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Henry Jackson slept well past time for church. Even after Frank went home, he had been up with a hammer in hand, installing a piece of plywood over the shattered front window. There was something comforting about such a barrier. He realized he would not be able to sleep unless he put up something to keep the neighborhood at bay.
As he stirred now he felt Ruby still at his side. She turned and drew one slim leg across him. He pulled her on top of him and began stroking her back. As they made love, he felt last night’s anger and frustration draining away. They lay together in their favorite position afterward, sides touching, with Henry’s arm cradling Ruby’s neck.
“You’re the best,” he said. “I wish every man on Earth could have a woman like you.”
“You’re exaggerating. But I love it.”
“No, I’m serious. When I compare you to some women I know . . .”
She punched him in the ribs. “And who are all these women you know?”
He shifted to his side and put his arm across her, drawing her closer. “You know there’s no one but you. I can’t help wondering about Darlene sometimes, though. She’s a decent housekeeper and cook, but she’s gotten involved in that Holy Roller church. She’s not very friendly, either.”
Ruby nodded. “I know. She’s not a very warm person. And you know what else? She spends way too much money on all kinds of junk. She complained to me once that Frank doesn’t make enough. She wishes he had been something other than an electrician. A doctor or a lawyer would have suited her just fine. She wishes they lived in a different neighborhood, too. The woman just isn’t satisfied.”
“Electricians make good money. Better than heavy equipment operators, I imagine.”
“You do just fine. We have all we need.” She was silent for a moment. “You and Frank have gotten to be pretty good friends since we moved here.”
“Yeah, he’s a pretty good guy for a honky.”
“Henry! You know I don’t like that kind of talk.”
“Just kidding. Frank’s okay. I like him a lot.”
“And yet you don’t always confide in him.”
“No, not everything. Not always.”
“It’s time to quit gossiping about the neighbors and get on with things. We missed church, and now we’re lying here gossiping.” She got up and went into the bathroom.
Henry stayed where he was, wanting to avoid dealing with last night’s problems a while longer. He thought about his amazement at seeing Frank Novak up close when they met. His hair was light, almost blond, with a streaking of gray that could be seen only if you looked carefully. His face was tanned, which made his pale green eyes even more remarkable. Henry immediately thought of an old-fashioned painting which had hung above Grandma Jackson’s couch. He always thought of the power of God when he looked at that painting, maybe because Grandma was such a firm believer in the power of God. The sun was breaking through tumultuous clouds in the painting and turning the foaming ocean below the same pale green as Frank’s eyes.
Frank was tall, almost as tall as Henry. He moved as if he were sure of himself, whether he was working around the house or working to clean up the neighborhood. They had joked about being too old to deal with the problems on their street and discovered that both of them were fifty-nine. Henry was a few months older than Frank.
Henry returned to the present with a start when the phone rang. He gave a lengthy explanation of their absence from church to the choir director while Ruby showered.
“Get your shower,” she said when she came out. “I’ll start breakfast. You want pancakes?”
“Sure. I’ll be down and help you in a minute.”
“No rush. I’ll get everything ready and put the coffee on.”
Sometimes when he was involved in a stressful situation Henry’s old fears crept into the shower with him. He wondered if it might be the isolation of the small white cubicle. The turning of the ceiling fan in the bedroom cast flickering shadows against the white walls and brought to mind the frantically burning torches and white robes of the Klan. He wished he had turned the fan off or shut the bathroom door, as he did sometimes.
He was ashamed of himself for being so afraid. He began humming one hymn after another while he finished. Ruby and the church. These were the two calming influences in his life. He wished she were at his side as he began to dress.
He found himself hoping again that the shooting had been a mistake. Surely their home had been confused with that of a teenage hoodlum who had made advances toward the girlfriend of a rival gang member. Or perhaps it was a random shooting, part of a gang initiation. With all the random violence in South San Gabriel these days, it certainly was a possibility. It seemed a possibility, that is, until he heard Ruby calling up the stairs.
“Henry—Mr. Andrews is here.”
“Don’t let the son-of-a-bitch in!”
“What’s happening to you? I’ve never heard you use such language.”
“Where is he?”
“At the front door.”
“You come upstairs. Don’t come down till I tell you.” Hugh Andrews couldn’t hurt Ruby by standing outside their door and talking on a quiet Sunday morning. Henry knew this as well as he knew his own name. But the cold lump of fear in his stomach was in no mood to listen to reason.
The front door was standing open, the screen door still hooked since last night. Hugh Andrews stood outside in a dark suit, fresh from church. His bright blue eyes peered into the house, seeking Henry. He was the sort of man who looked unkempt in spite of his efforts to look like a businessman and community leader. His straight brown hair fell across his forehead. A few strands stood up along the part and wavered in the breeze like politicians who didn’t know which stand to take. His jacket couldn’t conceal a flabby paunch which extended into knobs of fat at his sides.
“Sorry about your misfortune here, Henry. “What happened?”
“I think you know what happened, Andrews.”
“Henry, you’re not accusing me . . . I only came by to find out when you’d be ready to do that dozing for me.”
“I’m not going to be ready. I told you last week, I’m not interested.”
“I don’t understand your problem. It’s at my site in the country. Lots of trees around to keep out prying eyes. A thousand dollars for a few hours work on a Saturday afternoon. You did it before.”
Henry’s hand was on the door. “It ain’t going to happen. I didn’t understand what I was getting myself into before.”
Andrews’ mouth had worked itself into a thin, rigid line which barely opened when he spoke. “You’d better take some time to think about this, boy. You got a lot invested here. You got a wife, and a daughter and grandson nearby.”
“You hurt them and I’ll kill you.” Henry’s throat closed. He shut the door and sank down against it.
“Two weeks.” Andrews’ voice came through the door. “I’m going out of town. I’ll be back in two weeks for your answer.”
Henry turned and slammed his fist into the door. “You son-of-a-bitch,” he gasped. “I take back what I said about wishing every man on Earth could have a woman as wonderful as Ruby.”
