As we walked down the hospital corridor, both of our heads were a million miles from the hospital. We arrived at Tina’s door and went in to see her. I just knew that Tina knew. We did everything we could trying our hardest to keep it together. Jill sat in a chair next to the head of Tina’s bed holding her hand and quietly talking to her.
Me? I sat in a chair at her feet. My mind in a swirl, as if I it was the center of a tornado. All I did was sit there in a stunned silence. I looked at Tina and kept thinking…. did I cause all this? Did my arrogance bring this suffering down on Tina?
I don’t remember saying anything. I just sat there looking at Tina. Although I wasn’t a religious person, my mind kept going back to a verse out of the old testament, “Vengeance is mine and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.” Deuteronomy 32:35.
“Jill, can you give me a couple of minutes alone with Tina?” I asked gently.
Jill just sat there stunned. She nodded her head and leaned over and kissed Tina on the forehead, got up and stepped outside to the hallway.
Tina looked so helpless. So afraid. So, hurt.
I got up from my chair and walked over to her. I cupped her face with my hands as gently as I could.
“Tina, I’m sorry I hurt you.” I whispered in her ear just loud enough so only she could hear me.
“David, I knew, I just knew deep in my heart that our time was coming to an end in IHOP. I just knew it deep down. I fucked up. I pushed you away. You were THE most caring person and I fucked it up.” Tina said to me in a voice barely audible.
I looked into her eyes. They were overflowing with tears. My heart felt heavy.
“Tina, you didn’t fuck anything up. You are a wonderful vibrant person. Your someone very special to me…and to Jill. We both love you, we always will.”
I leaned in and kissed her on each cheek, on the forehead, on the tip of her nose, and then gently on the lips.
“Tina, Jill and I need to do somethings. We won’t be back for a couple of weeks. We must head out of town. We’re always available on our cell phones. Is there anything we can get you from your….?” My mouth almost said those words. “From your home” but I remembered that she lived with Sasha.
“No, there’s nothing I need, but to know that you do love me?” Tina whispered.
“Tina, I do love you. I will always love you.” I felt my eyes tearing up. I kissed her again and left.
CHAPTER 6
Jill and I walked in silence. We left the hospital. Sgt. Johnson was outside talking on his cell phone. When he saw us, he waved us over to him.
“That’s fine. I’m going Ten-7B. I’ll be off for a couple of hours.” He said into his cell phone and hung up.
“David, Jill I’ve been out here hoping to catch you before you go off and do something stupid. I don’t know how I know, but I think you’re ready to go and do something really, really stupid. Aren’t you?”
He read us like a book. I guess all those years interacting with the public gave him a good sense of what people were thinking in times of crisis.
I looked at the ground. “Yeah, we were.”
“Good, I’ll go with you.” Sgt. Johnson replied, surprising both Jill and me.
A look of shock on our face. Jill was stunned. I was stunned. Sgt. Johnson just stood there with a smile.
“Let me drive.” Johnson said.
We followed him in silence to his car. This was not a police vehicle, it was his personal car. We climbed into his Cadillac and headed off.
“Where to?” Johnson asked.
“Happee, Happy Limo” Jill said.
“I just knew you two were going to head there. I called in a favor and have a couple of ‘off duty’ friends meeting us there.” He replied.
I just sat there smiling. Jill looked over her shoulder at me sitting in the back seat. She smiled.
“Sargent Johnson, what the heck is your first name? I feel like we should know your name instead of continuing to call you Sargent.” Jill asked.
“It’s Roger. Roger Johnson. My close friends call me RJ.” He answered.
“Roger are you married?” Jill asked. That was a question that I did not expect.
“Um, no. Not anymore. I divorced a few years ago. Why do you ask?”
“RJ, are you in a relationship? I mean, I can’t imagine you being alone for very long.” Jill said in a flirtatious voice.
“Jill are you hitting on me?” he said with a huge smile on his face.
“No. I just know someone who would be interested in you.” Jill replied.
“Oh, I see, you’re one of THEM.” RJ retorted chuckling a bit,
“Well, if you mean someone who tries to introduce people to other people, so they can be happy…. then yes, I’m one of THEM.” Jill said with a devilish grin.
I interjected from the back seat, “Who would that be darling?”
“My friend Donna. She’s got a thing for big strong handsome men. Like YOU darling.” Jill was really turning the charms on now.
We pulled into a parking spot in front of the building where the Limo office was located.
We all got out and headed inside.
“I’m sorry sir, you are not allowed on this property. You no longer work for the limo company.” The security guard said pointing to me.
“I’m Sgt. Johnson, City Police.” Flashing his badge at the security guard.
“What can I do for you officer?”
“We are heading up to the limo office, all of us.” RJ said to the guard.
“Yes sir.”
We headed over to the elevator. When we arrived to the 8th floor we were met by RJ’s buddies from the Police force.
“Are we all set?” RJ asked the other two officers.
“Yes”
The five of walked into the office without even knocking. One lady stood up and said that I was not allowed to be there, and I must leave right now, or she would be calling the Police.
“Ma’am, I’m Sgt. Johnson with City Police. We’re here to see…. Sasha, the owner.”
“Oh, she’s not the owner, she’s the manager.” The woman replied.
“I see, and who is Tina?” Sgt. Johnson replied.
“That’s her personal assistant. However, she didn’t show for work today. First time since she started working here that she didn’t show up for work, nor call into Sasha.” The woman went on to explain.
“Well, thank you ma’am. Where can I find Sasha?”
“Well, she called a few minutes ago saying she was going home because she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Who’s in charge then?” Sgt. Johnson inquired,
“Well, I guess that would be me.”
“And who are you?” Sgt. Johnson asked.
“Deloris, Deloris Mitchell.”
“Ms. Mitchell, we need to see Sasha’s office”
“Ok, follow me.” Deloris lead all of us to the large wooden doors.
“David, I think you should stay out here. Jill can some with us, but you should just find a chair and wait for us to be done.” RJ said to me.
I saw Paula and went over to her desk and sat down. I smiled and began some inane chit chat reminding myself that the twins were close by and would be listening intently.
Sgt. Johnson and the other two officers went into Sasha’s office along with Deloris.
They were inside her office for more than an hour. I carefully kept an eye on the twins. They kept making outbound phone calls and looking very frustrated. They kept whispering back and forth, yet their body actions told me whatever they were up to was not coming to fruition.