Smoke Ch. 03

"Yeah, I remember. Tell him 'hi,' for me." 'Uh, huh, tell him something, that's for sure.'

After the woman left, Greg took the pie into the kitchen and split it down the middle and then cut one side in half. Putting the slices onto a couple of dishes, he brought them out and handed one to Cindy.

After a few minutes, he remarked, "Well, she sure knows how to cook, that's for sure." 'Damn, shoulda asked her to marry me!'

Monday morning, Cindy and Angie were having coffee when Suzy arrived.

"Suzy, this is Angie; she and her brother just moved into my old apartment."

Suzy nodded her head toward the new woman, wondering if she was going to be replaced. "Are we still going to Canter's for lunch?"

"Yes, we're ready to leave, I just need to get my purse." Cindy left the kitchen and Suzy sized up Angie. "So, I understand you're from New York?"

"Yes, the big city. The weather here is so much nicer, especially along the beach."

"Oh, you've been around L.A., then?"

"We took a ride out to the desert near Palmdale. We took some nice pictures to send back home."

"Back home, being?"

"Why, New York, of course. Why?"

"Oh, just interested, you know, woman's curiosity."

'Curiosity killed the cat...' "Sure, New York... my mother's still there. I mean, our mother, of course."

"I'm ready," Cindy called from the living room. "Maybe we'll see Jack Benny and I heard that that new starlet, Marilyn Monroe, was there last week."

"Have you decided, dear?" asked Suzy, with some derision in her voice. She didn't like Angie. Whether it was jealousy of her New York heritage or just her manner, she didn't know but she was uncomfortable around the woman. 'Considering what Cindy and I have done in the parking lot... this woman was making me uncomfortable? I can't believe it!'

"I'll have the corned beef and a Coke. You?"

"Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Cindy?"

"Might as well make it three... do you think Jack Benny will be here today?"

"Are you still chasing stars?" Suzy asked. "Just because we live in Los Angeles doesn't mean every person is in the movies." She turned to the other woman. "Are you looking for work, Angie?"

"Oh, no, I'm planning on finishing my education at El Camino and then transfer to UCLA, if I can."

"Started a little late, didn't you?"

"Yes, the War stopped everything and I had to go to work instead of finishing at Columbia so now's my chance."

"What do you want to major in?"

"Engineering, physics, that kind of stuff... it seemed pretty interesting."

"Seems pretty hard..." chimed in Cindy, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

"Enough about that... what about you, Suzy? What do you do?"

"Oh, this and that... you know, just things, like this, that's all."

"Maybe we could take classes together. We could share a ride there."

The waitress arrived and took their order. Suzy noticed the look Angie gave the woman as she wrote down what they wanted. It seemed out of place, in some way. After the waitress left, she turned her attention back to Angie. "I'll think about it... engineering, though? Not for me... maybe something simple like Journalism... you know, like Lois Lane. Sneaking around and finding things out..."

"Lois Lane, huh? Looking for Superman to rescue you?"

"No, it looks like Cindy's found him. What do you think, Cindy? Is Greg Superman?" Suzy joked.

"Huh? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. You lost me at engineering."

"I asked, 'Is Greg Superman'?" 'Bet he is... I bet he is.'

The young woman blushed. Suzy was surprised at Cindy's response. Weeks of giving blowjobs in the bar's parking lot for five dollars a throw and NOW she blushed. "Umm, well..." Cindy giggled like a schoolgirl and finally said, "Yeah, he certainly is."

This caught Angie's attention and she began listening as Cindy related Greg's accomplishments during their trip to San Francisco and since they returned.

"We're going to be married; he asked me the other night."

"So, where's the ring?" Angie inquired, looking at Cindy's hand. 'Yeah, right, like he wants to tie himself down to a little girl like you.'

"I haven't found one that I like, yet. Isn't he wonderful?" she asked, looking for encouragement.

Both Suzy and Angie looked at each other with the shared look of hardened women, each recognizing the other for what they truly were. 'Maybe, she thought, 'that's why I don't like her. We're two of a kind in search of the same thing. Maybe I should invite HER with me on Friday's. That'd be good.'

