Saving Della Ray

Did he become lost after his daughter died and turned to a murderous club?

Della Ray

The light was on when I came back home. I took off my sneakers and socks then padded on my sore feet to the kitchen.

Nichole was sitting at the kitchen table flipping the pages of an art book. “Hey,” she said, standing up.

“Hiya,” I said, standing awkwardly at the doorway. It felt as if we had become strangers.

She moved towards the kettle and switched it on. “Do you want something to eat?”

I shook my head.

“How about ice cream?”

I smiled. “What flavor?”

She smiled back. “Rose and peaches.”

I stopped smiling. That flavor was made by a little creamery across town. It was an hour’s journey to get there. “Did you go all the way to Bennetts for that?”

“Yeah,” she said, moving to the kettle that had boiled. She picked it up and poured the water into a plastic basin near the table. I could smell the bath salts from where I stood. She bent down and tested the water. Then she pushed the basin under the table. “Go on then. Get your feet in there.”

I hesitated. “Nichole.”

“It’s okay. This is just my way of saying sorry for what I said about Jess.”

I took in a deep breath. I didn’t allow myself to dwell on her cruel words, but I was still hurt about it.

She looked up at me pleadingly. “I was wrong to say what I said. I’m really, really sorry. It was a horrible thing to say. I was just worried about you. I hated what your life had become, but I’ve accepted now that you love Jess and Jess loves you and nothing anyone can do for her will be better than the amazing love you have for her. Whatever happens we’ll get through it together. I’m going to help you, Della Ray. Even if I have to get a second job to see you through this time.”

“Oh, Nichole,” I gasped.

She stood up, her eyes full of tears. “Do you forgive me?”

I ran to her and hugged her tightly. “There’s nothing to forgive. I love you, you silly goose.”

“I love you too,” she choked. “I just want the best for you.”

“Jess is the best for me,” I whispered.

“I know that now.”

Hot tears of joy were running down my cheeks. “I’m so glad we made up. It was killing me when I thought we were drifting apart.”

“What are we, icebergs? We’re never drifting apart. You’ll have to pry yourself out of my cold dead hands.”

I laughed through my tears.

“Talking about cold things you better get your feet in the basin before the water gets cold,” she said with a laugh.

We separated.

I sat down and slipped my feet into the wonderfully hot water.

She headed to the freezer and put the ice cream tub on the table with a spoon.

I opened it and peeled off the plastic covering. I never thought I would appreciate the seal so much, but with the new crop of degenerate crazies looking for fifteen minutes of fame because they licked a tub of ice cream and put it back into a supermarket freezer, it was very welcome. I scraped my spoon over the creamy surface eagerly. “Mmmm … this is divine. Thank you so much. You can’t imagine how good it feels to have my tired feet in hot water and cold ice cream in my mouth.”

“No, I guess I don’t know.”

“Aren’t you going to have some?” I asked.

She sat opposite me, her face serious. “Later. I want to talk to you, Della.”

The ice cream in my mouth lost its sweetness. I should have known there would be more. “What about?”

“What’s going on with you and that biker?”

I dropped my gaze and fiddled with the spoon. “I don’t know what’s going on with him, Nichole, but he affects me the way no man ever has. He only has to come close to me and my body feels like it is on fire.”

She clasped her twitching hands. “What do you know about him?”

“Nothing. Not even his real name.”

“Oh, my God!”

“I know what you’re thinking, but he’s not just a biker. He had a daughter with down syndrome. She died and I think it broke his heart. I feel as if he is in pain.”

Nichole stared at me. “He had a daughter … like Jess?”

“What a strange coincidence, huh?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her eyes huge.

We stayed silent for a few seconds, then she asked, “So you’re going to see him again?”

“I’m not sure. I really like him, but he belongs to a gang … uh, a club and I really don’t want to get involved. If not for me then at least for Jess. I have to put her before me. That life sounds violent and dangerous.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“For the moment, nothing. Maybe he won’t call again. Maybe he’s had enough of me.”