Page 35 of Bazooka
No Choice is a Choice Too
Luz
When I woke up in the morning, I was in bed. I couldn’t remember getting there, so I presumed Bazooka had carried me there after I fell asleep on the sofa last night. He was also gone, but he left me a message saying he’d left for work.
When I straightened up, I cursed all the saints and demons because I was hurting all over. What I pulled off yesterday wasn’t the smartest thing to do. Marching out of the apartment and being thrown over someone’s shoulder like a bag of potatoes was bound to have consequences. Back then, I was blinded by anger, and my adrenaline was sky high, but now I was paying for it.
I hopped over to the bathroom and washed up, skipping breakfast because I could barely stand on my left foot. After I returned to bed, I took a few painkillers and drank some water. The pills finally kicked in, just as the doorbell rang when the Triple Threat arrived. We agreed they would come here so Bazooka could interview them, but I dreaded their arrival. As it turned out, I had every right to worry.
“What the hell happened to you?” Alain exclaimed, looking shocked.
All my friends stood around my bed, watching me as if I were a bogeyman or something. I couldn’t blame them either, because my eyesight was fine and there was a mirror in the bathroom.
“I told you what happened,” I grumbled. “Besides, I look better than yesterday… or the day before.”
“Jesus Christ, Luz,” Wagner said, sounding baffled. “You look like… like…”
When he didn’t finish his sentence, I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“Luz, I’m so sorry,” Dakotah said, pale in the face. “What can I do to help?”
“If you brought me the stuff I’d asked for, you already helped,” I replied, sniffling. “Or if you have drugs that would numb me, that’s welcome too.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Alain said, opening his backpack. “No to the drugs, but everything else you asked for is here.”
Everything was:
·Underwear (five pairs of boxer briefs, three thongs, and one super sexy jockstrap)
·PJ’s (with a flamingo print and a tee that said Sexy and You Know It)
·Swim shorts
·Sunglasses
·A face powder AND a concealer
·Lube and condoms.
“Thank you, guys,” I said with a sigh of relief before telling them everything that happened. It included how I was attacked, how I ended up at Bazooka’s place, and finally what happened last night.
“Who do you think broke into your apartment?” Wagner said, sounding puzzled. “Not those assholes from Pete’s?”
I made a face. “I don’t know. I mean, maybe, but how would they know where I live? Maybe it was a burglar, not that I have much to steal.”
“Yeah, that’s very odd,” Alain mused. “It’s a good thing that you’re staying here. Are you staying here?”
“I don’t know,” I said, biting on my nail. “I mean, Bazooka mentioned a friend who could take care of me at my place, but I dread going back there. And if Baz dares to suggest one of thosepolice safe houses, I’m calling Chief Bibb, I swear. The chief will order him to let me stay here.”
“And why would he do that?” Wagner asked me, sounding amused.
“He owes me,” I stated with conviction. “I’ll just remind him of that. I’ll also threaten to tell the press that the Butcher of Smitsville capture was an unauthorized mission.”
“Are you happy here, though?” Dakotah said, sounding concerned. “I mean… how are you and Bazooka getting along?”
I let out a heavy sigh, not knowing where to begin.
“He’s not what I expected, Dot,” I admitted. “At all.”
