Chapter XI

XI 

 

I was only there for a few hours; but that was time enough for Ashley and Amy to drift off into one of their personal conversations�"the frequency of which had increased in the last month or so�"and find out an “altercation” had occurred at Madigan’s last party.  Todd witnessed the whole thing.  He asked what I knew, but I volunteered no information about my drunken night with Madigan.  He was the only one that knew, and he told no one�"or Todd would’ve inquired.

“You never know what to expect from one of his parties,” said Todd, “And last Saturday’s was no exception.  They were drinking and smoking pot in the driveway.”

“Madigan always has a reason,” I reminded him.

Todd looked at me in a smug manner.

“Well, this was outside,” he said from the other side of Amy.

She sat next to Ashley.  They were carrying on, whispering and giggling about something.  Occasionally, Ashley would catch a glimpse of me out the corner of her eye.  She even shined a smile at me.  It caught Amy’s attention.  She glanced at me.  Todd noticed.  I pointed at Ashley. 

“I’m consoling her,” I told him.

He looked at Ashley.

“He’s being my friend,” she said.

“Is that why you’re smiling?” he asked her.

She blushed. 

“Stop that,” said Amy.

“I’m just stating the obvious,” he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Get back to your story,” she said.

“Alright,” he said; and then, turning to me, “You know Madigan’s parties.  Women are always outside his place smoking, but I don’t ever recall that many guys.  They were wearing tuxedoes.”

“They probably came from a wedding reception,” I said.

“I didn’t see any bridesmaids,” he said.

“Maybe, it was a bunch of college booksellers.”

Todd looked at me, “What?”

“Never mind,” I said.  “So did one of those guys get in a fight?”

“There was no fight,” he replied.

“No fight,” I repeated, “You said there was an altercation.”

Amy jumped in, “Same thing I said.” 

“It was a dispute,” Todd told her.

She waved him off; then turned and whispered in Ashley’s ear.  Todd appealed to me.

“Well, if there was no fight,” I said, “By definition, it could be a dispute.”

Amy didn’t respond. 

“Actually,” he said, “It was more a confrontation.”

 “A confrontation,” I said.

He nodded, “Some drunken cowboy in a black Dakota came to a screeching halt in front of Madigan’s.  The guy didn’t even turn off the engine.  He jumped out of the truck and charged up the walkway.”

“Was he looking for Madigan?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” he replied.

“Did he have a name?”

Todd shrugged, “That’s why I asked you.”

“What time was it?” I asked.

“After ten,” he replied.  “You didn’t hear all the commotion?”

“I was out of it.”

“I told you he was sick,” said Amy.

“I can’t believe you slept through that,” said Todd.

“I was really out of it,” I said, glancing at the empty spot where Madigan always held court.

“He hasn’t been to the pool in the last week,” said Todd.

“He wasn’t at the gym.”

Amy stopped conversing with Ashley and looked at me.

“What?” I asked.

“You don’t know where he’s at?” she asked.

I shook my head.

“I can’t believe he doesn’t know,” she told Ashley.

“You haven’t heard?” asked Todd.

“Heard what?” I asked.

“Everyone’s talking about it,” said Amy.

“Talking about what?” I asked her.

“The parties,” she replied.

“What about them?” I asked.

“There are no more parties,” she replied.

“No parties,” I repeated.

She nodded.

“Word got out on Wednesday,” said Todd.

“Whatever will you do?” asked Ashley.

“Study,” I replied. “I have exams next week.”

“I feel your pain,” said Todd, opening the cooler.

He reached inside for a bottle of water.

“I’ll take one,” said Ashley.

He handed her a bottle. 

“Thanks,” she said.

I watched her twist off the cap and raise the bottle to her mouth.  She spilled some water on her throat.  I followed the drops down into her bosom.  She was wearing that orange bikini which had caught Carl’s eye and just about every other guy poolside, including Madigan.  I mean she looked like the centerfold in the swimsuit issue.  I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.  Amy noticed.  She nudged Ashley. 

“What are you doing?” she grinned.

I was too embarrassed to reply.  She reached for her cover-up.  Todd was amused.  He laughed so hard his face went red.  He held his head up. 

“What’s wrong?” asked Amy.

He gagged.

