The Life of the Wife

Chapter seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DET. MORRIS

The sun would blare brighter than anywhere else i have ever been. No city smog to cover the scorching suns rays. We had to be outside for hours, questioning people from the fete. Finally after meeting with the Burberry's last, we went to the county police station to do the usual paperwork. Jerry and i already knew where everything was from the last time we were here. Jerry called the Captain and updated him on the case. I made a coffee and went out for a cigarette. The sun was still blazing above me. I lit up my smoke, huffing back mostly gas from the lighter and put it in my pocket watching the town people pass through the street, shopping from their hearts content. A young couple passed with a screaming child begging for chocolate she had seen in a shop window a minute ago. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be a mother. Marian and I would stay up all hours of the night talking about that kind of thing
'We can turn the guest room into the babies room, and build a crib ourselves!' She would say.
'So where would my treadmill go then? Now thats my baby!' I'd laugh.

I shook my head and took a deep breath, trying not to reminisce about Marian. I had to get over her now, i was with Sasha and she was amazing.
I finished my coffee and went for a walk around town, looking at the old style buildings and reading signs. Not noticing i had wandered to the end of the main part of town and found a market.
'How much for a pear?' i asked the young lady, piling some potatoes next to the pears.
'Thats half a dollar, thanks.' i handed her the money and wandered through, looking at all the stalls thoroughly.
After walking around for a while i started to make my way back to the station. As i passed i seen the young lady that served me the pear, carrying some kitchenware and household goods to her truck.
'Let me help you there.' i said, lifting off a box from the three she was carrying, all piled up.
'Thank You, Mrs...?'
'Morris.'
'Thank You Mrs Morris. Are you new here? i haven't seen you around before?'
'I'm just passing through. Such a lovely town. Do you resell these?'
'Oh yes, the country is so blissful. Ah, no, i take them home for my family.'
'Okay,w ell this is you, i didn't catch your name?'
'Thanks for your help, my name is Garnet.'
'No problem Garnet, have a nice day!'
I dropped the box on the end of her truck and walked back to the police station, swweating profusely.

We had the hotel rooms air conditioner going on full and we mostly did paperwork and answered phone calls before the sun went down, ending the work day. I checked my phone for any texts from Sasha. We had been texting each other basically nonstop since i was gone. It was painfully sweet to be falling for someone again.

Jerry felt we were getting close and that Aiden was still in town, and had been this whole time. We agreed on looking at some maps for any where a commune could be hidden, but for now we were going to go to a bar to loosen up and have some laughs. I wasn't really much of a bar person but Jerry insisted on me coming with him so i hastily agreed.
The bar was loud with televisions blaring out sports scores and racing, with laughter and yelling from the people all around. We downed a shot and Jerry ordered beers as well.
So many men tried to hit on me, making me feel more uncomfortable by the minute.
'Im going to go, Jerry. I'll see you back at the hotel.' i basically yelled, hurting my throat.
Jerry reluctantly agreed and i went outside making my ears ring in adjustment to the sudden silence upon closing the door. The air was still warm so i decided on walking to the hotel instead of a cab.
After walking for a few minutes, a familiar truck rolled by, stopped and the driver seat window rolled down, revealing the young girl, Garnet.
'Mrs. Morris, right?' she peered through the window, coming into close enough view to be eye to eye.
i walked up to the car and seen tears still wet on her cheek.
'Call me Frieda, what are you doing out here so late?'
'I needed space from my family. They are suffocating to be around sometimes. Do you need a lift?'
'No, it's okay i can manage the walk.'
'Seriously its fine. Come on in.'
I walked around the truck and hopping into the passenger side seat before closing the door beside me. The cab of the truck reeking of cleaning supplies.
'So did your family like the utilities you bought them today?'
'Oh, i didn't buy them, i swapped them for some fruit and vegetables.'
'Well thats cheaper i guess!' i giggled as we drove through the old roads in the night. Wee talked for a while and Garnet told me she only came to the market once a month too sell her vegetables for anything her family needed for their farm. I told her about my city life and how life in the country sounded so much more simpler. I could see that she was pregnant but didn't want to express my opinion on teen pregnancy because it wasn't my place to.
We pulled into the hotel.
'How did you know this is where i was staying? i don't think i told you, did i?'
'Don't be so on edge, townie, there's only one hotel in this place!' Garnet laughed and i did too, i was so used to unruly city goers and stalkers that i forgot where i was.
we said our goodbyes and she drove off, leaving me alone under the buzzing light of the hotels vacancy sign.

Jerry came home drunk and reeking of booze, and i had to help him get into bed before he started snoring loudly. This case was taking a toll on him and i could see he was trying to drink away his nerves.  My phone buzzed in my pocket.
'Sasha, how are you?'
'Why are you whispering?'
'Jerry is asleep, he just got back from the bar.'
'Is his drinking increasing?'
'Can we not do that whole psychiatrist, patient thing right now?'
'Sorry, it's hard to turn off.' She giggled, it was adorable.
'whats that noise?'
'I'm in the bath.'
'Really?' i may have sounded a little too enthusiastic.

We talked until i was too tired to speak and we said out goodbyes. I was in a town far from home, and a serial killer was somewhere around and my partner was a drunk snoring louder than the crickets by my window, but i couldn't help but smile. Sasha was making me feel young again, exuberant and happy.