A Mermaid Under The Mistletoe, Page 3

  “His name is Butch?” Jinx snorted from somewhere inside. “Guess my mom wasn’t the only one who hated me.”

  “Jinx,” Leilani chided.

  Butch chuckled. “No, she’s right. But Mom wasn’t the one who saddled me with Butch. That was my drill sergeant.”

  “Oh?” Leilani said. “What’s your real name?”

  “Threats of death and torture couldn’t bring me to tell you that,” Butch retorted. “Anyway, you ladies enjoy the rest of your day. I’m just two doors down if you need me.”

  “Thanks, Butch,” Leilani said, a softness in her voice that stirred something in his soul he’d never felt before. “That’s good to know.”

  He nodded before walking the rest of the way to his own apartment. Butch glanced at the wall clock. Work started in roughly an hour. That would give him time to take a shower and get a few things done before leaving for the daily routine. Darla didn’t know how close she’d hit on his plans. The city was too big for him. He couldn’t just stand by while crimes were committed, and he had no plans of returning to the police department. Besides, he didn’t think they’d let him back on anyway. No, he planned to squirrel away as much of his money as he could and then find some nice, small town with limited crime where he could live out the rest of his days as peacefully as possible. Preferably somewhere warm where his scars wouldn’t ache so much in the winters.

  Chapter 6

  Leilani closed the door after Butch left and turned to Jinx. “Are you doing all right?”

  “I should have known he’d figure out where I went. Maybe this is a bad idea,” she replied, chewing her thumbnail.

  Gently pushing Jinx’s hand away from her mouth, Leilani said, “No, it isn’t a bad idea. It’s a good idea and we’re going to make it work out. And as rough around the edges as Butch is, it is comforting to know we’ve got our own personal bodyguard living just a little ways away.”

  Jinx scoffed. “You are way too trusting.”

  Leilani frowned. “I’m trusting, I’m not too trusting.”

  “Yes, you are. You don’t know that guy from Adam and he’s shown up twice to your ‘rescue,’” Jinx said, making air-quotes as she spoke, “and you’re willing to say it’s comforting to know he lives nearby? I’ll tell you what, he scares me.”

  “Why?”

  “Maybe because he threw me to the ground without a moment’s hesitation? Maybe because he didn’t think to ask if I just happened to be out on a morning run with my duffel bag? Maybe because he assumed, although correctly, that I was a thief? That’s not rough around the edges, that’s downright paranoid.” Jinx took a deep breath and tilted her head as she said, “What if you’d been the one to come running out of the gym?”

  “I always walk.”

  Jinx rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, let’s say you were running late. You check the time and realize you’ve got to be somewhere in five minutes when you know it’s going to take ten. So you heft your bag and run. Then some guy shows up outta nowhere and throws you to the ground, yelling at you for being a thief, and barking at everyone else to call the police.”

  Leilani considered her words carefully. “Jinx, I understand what you’re saying, but has it occurred to you that it may not have happened that way to a person carrying their own property because that person wouldn’t look guilty? You weren’t carrying your own duffel bag, you’d stolen mine. Even if I was running, I would carry the bag by the handles. When I caught you, you had the bag clutched to your chest. I’ve watched you all morning and you are constantly on alert. Your eyes never stay focused on one thing for long. You know how many exits you have available to you right at this moment and I bet you could tell me how many car doors have closed outside.”

  “Thirteen.”

  “Exactly.” Leilani sighed. “I don’t know how best to help you overcome some of your own prejudice, but before you paint Butch as just a mean, paranoid psycho, you might want to consider that his action was likely based on what he’s experienced. He mentioned having a drill sergeant. Military guys learn to act first and ask questions later. It’s a matter of life and death to them. Did you notice the scars on his face?”

  “Duh,” Jinx retorted sullenly.

  “Well, I would imagine he probably got those in combat. He’s seen firsthand the consequences of hesitation. And perhaps I am quick to extend my trust to other people, but it’s because I listen to my instincts. I don’t think Butch is a bad guy any more than I think you’re a helpless kleptomaniac.”

