Lost And Found

Just then a nurse came down the corridor to let them know Robert could have visitors, but only one at a time. "Mrs. Stevens, would you like to come along?" She said, smiling. Looking at Mary without the same smile, she told her she could see him later.

"Mary, why don't you go first?" Peg said kindly. "I know Robert will want to see you, and I haven't quite regained his trust yet."

Mary jumped up and, thanking her, almost ran down the corridor toward Robert's room. She slowed as she approached the door, then stood agape looking at her friend all trussed up in casts with tubes and wires attached all over. When she saw the bandages over his eyes she gasped. "Bobby, it's me," she said finally. "Can you hear me?" She slowly walked toward the bed.

"Mary! Yes, I hear you. How did you get here?"

"I took the bus," she said, proudly. "First I went to the Y and I gave them five dollars and they let me take a shower. Then I went to a coin laundry and washed some clothes. Then I asked a man at the bus stop how to get to the hospital, and he told me. Bobby," she said softly. "SHE's out in the waiting room. Peg. I talked to her. I showed her my knife and told her not to hurt you. She promised me she won't. She says she loves you, so I told her I love you too. We never really talked about that, but after those guys beat you up and I couldn't help you I felt it in my heart. All I could do was get Speedy and the other guys to come and run the men off."

Mary moved closer to the bed. "Peg seems nice. She let me come first to see you because she said you still don't trust her."

"She's right, I don't."

"She promised me she did not hurt you and doesn't want to hurt you now. She says you got confused after your accident."

"Mary, I suspected there was something going on before my 'accident.'" He made quotation marks with his one good hand. "I don't know for certain if Peg had a hand in setting me up, but I am very sure Charlie did. He had been trying to get Peg away from me for a long time."

Just then a nurse bustled into the room with her cart and began taking vitals. She told Mary that Robert would need to rest soon, and suggested she go and let his wife know she could come in for a quick visit.

"I don't want to see her," Robert replied.

"She was so nice to me, I think you should let her come see you," Mary said, as she left the room. He was too weak to argue, so he just laid back and let the nurse do her thing. A couple of minutes later Peg walked in.

"Just a minute, this time," the nurse said, trying to protect Robert. "He has to rest."

"Alright, just a minute," Peg replied. "Robert, I just wanted to let you know that Lisa will be here tomorrow. I know you still don't trust me, but you can believe that Lisa loves you and has been beside herself since you left. Please be welcoming to her."

"I will. Thank you for having her come. Would you do me a favor and drive Mary back to the camp? I don't like her riding the bus."

"Is there anything I should know about her?"

"Mary is schizophrenic. She is very smart, graduated near the top of her class from Arizona State and was starting a teaching career when she began hearing voices. She lost everything, and came to the camp about three years ago. She does pretty well when she takes her meds, but sometimes she forgets. And sometimes she skips them on purpose because she doesn't like how they make her feel. From the way she was acting today, I'd say she has missed a couple of days, which means she may slip into psychosis soon."

"She says she loves you and you love her. Are you together?"

"We are friends. Good friends. But we are not a couple."

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"No. Not like that. But whenever of us feels the need for some release, we help each other out. That's all I will say about it."

"Her looks are very unusual. What's her background," Peg asked.

Robert laughed. "It's complicated. Her great-grandfather was a French missionary in China. He believed that peace among the peoples of the world would come only when racial differences were erased. He married a Chinese woman, and he instructed their children that they must marry a person of a different race. This practice has been handed down through the generations. So, Mary is part white European, part Chinese, part African, part Samoan, part East Indian and part Native American."

"Wow," Peg said. "No wonder she looks exotic. Her brown skin is beautiful."

The nurse came to the door and shot Peg a stink-eye.

"I have to go now," Peg said. "I love you. Lisa will get in tomorrow. I'll take care of Mary. Get a good rest."

Peg caught up to Mary walking toward the elevators. "Robert asked me to give you a ride. Would you like that?"

"Oh yes, if it's okay with you. I don't like riding the bus. I'm always afraid I will miss my stop."

