Chapter Eight
Neil sat at the end of Stew’s hospital bed while he lay there, sound asleep. The nurse said he had slept terribly last night, so he took to reading the book he had been working on.
It was only a couple of pages into his reading before he heard Stew groaning and moaning, sore from the injuries, and attempting to sit up in bed. Neil put the book down, removed his glasses, and got up to help him. As Stew got comfortable, Neil poured him some water from the pitcher the nurse had left. Stew drank it, and thanked Neil, who took his seat, and put his glasses back on.
“So, I hear you’ve been giving Sally a hard time.” Neil raised an eyebrow at Stew, but said nothing, turning his eyes back to his book. “I thought your job was to work with her.”
“It is.”
“Then why work against her?”
“I’m not stepping into that office alone. It’s one thing for her to do so with another manager or a woman, but me? I’m not giving her that reputation.” Neil went back to his book, but he could feel Stew’s eyes boring into him. Neil glanced at the man over the top of his glasses and noted that Stew was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. “What?”
“You are so full of shit.”
“Excuse me?”
“You aren’t afraid for her reputation at all. You’ve never given a shit about what reputation a woman has, unless you plan to…” Stew’s eyes went wide as he went silent, and Neil removed his glasses. “You plan to court my niece, don’t you?”
“No. Even if we were interested, there’s no way in hell. Women who get close to me end up broken, and I’m not going to do that to her.” Neil simply went back to reading.
“Come on, Neil.”
“All right, I’ll indulge you for a second.” Neil closed the book. “Should I tell her my past as well?”
“Sure, if you think it’s right. She deserves the truth.” Stew gauged Neil’s reactions. He kept his face even, but the answer did surprise him.
“Why are you so sure she and I should step out together?”
“Is that what you kids are calling it these days? Well, because for starters, there’s something there. I saw the way she looked at you. I hear the way you looked at her the night you met her was…well, just be glad I didn’t catch you.”
“She’s attractive, I’ll give her that.” Neil admitted. “But no, I’m not remotely interested in her.”
“I think you protest and awful lot. Considering you also fell for that Kathy Lee girl and pretended you didn’t till she was in your bed.” Stew reached over and picked up the little chess board Sally had brought him from home and set it up. Neil put down his book to join.
“That’s another thing-you know my way with women isn’t what’s considering society’s acceptable position.”
“And mine is? She might be my niece, but we haven’t been close sense she was a little girl, and I am not her father. Not to mention I’ve had my string of love affairs.”
“So, you’re okay with the fact that her and I have the opportunity to f-”
“Make your damn move.” Neil smirked, and said, “Ah, so that’s a no, then?” Neil dropped his pawn two spaces forward and waited.
“I didn’t say I had to like it, nor did I say I wanted to hear about it.” Stew said. “But I’m not going to pretend like I can lecture you two.”
“And if I did ask her?”
“You have my permission. Just try not to break her heart.” Neil sighed, and said, “You’re asking me to avoid the inevitable.”
“No. If you are interested, but end up ending it, the decision should be something you can decide mutually.” Neil couldn’t argue with that condition. It was reasonable.
“Don’t you consider this…unprofessional?”
“We’re gangsters, Neil.” Stew sounded incredulous as he stared at the doctor. Neil glanced up from his move as Stew continued with, “What is there to be professional about?” Neil snorted.
“Fair enough I suppose. Check.”
“I do ask that you treat her with a little more respect. Clifton and Vinny came in here and gave me an earful about your behavior, which is what made me suspicious that you have a little crush.”
“I do-” the look Stew gave him was enough to make Neil stop.
“I don’t care. Stop pushing people away and be nice to her. You don’t have to go the extra mile to be Mr. Perfect. Just do as your told.”
Neil gave a hefty sigh. “Fine.”
“I don’t know how you of all people survived being a soldier, hating authority the way you do.”
“It’s not the authority I hate, it’s-”
“Newcomers.” Neil was surprised Stew had picked up on that. “Sally is my family, and I know how she can be. Lord only knows the girl gets it from her mother.” Neil snorted. “But she’ll fight like hell for you if it comes to it. And she’ll fight for this speak. She doesn’t offer up her services if she doesn’t see potential or believe in it. She’s naïve about things we don’t have the privilege to be naïve about here-sex, alcohol, violence- but she’s not an idiot.”
