Idioms...sayings understood by native speakers part forty seven

Sal sat looking at his ptate. He was starving and his client seemed to be very late. He dug into his spaghetti, twilling it like an expert as he shoved the pasta into his mouth, savoring every bite. This little Italian restaurant stood on the outskirts of town. Although it was well known, it was not crowed during lunch. Dinner, on the other hand, was standing room only. He saw a woman in her late forties, well dressed with greyed red hair and sunglasses enter. The hostess brought her to his table and the waitress came over to offer her water and a menu.

"I am sorry. I am really not hungry."

"Mrs..." Sal started then noticed the woman flinched. "Manning, I think I should tell you this is one of the best restaurants for Italian food and I daresay, I cannot fathom why any" another flinch, "Friend of mine would not eat with me."

"Fine. I will have what he is having." The woman stated quickly.

The waitress smiled. "Would you like to have wine with your dinner?"

"Um, sure. White."

"Theresa?"

"Yes, Sal."

"She'll be having what I am having, okay?"

"Um, if you are sure."

"I am."

The waitress took off and stifled a grin, as she poured a glass of milk for the lady in question.

"I am way over twenty-one, Mr. Basso."

"That is not the point, Mrs. Matthews." He had lowered his voice to a whisper. "Now is the time to keep our minds and our heads clear." He pulled back into his seat, leaning over and removing his legal pad from his brief case. "Now, on what grounds do you wish to divorce, one Mr. Albert James Matthews?"

The woman, with shaking hands, reached up and pulled off her sunglasses. "For the last thirty years, I have tried to make this marriage work. I kept my figure. I kept up all social demands placed on me by the Matthews. I gave them two sons. I made every excuse I could think of to accept the fact that I was beaten by that man, many many times. My one son died in a tragic accident. My other son is trying to remove himself from this family. I have been blamed for everything by my husband. I feel that if you look hard enough, I caused WW!!. I am done. I want out."

"Do you have any proof of abuse?" Sal took a drink of his milk. "What I mean is, did you go see a doctor?"

"One broken right arm. Three different times I had cracked ribs. This?" she pointed to her eye. "This is nothing. A broken jaw." She paused. "Do I need to go on?"

"So there are medical records?"

"Yes. But I attributed them to falling down the stairs, walking into a door, or tripping over the carpet."

"And?"

"I don't want money. I don't want anything that man can offer anymore. I want to start over, clean. I just want out."

"Is your husband aware of your wishes?"

"It would not matter to him if I lived or died. If I don't ask for anything, do you think he will let me go?"

"Mrs. Matthews, don't be naive. You are his favorite punching bag, without you, who will he beat up next?"

"I cannot prove anything though. The witnesses are the servants. They won't talk. My so called friends, they won't talk. There is always Millie and Oscar, but their positions are precarious at best. Millie is too weak, and Oscar, a man of character, will be raked over the mud."

The waitress brought the food. She looked at Sal and whispered, "Good luck!"

Sal winked at the girl. Then proceeded to take another bite of his food.

"Eat, Mrs. Matthews. You are going to need all the strength you can muster."

---

The three men sat on the old rockers in front of the house watching the storm front move in.

Rick remained silent after reading the pieces of paper the twins brought from their house.

"Guys. You are in way over your head here, if this is true."

"Rick, we are going to need your help in proving this."

"Me?"

"Yeah."

"I want you to stop. Stop this now."

"Why do you think your house is bugged?"

"I have no idea, Dejuan." He paused. "But I think some spring cleaning is going to take place. Then they will know I found it by accident and you two will be free and clear."

"Rick, they are trafficking in custom made human organs, bone marrow, and tissues. It is all there but the proof."

"I will resign tomorrow. I will take Jenny and her brother out of this town. I suggest you two do the same. I can always find a job somewhere else."

"Rick, do you think they will let you leave?"

Deshaun glanced at his brother and then at Rick. "Rick, listen, your dad is almost sixty is he not?"