"Okay, ride with me, and there's one stop we're going to make on the way," Peg said, as she looked at her smartphone. She found the listing and location of a spa and hair salon with evening hours near her hotel. Just then the elevator came, and they rode down to the parking lot. Mary began to tell Peg where the encampment was located, but Peg told her to wait until after their next stop.

"Robert says you have some meds you need to take every day. Have you had them today?"

"No, sometimes they make me drowsy and I wanted to be alert for getting to the hospital."

"Do you have them with you?"

"Yes, I can't ever leave them with my stuff or somebody will steal them. They're here in my bag."

"Why don't you take them now," Peg said, reaching for a bottle of water from the center console. Mary dug in her bag, pulled out a couple of pill bottles, and took her meds.

Peg drove to the spa/salon, parked, and they went in. Mary wondered what they were doing there until she heard Peg making arrangements for her to get "the full treatment," mineral bath, mani and pedi, and hair.

"You let these ladies take care of you, Mary," she said. "I have a little shopping to do and I will be back before you are finished. She gave the attendant who had come out for Mary a $50 bill and said, "take good care of her. She is a very special lady (with that she winked) and she may need some extra attention. I want you to be her friend and facilitator."

With that the attendant smiled, agreed, and took Mary back. Peg went out and drove to a nearby department store, where she spent half an hour picking out new clothes, underwear, socks and practical shoes for Mary. Not fancy, frilly outfits, but practical, sturdy, and warm shirts and jeans.

When she got back to the spa she picked out an outfit from her purchases and gave it to the attendant for Mary to change into before coming out. Soon after, Mary came out from the curtained doorway and she had been transformed. Hair styled, nicely dressed, a little makeup, and a smile that would not quit. "Look at me, Peg! I'm pretty again!" She gushed. Peg and the women who had been taking care of her oohed and ahed and complimented her.

"You are lovely, Mary. Let's go get dinner," Peg said, smiling. They went to a little cafe Peg had discovered a couple of days before. Mary was self conscious at first, but soon Peg's confident presence reassured her and she relaxed while they enjoyed a good meal.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Mary finally asked, as they finished their pie dessert.

"We'll, part of it is because you are Robert's friend, so that makes you my friend. And part of it is because you are a fellow woman, and I hate to see a woman who is down on her luck. And to be perfectly honest, part of it is because I want to try to understand what's been going on in my husband's life, so I can try to reconnect with him. By the way, he told me how important you are to him, so part of this is me thanking you for that. But the main reason is because I like you. They called me to tell me about Robert and I caught the first plane and I've been here for nearly a week, but he only just woke up today, so I've been pretty lonely. It's nice to make a new friend.

"I hate to think of you going back to the camp and sleeping rough," Peg said as they walked to her car. "Would you like to come up to my hotel room tonight and sleep in a real bed on clean sheets?"

"Thanks, but I have to get back and take care of my stuff and protect Bobby's stuff, If I don't, it will all be taken. Besides, I don't mind my life. I've gotten used to living outside and not having people make demands. Where I live, nobody expects anything."

As they drove, Peg asked questions. "Why do they call him The Mayor?"

"Bobby is very kind. He watches out for people. He can get money, so if somebody is in a jam, he helps them. If somebody gets picked up for loitering or panhandling, he can help with bail. But he won't help anybody picked up for stealing or hurting someone. He says, 'nobody should go to jail just because of bad luck. But crime is crime, and there's a price to be paid.'"

"What else does he do?"

"He gives advice. Most of the people in the camp don't know much. They're there because they are mentally ill, addicts, or stupid. Bobby helps them figure stuff out if they have a problem. He's smart, and he's educated. And when there's an argument, he kinda acts like a judge. He doesn't take sides, but he tries to find a way out for both sides."

"What happened when he got beat up? What was that about?"

"Some thugs from another camp heard he had money. They came to rob him. He never keeps money around, he just gets some from the ATM when he needs it, so he didn't have any. They didn't believe him. And I had the card, because he had one of his headaches, so he sent me to get some cash for Speedy's bail. So they tried to beat him into telling them where the money was. I came back and saw what was happening and got a bunch of our guys to go help Bobby. They went and pulled them off and saved Bobby, or they'd have killed him."