  Jinx smirked. “You sure about that?”

  Leilani chuckled. “Absolutely. Now, let’s see what I’ve got here at the apartment you can use and what we need to get for you at the store. Somehow I don’t think any of my clothes are going to fit you. I’m pretty tall and you’re...”

  “A midget?” Jinx filled in.

  “I was going to say petite,” Leilani replied with a grin. “Come this way.” She led Jinx into the extra bedroom. Her mother had said it was extravagant to get the two bedroom apartment, but Leilani was grateful for the extra space. It had given her a makeshift studio which would now have to be moved.

  “Whoa,” Jinx said as they walked in, “what is all this stuff?”

  Leilani smiled and looked around the room with pride. “When I’m not swimming, I’m an artist. I work mostly with sand art, but I dabble occasionally in watercolors.”

  Jinx looked at the jars of sand and the in-process pieces on the table. “You do this with sand?” she asked, picking up a seascape piece with almost reverent hands.

  “Pretty cool, huh?”

  “Cool? It’s amazing!” Jinx cried, putting the piece down carefully before turning to a picture of a surfboard standing on a beach. “I can’t even imagine being able to do something like this. How do you do it?”

  “I’ll show you sometime. It’s a lot of fun and not as hard as you think,” Leilani replied. “But I would ask that you not use any of my materials when I’m not around. Poor artists are poor because the materials are expensive. I don’t mind you trying this out, just wait for me to be home.”

  “No problem,” Jinx said.

  “I’ll have to move all of this out of here so you can use this room. Probably set things up in the living room. I think that would be best.”

  “Okay,” Jinx said slowly.

  Leilani smiled. “Sorry, I think out loud. For now, there’s a bed in here you can use and a dresser.”

  “Why do you have all this extra furniture? Didn’t you say you’re from Hawaii?”

  “I am from Hawaii, but the furniture isn’t mine. I brought along what art supplies I could, bought new of the things I couldn’t. Same with the bedding and such. But, the apartment came furnished when I rented it. That was crucial since I won’t be staying here long.”

  Jinx’s eyes rounded. “When are you leaving?”

  “After New Year’s. The show goes through the end of the year. After that, I’ll go back to my sunny beaches and unbeatable surf.”

  “Wish I could go,” Jinx mumbled.

  Leilani considered her. “Maybe you can. You’ll have to prove yourself here, but if you save your money and work hard, a fresh start in paradise might be just what you need. Anyway, before we go planning too far in advance, let’s hit the stores. You need some new clothes.”

  “I can’t afford to go shopping.”

  “This is my gift to you,” Leilani said gently. “If you want to set up some kind of payment system, we can. But I’d rather just gift it to you and someday maybe you can pay it forward when you see someone else in need.”

  Jinx tilted her head. “You’re something else.”

  Chapter 7

  Jinx couldn’t believe her good fortune as Leilani took her to shop after shop. She reveled in the warmth of her new coat and sighed at the luxury of sweaters, clean socks, and shoes that fit. She didn’t know how she’d ever pay her new friend back. Leilani had taken her under her wing as an older sister might. She teased, yet was gentle. Anythin
g Jinx looked at with the slightest hint of wistfulness got added to the cart, despite her protests. She couldn’t hide her delight when Leilani insisted she choose some home-spa products for herself. But even as they laughed, Jinx felt uneasy. She knew Clint would be back. Despite Leilani’s insistence that she didn’t owe that sleaze anything, Clint would never see it that way. He would expect payment for all he had done for her. Jinx shuddered. All she could hope is that he wouldn’t figure out where Leilani lived.

  She cleared her thoughts as she and Leilani entered the mall’s food court. When Leilani stopped in front of the little Chinese restaurant, Jinx grimaced. “Do you mind if I go to one of the other places? This kind of food brings back, um, unpleasant memories.”

  “We can go somewhere else if you prefer.”

