Fiona’s cell phone warbled and she launched into an animated phone call. Sandi mouthed the words, “Gotta go.”
As she trekked from Fiona’s porch to her own, she finally returned Richard’s call. They made a plan for him to come by in an hour. She needed to shower, shave her legs and pretty herself up for the evening ahead. Lately, more often than not, an evening with Richard meant staying in, eating dinner, having sex and him departing early. He didn’t even stay over anymore. If she could find the time, she might worry about that. In truth, at the end of the day she was as exhausted as he was and she was happy to have him go home and sleep in his own bed.
She really couldn’t fault him for being worn out. As a criminal defense attorney, his time was not his own when a big trial was pending and in Midland, the current murder trial couldn’t get any bigger.
John Wilson and the crime he had committed stayed in her mind. Sandi understood criminals had a right to legal representation, but Richard approached his career as if it were a game in which the tally of wins and losses took precedence over all else. She had a hard time accepting that the man with whom she had an intimate relationship was exploring every possibility to set this Wilson creep free. Especially after the evil bastard had bragged about how killing the elderly woman had been as easy as swatting flies.
For Sandi and Richard to fall into heated debates about his profession wasn’t out of the ordinary. And with him coming over, she needed to shake those negative thoughts from her mind.
Reaching her house, she went to her spare bedroom and picked Jake off his perch, then proceeded outside. She sat down on her porch to watch her children play in the backyard. Another vision of a huge fenced area with acres of room scrolled through her mind. Someday, when her business became more profitable, she would have it. She just had to be patient.
Sudden tears welled in her eyes. She loved these defenseless, cast-off animals so much and she would protect them with the fierceness of a mama lion. Every one of them was defective in some way and if not for her giving them a place on the planet, all of them would now be gone. She had been their savior.
Suddenly, Jake flapped his wings and screamed, “Get that sonofabitch!”
Language from the sports bar, no doubt. “Jake! Watch your mouth ... er, beak.”
“Waffle! Waffle!” Jake squawked. “What the fuck?... What. The. Fuuuck?”
“Jake! You’re outside! You cannot talk like that outside the house.”
Sandi gave herself a mental eyeroll. God, had she lost it? He was a dumb bird.
“Bubble-butt, bubble-butt,” Jake squawked.
Sandi’s gaze swerved to her neighbor’s house. Sure enough, Stephanie Cummings was in her backyard watering her flowers. “Jake! Cut it out! I mean it! You’re going to get me in so much trouble.”
The silly parrot cocked his head to the side and studied her for a long moment, “Jake’s bad. Jake’s bad.” A soft garble came from his throat that sounded like a coo. “Kiss Jake. Kiss Jake.”
He always knew how to get out of trouble. “Oh, no, you don’t. I’m not letting you sweet talk me. It’s time for you to go inside. You’ve been ugly and I have to get ready for Richard.”
Jake shifted and squawked. “Aarwk! Dickhead! Dickhead!”
Richard’s name was the only word that prompted that particular euphemism from Jake. “You have stop calling Richard Dickhead. It hurts his feelings.”
Feelings? Crap. What had she just said? Sandi dropped her forehead against her fingers and shook her head. How was it possible that a human being’s feelings could be hurt by a bird? The question hanging in her mind, she carried Jake back inside, toward his bedroom.
As they neared the bedroom door, Jake flapped his wings and screeched. “No! No! Help! Help! Call nine-one-one! Nine-one-one!”
He never wanted to be put away. “You cannot have free rein in the house. You poop on everything. You’re a poopy bird.” She was in the process of tethering him back to his perch when he said, “Dickhead. Dickhead.”
Sandi hadn’t heard Richard come in, but since he was the only person Jake greeted with that particular salutation, she knew her fiancé was behind her. A laugh burst out. Laughter was an improper reward for Jake, but she couldn’t help it. She turned to face Richard with the moisture of mirth in her eyes.
Richard stood there with his eyelids narrowed. “I’m going to kill that fuckin’ turkey.” On a growl, he thrust his face toward Jake’s beak. “Turkey! Turkey!
Jake cocked his head and cooed and Sandi could almost believe he was smiling except that parrots couldn’t smile.