Both women laughed, thinking almost the same thing. Suzy promised herself to talk to Angie first chance she had.

Cindy sat there, not quite sure why the other two women were laughing but felt, somehow, that she was the butt of their unsaid joke. 'Well, that's fine. I just need Greg; anyway, if he can do me everyday like he's been doing, I don't need anyone or anything else... and, he's got money... at least, enough... right now.'

"Farmers' Market?"

"Farmers' Market? Is it what it sounds like?" Angie asked, finally hearing something of interest. The two women with her... the empty-headed young one seemed boring except when she spoke about the landlord she was living with; the other one, she seemed to be a sexual predator in search of the perfect man or men or at least, their cocks. 'At least,' Angie thought, 'she's got potential for some amusement.'

"You'll love it, they have just EVERYTHING!!!"

While it was true it didn't have everything, the Farmers' Market was interesting enough to keep Angie's attention for a good half-hour and then she began to get weary. She did, nevertheless, buy several bottles of Tabasco sauce.

Later that afternoon, Cindy was burning her second attempt at cooking dinner. Her time with Chris, cooking nothing but spaghetti, had dulled her edge in the kitchen. She realized that she needed help as soon as possible and the only salvation she could think of was Mrs. Shocley down the street.

Locking the door behind her, she ran down the street to the old lady's house and pounded on the door. "Please," she cried, "oh, please, be home."

The door opened finally under her incessant pounding and there stood Mrs. Shocley. "What is it, dear?"

"Oh, Mrs. Shocley, I'm in trouble and you're the only one who can fix it!"

"Come in, dear, and tell me all about it." 'What the hell could be so bad that it's worse than the last couple of weeks?'

"I CAN'T COOK!!!" Cindy broke down crying and leaned into the woman. Instinctively, Mrs. Shocley held the woman to her... "There, there, dear, it's nothing that can't be fixed. What do you have at the house?"

Already, she was putting on her sweater and locking her windows. "Well, dear, what do you have in the house?"

"SPAGHETTI!!! That's all I have, just spaghetti. I'm so screwed..."

"Well, then, looks like we're going to have to do this here," she said, sadly, and took off her sweater and began opening windows, again.

"Now, lets' see, what do I have? Ah," she said, "here we go." She reached into the cupboards and began pulling out boxes of rice and cans of vegetables and some olives and some...

"Gee, honey, this tastes great! And, chocolate cake, too! You must have worked all afternoon... thanks." Greg took another bite of rice and fish. "This is delicious."

Cindy vowed to name her first born after Mrs. Shocley, if this worked out. 'Maybe,' she realized, 'I should find out what her name is, first.'

"Your, uh, welcome, honey, I'm glad you liked it." 'Oh, God, what about tomorrow?'

"Well, my dear, I think it's time you learned how to cook. I can help you out a little here but you really need to take some classes... I think El Camino would be just the ticket... let me make a couple of calls for you... hmmm... let's see," she said, looking up the number in the book.

"Hello... yes, I'm calling about your Home Economics classes... yes, I see... how soon? how much would that be? I see... yes, tomorrow? Great, see you then."

Mrs. Shocley put the phone down and turned to her. "Well, dear, tomorrow, you're going to be a college co-ed, how about that?" 'How the hell can a girl not know how to cook... in this day and age?'

"I don't know what to say." 'Crap, there goes my free time, but if it's necessary, I guess I'll do it... besides, I'm tired of eating spaghetti, I've had enough to last me the rest of my life.'

"I'll be around to collect you about nine... and then, we can go buy some pots and pans and some cookbooks. Don't worry, I'll be there for you... you know, I think I'll sign up, too. It'll be fun! Just us girls!"

"Ah, gee..." 'Ah, geez!'

That evening, she prepared burgers and fries.

"Are they OK, Greg? I'm not sure if they're the way you would like them." 'God, I hope so, I spent almost an hour getting it right.'

