Kayli Unknown

Chapter 43 - Lisa

The young deputy was professional, but confused. He had been told by dispatch to do a welfare check on the couple living at the top of the hill. Amy explained that she was fine, but her husband was lying dead in their root cellar. She had shot him. He asked her to get into the back seat of his cruiser while he called his commander.

Kat stood waiting. She kept her hands in plain sight, even though it was cold, and her pockets would have been much warmer. But her pocket also contained a pistol the deputy had not checked for. The deputy sat in his car, talking to Amy, and waiting for backup. Menominee County is like Marinette County. All the population lives down by the bay. So that is where all the county offices are. Kat stood in the cold forty minutes before she saw another cruiser coming up the road, lights flashing

A third cruiser followed close behind. A supervisor. Now, with three officers on site, Kat was interviewed. She produced identification, and suggested they call Deputy Kekkonen. Two more conversations, and three phone calls later, she was allowed to leave. She waved to Amy, and drove off.

The easy part of her morning was over. Now she had to talk to Lisa.

Lisa was waiting at the door, wearing her ice blue shimmer and a face that alternated between hope and terror. Kat held her in her arms and decided what to say first. She started with Amy.

"Amy is not mad at you. She was worried about you. Lou beat her up pretty badly, and she was afraid he might do the same to you."

"So I can see her?"

"Not for a while. She is under arrest. They came for her this morning."

"Because of Lou."

"Like I said, he beat her pretty badly. She was afraid he might beat you, or even Kayli. So she shot him."

"So that's why..."

"Yes, that's why Kayli came to the bar. She was afraid of Lou."

At that point the conversation stopped. Kat was still holding Lisa, but she could sense she was drifting away. It was a lot of information to process. Lisa' arms were around Kat, and her head was pressed into her shoulder. Kat held her gently and stroked her hair. And then she felt Lisa start shaking. She thought at first she might be crying, but when she looked at her face, all she saw was Lisa staring out the door. She was talking, but so quietly Kat had to lower her head to understand.

"They'll keep Amy. They'll put her in a little room. She'll be gone. She'll be gone." Her voice got quieter, but her lips were still moving as she repeated that Amy would be gone. And her eyes never moved. She was staring out over the expanse of snow, while her body began shaking more and more violently.

Kat was losing her. She had never seen one of Lisa's fits before, but it was obvious she was starting one now. She had lost a daughter, and now she was losing Amy. She couldn't deal with it. Kat held her tighter, kissed the top of her head, stroked her hair. No response. Finally she put her hand on the back of Lisa's head, turned her face up, and lowered her own so they were almost nose to nose.

"Lisa, I need your help. I'm scared. I was there when the deputies came. Lisa, help me." She repeated the phrases several times, pulling Lisa tightly against her as she said them. "Help me."

Lisa's eyes moved. She looked up at Kat. Her eyelids fluttered and then she focused.

"Help?"

"There were deputies. Three cars. They made me stand in the cold. I was so frightened. I just stood there shaking."

"Yes." Her eyes stayed on Kat.

"Hold me, Lisa. Hold me tight. Please."

Lisa tightened her arms around Kat. And she reached up to kiss her.

"Thank you, Lisa. It feels so good when you hold me. And I love you in this dress. You look so beautiful."

"How long will Amy be gone? Will they keep her?"

"She was defending herself, and Kayli, and you. They may keep her for a while, but you will get her back."

"And you?" She stared up at Kat, her eyes were now questioning.

"I need you to hold me, and talk to me, and be with me. Please."

"I made you lunch." Kat noticed she was no longer shaking. The expression on her face was questioning. Tentative. But she was talking loud enough for Kat to hear, and looking at her as she spoke.

"I would like that. Would you like me to change?"

"Your belt buckle hurts me when I hold you close. And your sweater is rough on my face."

"I'll take them off." Kat stepped out of her jeans, and pulled her sweater over her head. "Now, will you show me what you want me to wear?"

Lisa led Kat into her bedroom, and pointed to a yellow cocktail dress. Bare shoulders, short skirts. Kat would be cold. But she wore it.

The afternoon went well. Lisa had made a vegetable soup. They went through that pretty quickly and then gathered on the couch before the fireplace. They sat close. Kat pulled her bare legs under her, and held Lisa against her shoulders.

Lisa told stories about Amy. Things they had done in high school. Silly things that had happened in classes. Lots about Amy. Amy had been on the prom court. Amy's wedding had been so beautiful. Then Lisa talked about Kayli. The early days. Her first steps. Driving into Menominee so she could trick or treat in a Disney princess dress, both Amy and Lisa there to watch and take a million pictures. Hour after hour of Amy stories, and Kayli stories.

They left the music playing on the sound system, and sometimes they would sing along. Sometimes they would get up and slow dance. They held each other tight. They kissed after every dance.

Kat had some concerns about the conversation. Always the past. In some ways it reminded her of things people say at a wake. So and so did this funny thing, or said that clever thing. A way of making the passing easier. But somewhere in there, Kat assumed Lisa was also thinking of her future. A future without her friend for life.

After one of the dances, Kat took her there. The future. They had settled on the couch again, Kat's arm around Lisa's shoulders.

"I have another workshop this weekend. Do you think you could help me?"

"Do you need a bartender?" Lisa had been resting her head on Kat's shoulder. Now she twisted so she could look up at Kat. Kat tried to read her expression. Interest? And maybe some concern. What was being asked of her? And how serious was the offer?

"I just serve white wine, and juice for those who don't drink. What I really need is someone who is just good with people. That is what you really do as a bartender, right? Yes, you pour beer, but mostly you talk."

"So, you want me one or two nights to help?"

"No, I want you here all the time. Weekends to help entertain the guests. Weekdays to help clean and get ready for the next workshop. I want you here, Lisa. With me."

Lisa didn't answer. She pressed her face into Kat's neck and held her tight. She didn't answer that afternoon, or at dinner, when they sat eating by candlelight. But she smiled more. And she looked at Kat every chance she got. And she touched her. Maybe a hand as they walked to the dining room, or as they sat at dinner, or both hands on the back of Kat's neck as they slow danced after dinner. She touched, she looked, she smiled.