Richard straightened and gave her an accusing look. “Where did he learn a word like “dickhead”? And what’s more, what does he mean when he says it?”
Sandi suppressed her amusement. “I’m not sure about that one. He only says it when you’re around.”
“The sonofabitch hates me. He’d look good stuffed and mounted.”
“Call the cops. Call the cops.” Jake squawked.
“Now, don’t be mean, sweetie,” Sandi said to Richard. “You know Jake’s history. Life in a biker sports bar couldn’t have been an ideal environment for a talking parrot.”
“Biker sports bar? Have you thought about how dumb that sounds? Do bikers give a shit about sports?”
“I don’t know. I just think Jake was rarely around any people except rowdy drunk men. I’m teaching him new things. Listen to this.” Sandi turned her attention back to the parrot. “Jake, who does Sandi love? Come on, now. Tell me. Who does Sandi love?”
Jake walked back and forth on his perch, his head bobbing up and down, “Sandi loves Jake. Sandi loves Jake.”
“See?” she said to Richard. “That’s something new he’s learned.”
“Hey, Dickhead,” the bird piped.
“Put him in his cage and throw a blanket over it,” Richard said, sliding his arms around her waist. Her arms automatically went around his shoulders and their lips joined in a sweet kiss.
“Wanna fuck? Wanna fuck?” Jake said.
Unable to stop a guffaw, Sandi laughed against Richard’s mouth and pulled away.
His face flushed a deep crimson, Richard shook his head. “Sandi, dammit...”
She wiped tears from her eyes with a fingertip. “I think he heard someone say that when he lived in the bar. He understands things. I think he knows that when you come over, we sometimes have sex.”
“Bullshit, Sandi. How the hell does a damn bird know what fuck is? Or sex, for that matter?”
“My goodness, Richard, you think baby parrots just fall out of the sky?”
“You know what I mean,” Richard groused. “Besides that, I hate a damn bird knowing my private life. And repeating it.”
Sandi continued to dab away tears of mirth. “You scared me to death, by the way. I didn’t hear you come in. I haven’t even had time to shower.”
“It’s no wonder.” He shot another disapproving glare at Jake. “I called out to you, but it’s hard to be heard over your critters.”
Richard’s attitude about her pets was just one of the reasons Sandi’s relationship with him might never go further. Though he had casually talked about getting married, she doubted she would ever marry him even if he became serious. If he had more power over her, he would complain even louder about her pets, might even try to make her get rid of them. She would never admit it aloud, but her animals were more important to her than Richard. And her deepest self knew that was no way to start a marriage.
She gave him a peck on the cheek, “Oh Richard, don’t be a grump. I’m glad to see you.”
Jake fluffed his feathers and cocked his head. “Wanna fuck? Wanna fuck?”
“Don’t be surprised to find that sonofabitch missing one of these days,” Richard griped. He turned to Jake and pointed his finger at his beak. “You hear that, you mouthy bastard? Hear that? You could come up missing.”
“Richard, you’re talking to a bird,” Sandi reminded him.
“What did your aunt say? Is she going to take him?”
“I think so. She says her husband will love him. But I swear, I’m going to miss him.”
“Good riddance, I say. How soon can you get rid of him?”
Jake ruffled his feathers and squawked. “Help! Nine-one-one. Nine-one-one.”
“When she has time to come and get him,” Sandi said, starting for the kitchen. “Come on into the kitchen. Are we eating out or in?”
“Don’t leave me,” Jake screeched. “I’ll talk. I’ll talk.”
“No time to eat,” Richard said. “I just stopped by to say hello. I’m headed home to change into something more comfortable. I’ll grab something there and go back to the office.”
“You work too hard, Richard. I’ve hardly seen you in weeks.”
“I know. And I promise to make it up to you.” He caught up with her and kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s this case. I’ve been reading and re-reading the arrest reports. I think I’m onto something—”
“Oh, no.” Sandi looked squarely at him. “I hope it isn’t a way to get that monster off.”
Richard sighed deeply. “We’ve been over this too many times, Sandi. My job—”
Sandi raised her palms and stopped him. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I promised myself I wouldn’t say anything, but Fiona did Mrs. Bean’s hair. She says she was one of the sweetest women she knew.”
