ODDS OF LOVE

Episode Ten

              " Reports of a robbery in progress at Mabel's Grocery Store on Tenth Avenue and Parks Drive , " the police dispatcher droned on over the radio in the black and white patrol car. " Shots reported fired. I repeat shots have been fired. All available units head to the store and approach with caution. "

Prince George's County Deputy Sheriff Jake " Big Bubba " Gibson smirked around his toothpick which was sticking out of his mouth as he headed towards the grocery store. They were only a few  blocks away. " I do believe they playing our song , Lane. Ready to dance , gal ? " 

Faith Lane laughed as she lifted up the rest of her oxtail sandwich to her mouth and finished it off in one big chew and swallow. " Ready as you are , partner. I don't know why Miss Mabel don't just sell up and move to Orlando like Mama did. Wonder why they shooting all of a sudden ? These punks never been violent before. Just rude and cocky according to Miss Mabel. Strange. "

Her cell phone beeped noisily with an incoming text message and she slid it out of her beige uniform pants pocket to read it. Only she wished she hadn't. It was Miss Mabel. 

Shit. Shit. Oh fucking SHIT. No.....

Miss Mabel : Faith , little girl , get your behind over here now. That strange boy your brother mixed up with done got his fool self shot in my place. He gave them his wallet and his watch. But he wouldn't give up the ring. He wouldn't give up the ring. So they shot him. I thought ya'll said he was smart. "

Faith sucked in a breath. Tears filled her eyes. Oh dear God no. Not Spencer. Never Spencer. Oh shit ..... DuBuis........ 

This was their anniversary.

                                           -------------------------------

Dr. DuBuis Lane stepped from the curtained cubicle that had his thankfully last patient of the day before his blessed two days off. An elderly man who had come in by ambulance with complaints of mild chest pains. He was currently stabilized and awaiting transport upstairs once there was an available bed in the Cardiac Care Unit. He closed his eyes briefly and swiveled his head from side to side to ease a bit of the tight tension from it. These doubles were starting to wear on him. It was reminding him that he wasn't as young as he used to be. But it was worth it. Spencer did not know it yet but he was working so much to save up money to take him to Disney World for their joint birthday. It had bugged him for some reason when Spencer had told him that he had never been to the Land Of The Mouse. His family had more money than God yet they had never ever done fun family vacations. Well he was going to treat his beautiful delicate husband to someplace he had never dreamed of going. Hell , if he could he would give Spencer the sun , the moon , the stars.  He wanted to laugh. In his old age he was getting really sappy. If he ever said that to Spencer the man would just wriggle his adorable little nose and muse away vaguely on the " odds of that happening ". 

His cell  rang out from one of the various pockets in his baggy lime green medical scrubs. He slowly eased it out and smiled. His sister Faith. Probably wanted to wish him a happy anniversary. Eight years with Spencer. He couldn't wait for the ninth. 

" Hey , sis , what the good news , baby girl ? , " he asked as he effortlessly dodged a wheelchair being pushed down the hall by a grumpy faced tech.  " You still coming to dinner on Sunday ? I'm getting a bushel of crabs. Spencer complains they're messy but he loves them. "

" Bro , ain't no easy way to say this. Your husband..... Spencer ....... Spencer got shot at Miss Mabel's store. Medics bringing him your way now. He ..... He didn't look good. God. I'm sorry , DuBuis. " Her voice fell silent briefly. " They shot him twice in the back and once in the head. Damn. "

DuBuis swallowed harshly. He suddenly felt like a giant boulder had fallen from way above him and crushed the life from him. Like in that goofy old cartoon he used to watch as a kid on Saturday mornings as he and his sisters wolfed down big bowls of too sweet cereal. The one with the dumb coyote and that skinny bird. Spencer said he had never watched cartoons as a child. Faith was not making any sense. 

Spencer was not shot. 

He was perfectly fine.

He was at work.

He had to be. 

Spencer never departed from his routine. 

" Girl , why you lying ! Nothing is wrong with my husband. He is fine. He ain't..... isn't ..... What's wrong with you ? This ain't funny. Today of all days ! " 

His sister was still talking but it felt like it was coming through some type of narrowed filter. She was speaking in a fast hurried way but he couldn't hear her. He didn't want to hear her. Not right now. She was still talking and calling his name with great concern as his eyes watched the ER doors swish open as they too often did. 

How many times had he seen those doors opening ? How many times had his heart quickened in excitement ? He loved the fast pace and action of ER life. Always had. Always would. He loved the moments when it was literally life or death. When they could pull a dying body back from the very brink of nothingness. This was what he lived for. This and the man he had loved since college. Spencer. 

Faith was still talking fast. That girl talked too much. Mama always said she talked too much. She said Faith was the answer to a question nobody had even asked yet. Just like Spencer. 

His eyes saw the body that was on the stretcher speeding through the doors that had opened. He saw the face. The beautiful pale still face.......

Spencer.

Pop. 

No. No. No.

Was this what his mother had felt like when Pop had died ? 

Faith said something on the phone he still held up to his ear in a tight death grip. 

" NO ! , " he screamed , startling his coworkers and finally silencing his sister. " NOOOOO ! "