I've Got This Friend

Chapter 10

Mae was still half-asleep when she rolled over and nuzzled her face in Opie's neck. His beard tickled her skin but she breathed him in and enjoyed their last minutes before having to get up. Her movements stirred Opie from his sleep, he peeked out and looked down at her snuggled so close and smiled to himself.

"How'd you sleep?" He asked his voice rough and low with sleepiness..

She looked up and nodded with her bottom lip sucked into her mouth. "Really well, thanks. What about you?"

"Pretty good." He let her go and sat up, placing his feet firmly on the floor. "Really good actually." He pointed to the clock above the bathroom door. "It's already fucking eleven."

"Really?" She shot up and checked her phone on the side table. "I haven't slept this late in years. Feels kind of good."

"I feel really good." He said. By the time Mae was standing, Opie already had his boots and cut back on. "I haven't slept like that in months."

"Me either." She looked down at her clothing and laughed. "My hair is probably a mess." He nodded and pulling his beanie from his head walked over to Mae and placed the hat on her head.

"It looks good."

She pushed it up from her eyes and nodded. "Thanks. I like it. Just let me throw on some jeans, I'll meet you out there?"

"Yeah," he left the room and waited to hear her lock the door behind him. When he trudged into the main room Juice was sipping on some coffee waiting for Opie and Mae. "Hey man, sorry, long fucking night."

Juice laughed and nodded. "I got a bunch of shit for her. What happened anyway?"

"Someone broke into her place and stole her fucking underwear." Before Juice could make a joke or even laugh, Piney bumbled in with a large envelope.

"Addressed to you."

"Me? Thanks, Pop." Opie pulled a face and grabbed the envelope. Ripping the seal he pulled out two eight by ten full color photos. The first was of him on a tow job a few days before and the second was of Mae, in her bedroom and completely nude, fresh from the shower. "What the fuck?"

Rubbernecking, Juice cursed under his breath when he saw the photo. "Shit, man, I don't think her break-in was random."

"You think?" Opie snapped and quickly shoved the photos back in the envelope as he headed back toward the apartment. "Mae?" He pounded on the door with a sense of urgency.

Mae swung the door open, her chin still wet from just having brushed her teeth, and looked at him in confusion. "Is everything okay?"

"No." He kicked the door shut with his foot and pointed toward the bed. "Do you have any personal shit? Any assholes bothering you? An ex?"

This was not how she planned on telling Opie. Mae nodded sadly and sat back on the bed. "Yeah. How did you know? It's not what it looks like at all," she mumbled. Mae was afraid she'd been painted a rat. "I swear."

Handing her the photos Opie waited for her inevitable horrified reaction. "Don't freak out, I'll take care of it."

"Oh my God," she gasped and covered her face. "Who saw these?" She asked quietly.

"Just me." This white lie wouldn't hurt. "Mae, you need to tell me what's going on."

Her little hands turned into fists and she grunted as she thumped the mattress beside her. "This is bullshit. He's watching me. I had...I had no idea he was even out until a few days ago. I feel sick."

When Opie sat beside her, his weight and the give of the mattress made Mae lean in toward him. "Talk to me." She nodded, grabbed her tiny purse from the night before and pulled out the folded up picture of them on the roof. She could see his eyes bulge and his cheeks flush as he grew angrier.

"I was going to tell you last night but we were talking and you made me forget actually. I found this and a syringe in my nightstand. He's not my ex, he was one of those guys I told you about. After Janet died I ran, I was terrified so I stopped hanging out with them and buried my head in school. I did start dating someone, he was a CO actually. We didn't work out. A few months later I graduated and right before I left town Jude and two of his guys got picked up and they did a few years for possession and a list of other stuff. They think I snitched to that guy but I didn't. I wanted to but I know what happens to snitches."

Opie looked from the photo to Mae's terrified face and, although her story was a bright red flag, he trusted her and believed in her. "So, if I looked into the case there'd be no witness?"

"There might be a witness but it's not me. I didn't want to wash up naked on some beach in New England. It's not me, Ope. Besides," she took his hands, "Even if death wasn't a factor, I'd never snitch on you, I like you too much."

His beard tickled her face as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Alright, but I'm still checking into it. I have to, Mae it's not that I don't believe you but I have to."

"I want you to. I don't want you to have any doubts at all."

"I forgot something last night too." From his back pocket he pulled a blue bandana and began wrapping it around her wrist. "It was Sack's, it was in his locker. I thought you might want to keep it."

"Oh Ope," she brushed her fingers along the fabric. "Thank you."

"No problem, you're welcome." He grabbed her bag again and headed for the door. "I'll meet you out front."