The Bimbo in Limbo

Nancy and the Leggy Guest

Short chapter playlist this time: Maps - The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

He wouldn't have awakened so early were it not for a banging on the door. He blinked, eyes swollen and throat sore. Who could this be?

He could see her through the screen door. Opened it hesitantly. "Valerie."

"Hey, Tim." She wore jeans and a men's oxford under a thick suede coat. "Sorry for stopping by unannounced like this."

"No, it's -" He opened the screen, gestured her inside. "It's fine. Just...surprising." He wondered what could have brought this guest. If Jude was alright. Valerie didn't seem particularly harried or concerned, so he reigned in his own worry.

"I bet." She chuckled, looking around. "Cute place."

"Thank you." He remembered manners. "Would you like coffee? Juice? Or -"

"Coffee would be great, Tim. Thanks." Hands in pockets, she meandered to his table.

He rifled through cabinets, finding everything he needed for coffee. Set the percolator on the stove to boil. "Um...cream?"

"Nah. Just black."

"Me, too." He nodded. Awkward.

She was studying him closely. "Rough night, huh?"

"It was dreadful."

Val looked down. "I feel for ya, Tim. I mean...I feel for Judy, too, but..." She tisked. "Damn. You're both pretty fucked up, aren't you?"

He couldn't contain a sad smile. "Yes. I suppose we are."

"She didn't tell me anything, really." Val continued. "Just that you two had a past relationship, basically. You deserted her. She said that she had put you behind her somehow."

"It seems she did."

"I think it's kinda sweet that you came all this way ta find her and all that. Settled down in a house and everything. I even told her so."

He removed the percolator from the stove, pouring into two mugs. "I'm certain she was moved." He sat across from Val.

"Thanks." She cupped the hot mug. "Tim...Judy's a mess. I mean, she's always been - I dunno - messy, I guess. But this last week she's really lost it." HIs forehead creased. "I know what she tells me. That she hates your guts. That you're a piece of shit. Cowardly and lyin' like a dog and -"

"Yes, we've established I was a train wreck of a soul."

Val smirked. "Point is - there's more to Judy than meets the eyes. Always has been. Yeah, I get she's a little in the bottle, but not all the time. She likes the fellas, but not the right ones. And let's face it - anybody'd climb those legs like a jungle gym, right?" He blushed. "But she's deep, man. She feels shit like...way more than most people. I guess that's why she drinks sometimes. To ignore all the pain. Yeah?"

"Yes." His head hurt.

Val cleared her throat. "I um...I came here to see if you might could help Judy out."

"She does not want my help. She's made that quite clear." He plucked a hair from his coffee - his own.

"But would ya? Like if she allowed it, would ya help her?"

"I would do anything for her." And he hadn't known it, not really. Not until he said it. But as soon as he said it he knew it was true: He would do anything for Jude.

Val sighed. "So look. Here's the situation. Fuckin' Moseley kicked her out of the Blue Moon."

"She was paid through last night!" Timothy defended. "And certainly Mr. Hathaway paid her -"