"Oh, God, I'd marry you if I wasn't going to, already." 'Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad, after all. She's pretty, she can cook and boy, can she fuck!' "Want to go look for rings, again, tomorrow, honey?"

"I can't; I'm going with Mrs. Shocley. She's going to take some classes at El Camino and she asked me to go with her... you know, the old dear needs someone to take care of her.

"That's all right, isn't it?"

"Wow! That's really nice of you. I knew you were a good person the moment I saw you." 'Yeah, spread out on my bed!' "How much money will you need?"

"Thirty-two dollars and twenty-eight cents and then there's the pots and pans and cookbooks..." She looked pensively at him, wondering what he was thinking.

'Ha! The truth comes out. The classes are for her, not the old lady. After that pie the other night, there's no way SHE needs lessons. Cindy must be serious about being a good wife, if she's willing to do all this for me.' "Whatever you need, honey, wait a second."

Greg got up and went into the bedroom and finally came back with four twenties. "Here," he said, "this ought to cover whatever you need and maybe, if there's any left, why don't you take that nice Mrs. Shocley out for lunch.

"Tomorrow; I have to talk with Detective Kleis about a few things and then take a look at the Hawthorne rentals. I haven't been around there since before we took off."

"So," she asked, "are we watching TV or..."

"Oh," he answered, "definitely 'or'..."

The next morning, she ran down the street to get the pancake batter Shocley had prepared earlier that morning.

"Mmmmm, these are delicious, babe, simply wonderful. Thank you."

"What's for dinner, tonight?"

"Tonight? I... I'm just going to play it by ear, you know... improvise, is that all right? Or would you rather have something special?" 'Jesus Christ, why did I say that?'

'Why ruin it? She was trying, that was for sure.' Whatever you do, sweetheart, will be fine with me. What say Friday, we go out, would you like that?"

"We're not going to some bar to watch the fights, are we?"

"C'mer, you, I'll show you a fight." He jumped up from his chair as she ran into the bedroom.

At nine, she met Mrs. Shocley at her car and they drove into Torrance to register for the Home Ec classes.

"Well, dear, ready for college?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll do anything to make Greg happy with me."

"Yes, dear, I'm sure you will. Are you all right, I see you're a little stiff, this morning."

"No, I'm fine, thank you. I'm fine."

'I bet you are, I bet you are.' The older woman's smile matched the sunshine outside.

"...and these are your student ID and parking pass and the bookstore is right down the way. Summer session starts in two weeks. Good luck!"

"Well, how does it feel? College girl..."

"I never thought it would happen, really. Even if it's only this, I'm still the first in my family to go to something after high school.

"Do you think we'll run into Suzy and Angie sometime? I wonder if our classes are going to be the same time? We could all ride together."

"Dear, I don't think that would be a good idea. We may want to go somewhere on our own and don't want to wait for them or maybe play 'hooky' sometime... you know, just us girls."

"I guess... OK, you've been my best friend since we've met, so whatever you say is fine with me. Now, what?"

"Well, we have to get you some pots and pans and some of these cookbooks on the list. Woolworth's is on the way home, we can stop there..."

"Greg says if there's any money left, I should take you to lunch... you know, as a thank you."

"That's nice, dear, you don't have to."

"But... I really do want to."

"Fine. We can stop at Raymond's on Hawthorne Blvd. They have excellent baked bread there and I want to have you try some. We're going to get their recipe; the baker is a friend of mine."

"Sure, thanks, Mrs. Shocley."

"Listen, dear, now that we're going to school together and after, you know everything that's happened, I think you should drop the Mrs. Shocley and call me, Martine."

"I'll have the roast chicken, potatoes au gratin and an iced tea, thank you. Oh, and plenty of that bread. Is Joseph here today?"

"Yes, ma'am, would you like to speak with him?"

"Yes, please, when he can. What would you like, dear?"

"The roast beef, please, baked potato and a Coke."

After the waitress left, Martine leaned closer over the table and whispered, "So, what's going on with Greg. You said you're getting married. That's so exciting, especially after..."