"Tell me about the ATM card."

"I don't know. He has one. There's always money. He doesn't use it often, mostly just to help people. Most people only have the money they get panhandling. Bobby has more. But he doesn't tell anybody where it comes from or how much there is. I'm the only person he trusts to take the card if he can't."

"Where does he get money day-to-day?"

"He does day labor jobs mostly. There's a day labor agency a couple of blocks from the camp. Sometimes he does landscaping, sometimes painting. That kind of thing."

"That makes sense - he always was handy around the house. He took care of the yard and fixed things around the house."

As they approached the overpass with the camp below, Mary got quiet. "Why don't you drop me off here," she asked, softly. "I can walk the rest of the way."

"I want to see Robert's home," Peg said, continuing to drive.

"Please. I would be embarrassed, and I'm sure Bobby wants to keep his privacy. He's a very private man. Thanks for your kindness and your generosity - I've had the best day since I started getting confused. But please let me keep some dignity and respect Bobby's boundaries."

Peg slowed the car and began to look for a place to pull off and stop. "Alright, Mary. Maybe another day. I'm glad you've had a good day, and you are welcome. Thank you for being such a good friend for Robert." She pressed a business card into Mary's hand. "Here's my mobile phone number. Please call me if you need anything, or if you want a ride back to the hospital. Robert worries about you riding the bus alone." Mary didn't answer, but she took the card and stuck it in her pocket.

The car stopped and Mary climbed out, clutching her parcels. Peg watched as she walked to the end of the bridge, then disappeared down the embankment. She turned the car around and headed back to the hotel.

---

Mary carried her bags and headed to her campsite. All eyes were on her. A couple of the men whistled. Then Speedy asked where she had been and what was in the bags. "I went to see Bobby at the hospital. He was beat up real bad. Lots of broken bones, and bandages over his eyes. Those bastards almost killed him."

"What's in the bags? How did you get all fixed up?" Mary hesitated before she answered. She was sure they were hoping she had money, or something in the bags they could steal and sell.

"Bobby's wife was there, from Ohio. She bought me some clothes and gave me a ride. She seems like a nice lady, but Bobby doesn't trust her."

One of the women taunted, "Did you tell his wife you've been fucking her husband?"

"No, I did not. I just told her we're friends." With that she took her parcels and walked to her spot and carefully stowed the things with her kit. A couple of the others had followed her, and she made a show of taking out her knife as she told them she was tired and needed to rest. Then she spread her bedroll and laid down. She had the knife in her hand and kept her eyes open until she was satisfied the others would leave her alone.

Just then Speedy came over and thanked her for posting his bail. He promised to keep watch for her so she could get some sleep. "You and The Mayor are my only friends," he said. "I owe you for helping me." With that he sat down next to her blanket and did his best to look strong, holding an empty beer bottle as a weapon. He had decided that in Bobby's absence he'd be Mary's assistant deputy mayor.

*********

Peg had two glasses of wine with her dinner in the hotel restaurant. A couple of men had come over to ask if she was "looking for company," but moved on when she said she was not. Peg had a lot to figure out. She had been truthful when she told Robert that she and Charlie had not hooked up before his accident. She knew that Robert had been aware that Charlie had been working on her for some time. Charlie was divorced, and the three of them had spent a lot of time together. Charlie was at their house almost every day, joining them in whatever they were doing. He was funny and helpful and at times it seemed he was an integral part of their family. He had no children of his own, and doted on Lisa and Laura, who called him "Uncle Charlie."

About three months before Robert's accident Charlie had started making it a point to come to the house at times he knew Robert would not be home. He began pestering Peg to take their friendship "to the next level." He knew she was fond of him, and he was totally smitten with her. Charlie was a top salesman at the local Lincoln dealership, and enjoyed a decent income. Although they had never really talked about it, he was aware that Peg "came from money," and would come into a sizable inheritance on the death of her parents. Robert was very well paid in his job, but Charlie saw that they lived above the standard Robert's salary would provide, and assumed Peg was subsidizing their lifestyle.

