Page 78 of Five Alarm Love
Lou gave a noncommittal noise and murmured something socially appropriate that they probably didn’t hear.
Problem was, Lou’s warts weren’t small annoyances or personality quirks.They were genetic issues that impacted her entire life and her future and that of any partner.She rubbed her face with a full hand.
Today wasn’t the day to deal with that reality.
“Come on, Gordy,” she said.“Giddyap.”
He gave a medium squeal, scuffing along with her slow pace.As they passed in front of Eddy’s, a local bar, the door swung open and three men exited, one of them running into Gordy.
Gordy’s poor balance didn’t compensate in time.
He fell to the pavement in a flail of limbs and orange, high-visibility material.His communication device clattered against the ground.His high-pitched squeal turned cry scared her.
“Oh no!”Lou knelt next to Gordy.
He grabbed his elbow.Then he looked at his tablet.A crack ran through the screen.Tears formed in his eyes.
Lou’s heart dropped to her feet.
“Hey, watch where you’re going, buddy,” one of the men said from above her.
He was in his early thirties, thin beneath a light flannel shirt, his brown hair longer than the current style.
Lou glared up at him.“Why don’t you watch where you’re going?Can’t you see he’s disabled?”
“I’ll show you disabled,” the guy said.
“What?”she spluttered.
“Bud, shut up,” a familiar voice reached her.
Lou froze.“Hunter?”
“Oh hey, sorry about this bonehead here.He’s had one too many today.”He cut off the man’s retort, bent, and hooked his fingers under Gordy’s armpits.“Come on, let’s get you up.”
Lou batted him away.“No, please don’t do that until I check him out.”She scanned her brother with a medic’s eye.
He lay on the concrete sidewalk, moved all extremities, breathed fine.Below the fleece jacket sleeve, the heel of his right hand was scraped raw with a small amount of bleeding.
“Come on, Hunter,” the second man, older by twenty years and with a thicker build, said.“We’re late for our meeting.”
“In a minute,” Hunter muttered.
“Kid really should watch where he’s going,” the first guy said.“Why are you letting someone like that walk on the streets?”
Hunter remained near Gordy, but he didn’t say anything.He just stood there, looking vaguely sympathetic.
Lou couldn’t think.A buzz of imaginary hornets filled her head until the humming sound drowned out the cars going down Main Street.Her vision tunneled in, and a pulsing sensation began at her temple.
Someone like that.
A war began inside of her as she crouched next to Gordy.One side wanted to help her brother.The other side wanted to implant a better attitude in the jerk standing there.
Implant won out.She assured herself that Gordy was stable and then stood.“What do you meansomeone like that?”She glared up at the guy, who looked to be a few inches taller and about forty pounds heavier than she was.Every inch of her body shook as her hands rolled into fists.Never had she confronted anyone before.Not like this.
“You know.”The thin man motioned.“A person who needs like a nurse or something.”
She glanced at Gordy, who was now sitting up, cross-legged.“Nurse?”she said.