"After Chris, you mean? Yeah, especially after him. He wants to marry me and I want to marry him."

"But..."

"I like him a lot, really, I'm just..." Cindy hesitated.

"Burned once and twice shy?" Martine took a sip of her iced tea and added another spoonful of sugar.

"Yeah, something like that. What do you think?" she asked.

"I think that you should grab the brass ring and never let it go, that's what. Do you mind if I smoke?" Martine asked.

"No, go ahead. I've started smoking again, after everything. Probably shouldn't have, though."

"Dirty habit, it is, I just can't seem to stop. Maybe you shouldn't start over. Nothing good's going to come of it.

"Ahh, here's Joseph. Joseph, this is Cindy, she's a good friend of mine. We're taking cooking classes in a couple of weeks over at Camino."

"You? But..." the man stammered, at a loss for words.

"But, what?" Martine asked.

"You taught ME how to bake."

Martine smiled. "Yes, I know... By the way, I need the recipe for your bread. It's too hard looking for mine and I haven't seen it in years."

"Why, of course and lunch is on me."

"Well, in that case, we'll have dessert, too." She looked at the cigarette in her fingers and stubbed it out in the ashtray. "I quit."

"Good choice," Joseph said. "Now, let me get your lunch finished. Nice to have met you, Cindy."

"Wow!" Cindy said, excitedly. "You taught him how to cook and now you want to help me? Why?"

"Because I see me in you, that's why."

"Who's Joseph? I mean, besides the chef, here?"

"He's my ex-." The woman had a wistful look in her eyes and there seemed to be some tears trying to form.

Cindy stared at her companion. "You're kidding, right?"

"I wish. I made a mistake, a big mistake and ruined our marriage and my life... our lives."

Cindy looked at her, expectantly. Martine realized she opened the door and it was up to her to either bring Cindy through it or close it.

"We were married about ten years, then and I was foolish. For some stupid reason, I thought that I could act like I was still single and when we went to parties I flirted madly with the other men there. Naturally, the wives started hating me and then at one Christmas party, I wasn't really doing anything that bad, just a little kissing under the mistletoe, you know and they told him that I had been doing a lot more.

"When he saw me, I could tell he was torn between walking out and beating the hell out of the guy I was with at the moment. The man I was kissing made a big mistake and laughed at him and Joseph walked over, calmly I thought, and hit him in the face and breaking his nose, knocked him out. Then, he walked out.

"He petitioned for a divorce on the grounds of adultery and all the women backed him up, even though I never did anything worse than that but he didn't care. He said the disrespect was worse than if I had actually slept with someone. I guess I understand that, sort of. We've been apart, now, six years, four months, two weeks and one day."

"I'm sorry." 'Shit! Now, what? Compared to that, what Suzy and I did is sending me to hell. God, Suzy better stay quiet or I'm dead.'

"It was all my fault and what's worse, once the divorce was final, he's been supporting me ever since. It's his house and I live there, he lives in a small apartment down the street from here. He's giving me alimony even though he doesn't have to and I can eat here for free.

"God, I was such a fool."

"Is there a chance? He obviously still loves you."

"I know, that's the problem. I still love HIM. We can't seem to get together and yet we can't stay apart." The woman began to cry and used the napkin to wipe her tears. People looked.

"And, now you're dating the detective?"

"Actually, I lied. He just wanted to ask me some more questions, that's all but I was so embarrassed that I made all that up."

The food arrived and conversation died for a while as they ate their food in silence. Several times, though, Cindy wanted to say something, anything but Martine's look stopped her.

A semblance of normality returned when dessert arrived and while Cindy had the New York style cheesecake, Martine had the blueberry cobbler.

"I only eat here once in a while. Seeing him breaks my heart, I can only imagine what it's doing to him and I'd get so fat I'd waddle down the street like a pregnant duck."

They were quiet for a while, again, then Cindy put a two-dollar tip down on the table and they walked out. She decided to return when she could and talk with Joseph, privately. She owed Martine at least that much.