Page 46 of Half Blind

She offered him a smile so warm and so pure that his chest began to expand. If the woman was blowing a Native American sized smoke signal up his keester he didn't give a shit. Helen told him exactly what he needed to hear, and he was grateful. His woman plainly stated she trusted him, and he wouldn't let her down.

“I won't lead you astray,” he said, feeling more emotional than he realized.

****

TUESDAY MORNING ARRIVEDwith the departure of Helen. He didn't need to be in the office until 9 a.m. and the drive was relatively short. While she was away, his first plan was to take up the bathroom rugs that he simply hated. Nothing irked him more than going to the bathroom and the rugs were still damp from the drippings off a wet body.

As Helen rolled out the front gate, a delivery truck rolled through. A frown covered his face since no one, except two people, knew where he lived. The frown turned upside down at the thought of Helen sending him a sexy package, so tonight he wouldn't be sad and missing her too much.

“Yeah, I'm marrying that woman,” he said, taking the brown unmarked box from the driver and giving the man a ten spot.

Mustang took the box inside the home to open it. Excited, he cut through the tape of the outer box, lifting out an inner box. The moment it touched his hands, the contents inside of the box began to ring. Exhaling loudly, he opened the box to find a Technician phone.

He was no longer a Technician.

He'd turned in his shop, the keys, and his phone.

He’d walked away from crawling into dark caves and discovering the worst of human nature.

He had a nine-to-five job with an office with a door that had a desk and a picture of him and Helen sitting on the corner of said desk next to a little dish of peppermints she’d slipped into his lunch box.

He didn't want to answer the phone, but he did.

“Hello,” he said, not using his Technician handle.

A voice he knew and met once spoke to him. “I don't know if I will need your unique services or not, but you're in my bowl. Keep the phone just in case.”

“Don't want to be in your bowl of fruit. I turned in my equipment and have a nine to five every day, boring job. I like it like that,” he replied.

“I know, but she told me that if I did need to you, and I called, because of who you are, you'd help. I won't take advantage and will only call if it is a last resort. She's good, I may not need you, but I prefer to play it safe,” the voice said.

Mustang didn't respond. He had nothing to say to the voice. He sure as hell would not agree, accept, or mumble a concurrence with her thought process.

The voice said, “She tracked and closed down three Fields of Flowers in one night. It earned her a bonus. She shared it with folks that didn't even know she got it.”

“Okay,” he stated.

“Are you planning to marry her, and if so, when? I want an invitation to the wedding and none of that Archangel paperwork shit. She deserves to walk down the aisle, looking pretty with flowers in her hair,” the voice said.

“And how is any of that your business?”

“I made the call to let you know that it is,” the voice said, then ended the call.

Mustang held the phone. He stared at the device, wondering what the hell that was about. Checking his watch, he saw that he needed to get ready for work. After finding the charger for the new phone he didn't want or need in his life, he was about to plug it into the wall when it rang.

“What in the world,” he said, taking the call. “Yes, hello?”

“This is the operator,” the lady said. “I have a request to connect from Mr. Yield; will you take the call?”

“I guess,” Mustang said, wondering what this was about as well. A click was heard, then silence. “Hello?”

“Hey,” Yield said in the line adding a growl.

“Hey back. How can I help you?” Mustang asked.

“Uhm, this is awkward, but can I be your best man at the wedding? I mean, you are marryingour girl,right?” Yield said.

“Excuse me, what do you mean byour girl?”

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