” I shut the door, feeling more than a little bit loved.
After locking up, I pivoted and rolled into the living room. Lola was waiting for me in her chair, wiggling the way she always did when she saw me. It was the paralyzed poodle version of a tail wag and, as always, I thought it was the cutest damned thing I’d ever seen. After letting her out and locking up, I pulled her out of the chair and set her in my lap.
I wheeled us back to the bedroom, thankful that Alain and I had stopped on the way to the doctor’s office to have a key made for him, so I didn’t have to answer the door when hefinally rolled in. I knew it might be late. When I’d stripped down and climbed into bed, folding my hands behind my head, Lola dragged herself up to me and laid her head on my shoulder. I stroked her back until she started making tiny chuffing snores.
I stared up at the ceiling for a long time, pondering what I should do about Cachi. Before long, though, I closed my eyes, exhausted from all the possibilities and worries about the future, and I finally drifted off to sleep.
Alain and I got going early in the morning. As he washed the breakfast dishes, I wheeled into the foyer and used the walker to push up to a standing position. When he walked out of the kitchen and saw me standing tall, he grinned widely.
“Rex, old man,” he said, eyes bright with tears as he looked me up and down. “Seeing you like this…well, dammit man, it’s a sight for sore eyes.” He sniffed and stepped in close, hugging me hard as I patted him on the back. When he pulled back, he was wiping away tears. He cleared his throat and waved at the chair. “Well, get back into the jolly thing and let me get you to the office. I believe the others have a surprise for you.”
