Chapter 7
Charity
I saved a life. I stood at the curb, watching the ambulance drive away and felt lighter than air, but at the same time, full of an effervescing energy. Wow. I’d saved a life, what’s more, I’d saved a life with Nothing. Who knew we had medical training in common? I turned to him and said, “I didn’t know you were a med-“ but the words died on my lips. He was gone, and I couldn’t see through the throng of people in which direction he’d travelled.
“Son of a bitch,” I whispered.
“Hey!” I turned and an attractive man stood on the curb, hands buried in his cargo shorts, button down shirt open at the collar, sleeves turned up casually to the elbow.
“Yes?”
“Not going to lie, that was pretty spectacular. Let me buy you a drink?”
I smiled, “And you are?”
He grinned, an award winning smile, and held out his hand, “Greg Hanson, what’s your name?”
“Charity,” I took his hand and shook, his grip light, but firm.
“Nice to meet you, Charity. Can I interest you in that victory drink?”
I smiled, “Some other time, maybe? I’ve got to get going. There’s a hurricane coming don’t you know?”
“Ah, yeah, I’m in town on business. Bad timing yeah?”
“At least you can leave,” I said laughing, “I just moved here.”
“Is that right?” he smiled and flashed perfect white teeth. He was attractive, as far as men go, probably no older than his late twenties, but he didn’t have that general dark mystique that I was finding so attractive in Nothing.
“Yeah, moved here to be with my sisters.”
“You know, I really do hope you’ll take me up on that offer of a drink. If I ever see you again.”
“It’s a small town, so yeah, likely as not, we’ll run into each other again.”
He grinned broader and winked at me, “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out, but then again, a woman as beautiful as you, you do stand out in a crowd.”
I laughed outright and started up the sidewalk, looking back over my shoulder I proclaimed, “Flattery will get you everywhere!”
“I’ll keep that in mind!”
I went down the boulevard, back in the direction of Cutter’s house where everyone was supposed to meet anyways at the end of the day for some grilling and drinks. It was a fifty-fifty shot that Nothing had already gone that direction.
I wondered about him as I walked, he’d looked awful drawn and when he’d moved his glasses, he had been clearly hungover. After spending four years in college, it was hard not to recognize a night, or several, of binge drinking. I was surprised to find I was worried about him. It was probably just the natural caregiver in me… I was well aware that I couldn’t save the world but it didn’t stop me from trying.
My thoughts drifted back to the boy and to the medic climbing into the back of the ambulance, the taller one, he’d said to me, “If you could get Shep to come back, you’d be doing this area a bigger service than you could imagine…” It made me wonder about the man called Nothing. Why had he stopped in the first place? Clearly he had the training and was a phenomenal medic… why just stop?
“Hey! Here comes Trouble.” I looked up and smiled, surprised at how far I’d come in so little time.
“What’re you doing out here?” I asked and Cutter shrugged, opening up the mailbox.
“Can’t a man check his mail?” he asked. “You look thoughtful, wanna tell me what’s up?”
“Yeah, I think I just saved a life. Well, Nothing and I did.”
“No shit? What happened?”
I told him as we ambled up the driveway at a sedate pace and he listened, thoughtfully. Finally, he nodded.
“Well I’ll be damned, good on you, Darlin’!”
“Thanks,” I said and smiled, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
I stopped and looked up at him, “Why do you call Faith ‘Firefly?’”
He smiled, that easy, lazy grin of his that I could totally see why Hope got all twitterpated over it. “Because,” he said, “Your sister has a fire inside that’s been dulled by some really shitty circumstances, but when she doesn’t let all that get in the way, and she remembers to do it, boy can she ever let that light of hers shine!”
I smiled broadly and looped my arm through his, giving his arm a hug, “I am so glad someone sees it.”
“Oh, I ain’t the only one. Marlin sees it clear as day.”
“I’m glad she has him.”
Cutter nodded, but said nothing. I looked up at him, “So why you call me ‘Trouble’ then?” I asked.
“Oh because you are. You’re trouble that’s just waiting to happen.”
I laughed and he let us into the front door of the house, Hope was sitting on the couch, Faith on the floor in front of her while my eldest sister brushed my older sister’s hair.
“You need a trim,” I observed.
“That mean the salon is open?” Hope asked.
“I’ll run up and get my scissors,” I said and breathed out a sigh of contentment. It’d been a good day. A jumpstart to my heart, but so far, a good day… even with Nothing’s peculiar behavior. The mystery had deepened, and my curiosity was definitely piqued. I was wrestling with myself a bit on if I wanted to learn more or if I should just take the brush offs he’d been giving me to heart.
I went and got my scissors and trimmed both Faith and Hope’s hair, all the while listening to Faith prattle on about some man named Bobby and his orange grove. I smiled, and I was happy for my sisters, both of them, but I couldn’t help but have my thoughts pulled regularly back to a pair of solemn gray eyes.
Damnit, I think Dominic Shepard AKA Nothing had gotten under my skin. There was something different about that. I’d never had anyone make me so curious after a couple of nonchalant, scratch that, a couple of nonchalant, one creepy, and one intense meeting. I think I’d decided then and there, that I would make an effort to get to know him which made me make a wry smile… I could be persistent if need be, and I think I’d figured out where my new nickname was going to come into play. Cutter was an insightful bugger.
Trouble indeed.