Gomorrah

8.Clarifications

Five o'clock came as it always did, time for the day shift to go home to their holes. Around the time Evan was planning on how to die Sgt.John was walking out of the administration building when Dr. Angela stopped him. "Umm are you busy?" she asked to which he said no. "Well I was wondering if you want to have dinner? Nothing fancy just some beers and sandwiches at the Lion Ale House" she replied a little uneasy sounding. "Well I can go for a beer now so yes" John replied. They drove in separate cars near the college town to the restaurant. It was already cold and dark with the threat of snow . The restaurant was relatively quiet for a Sunday night with most people at the bar. The two got a seat and ordered. Both of them got their favorites, Iron City Beer. 

As they ate and drank they struck up a normal conversation that started to drift. "You know what they say about me isn't entirely true...that I slept my way to the top and that I was blank at my mother's funeral..." Angela said quietly to John. "Well rumors are rumors for a reason. The truth is lost in them" he replied. She shook her head "No there is some truth to them..That I am known to be a ruthless team player, that I grew up poor in Oklahoma and that my parents beat me. I did work at Byberry hospital just outside of Philadelphia. No I did not leave because someone died under my care, I quit. The place was falling apart and I wasn't making enough for that bullshit. I got to the top through working up". She snickered and said "Honestly whoever came up with the rumor I slept my way to the top is probably some loner that wanted some action he was never going to get. I would rather not go in too much detail about my family.." she trailed off. No one would know she was heartbroken when he parents died despite them being really horrible to her. "Why do you bring this up?" John asked finishing his beer an ordering them a second round as their food came. "Levi...He said something that just struck a cord... Somehow he knew so I..I put him in is place". John looked confused "Like you beat him?" to which she nodded as she nonchalantly at her sandwich. "My father taught me it's better to be feared and what better way than to make them think their life is at risk. What better way than a slap?" she said. John was a bit surprised at how she said she beat him, like they were having a normal conversation about the weather. He knew she liked smacking the patients around but the fact she was calm and cool about it made him shiver.  "For a soldier he does not do well sometimes. Hell sometimes I think one day he's going to off himself. Disturbing how in war you go kill another man to come home and kill yourself."John knew all too well the horrors of war. He was in the Marine Corps in Europe on D Day. He knew that Levi was in the Army in Europe and that's all he knew about him. He heard his family were Russians and that he had family that were priests. 

"So did you invite me to dinner just to clarify things with me?" John asked as they finished their fourth beers. "Well to be quite honest I had nothing to do tonight so partially boredom and that I just want to spend time with a friend" Angela replied. Already there were two inches of snow on the ground and the wind was picking up. "Winter is a wonderful season. The snow is my favorite. Oklahoma is cold but very dry with almost no snow. I remember when I first came up here we had a blizzard and we lost power at the hospital. Remember when you were running around giving everyone blankets? We then got everyone in the day rooms and threw more wood on the fireplaces? I hope the hospital didn't lose power but that was a good time" Angela said smiling. "Christmas is coming so you know what that means?" John said as Angela rolled her eyes "More visitors I know". She liked Christmas but hated the families coming to visit. The few that bothered to visit meddled too much. Asking too many questions and they would raise hell over the littlest things from their son having a bruise to their mattress having a stain. It was always the dumbest things people raised hell over. If they saw everything she had to do they would shut their self righteous mouths and help her case load by just taking their kids home. 

They left at around seven. "Thanks John. I had a great time and I want to do this again..Goodnight" Angela said getting in her car and driving off. "Yeah..Goodnight" John said. He went home, listened to the evening news and went to bed at around midnight. He started having nightmares about the war to where he woke up with cold sweats. He got up, got a glass of water and sat up for a few hours. His time in Europe did a wonder on his mind and soul. He became a police officer and a good one too after the war. In a way he wanted to redeem himself by protecting others rather than hunting them. Hell he even decided to guard a hospital for the mental because they are one of the weakest groups out there, no one gave them a damn. Almost a year in to the job he started smuggling things in for the residents. He saw them as family and just wanted to make their lives bearable even if it was through cigarettes and candy. Sure everyone knew about it but what did he care? "Serve and Protect" he was told to do. Damned if he didn't even if he was bending the law to do so.