  “It’s a food court, Leilani,” Jinx pointed out. “Get what you want. I still have the fifty you gave me earlier. I’ll just go over to the burger place and meet you at a table, okay?”

  “If you’re sure,” she agreed.

  Jinx nodded and walked away. She felt childish refusing to eat what was probably perfectly good food. But remembering all the times she’d had to scrape out the meager remnants of week-old take-out made her stomach turn. The last time she’d had Chinese food was the night her mother died. She couldn’t count how many times she’d heard the people at foster homes complain that she was a picky eater. Jinx swallowed down the bitter lump in her throat. She’d like to see them try to eat the same food they’d had while watching their mother kill herself. She brushed away the tears on her cheeks. Tears were weakness and a girl like her couldn’t afford to be weak. She ordered a hamburger meal with extra fries and a chocolate milkshake. While waiting for her food, she caught someone in the corner of her eye watching her. She shifted nervously. Surely Clint hadn’t found her that fast.

  “Jinx?”

  She looked over at a tall, dark young man who looked vaguely familiar. “Do I know you?” she asked.

  “I’m sorry, you just look so much like a girl I used to know in middle school.”

  Jinx studied him. A long scar traveled down one cheek. Memory took her back to a foster home with too many children, of which only one had befriended her. “Aaron?”

  He grinned, revealing a chipped tooth. “You are Jinx. Man, I haven’t seen you in forever. How you been?”

  She shrugged, not wanting to reveal the truth. “Not bad, you?”

  “Not bad. I mean, it could be worse, right? At least I’m not on the streets. Showed old Ms. Grenbull, huh?”

  She cringed at the memory of the foster parent they’d shared. “Yeah, showed her good.”

  “Two more years and I’ll be done with college. Can you believe that? Who’d’ve thought I’d ever go to college, right?”

  “That’s great, Aaron. What are your plans after that?”

  “I’m studying to be a teacher. Hope to go back and pay it forward for all those teachers who believed I was more than just another mean drunk’s kid.”

  Jinx smiled. “That’ll be great. You’ll be an awesome teacher.”

  “Thanks,” he said. “How about you? What have you been up to?”

  She hesitated. “Oh, well, I’m trying to get a fresh start right now. Really hit a rough patch for a while, you know?”

  He nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Listen, Jinx, anytime you need something, you let me know. Us rejects gotta stick together, right?”

  Jinx turned a teasing smirk to him. “‘Us rejects?’ I think your grammar’s gotten worse. And you want to be a teacher?”

  “Hey,” he said, putting his hands up with a grin, “I’m not on duty right now.”

  She laughed, for a moment letting her worries escape. “My apologies.”

  Aaron pulled a notepad from his pocket and scribbled down his phone number. “You got a cell phone?”

  “No,” she admitted. “But hopefully soon after this job starts, I’ll be able to get one.”

  “Well, when you do, don’t be a stranger. Give me a call and we’ll catch up again.” He studied her for a long while. “I always wondered what happened to you after they shut Ms. Grenbull down. I don’t mind saying I bawled for days after we were separated. I’m glad to see you’re getting a fresh start. You deserve it.”

  Truly touched by her friend’s sincerity, Jinx smiled. “You too, Aaron.”

  To her surprise, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Stay outta trouble, Jinx. I’ll see you again soon, all right?”

  “All right,” she repeated, feeling a rush of unfamiliar emotions as she watched him saunter away.

  “Number 243,” a voice called.

  Jinx checked her ticket and turned to the server. “That’s me.” She took the tray of food from him and walked through the food court, soon spying Leilani sitting at a table by herself. She looked at the phone number Aaron had pressed into her hand as she sat down.

  “Hey, I was starting to worry,” Leilani said with a smile. “Did you get something you could enjoy?”

  “Oh yes,” she said, looking at her tray. “And you’ll never believe it. I ran into a guy I knew back as a young teen.”

  Leilani quirked an eyebrow. “Oh? Hopefully that’s a good thing.”

  “It’s an unbelievably good thing!” Jinx replied. “He was the only friend I had during that particular foster experience. We were separated after the state took all the foster kids away from that...woman,” she finished. “I never knew what happened to him.”

