Five Miles to Paradise

14

Robbie drifted all over the country like a freight train with no destination. 

He'd been moving every few weeks until he'd ran into Zinnia Calvera. She'd been working at a run-down hotel in New Orleans. And Zinnia, the officers told her, had been a perfect target: young, single, hard-working, and trusting. 

She was an easy mark: at that age where she had begun to dream of settling down to a husband and family, and unaware that there were predators like Robbie who could ensnare her in his web of lies.

Robbie was a shark, trolling for his next meal ticket. And Zinnia had fallen for him, hook, line, and sinker. 

He was truly handsome and charming as all get out. He had a special ability to make women feel special, like he wanted to protect them, take care of them, and he possessed the capacity to make folks let down their guard. 

After all, how could such a nice-mannered, well-dressed man be anything but a gentleman? Robbie knew all the subtle tricks to turn smart, successful women to putty in his hands.

"Did anyone ever tell you that your eyes look like bottomless pools of sapphire when you're brooding?"

Well, that was a come-on she'd never heard before.

She turned to face the most luxurious head of thick, wavy hair she'd ever seen in her life. His teeth were like snow-capped mountains, so white they almost hurt your eyes. His skin was flawless. His features were perfect, like an artist had sculpted them from the finest marble.

You gotta be the best lookin' man I ever laid my eyes on , Zinnia thought.

Zinnia could not believe it when he seemed to single her out. He flashed a beautiful smile at her and asked her if she would like to have dinner with him that evening.

He told her his name was Robbie D.

He took her to a speakeasy across town.

By their third drink, she was under Robbie's spell. He had worked in so many compliments into their conversation that Zinnia felt absolutely beautiful. He had swept her off her feet. 

Quite frankly, she was flattered that someone so suave and worldly should single her out. As they talked, Zinnia found out they shared so many things in common: a strong work ethic, a love for the outdoors, and a yearning to settle down and start a family.

By the time Zinnia had to leave, she was feeling better, not only about herself in general, but she could even say she was optimistic about her future. She wasn't always going to be a maid in a flea-bag hotel, Robbie had told her. She was destined for better things. Robbie would see that she got them.

Robbie was a miracle worker. He had single-handedly lifted her out of the doldrums.

She would have invited Robbie back to her apartment that night, but she had to get up early for her shift tomorrow.

"I can't wait," he'd told her outside of the club.

She felt his tongue wiggle its way between her teeth. Then, he released her and walked off into the darkness.

I've just been kissed by an angel, Zinnia thought as she hailed a cab. 

During the walk home, she sobered up a little. Enough to find her key, and let herself in. Once inside, she brewed herself some very hot, very strong black coffee. While the coffee perked, she freshened up. 

As she was making her final round through the apartment to make sure everything was safely off, she heard a knock at the door.

A glance through the peep hole showed only a large bouquet of flowers. She warily cracked the door open, only those couple of inches allowed by the safety chain. A silken mop of black hair popped from behind the flowers.

"I couldn't let you go without giving you a these, now could I?"

"Robbie?"

"How did you find where I live? I don't remember telling you my address."

"Zinnia, you beautiful goof. Of course, you did. It was after you came back from the bathroom. Remember. I was nuzzling you in our booth, and you got ticklish and spilled your. . . .Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter, does it?

I'm here with this horrendously lovely bouquet to show you that I will be destitute without you. I mean it, Zinnia. I'll simply be walking these streets alone until you say you're mine! Please say you'll be my gal! You must! How will I get along without you, you gorgeous gem, you?"

"Robbie," Zinnia felt uneasy about Robbie suddenly showing up here on her doorstep in the middle of the night. She really could not remember any trip to the bathroom at the speakeasy, but she had been tipsy. A little more than tipsy.

"I guess your right. I could have mentioned where I live, but Robbie I don't remember what you said ever happening."

"Of course you don't, my love. You were, shall we say, half-way to Tulsa on a moonshine meteor."

Zinnia looked confused, but at least she'd opened the door.

He stood there with a little boy's look of confusion on his face. Zinnia melted.

"Oh, Robbie. The flowers are wonderful. Really beautiful, but I can't keep them here. I'm on my way bed. Oh god. I've got a really hard day, tomorrow. You wouldn't believe the stuff I've got to do!"

A strange look glazed Robbie's eyes. He shook it off and smiled at Zinnia.

"I'm not mad, sugar. Just disappointed. Guess my timing was off. You run on now. I'm gonna miss you, Babe. I mean that. Give me a number where I can reach you. I'll call you day after tomorrow."

Zinnia grabbed a scrap of paper from her purse and scratched down the number where she worked.

Was this it wise to give Robbie that number? Nonsense. He's a friend. He's gorgeous. One look at him, and you melt like butter!

Robbie was the best thing that had ever walked into her life. She had to let down her guard sometime. Otherwise, she'd end up an over-worked, underpaid old maid like Aunt Sue.

Besides, she told herself, it's just my work number.