Peg was annoyed at first by Charlie's advances. She loved her husband and had no desire to have Charlie or anybody else as a slice on the side. She told Charlie that as kindly as she could. She realized now that she had been too gentle with their friend, because he refused to back off. His attentions were obvious enough that it was creating tensions in their three-way friendship. Robert was losing patience with Charlie, and could not understand why

Peg was not more forceful about shutting him down.

Robert was an avid cyclist, and one of the activities the three had enjoyed together was taking long rides out of town, through the surrounding country. They enjoyed the fresh air, the healthy exercise, the peaceful scenery, and their camaraderie. But even riding together had begun to feel tense as Charlie pushed to be closer to Peg. That's why Robert had been riding alone when a pickup truck swerved into the bike lane and hit him in the back of the head with an extended passenger-side rear view mirror - the bike careening off the side of the road and Robert's head crashing into a utility pole.

Witnesses called 911 and he was rushed to the hospital near death. It had happened so fast that descriptions of the truck conflicted and no identification could be made. It was not even certain if the truck had been blue or green.

Even though it had all happened seven years before, as Peg sat and sipped wine after dinner the memory of those days was as fresh as if it had been yesterday. After Robert had ridden off that day, Charlie had found her in her kitchen. The girls were off at a friend's house, and they were alone. Charlie came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled the back of her neck and kissed her ear. "We're alone. I know you have had some of the same thoughts about me as I have about you," he whispered, moving his hands over her front as he pushed himself against her back. "Why don't we go upstairs and release some of this tension. Robert will never know."

He turned her around to face him, then bent down and kissed her lips. They had exchanged friendly kisses before, but this was different. There was nothing platonic about the way his lips worked on hers and his hands moved up and down her back, squeezing her butt cheeks, then sliding up and pulling her into an embrace. She resisted at first, mumbling "No, no," and trying to push him away. But then the kiss began to warm her up. She rested her head on his shoulder, trembled, and let him take her hand and begin to lead her toward the stairs and the bedroom.

They had just begun to climb the stairs, arms around each other, when there came a loud knocking on the front door. Startled, she stopped and tried to turn to go back down to answer the door. Charlie tried to hold her back, unwilling to lose this chance, but she pulled away. She panicked when she saw two police officers were outside. In her agitated state her mind flashed, "I know what I was about to do was wrong, but the police? Really?"

Nervously she pulled the door open and one of the officers asked if she was Mrs. Stevens. She confirmed she was, and he said, "I'm sorry to have to bring this news but there has been an accident, and your husband is in the emergency room at Good Samaritan Hospital."

"Is he badly hurt?" She asked, as her heart raced.

"I don't know just what his condition is," the policeman said, gently, "but they don't usually send us to notify like this if it isn't serious."

Peg began to feel her legs go out from under her. She had been about to let Charlie fuck her, and Robert was injured, maybe dead. The roaring in her ears was deafening. Just as she started to go down Charlie grabbed her under the armpits and helped her back to her feet. "Thank you, officers," he said, politely. "I'll help my friend's wife get to the hospital." He secretly smiled to himself, thinking those cops would give him a solid alibi. The feeling passed quickly as he realized he'd lost his chance at Peg's pussy.

Regaining her composure, Peg pulled out of Charlie's grasp and got busy. She rounded up her purse and her keys and headed for the garage. "Don't you want me to drive you? You're still pretty shook up," Charlie asked, solicitously.

"No, Charlie, I don't want to be anywhere near you after what you almost got me to do. I'll get there myself. Please look after the girls. I'll call when I know more so you can tell them what's going on." With that she was out the door and hustling to the hospital.

Peg and the girls, and other friends, and Charlie, maintained a vigil at Robert's bedside for the five weeks he lay in a coma. He underwent several surgeries, first to relieve pressure on his brain, then to install a steel plate where his skull had been crushed by the impact. Only his helmet had prevented it from being a fatal injury.

***

Her reverie was interrupted when the waitress came to ask if she would need anything else. Looking around, she realized the restaurant was full and there were people waiting for tables. She apologized for being so slow, signed the check, left cash on the table and headed for the door. Looking back she saw the waitress was still standing by her table. "Would you please arrange for a bottle of the same wine to be sent to my room?" she asked, then moved on toward the elevators.