Relative Beginnings 1: Big Bang

Chapter 10

"Whose puke," the Seattle police officer asked looking between Jess and I as he continued to scribble on his notepad.

I sheepishly raised my hand.

The officer smirked and looked down at his notepad, "First dead body, huh?" He shook his head, "Suicides are always tough. For newbies like you," his smirk widening.

I looked over at Jess and noticed she was about to say something and I gave her a subtle wave to keep quiet. She gently stamped her foot out of exasperation and placed her hands on her hips.

The officer looked back up again and focused on Jessica. I noticed he took the time to look her up and down and stopped on her chest. "Something you want to add," then became aware of where he was staring and looked up into her eyes, "miss?"

Jess blew out a quick breath. "Well, since we have eye contact now, I just wanted to know if you guys look into other theories other than suicide in this case?"

The officer folded his notepad up and then crossed his arms in front of him. "Why, is there something you haven't told me about the professor or your relationship with him?" This time a slower, creepier scan of Jess' curves.

I immediately saw Jess turn beet red in her cheeks. "Well. No. I just. Well, this isn't like Professor Gyde." Her eyes were now wandering over the ground. For a second she looked twelve years old to me.

The officer opened his notepad again and began scribbling, "Well, most suicides are a surprise, so I wouldn't worry to much about it."

I looked over at Jess and mouthed, 'What the fuck?'

By noon the police released us with the complacent air of another suicide in the long line of suicides they deal with every week.

We sat in Jess' car for several minutes without speaking. I stared straight ahead looking onto the Professor's street. My brain wanted to make sense of what happened but it felt like trying to solve a calculus equation with millions of bees buzzing around.

Finally Jess looked over at me. I was half expecting her to want to meditate together and become one with the departed professor. Instead she exhaled loudly, "I don't know about you but I could use a fucking drink."

I nodded, relieved at the thought of trying to forget about the horror I just witnessed. "I'll give Doug a call. I think I could use some giggles about now."

Jess turned back to look out the front windshield. I could see a tear forming from the corner of her.

My heart fluttered. I reached out and put my hand on her soft, sweater covered shoulder. "You ok, Jess?"

She wiped away the one tear that rolled down her perfectly formed cheek. She cleared her throat and looked over at me. I saw a tiredness around her eyes and the vulnerability was back. Placing her hand on top of mine, she smiled slightly, "I'm glad you're here. I don't think I could handle this alone."

I awkwardly took her hand in mine. "Same here, Jess. Same here."

When we got to the Left-Handed Bell Pub in the heart of Seattle's Belltown neighborhood, Doug was already at the bar talking to a long-haired fellow in a black leather jacket. Both turned to look at me and for a moment I instantly forgot about the morning's gruesome discovery.

"Stevie!" Jessica and I both exclaimed at the same time and Jess ran over to give him a big hug.

Stevie McBreezy was the lead guitarist and songwriter for the band, Rising Sister, who were huge in the 90's and were still a Seattle favorite. One of the many blessings in my life, Stevie was a huge proponent of my guitars and helped get me on the map. We met after his band finished soundcheck at The Showbox SODO and wandered into the back alley as Ian and I were loading some guitars up for a customer. We struck up a conversation and became fast friends. When Stevie and Doug met, it was like watching two brothers reunite after being separated from a broken home. To this day, their bromance endures.