Sadie was sitting at the foot of the
bed when he came out. Daniel Tiger was afraid of going to school and
Lady Aberlin was there at the clock-house reassuring him. She looked up at her companion. He
was naked except for a small towel around his waist. His musculature was toned and
looked strong but stretched thin. She could see most of his ribs.
“and Jesus threw aside the rock and
shouted Lazarus, come out!” she said.
“Heh. Sorry, couldn't manage to get
clothes back on.” he said. His back seemed to be forever hunched
and he peered through his wet hair. The shaking had subsided
somewhat. He drank the shot, regarded the candy bar for a minute but
turned it away and poured himself another half glass. She looked him over
once more, tattoos scattered across his back, a couple were
jail-house blue. He shuffled over to the bed and sat down next to
her.
“Is this what we're watching?” he
asked.
She turned and looked at him. “Yes,”
she said “Yes it is. You got a problem with Daniel Tiger or
something?”
“No ma'am, not at all.”
On the television Daniel Tiger was at
his clock house. He asked “But what if the other children don't
like me?” to which Lady Aberlin replied “I will go with you on
the first day. Would that help you not be afraid?” Daniel Tiger
said “Yes.”
Billie Joe laid back and, with drink still in hand, began the
arduous process of climbing under the covers. He somehow managed to
keep from exposing himself. Sadie spent this time examining the
relationship between Daniel Tiger and Lady Aberlin.
“When I was sick, I would stay home
from school and me and my mom would get up on the couch and watch
this show.” Billie Joe said.
“Yeah,” Sadie said, “Me and my
momma did that too. I can remember being really happy then.”
Billie Joe slumped down under the
covers. “I'm sorry.” he said
“Don't worry about it. I needed a
couple days vacation anyhow.”
He felt like crying again, but stifled
it. “Thanks.”
“How long does this usually take?”
she asked.
He lay there thinking for a second,
then sat up “Look at me.” he said, and opened his mouth wide and
stuck out his tongue.
“Say what?” she said
“My tongue.” he said somewhat
garbled. “How bad is it shaking?”
All she could think was that he had
pretty good teeth for a drug addict. The man's tongue trembled, but
not too terribly, she thought. “I think you're doing pretty good?”
she said
“Are my pupils really dilated?”
“Not as bad as earlier.” she said
“You seem better than then. I thought I was gonna have to find a
hospital.”
He chuckled “Yeah that or take my
money and leave me in a ditch.”
“The thought crossed my mind. Yeah.”
she said.
“Do you wanna take off?” he said.
“Do you still need a ride?”
“Well yeah, but I got thumbs too, if
need be.”
“I think I can stick around for a
while longer.” she said
“I know I'm slowing you down, I'll
make it up to you.” he said
“I know you will. You're driving us
through Oklahoma or Nebraska or whatever. We start running across
corn fields? I'm taking some of your pills and sleeping through that
mess.”
“Deal” he said and got under the
covers again, shivering still. “I'm not a bad guy, I promise.”
She didn't say anything to this. “You
can sleep in the bed, too. I won't try anything.”
“Yeah, because I will whip your
shakey white ass if you do.” she said.
He chuckled at this and was soon fast
asleep.
Much late he woke next to her, covered
in sweat and shaking violently. His mind had been turning in on
itself. Sadie woke up, “You okay there, soldier?”
“No.” he said “No, I'm not.”
“What can I do?”
“I don't need you to trust me. That's
fine. Really” he said “I mean, I'll be okay in a little while. I
swear.”
“Billie Joe, what do you need from
me?” she said
“Just, I dunno. If you could just...hold me.”
he said “Please.”
“Yeah.” she said “I can do that.”
She put her arms around him and pulled
him close. He was clammy and wet and trembling all over again. As she
fell back to sleep she worried he might fade away completely on her.
Then another dream, or memory really. One spring, when she was a
little girl, she found a baby robin once that had fallen from it's
nest. She held it in one hand and climbed up the tree to return him.
After the wings had stopped fluttering, she could feel the quick
breathing and even the heartbeat of the creature in her hand. She
thought the man in her arms felt exactly like that.