“I’m not going to date your niece, not even if you ask nicely.”
“I don’t ask nicely with you. It doesn’t work.” Neil snorted. “And I’m not asking you to sweep her off her feet. I’m asking you to be her friend.”
“I supposed I can do that.” Neil nodded. Stew moved his bishop over, and Neil dropped his rook into position. “And that’s checkmate.”
“Damn it.” Neil barked one of his cold, barely-humored laughs.
“Ah, you’ll win the next round. You don’t often lose two games in a row to me.” There was a gentle knock on the door, and Sally came in. Neil glanced at her and schooled his face back into his normal look. He was attempting indifference, but with the way Stew rolled his eyes, Neil knew differently.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all, Neil here was just kicking my butt.”
“I’m going to kick it again if you don’t stop giving your nurses a hard time.” Neil hadn’t been told that in the slightest, but he knew Stew. The man in questioned looked annoyed. “Behave. I’ve got to meet Roland and Clarence for lunch.” Neil turned to Sally, and said, “Be back at Stew’s by three, and I’ll come pick you up.”
“No need. Clara and Clementine offered to take me to get a couple new dresses for work. We’re meeting for lunch first” Sally smiled. “Thank you.” Neil wrote his information down for Sally, and handed it to her.
“All the same, if it changes, call me and I’ll come get you.” Neil glanced at Stew, and said, “Vinny’s getting a little familiar.”
“I’ll say. He’s sweet and all, and I’m sure loads of fun to step out with, but a little intense for me.” Sally took a chair, and said, “Honestly, I prefer someone who can make me laugh, but doesn’t expect every date to be glamorous, and I’m sorry but glamor is all Vinny thinks about.”
“You have him pegged to the letter. So, you looking for someone older?”
“Pretty much all there is in our world.” Stew’s eyes glinted in Neil’s direction, and he shook his head.
“When are you meeting the girls?” Neil asked.
“Twelve. We’re going to a restaurant called…Pierre’s?”
“Little French café, isn’t that?” Stew asked. Neil nodded.
“It’s next door to where I’m meeting Roland and Clarence. Take your time here, I’ll give you a lift there.
I’m going to have a smoke downstairs.” Neil reached into his pocket for a match and his smokes.
As he headed out of the hospital room, he heard her sigh.
“Let me tell you about Neil, Sally.”
Oh boy. He left, before deciding to interject and make both of them angry. Outside was fresh air anyway.
Almost immediately after he was out of the door, he heard someone ask “Dunn?” Neil turned to the voice he heard. He stopped his attempt at lighting a cigarette, and waited for the man to ask, “Corporal Dunn?” There was a man standing before him, covered in soot. He held a large brush in one hand, and a bucket in the other. Beside him was a little boy, no more than six or seven, covered in just as much soot, and carrying some other materials.
“I’m sorry, have we met?”
“It’s Johnny Lincoln.”
“…Private Lincoln?” The man nodded, grinning. “Forgive me.” Despite being coated in soot, Neil shook his hand.
“I know. I’m unrecognizable covered like I am. James and I are sweeping chimney’s now.”
“Yes, this is your son, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, just us two.” Neil must have looked as confused as he felt, because Johnny said, “Consumption. Last year.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right, Corporal.”
“Neil,” he corrected, before asking, “How are things?”
“Not great. Well, you know what that’s like. Coming home was never going to be easy after…well, after.” Neil nodded. “We better be off, then. Have loads of work to do.”
“Of course. Take care of yourself.”
“You too, Neil.” As Johnny walked off, Neil it his cigarette. Sally came out of the hospital then.
“Old friend?” Neil nodded.
“We fought in France together.” Neil remembered the day he met the kid. He was barely older than Vinny. The day they threw Johnny into battle, Neil could see the terror on the poor kids face.
“You okay?” She asked. “You’ve gone white.”
“Yes, sorry.” Neil opened the door for her and noted the flowers. Roses…that, too brought a painful memory. One that made his heart hit the floor. “You shouldn’t have.”
“I didn’t, they’re for Mrs. Bodega.” For some reason, the memory grew more painful, and Sally being the cause made him snap.
“I’m serious, you shouldn’t have. My car will reek of roses for weeks now.” His reply was cold, and curt. Sally rolled her eyes, and said, “Because the cigarette smoke is a better smell?” He closed the door on her smug smirk when no reply came to him, making her burst out laughing.