Page 14 of Against the Wall

Chapter Seven

Grady

Two weeks had passed since I’d left the hospital, and walked away from the best thing that ever happened to me. There was no way it would have lasted, or at least that’s what I told myself often. The look in her eyes as I’d shut her out had nearly destroyed me. She was safe now, though, in her big house with all her rich friends. She didn’t need me anymore. Her check had arrived the next day without so much as a note. It told me all I needed to know. She was moving on and that was what I needed to do. Just as soon as I figured out how.

My friends had talked me into hanging out at the local bar for drinks, which had quickly turned into them trying to get me laid. Something I wasn’t interested in. I could still remember Madelyn’s scent when I closed my eyes at night. I’d cashed her check, not because I wanted to but because I was desperate for food and air conditioning. I’d replaced all the units in my house and had stocked the fridge with beer and the pantry with quick meals to make. The beer interested me more than the food.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” my buddy Rob groused. “Since when do you turn down easy pussy?”

Since Madelyn. Not that I was going to tell him that.

My other friend, Sam, just shook his head. “Can’t you tell the guy is brokenhearted? Whatever had him MIA a few weeks back did a number on him. I’m guessing it was a woman.”

“That right?” Rob asked as he took a swig of his beer. “You hung up on some woman?”

I shrugged and stared at my beer. Madelyn wasn’t just some woman, but neither of these guys would understand. We’d grown up together, and I couldn’t see either of them being sympathetic that I fell for a girl from the other side of the tracks. We’d always steered clear of those type of women, and for good reason. They might want to walk on the wild side every now and then, but at the end of the day they married doctors and lawyers. Not broke handymen.

“Whatever is in your head, throw it out,” Sam said. “I can tell you really like this woman. So what the hell are you doing sitting here with us?”

“She’s better off without me.”

Sam shook his head. “Bullshit. You’re a great guy, Grady. Did you tell her that you’d won the Medal of Honor when you were a Marine? Chicks dig that shit.”

“What does it matter?” I asked. “I’m not a Marine anymore. I’m just the handyman who lives on the questionable side of town in a house that’s falling apart. What the hell could I offer her?”

“Your heart?” Sam asked softly. “Because I’m pretty sure you already gave it to her. Look, we all fall for that perfect girl, the one we can never have. But maybe this time she’s not as unattainable as you think. Instead of sitting here missing her, why don’t you haul your ass out to your truck and go talk to her?”

Rob snorted. “Nothing good will come of it.”

“Shut up, asshole,” Sam said. “Just because Wendy won’t give you the time of day doesn’t mean you need to tell Grady his love is doomed.”

Rob shot him the bird.

“You really think she’d even speak to me after the way I left?” I asked.

“You won’t know unless you try,” Sam said.

I downed my beer and stood, maybe a little unsteady. Should I drive? I thought about Madelyn and the urge to see her grew until I couldn’t deny myself just a glimpse. I pulled my keys from my pocket and went out to the parking lot to climb into my truck. I drove slow on the way to Madelyn’s, the lines on the road blurring a little. When I pulled up out front of her house, the driveway was empty and the living room lights were on.

Stumbling out of my truck, I slammed the door and walked up to the house. I rang the bell and weaved on my feet while I waited for her to appear. I just need one look at my regal princess, just one look to take away the loneliness I’d been feeling.

“Madelyn!” I yelled out.

The volume on the TV went up higher and I frowned. She had to know it was me. Was she really done with me? Had I screwed up so bad that she didn’t even want to see me anymore? I rang the bell and beat my fist against the door, but still she didn’t answer.

I heard a car pull up and I turned around, my eyes widening in surprise at the officer that stepped out of the black and white vehicle.

“Son, is there a problem?” the older officer asked.

“She won’t talk to me,” I mumbled. “Just want to see her.”

“I suggest you sober up before you talk to her.” He looked from me to the truck and back again. “You drive here in that condition?”

I didn’t confirm or deny.

The officer sighed. “All right. I say we let you sleep it off in the drunk tank tonight. You can come talk to your girl tomorrow, when you’re not so drunk you can’t stand up straight.”

When he led me by the arm to his waiting car, I didn’t protest. I glanced back longingly at the house and saw the blinds move, knowing that she saw me. The officer shoved me into the backseat and slammed the door before climbing behind the wheel and pulling away. I’d spent a night or two in the drunk tank before, but never because of a woman.

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