Shadow

Ray and I stumbled through the wide open doors of the bowling alley, laughing, holding hands.  It was a dry heat out.  It actually felt good being out in the 85 degree heat after being inside the chilly building a couple of hours.

“Oh, yeah,” I said to my boyfriend.  “You’re just mad ‘cause I beat you!” I loved Ray.  He was a friend, lover, and playmate all rolled into one.  What a great guy.

“Yeah, well, you hustled me!” he complained in his nasally whine.  “How was I supposed to know you were on a bowling team in college?” He slung his long arm across my shoulders and pulled me close.  “The only reason I gave you the handicap—

I interrupted. “See, well, you shouldn’t assume.  What, just because I’m a girl…?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ray said brusquely, but I saw him smile.

“Pay up!”  I laughed.  I held out my hand.

“Get outta here!”

“No, I’m serious.  A bet’s a bet.  Fork over the Jackson, Vecchio.” 

Ray pulled me in closer and gave me a kiss on my left temple.  “How about I take you out to dinner instead?”

I pretended to mull it over. “You got yourself a deal!”

Ray escorted me to his car, parked two blocks up from the lanes.  He got the door for me.  And a gentleman, too, I amended.   

I caught him surreptitiously glancing in his side-view mirror as he let himself into the Explorer. He shook his head to himself a couple of times.

 “What are you shaking your head at?” I asked.

“Nothin’,” Ray said.

He started up the vehicle and cranked the air conditioning.  In the short walk to the car, we had both begun to warm up again. “What do you feel like?” he asked. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said.  I pulled the soft blue scrunchie out of my hair and pulled it onto my wrist.  I shook my hair out.  “What do you want?”

“I asked you.”

“Ummm….pizza?”

“Had it for dinner last night.  And this morning for breakfast.”

“Okay.  How about Indian?”

“Gives me heartburn.”

“You? Ray, you could drink a pint of battery acid, and it wouldn’t give you heartburn!”

“Hey, I’m getting’ old.  Some stuff bothers my stomach lately. Whadda ya gonna do?”

“How about Chinese?”  I asked.

Ray considered.  “Yeah, that’s fine.  The “Dragonfly” alright with you?”

“Sure, sure.”

Ray smoothly maneuvered the large utility vehicle out of the parking space.  Shortly after, he turned south and headed down North Milwaukee.  Ray glanced in the rear view mirror.  A few seconds later, he glanced in the side view mirror. 

“You know,” I said carefully, watching him.  “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that lately.”

 “About what?” Ray wrinkled his nose. I’d learned that that was a sure ‘tell’ that he knew exactly what I was talking about. 

“You’ve been really jumpy lately.” I pointed out. “Always looking over your shoulder. Are you in trouble?”

“What? Nah.  Nothing like that.”

“Who are you looking for?”

Ray glanced back again.  “Nobody.”

I shook my head.  “What’s up, Ray?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“No, really.  You can tell me.”

“Stella, it’s nothing.  Nothing. Alright?”

I watched his profile for a moment.  “Alright,” I said finally.

Ray blew out a breath and loosened his hard grip on the steering wheel. He glanced into the mirror once more, without lifting his chin this time.  The light in front of us changed from yellow to red. In a split second, I caught the car to my right beginning to go.

My foot reflexively slammed the imaginary brake on my side.  “Ray!”

He jammed down on the brake. “Sorry!” he muttered.

“What’s with you?”

“Hey, I said ‘I’m sorry.’ Alright?”

I didn’t say another word until we go to the restaurant.

VVVVVV

Ray and I ambled out of the restaurant, overly-full from too much roast duck and chow fun. And I must have had about a gallon of iced tea.  We topped the evening off with a large portion of decidedly un-Chinese fried ice cream.

Thankfully, the warm evening had cooled considerably, thanks to the low humidity.  There was just the barest hint of autumn in tonight’s gentle cool breeze.  It reminded me that Labor Day weekend was just around the corner.  Ray took my hand and led me toward the car.

We walked past a row of cars, one of which appeared to be occupied, I noticed.  The street light was out, but I could make out the form of a man sitting behind the wheel of a Buick Skylark.  It was an old car.  The passenger-side front quarter-panel was a darker color than the rest of the car.  The man appeared to be doing nothing.  Just sitting. 

Ray squeezed my hand and pulled me along.  I could feel impatience in his tug.

“What is it?” I asked. His behavior all day today was starting to go from simply puzzling to downright alarming.

Ray said nothing until he had gotten me into the car and locked the doors. 

“Listen, ah…I’m gonna take you home.”

The way he said it, I knew he wasn’t coming up with me.  I knew he wouldn’t be spending the night.

I nodded.  I knew when to not push him.  He didn’t say a word.  He had a scowl on his face.

After a few minutes, I turned on the radio to cover the uncomfortable silence.  I pushed the presets repeatedly, riffling through the stations and finally stopping when I got to a song I liked, Blondie’s Heart of Glass. 

“Change it,” Ray said.  It wasn’t a request.

“I thought you liked disco.”

“Change it.”

I flipped through the stations once more. I settled for California Dreamin’.  This song always reminded me of my parents.  Julius and Catherine loved the Mamas and Papas.

“Change it,” Ray said.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance.  God, Ray was so moody and fickle sometimes. 

I hit a preset button again.  This time I stopped on How Deep Is Your Love. 

Ray leaned forward and hit the power button on the radio.

“Fine, sourpuss.”

Ray was clearly agitated.  He looked in the rear view mirror once more. 

“I wish you’d just tell me what’s up,” I said.  “You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry.  I don’t mean to.”

Suddenly, the car behind us gained speed.  Its headlights shone in the rear-view mirror, and Ray flipped it up to deflect it.  The car began to tailgate us.  Right on Ray’s ass.  Ray suddenly accelerated, and we both bucked forward.

I grabbed the door handle to steady myself. Oh my God. What’s happening here?

Ray blew through another red light.  This time, I didn’t say anything.  The car behind us stopped at the light. I watched its headlights get smaller and smaller behind us. 

In a few moments, Ray pulled in front of my building.  He glanced back again.  He parked the car, and jumped out.  Came to the other side and let me out.  As he walked me up the front stoop, a car pulled right up behind Ray.  It was the same car that was sitting in front of the Chinese restaurant. 

Ray’s body language was very telling.  He became as stiff as angry cat.  Ray pushed me through the front door of my apartment. 

“Ray, what the hell is going on?”

“Go upstairs. Lock the door.” He glared toward the driver of the car.

I followed Ray’s gaze.  “Should I call the cops?”

“I am the cops. Get upstairs.  Don’t argue.”

“Ray!”

“Go!”

I fled.  I let myself into the apartment, and ran to the window, taking my cordless phone with me, ready to call 911 if needed.  I opened a window and peered down. I could see Ray standing in the street and leaning into the car, talking to the driver.  He had both arms inside the car.  Looked like he had taken hold of the man’s lapels. 

I could hear their voices, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying; I was too far up.  After a couple of minutes, Ray got back in his car and slowly pulled out, the other car following.

My heart was hammering in my chest.  What the hell was going on?