Page 58 of Plentywood
Jay crossed his arms while nodding in agreement. He looked exactly like I did. Like he questioned the same thing. “Jennie is in love with the idea of love,” he began. “Alllove.”
“Well, that sure seems like a nice way of thinking.”
“She’d never say this to you, Boss, but Jennie was a mess when Mark died. She really liked him so much and thought the two of you were a match made in heaven,” he said, realizing the whole heaven word and smiling sheepishly. “See? There’s that heaven connection she believes in.”
“Mark was popular for sure,” I commented, feeling a familiar pang when others spoke about him like this. “Jennie and he were in the same class.”
Jay leaned even closer. “She had a secret crush on him.”
“No way!” I insisted. “Really?”
“She told me that Mark and she became close friends in high school after you graduated. He stuck up for her when other kids picked on her conservative style of dressing. Particularlybecause her parents forced her to wear dresses every day. Mark used his popularity to ease her struggle,” he explained. “The two of them remained close until… well, you know. I did my best not to be jealous of ‘em.”
I leaned back in my chair, remembering the incredible soul that Mark had been. Hearing others bring up memories of him had begun to make me feel good, rather than sad. Was time truly beginning to heal my destroyed heart?
“Well, buddy. Your choice of a wife was a terrific pick for you. Jennie is wonderful,” I said, appreciating him sharing the kind story and hoping he’d leave after.
“One more thing I think you should know before you come over. You know, just in case it comes up and so you don’t think she’s lost a screw or two,” he began, looking behind himself to see who might be nearby in the office.
I leaned forward. He looked a bit too serious for my taste. I hated when people told me weird shit about their spouses, girlfriends, or boyfriends. “Maybe you should stop right there, Jay,” I encouraged.
“I can’t,” he insisted. “Jennie says that Mark came to her in a vision,” he blurted out.
Okay.That wasn’t exactly what I’d expected to hear. “A vision?”
He nodded profusely and checked behind himself again. “Another thing she shouldn’t be embracing, to tell you the truth, boss. We’re not supposed to pretend we get visions. That’s up to the elders of the church.”
“So you think she’spretendingto see this… umm… vision? Of Mark? My dead husband?”
“I’m beginning to think she’snotpretending,” he admitted.
This time, after his statement, he stood and closed the door. “Maybe you should stop right there, Jay,” I said, feeling slightly unnerved with the subject matter as well as the door beingclosed. I glanced through the glass wall and past him. Cass perked up as soon as my door closed.
“I can’t,” he said. “I think it might be important too.” Jay sat back down and placed his hands calmly on my desk. I assumed he was waiting for me, wondering if I wanted further explanation.
I was unsure what I wanted. “Umm, okay,” I began. “So… why exactly do you think that?”
“So get this,” he said. “Unlike most folks, Jennie didn’t see the doctor’s picture in the paper those first two weeks. In fact, she hadn’t been in to meet him either. You know, for the prenatal stuff she sees a doctor for.” He took a deep breath. “I had an old newspaper in my SUV and was packing a bunch of trash out of it. The paper included. And I took the trash to the inside of our house.”
“Yes,” I said, motioning with my hand, encouraging him to get to the fucking point on hissort ofcreepy story. “The picture. The trash.”
“Now remember, she’d never seen his picture before that day,” he reminded me.
“Yes, yes. I got it.”
“Well, Jennie took the paper out of my hand when she noticed his photo, opening the full-page cover with his picture. I swear to you, boss. She had to sit down,” he declared. “Then she spread the paper on the table and got this strange… no… weird look on her face.”
My deputy had me transfixed by this point. He could be spinning the biggest line of bullshit I’d ever heard, butdamn, he could tell a story. I’d never noticed that about him before.
“Then she tapped the doctor’s picture and said, ‘Okay, I’ll make sure he knows, Mark.’”
The news caught me off guard. I practically jumped out of my chair. With that, Jay stopped talking. We had a staring contest for nearly thirty seconds before I gave in and spoke.
“What the fuck does that even mean?”
He pointed at me. “Exactly!”
“Exactly what?” I asked. “Get to the goddamned point, Deputy!”
