The Woman in Red

The grill spit back broiling drops of grease at me as I flipped the meat to brown the other side, the station was rather slow tonight nearing closing. The radio mingled with the battle cry of the grill as I finished up Howard and Jack’s supper. A heifer was having difficulty giving birth at the farm and the boys had gone to help. Forrest returning first, he ate explaining they had lost both and Howard and Jack were tending to them. He finished his plate, sat in the corner and talked in hushed whispers with other men I knew to be fellow moonshiners before they all retreated back to Forrest’s office.
As I turned to place the plates of food on the counter I heard the slosh of moonshine fall onto the bar. The older mountain of a man sat half slouched against the counter the moonshine dripping through the tangled strands of his greying beard. His beady, bloodshot eyes stared at a random spot on the bar. His dirty, blunt finger tracing shapes into the spilled liquor.

“You alright Cyrus?” I asked politely setting the overturned mason jar upright.

“ ‘ust ‘ine ‘ancy.” He hiccupped sitting back upright. “ ‘ow ‘bout another?”

“I don’t think so. You’ve had quite enough I believe.”

“Fine then.” He barked standing wobbly, the stool screeching against the floor as he did so. I raced to his side to steady the drunk. His arms fell around me and he bellowed out loud “ ‘ive this ole man a dance ya pretty lady!”

He pulled me to the center of the station, humming to the radio and began swaying sloppily side to side. I couldn’t help but laugh my hands resting above his elbows to try and steady him before he lost his balance and tumbled to the ground with a groan.

“Oh Cyrus” I laughed. “I think its time you went home.”

He moaned lowly as he stood nodding slightly but turned to the bar instead. “Yeah, just one ‘ore bottle ‘irst.”

Tightening my grip slightly I readjusted his steps toward the door. “I don’t think so. Not tonight.”

“I want nother” He snarled his voice low as he threw my arm off and started for the bar again, his mood souring at the rejection.

“And I said no.” I grabbed his arm and turned him around.

“Ya don’t ‘ell me shit ya bitch!” he roared grabbing both arms and shaking me slightly. The drunken fire behind his eyes was frightening as his fingers dug deeper into my arms.

“ ‘ust give me another.” His voice was softer but still full of rage.

I swallowed down my quivering voice. “No.”

He growled and threw me back I fell back onto a table the chair falling in my wake. Cryus continued to fall onto of me and an astounded cry fell from my lips as I began to claw at his face for him to release me. He backed away grabbing at his face before charging again balling my fist I swung into his jaw he stumbled back before a blur barreled through him knocking both to the ground. I sat upright and slipped off the table and backed away, seeing Forrest’s form hovering over Cyrus throwing countless punches.

Two of the bootleggers pulled Forrest away. He’s massive chest was rising and falling as he stared at the bloody, unconscious mass that was Cyrus. The two men released Forrest’s arms and he turned to me . Without thinking, I jumped into his arms and held him to me. One arm wound around my waist and the other placed between my shoulder blades to steady me. Lowering me down I caressed his face in my hands and inspected him.

“God Forrest you’re bleeding.” I whispered wiping at the blood that began from his hairline.
Forrest grunted in a ‘how about that’ kind of way before turning to the men and shaking hands with the other men who left, carrying Cyrus with them. As the door shut Forrest picked the chair up and placed it back at its appropriate place.

“Will you let me look at it?”

Forrest rested his hands on the back of the chair railing before giving a nod and sitting down.

“You’ll need stitches.” I whispered tenderly pulling his hair back.

“Shit’s under the bar.”

I nodded and retrieved the box before preparing the needle I offered him a jar of shine before beginning to stitch.

“Where’d you learn to do this?”

I sighed before answering “ Floyd.” I answered simply prepared to leave it at that. But then again if we were ever going to fix things it was time to start telling everything. “Things would go with south with him or the guys. Doctors are too risky to keep on pay roll. Had some sewing experience just had to learn.” I chuckled. Forrest remained silent.

“All done.” I stated standing straight examining my handy work proudly and went to cleaning the supplies before putting it away. Forrest remained at in his state staring at his skinned swollen knuckles solemnly. I kneeled before him taking his hands in mine and kissed the raw flesh before pressing my lips to the corner of his lips.

“Thank you. I’m sorry I made you do that to Cyrus.”

“Don’t.” he whispered “He deserved it. A no good drunk who beat on his wife and girls till they up and left. Shouldn’t have left you alone with him.”

“Still. I’m normally not like this.” I choked. “I can normally handle myself but lately I’ve just been on edge, paranoid and shit.” I cast my eyes downward at my admission. I didn’t want to seem weak and frail but as of late I was doing a shitty job first the turkey and then Cyrus.
Callus scraped under my chin pulling my gaze to Forrest’s. He’s eyes were full of emotion gleaming in the oil candle light his hand pulling at mine.

“Don’t you ever apologize to me for shit like that, ya hear me? You’re a strong girl Fancy yer just in a bad place right now.” His fingers wrapped with mine and I focused on the intertwined image as I formed my response.

“How can I be in a bad a place with you here?” My voice small and vulnerable, lifting my glassy gaze to meet his. “I prayed for years I would see you again, but then” I steadied my breath “ after what I had done I didn’t think you would want anything to do with me. Who would want a whore for anything more than to warm their bed for a small time?”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that” he scolded.

This ignited a frustrated response and I gripped his hand a little tighter, my voice raising. “Why shouldn’t I? You talked to me like that ever since I got here! Saying I was going on with Howard and Jack to try and make a quick buck! How could you say that to me? Forrest I wanted to marry you have your children I would have given you everything all you have had to do was ask! And then to hear you say that Forrest I …”

I caught myself before the strong emotion flooded from my mouth. I pulled my hands from his to cover my mouth. I couldn’t tell him I still loved him. After all, did I truly still love him after what he had said to me, about me? Of course I did and that frustrated me beyond belief.

“You what?”

I bit my lip and focused on a spot on the table sniffling back the tears. Sighing Forrest stood, stopping behind me his voice making me jump.

“When we was kids…” he started his voice distant, accent distinct “you was my best friend. Always together hell if we were apart for more than a few hours one of us would run off to find the other. Its like when we were made our soul was one and then was spilt in two for each of our bodies. What I’m saying is, ya a part of me as much as I’m apart of you. And after you left I lost that part of me and now that you’ve come back” he paused again chuckling softly. “I don’t recognize my own self seems like. I became guarded didn’t know how to take ya seeing ya all dolled up rolling in riding in a fancy car. The life ya deserved, knowing that I couldn’t give that to ya. I was afraid the me in you had gone but it aint its still there, just less of it I s’pose. We’re drawn to each other Fancy, any man would be crazy not to love you. I always have and I don’t think I ever really stopped.”

My mouth dried at his confession as I heard his boots echo up the stairs. I contined to stare at the spot allowing the tears to spill down my cheeks before finally throwing my face into my palms, howling softly in despair.

Creeping up the stairs I stopped outside my door and stared at the closed door across from mine. I tiptoed closer and leant in close hearing the soft snores through the door, twisting the knob I peeked in. Old newspaper scraps covered the walls and a few pieces of furniture were placed nonchalantly around the room. In the middle of the floor illuminated by the moon streaming through was a mattress with a sheets thrown across it. Forrest lay between them, laying on his stomach the moon danced across the strong planes and grooves of his strong back a sheet wrapped around his waist. A strong urge to crawl in bed and wrap myself up in him bubbled in my stomach. Clutching the knob once more I whispered my confession allowing the three words to disappear into the air as I closed the door.