“I’m not paid to argue that, Sandi. I’m paid to make sure the man accused of killing her gets a fair trial.”
Sandi bit her bottom lip. It was pointless to continue with this argument. Richard was undaunted in his defense of John Wilson. He couldn’t change his position and Sandi wouldn’t be moved from hers.
“Honey,” he said softly, moving closer to where she stood, “this whole thing will be over in a matter of weeks. Maybe less. Let’s make a plan to get away to San Antonio or Santa Fe. Or maybe down to the coast. How about St. Thomas? Wherever you want.”
Instantly, Sandi thought of her animals. If she were gone for an extended period, who would take care of them? “I’d love to go anywhere with you, Richard. You know that. But we can talk about it later. You’d better go on home so you can get back to work. The sooner you get that trial over, the better.”
Sandi let him pull her close. Richard planted a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re right about that. I’ll call you later.”
As he drove away, Sandi stood at the door watching, the same question she had dismissed so many times going through her mind. Could her relationship with Richard Townsend withstand John Wilson’s murder trial? And if it did, what about the next trial?
***
“It’s Raining Men” by the Pointer Sisters interrupted Sandi’s TV surfing. Grinning broadly, she keyed into the call on her cell phone. “Aunt Ed! What a great time for you to call.”
“It is? Why?”
“My boyfriend just left and I’m alone. I can’t think of anyone who can cheer me up more than you.”
“Well, thanks, hon. Listen, you still looking for a home for that parakeet, the one that talks?”
“You mean the African Grey. He’s a parrot, Aunt Ed. Not a parakeet.”
“Whatever,” Edwina said. “Birds are birds.”
“Well, not exactly,” Sandi replied, glancing in the direction of the Jake’s room and biting down on her lower lip. Dammit, she hadn’t intended to get attached to him.
Of course, she had that attitude in the beginning with every one of her foster pets, but after a few weeks or months, she hated to see them go. Ultimately, a good and loving home was what she wanted for all of them, including Jake. She was convinced being a foster parent to an animal—or fowl—and then letting them move on carried the same emotional upheaval that parting from a child would. Love was love, two legs or four. Or in Jake’s case, two large feet and a dirty mouth.
“I do have to find a home for him, but I’m particular about where he goes. You know me, Aunt Ed. I get attached and—”
“Now don’t get upset, hon. It won’t be going that far. You can come to see it any time. I can’t wait for Vic to see it. Is it still cussin’ with every other breath?”
“I’m afraid so. I’ve tried to break him, but I haven’t had a lot of luck. Sorry.”
“No problem. I think it’ll remind Vic of his days in the Navy.”
Sandi couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for the foul-mouthed fowl than a former sailor. The fact that she would still get to visit Jake was a plus.
“He’s picked up some new words, but he hasn’t forgotten the old ones. I hope that won’t —”
“Perfect.” Edwina said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Vic will think he’s talking to one of his old Navy buddies. Can I come get him tomorrow? The landlocked sailor is out of town and I want to surprise him when he comes back.”
Sandi’s heartbeat picked up, but she had been through this before and knew it would pass. She was born to be a mother and like all good mothers, seeing one of her children leave made her anxious.
“Sure, tomorrow is fine.”
“After lunch?”
“Perfect, see you — Wait, Aunt Ed. My helper is going to mind my store tomorrow so I can have a day off. I could ask her to also babysit Waffle and I could bring Jake down to Salt Lick. Maybe I could get my hair trimmed while I’m down there.”
“You sure could, hon. I just happen to know somebody who’s an expert at trimming pretty long red hair.”
Sandi hung up, went to Jake’s room and opened the door. “Looks like you’re getting a new home tomorrow, Jakey. But you don’t mind, do you?”
He gave no reaction. As far as Sandi could tell, he was devoid of emotion or affection. She walked into the room and extended her hand. “Come to mama. It’s almost time for me to open the store. Time for school. Time for your vocabulary lessons.”
“Awrrk! Hate school, hate school.”
Hmm. Maybe he wasn’t devoid of emotion.