Frank Klus - Azaleas Don't Bloom Here

“Please, Gene,” she said, half pleading; half shouting. “I’ve told you all that I can. Please, please, Gene, don’t bring them here. Please don’t do this. I…”

“I what?” Gene walked over to where Catherine was standing and put his arm around her.

She turned her head away from him and sighed. “I can’t go on.” She paused and turned to him. “Gene, listen to me. I love you, but you have to get out!”

“Get out of where? Please tell me what is going on with you.”

“I can’t,” she said almost whimpering. “I have to go.”

“I think this is the alcohol talking. You sound like a crazy person. Look, I’ll make a deal with you. If you promise to go to AA meetings, I’ll promise not to see Dennis again.”

Catherine’s eyes opened dejectedly. “I can’t…. I mean… it doesn’t matter. I could go to a hundred meetings and it won’t help.”

“CATHERINE!”

Catherine’s eyes welled up and she looked down. “Ooohhh!” she screeched as she covered her mouth with both hands. She was openly sobbing now as she leaned up against the wall near the side door. Eugene was frightened as he stared at his wife.

Catherine lifted her head and took her hands from her mouth. “A drink is the only thing that eases the pain.”

Eugene was driving to another assignment on the south side of Old Chicago, but he couldn’t help but reflect on that terrible morning. What’s going on? What does she know about Dennis and Teresa? Why does she hate them? Why won’t she tell me? As he headed south on Western Avenue he heard whistles shrilling and saw the Lightning Squad in his rear view mirror. He checked his speed. Five miles over the limit. They can’t flag me for that. Can they? Maybe it’s Dennis . They caught up and motioned to him to pull over. He figured it must be Dennis, but when he waited, he didn’t see his friend. A guy he didn’t know approached him. Christ. Just five over the limit, but how could I be so stupid. I let Catherine’s histrionics break my concentration. As the squad leader approach he reflected on his ugly face, and then as he got closer, Christ! He’s got no face.

“Driver’s license, please.”

Eugene complied.

“You Eugene Sulke?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You were speeding. Get out of the car, Mr. Sulke.”

Oh, where is Dennis? Eugene got out of the car. “Did you pull me over for speeding or because my name is Sulke?”

The angered squad leader hit him in the mouth with his rifle butt, and Gene staggered trying to stay on his feet. “Don’t get smart with me. Get back in your car and follow us. You do anything funny, and we’ll shoot your tires out.”

He did what he was told and they led him several miles to the brigade office. There they led him inside and treated him for a cut to his upper lip. Then they led him into an interrogation room. Oh, where is Dennis?

Eugene Sulke was in Battalion Headquarters 127 and held on charges of abusive language to a squad leader and speeding for a third time. When Eugene asked for a lawyer all he got was derision and laughter. Any other questions were ignored. Where is Dennis?

They put him in a jail cell. When he got there he was appalled by the condition of it. This is no jail cell; it’s a cage . There were no bars, just a steel mesh; about four by four. There was no toilet or cot; just a drain to urinate in. If he wanted to sit down, he’d have to do it on a cement floor. The guard told him if he needed to shit they would give him a bucket and six pieces of toilet paper. He would be charged a dollar for tossing out his waste. If he was there all day he’d get one meal every eight hours. It wasn’t designed to be delicious or nutritious either. Oh, where is Dennis?

Squad Leader O’Reilly showed up two hours later. He forced a smile and then had the cage opened. “Come on, Genie,” as Dennis motioned for him to come out. He escorted him outside and then looked at him a little more seriously. “Really, Gene. You can’t fuck with these guys. I would have gotten you off that speeding ticket. I’m friends with Mad Dog. That’s what we call the Battalion Commander. Doesn’t he look like a mutt?” He was almost laughing now and then got serious again.

“Gene, they wanted to take you to trial. You could lose your job if the judge found you guilty; and he would too. The judge is a Lightning Squad guy. The government allows this. Anyway, don’t worry. I talked Mad Dog out of any charges. That squad leader is a real asshole. He may be looking for you again, so be careful. If they stop you, be polite and they can’t bring you in. The squad leaders get half the fine for speeding or other violations, so you have to be on your guard. Things are getting worse around here. Come on, I’ll walk with you to your car.”

Gene thanked his friend as he got into his car and called his work. He apologized for being late, but lied about what happened, using the excuse that he broke down on the way there. He was fortunate that no one cared he was late, and they told him to come back tomorrow morning. Gene had begun driving home when he suddenly saw a strange woman sitting in his back seat. “What the fuck,” Gene yelled as he slammed on the breaks and pulled over to the side of the road.

She smiled serenely. “Hello, Gene.”

“Who the hell are you?”

“My name is Cassandra O’Reilly. I’m Ray O’Reilly’s wife. You remember Ray, right? He’s Dennis’ brother.”

“What are you doing in my car? I mean, why are you here?”

“I’m looking after you.” Cassandra was a tough looking woman with flaming red cropped hair and greenish grey eyes. She was short—only about five feet tall and skinny as a rail, yet she talked like she was someone in authority, though she wore no uniform. She was quite self-assured as she climbed out of the backseat and into the front passenger one. She just looked at Gene and waited for him to say something.

“Why do I suddenly need all these people to look after me? First, Dennis, and now you.”

Cassandra smiled broadly. She wasn’t much more than twenty years old; about half Ray’s age, and much cuter. Her smile was infectious, and it caught Eugene off guard. He felt angry and attracted to her at the same time. Cassandra instantly picked up on that, and used it to her advantage. “I heard about your run-in with the Squad.”

“Are you with the Lightning Squad?”

Cassandra just stared at Eugene. “You’re really cute.”

“What?”

“You’re not a soldier, though.”

“I’m a businessman.”

“Well, as a businessman, you’re rather handsome with your cute little spare tire.” She pinched his stomach.

“Cut that out.”

Cassandra snickered. “I’m guessing about five-seven.”

“I’m five-nine.”

“Okay, five-eight. And that cute little face and blonde hair,” she laughed again. Eugene looked angry. She expected that reaction, and put on a faux pout. “Everyone knows you. I couldn’t wait to meet you. Ray told me about you when you were both just kids.”

“Does this have something to do with my father?”

“Not really.” Cassandra was charming and bewitching at the same time. She made him feel uncomfortable.

“I used to be in the Lightning Squad when they were good and honest people. That changed when Jaydan Casimir was made the commandant. We used to care about people, and then he made a deal with the RAC.”

“Aren’t those the… uh… oh, I can’t remember what those assholes are called.”