“He’s choking on his water,” I said.

He gasped.  Amy patted him on the back.

“Don’t do that,” I told her.

She looked at me.

“It might make him vomit,” I said.

He coughed.

“Hold his head down,” I said.

Amy lowered his head.

“Now breathe slow and deep,” I told him.

“Where did you learn that?” asked Ashley.

“I was the head lifeguard at the country club back home,” I replied.

Todd coughed a few more times.  Then it stopped.  He cleared his throat. 

“Thanks,” he said to Amy.

“Don’t thank me,” she said; and, pointing at me, “Thank him.”

Todd looked at me, “Thanks.”

“I didn’t do a thing,” I said.

“You did enough,” said Amy.

“He was a lifeguard,” said Ashley.

“Are you alright?” Amy asked Todd.

“I’m good,” he replied. 

“You sure?” she asked.

He nodded.

“Then why don’t you finish telling him about that confrontation,” she said.

“I will,” he said.

“Don’t drink if you laugh,” she said.

Todd snickered.  She flipped her hair at him and then continued her conversation with Ashley.  Todd shook his head.

“Where was I?” he asked me.

“You were telling me what the guy wanted,” I replied.

“He wanted in,” said Todd, “But he couldn’t get past the Sentinel. So he started shouting obscenities.”

“What did the Sentinel do?”

“Nothing�"he just stood there with his arms crossed,” mimicked Todd.

“That can be intimidating,” I said.

“It was.  The cowboy fell on his knees and began to cry.”

“Cry about what?” I asked.

“His wife being in there,” he replied.

“I would think a lot of those women are married,” I said.

“Not the way he was crying,” said Todd.

“I wouldn’t know about that,” I said, glancing at Ashley and Amy.

“Don’t look at us,” she said.

“We went to the movies,” said Ashley.

“And stopped for some wine after the show,” added Amy.

I looked at Ashley

“You drink?”

“Not really,” she replied, “I only had a couple of sips.”

“I finished it,” said Amy. 

“I don’t really like the taste,” said Ashley.

“What about you?” Todd asked me.  “You like the taste?”

I shook my head�"more so because I didn’t like the direction the conversation had taken.  I looked at Ashley.

“I should get going,” I told her.

“You can’t stay a while longer?” she asked. 

“Come on,” urged Amy, “Stay a while longer.”

“I have to hit the books.” I said.

Ashley edged closer to me.

“Are you studying all evening?” she asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“What were you planning for dinner?”

“Probably order pizza,” I replied.

“Don’t do that,” she said.  “I’ll throw something together for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I told her.

“I want to,” she smiled.

 

Around suppertime, Ashley came over with what she threw together.  She brought a pot of chicken n’ dumplings, southern green beans, a chocolate pecan pie, and a paper-plate surprise wrapped in aluminum foil.  She put the covered dish in the refrigerator.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You’ll find out,” she grinned. 

“Will I like it?”

“I think so,” she replied.

I checked out the rest of the spread before me.

“I hear your chicken n’ dumplings are to die for,” I said.

“Did Amy tell you that?” she asked.

“She loves it.”

“I gave them a dish and some of that surprise in your refrigerator,” she said; and pulling the wrap off the pie, “but I only made one of these.  So don’t tell them.”

“These lips are sealed,” I said, “but only if you let me take you to Flannery’s for dinner.”

“That place is really expensive,” she said.

“Will you go with me?”

She pursed her lips.

“Well, will you?”

“I’d like that,” she smiled.

“Then it’s a date,” I told her. 

“You better make it a weeknight,” she said.  “You have to make reservations a month or more in advance or else know someone to get a table on the weekend.”

“I’m talking about next Saturday around seven.”

She drew her head back.

“How are you going to do that?” she asked.

“We know someone,” I told her.

“But you’ve never talked to him.”

I lowered my eyes.

“You’ve talked to him?” she asked.

I nodded.  Then I asked her to join me on the patio for dinner.  Her chicken n’ dumplings went beyond Amy’s hype, and the southern green beans are a meal in itself�"and that surprise was four homemade biscuits filled with sausage gravy.  After two slices of chocolate pecan pie, I told Ashley about my evening with Madigan�"that is, everything but the crazy car ride and that damn tree.