"in about six or seven years or so why?"

"So, who do you think they will use to provide him a heart?"

"What?"

"Rick, what type of blood do you have?"

"O positive."

"And your mother, what type did she have?"

"O postitive."

Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccccccccclkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!!!! the sound crescendoed over the lake as a streak of lightning illuminated thru the dark cloudy sky.

Then the three men heard a strange eerie scream. Rick jumped up. "Guys, I have got to get to Charlie."

Rick ran into the house with his two friends right behind him. He entered the opened door of his bedroom and there was Charlie wide eyed and frightened. Lynn was in a bear hug as he rocked back and forth. "It hurts. It hurts." The sound of more thunder rang out thru the house, the vibration shook the windows. The lights went out and Rick heard a strangled whisper, "Charlie.. please, Charlie, I can't breath."

Rick's eyes adjusted and he saw Lynn's face was being pressed into Charlie's chest. The man was so frightened, so strong, he was suffocating Lynn.

"Just knock him out, Rick!" Deshaun yelled.

"No. This is not his fault. Do what I say. Pull on his arms to ease the pressure on Lynn." he grabbed a pillow in each hand and got behind Charlie.

"Charlie, it's Wick. It's Wick. I will make the bad noise go away. Let go of Lynn, Charlie. You are hurting her."

Rick put each pillow over the boy's ears and held tightly, while his friends grabbed both the arms and applied pressure. Rick heard Lynn take gasp and finally, Charlie let go.

Deshaun and Dejuan pulled the girl away. Rick let the pillows go, but kept his hands over the boy's ears with his elbows hooked under both of Charlie's arms. Keeping that position, he cradled him from behind, rocking with him. Breathing hard from the exertion, he looked at Lynn who was trying to catch her breath.

"Lynn?"

"I'm okay. It's my fault. I was just stupid. That's all." she pleaded, "Rick, don't hurt him."

"Lynn, go in the other room. Guys, put her on the couch. Close the door."

Deshaun and Dejuan helped her up and took her out of the room. Lynn looked back at Charlie. Rick kept up the rocking, talking as gently as possible to the boy.

"Miss Lynn? Are you all right?"

Deshaun came back into the living room and offered a glass of water to the shaken girl. She thanked him and drank it down.

"Lynn?"

"Deshaun, Dejuan, my brother has autistic traits. Thunder scares him. I woke up to that thunder clap and ran into the bedroom. He was already beyond reach. I should not have gone near him, but he was suffering so. He saw me when I got close and held on for dear life. He was not trying to hurt me or anything. I promise."

The rain lightened up as the fierce storm moved past the house. The lights returned. Lynn got up and went to the bedroom. Rick sat beside Charlie's bed and the boy was fast asleep.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Getting up, he stood there looking at the man child brother of his beloved. Rick turned and walked towards her as she stood in the doorway. "I asked you a question. I am expecting you to answer." He stated in an even voice.

"I am fine, Rick."

He grabbed her swiftly into a similar although more gently held bearhug. "What would you have done, if I hadn't been here? What the hell would I have done, if my brothers hadn't been here?" He closed his eyes. "Thank God. Thank God, this did not end in tragedy. Lynn,  stop doing things without thinking them through. I mean it."

Lynn started to cry. "I am sorry. I really am sorry."

Rick rocked her gently back and forth. He steadied his breathing. "The storm is over for now. I think we can venture out onto the porch... and maybe, we can enjoy the calm a bit."

Deshaun and Dejuan walked out with the couple.

"Rick? Think this over. Contact us. We are still going to investigate it. Understand?"

Rick just nodded. "Guys?"

They both turned back from their descent on the front steps.

"Thank you. I will contact you. If there is smoke, there is fire. I just don't want anyone I care about getting burned."

The two nodded and left.

Lynn looked at the man beside her in the rocker. "What is that all about?"

"Just another storm on the horizon, Lynn." He reached out and held her hand.

to be continued...