  “Well, I’m glad you were able to have a happy reunion. Now, let’s enjoy our meal and then get back to the apartment. I’m sure you’re ready to put all these new clothes through the wash and start living in a home again.”

  Jinx smiled. “More than you can imagine.” She allowed herself to relax, despite not liking to be in crowded areas. A fresh start. Though she hadn’t prayed in years, she gave the tiniest of silent prayers. Thanks.

  Chapter 8

  After arriving home, Leilani started reorganizing her art supplies. While most people envisioned colorful sand layered in jars and bottles when they heard the phrase sand art, Leilani created intricate designs on canvas. She occasionally did bottled projects, mostly as a centering activity to calm her mind when she felt stressed. She looked at the large bookcase she’d put her jars and containers on. It was unlikely she’d be able to move the heavy piece by herself. And she didn’t want to rush Jinx, who was enjoying a long bath. She took a deep breath and released it, remembering that Butch was only a couple doors down from them. Hopefully he’d be at home. She walked out onto the walkway, the cold wind biting her exposed skin. When she arrived at his door, she knocked tentatively.

  The door opened and Butch glared at her. “Do you know what a coat is?” he asked.

  “I didn’t think of it. Listen, I could use someone with muscle for a few minutes,” she replied.

  “Who’s there?”

  Leilani blinked. “What?”

  Butch shrugged. “I assume you need me to beat someone up for you.”

  She stared at him for a moment. “Are you serious? I just need a bookcase moved. I’m not strong enough to do it by myself and Jinx is enjoying some quiet indulgence.”

  Butch grabbed a coat and tossed it at her. “Put that on,” he said.

  Leilani laughed. “I’m two doors down.”

  “Yeah, and you’re making me cold just looking at you. Put it on.”

  Rolling her eyes, Leilani complied. “Happy?”

  He shrugged as he closed his own apartment door. “I still can’t believe you’re letting her live with you. Have you considered there could be consequences to that?”

  “Yes, actually, I have. She might become a happy, productive citizen instead of another statistic,” Leilani retorted. She opened her apartment door and led Butch inside. “The bookcase is in the bedroom and I need to move it to the living room.”

  “Wait, this is one of the furnished apartments, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah, why?”

>   Butch snorted. “You’re gonna need more than muscles to move the bookcases around here. They’re mounted to the walls. So you need a power drill, screws, oh and permission from the landlord. Good luck getting it. He’s a lazy old coot. You’ll probably be outta this place three years before he gets around to considering your request.”

  Leilani felt foolish as her shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think of that. What am I going to do? I need to be able to move my supplies out here.”

  “Wait here,” Butch said.

  She stared as he walked out of her apartment without waiting for a response. Sweat trickled down her back and she realized she hadn’t taken off Butch’s coat. She pulled it off and slung it over the couch arm. A loud knock on the door startled her, but before she could react, Butch had opened her door and was carrying in a small shelving unit.

  “Where do you want it?”

  “I, um...”

  “Look, I’m not using it, so may as well put it to good use somewhere. Where do you want it?” Butch repeated.

  “Uh, let’s put it against this wall, please.” Leilani could hardly believe her eyes. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do this.”

  “I know I didn’t have to. But you asked for help and I’m giving it.”

  One corner of Leilani’s mouth tilted up in a grin. “Is that a nice side I’m seeing in you?”

  Butch scowled, but Leilani noticed an impish twinkle in his green eyes. “Don’t go telling anyone about that. People might start to think I’m a nice guy.”

  “There are worse things to be in this world than a nice guy, you know,” Leilani teased.

  “Nah,” he replied, not looking at her as he got the shelves set against the desired wall. “Being a nice guy is the worst.”

  “You know what I think?”

  “Do I want to?”

  Leilani placed a hand on his arm. She shivered as a current of sparks ran up her fingers all the way to her heart. “I think you’re a really soft teddy bear hidden inside a grumpy grizzly’s body.”