Page 41 of Mommy

So now, I get to watch her wave me off from the splotchy patch of dead grass in front of the shabby house.

Planting my foot on the asphalt firmly, I shake my head.

Over my dead body will I drive away before she reaches her front door.

This is not a good neighborhood. Unless she is willing to get back on the bike with me, there’s no way I’m driving away right now.

Ivory seems to realize that, because she rolls her beautiful blue eyes and then turns around to walk over to the front door before she looks back at me.

There’s a happy now? expression on her face that has me grinning.

Not quite, little poison.

I still kick the motorcycle into gear and speed off.

Ivory’s defiant half smile sticks with me well into the next week. I still see it vividly in my mind when I walk into work on Monday.

Not seeing her for a few days has been somewhat weird, but I think we both needed that break. It gave me the time to catch up with my thoughts and figure out what the fuck the plan is with her: Play it cool, keep things casual and don’t get in over your head.

Smiling to myself, I unload on my desk. Lunch and my mushroom coffee find a space next to the phone.

I switched from regular coffee to mushroom years ago for the health benefit and never looked back. At this point I don’t see why anyone in their right mind would drink regular coffee, I only have a coffee machine at my house because society dictates you offer guests a cup.

For a brief moment when Ivy first spent the night I wondered if I was going to use it more from now on, but since she doesn’t like coffee any more than I do, I probably won’t.

The phone rings and I pick up on instinct.

There’s a slightly nervous sounding woman on the line, so I listen up for anything out of the ordinary.

Not because women are harder to understand, but because in my experience they are more likely to call a police station when they really should be calling 911. Most women tend to overlook the seriousness of their situation unless it involves another human being.

She starts explaining why she’s calling and I relax a little, but only until two words fall that change my perspective.

My jaw is hard as rock as I listen to the woman go on with her stressed rambling.

“Thank you for your call, ma’m. I’ll be looking into that right away.”

Teeth grinding, I wait for her to hang up and grab my car keys and jacket before going over to the newbie in the team. He’s still young, maybe 22 years old and has a boyish face with not even a hint of stubble on his chin.

“Let’s go, little man. There has been an issue in this neighbourhood and you’re on duty with me.” I inform him, already turning towards the door.

No way am I taking an old, slow idiot to this. If I had it my way, I’d be going alone, but since this is official business, I have to take someone. Better this little idiot than a more experienced cop. He’ll be easier to lose in the park.

I briefed newbie-boy in the car, so when we both exit at the corner of the park, he knows to fuck off in the opposite direction from where I’m going. He’s responsible for the flyers, I’ll check the area.

Following the path only for a few steps, I walk into the grass to the side, scanning the ground below me as I slow down.

If this woman would’ve called me two weeks ago, I would’ve probably sent two of my colleagues to deal with this. I would’ve ordered them to hand out flyers and sweep the area. That was before I met Ivory.

Now, there’s no way I’ll let anyone but me handle this.

The mere thought of her going for a walk with one of the dogs here makes me nauseous. She loves those furry little fucks, and even if I don’t totally get it, the idea of her going through the pain of having one of them eat a poisoned treat turns my stomach into splinters.

A mental image of her holding on to a dog crippling with pain, without being able to help, is what keeps my gaze focused on the ground. Determined to find every last treat left beneath these trees.

I almost overlook the hunched figure coming my way on the path a little to the left. That is, until they drop something into the grass a few feet away.

No fucking way.