"Are you sure about this, sweetheart?"
"I'm sure, Rick. I've never been more sure about anything."
She kissed him lightly on the cheek. Her high heels tapped on the sidewalk as she circled around him, taking in this small portion of the city--her last glimpse of the harsh grit of freedom before surrendering herself to captivity.
"I'm an accomplice," she said. "I helped Tony get away after he killed Berretta. I deserve this. I need it. It's only two years, Rick. Maybe less if I keep my nose clean. Then once I get out, just think about it--I'll have a fresh start. I'll have my own life. That's what Delilah would've wanted."
"I suppose I should say that I'm proud of you."
"Say it like you mean it, Rick."
He grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her close. They collided like objects trapped by the laws of gravity--something far stronger than the laws of men. His lips found hers, and the two became one. It was a moment of passion, a moment of beauty, a moment of freedom. He dipped her low, and her golden curls dangled over the murky sidewalk.
"Will you wait for me?" she asked.
"Baby, for you? Anything."
The sun was rising, and it was time to go. Laura stepped toward the waiting police car, tipping her hat politely to Lenny and Joe, who tipped their own hats and then nodded at Rick.
"Find her a good room," Rick told them. "Someplace warm, where she can watch the sunset."
"We'll see what we can do, pal. We'll see what we can do."
The three of them climbed into the patrol car, and with sirens roaring, sped away from Rick and their spot on the sidewalk. She was looking back the whole time. Rick tipped his hat into the distance.
He stepped back into his office, and Gloria wasn't far behind, hustling in while struggling to catch her breath.
"I'm here, boss. Did I miss anything?" she asked. She wore a boxy hat with a flower stuck in it and a plain, unflattering coat that hung down to her knees.
"Hello, Glory. You missed a hell of a night. She should've been there."
"If only," she sighed.
"How about we take the rest of the day off? I could use a stroll across town to even me out a bit," said Rick, standing against the front window with his hands in his pocket.
"Really? That'd be swell, Rick!"
"Yeah, and you should go shopping or something. You could use a new hat."
She slumped over sadly.
"See you tomorrow, Glory. I've got a city to visit."
He walked back onto the streets like a boxer stepping back into the ring. This was his domain. It knew his name, and it called to him from every windswept gutter and alley, whispering in the buzz of street lights. His was a tenement soul and a neon heart. This was his city. It was a city of trouble, of dark nights, of dangerous women, of booze and cigarettes. This was a city worth dying in.
"I'm sure, Rick. I've never been more sure about anything."
She kissed him lightly on the cheek. Her high heels tapped on the sidewalk as she circled around him, taking in this small portion of the city--her last glimpse of the harsh grit of freedom before surrendering herself to captivity.
"I'm an accomplice," she said. "I helped Tony get away after he killed Berretta. I deserve this. I need it. It's only two years, Rick. Maybe less if I keep my nose clean. Then once I get out, just think about it--I'll have a fresh start. I'll have my own life. That's what Delilah would've wanted."
"I suppose I should say that I'm proud of you."
"Say it like you mean it, Rick."
He grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her close. They collided like objects trapped by the laws of gravity--something far stronger than the laws of men. His lips found hers, and the two became one. It was a moment of passion, a moment of beauty, a moment of freedom. He dipped her low, and her golden curls dangled over the murky sidewalk.
"Will you wait for me?" she asked.
"Baby, for you? Anything."
The sun was rising, and it was time to go. Laura stepped toward the waiting police car, tipping her hat politely to Lenny and Joe, who tipped their own hats and then nodded at Rick.
"Find her a good room," Rick told them. "Someplace warm, where she can watch the sunset."
"We'll see what we can do, pal. We'll see what we can do."
The three of them climbed into the patrol car, and with sirens roaring, sped away from Rick and their spot on the sidewalk. She was looking back the whole time. Rick tipped his hat into the distance.
He stepped back into his office, and Gloria wasn't far behind, hustling in while struggling to catch her breath.
"I'm here, boss. Did I miss anything?" she asked. She wore a boxy hat with a flower stuck in it and a plain, unflattering coat that hung down to her knees.
"Hello, Glory. You missed a hell of a night. She should've been there."
"If only," she sighed.
"How about we take the rest of the day off? I could use a stroll across town to even me out a bit," said Rick, standing against the front window with his hands in his pocket.
"Really? That'd be swell, Rick!"
"Yeah, and you should go shopping or something. You could use a new hat."
She slumped over sadly.
"See you tomorrow, Glory. I've got a city to visit."
He walked back onto the streets like a boxer stepping back into the ring. This was his domain. It knew his name, and it called to him from every windswept gutter and alley, whispering in the buzz of street lights. His was a tenement soul and a neon heart. This was his city. It was a city of trouble, of dark nights, of dangerous women, of booze and cigarettes. This was a city worth dying in.
No comments:
Post a Comment