A Night Without Gatsby

Chapter 5- The Visit

We waited for her down the road and out of sight. It was a few days before the 4th of July and a gray, scrawny Italian child was setting torpedoes in a row along the barren railroad track.

"Terrible place, ain't it? It's good that she gets out of here every once in a while." He wrapped his arm around me yet again. This gesture kept me on edge, as if he was forcing something upon me. What it was, I couldn't say...

"Doesn't her husband know?" I asked timidly. He looked down at me, in a slightly annoyed state.

"Wilson?" He gave a deep, cruel laugh. "He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York." He let a sarcastic smile slide in on his chapped lips. "He's so dumb he doesn't even know he's alive."

'What a disgrace of a brute...' I couldn't help but get lost in thought again. Why women fell for him I did not know. The distant sound of a train whistle played out into the wind. Tom stood. "Come on." He took my wrist again and practically dragged me into the train's passenger hold again.

Mrs. Wilson, or Myrtle, as Tom wanted me to call her, had sat at another car rather than our own. Tom had an unnerving feeling that people would see their affair and start gossiping.

Myrtle had changed her dress to a brown figured muslin that stretched tight over her wide hips. Tom gently helped her out whereas I just hopped off, quite literally. We boarded up into a taxi cab and drove off. "I want you to see the apartment, Nicky. It's a very cozy, grand place." I merely nodded and turned my attention away to the amazing landscape of the city.

The taxi cab stopped as the light turned red. Myrtle looked out to a few shops on the street. She suddenly gasped, both of us turning to see what was wrong. Tom scowled when he saw it was a pet store. "Oh Tom, we should get a dog!!" With that, she got out of the car and went in the store.

"..." I blinked slowly. Tom growled and got out as well, paying the fee of the cab driver as he looked to me. "Come on." Seeing as how I had no choice, I obliged.

The store was small and compact. A few lights flickered while Smith played overhead on a radio. The place smelled of cat dander and wet dog, and the walls covered in a brown, sticky substance. Myrtle was in the middle of the shop, looking in a cage full of newborn puppies that were waddling around in damp newspaper pieces. Their mother was in the far corner, sleeping, completely exhausted from her labor.

"What kind are they?" She asked the shopkeeper. He looked to be in his mid-30's. "All kind. What do you want, lady?" "I'd like one of those police dogs. I guess you don't have any of those, do you?"

The man peered into the cage, doubtfully. He plunged his hand in and randomly grabbed what looked like a wriggly fluffy black jelly bean. It gave out helpless cries and whimpers for its poor mother. "That ain't no police dog." Tom gave a slight, doubtful glare at it. The poor thing kept mewling and crying as the shopkeeper grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. "Well, no, it isn't exactly a police dog... more of an Airedale mixed with a few more breeds."

Undoubtedly, there was some Airedale in there... somewhere. There was also a hint of Yorkshire there, somewhere, hopefully. Tom merely scowled at the dog. Myrtle, however, was enchanted. "I think it's cute!!" She smiled enthusiastically. "How much is it?" "For this beauty? Ten dollars." He gave the pup to her. She gently stroked its naked self. "Is it a boy or a girl?" She asked delicately. "He's a boy."

"It's a bitch." Tom gave him the money owed. We walked out into the streets. "..." I grew lost in my deep thoughts again. I grew distant. "Hey... You guys go on ahead. I'm going to have to leave you here." "What? No you don't." Tom looked back at me. "Myrtle'll be hurt if you don't come with us to the apartment. Won't you, Myrtle?"

She nodded, as if he needed more conformation. "Please, Nicky! Won't you stay with us?" "..." It honestly didn't matter, for Tom had grabbed my wrist tightly again and was once again forcefully dragged over to the apartment.

The abode was on the top floor- a small living room, small bedroom, dining-room, and a bath. The living room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it. It was a hassle to even try and step around or over it. The only picture in the house was a over-enlarged photograph, apparently a hen sitting on a blurred rock. Looked at from a distance however, it just stayed as a woman in a bonnet. Several copies of different newspapers were strewn about the coffee table. I quietly sat on the enlarged couch, whereas Tom went straight to the bedroom. Myrtle's first concern was the new pup she had gotten.

A reluctant elevator boy went for a box full of straw and some milk, along with a tin full of dog biscuits.

"Myrtle. In here, now." Myrtle huffed softly and went in the bedroom, closing and locking the door. The next scene.... I'd... rather not describe. Just leave it to the imagination.

I looked around, uneasy. I had no where to leave to, and I barely knew my way around the city. The small pup crawled to me and booped its snoot against my dress shoe. I gently picked it up and cradled it in my hands. It mewled adorably and fell asleep in my hands. I smiled at the beautiful creation and leaned my head back, closing my eyes and trying to ignore the unholy sounds in the other room.

After a good, oh, two hours of that, both came back out of the bedroom, Tom rebuttoning his shirt as Myrtle redid the straps of her dress. "I'm going to call the McKee's in. Have a little get together. Oh, and also my sister, Catherine. I'll let Nicky take her." I blinked. "Yes, yes, whatever, so long as I'm able to drink." Tom huffed softly as he redid his collar. He looked over to me. "..." I tore my gaze away from him and kept gently stroking the pups fur. "Take it the bitch likes you." "I guess he is rather fond of me..." I whispered softly. We could hear Myrtle talk on the telephone in another room, voice raspy and muffled. "........" I kept my gaze away from Tom and just held the small being.

Author's Note: AAAAAAAAAAAH I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!!! But here you go, part 5!!! And it's long, at least in my perspective. Hopefully the next part won't last as long.. ah well. Til next time!!