Murray Hill || A Superhuman Tale - 1

Chapter Thirty

At about noon, Rhonda woke from her morning sleep and began poking around the house. Tommy earlier had informed her that he would be in the shop with Javier throughout most of the day. A part-time employee/part-time student with full-time bills, the young deliveryman was eager to learn the manufacturing side of the business for the increased hours it would bring. And Tommy needed an assistant. Though there currently were still stockpiles in the freezer, ice cream simply hadn't been getting made, and stocks of several popular flavors—chocolate-cherry mocha and pecan-orange delight—were running dangerously low.

At around 12:30, there was a knock at the door. After checking the peephole, Rhonda pulled the portal wide to greet Detective Thomas.

"Detective, hello," Rhonda said. "How are you? Come on in."

Camille entered, but it was apparent that she was somewhat taken aback.

"Tommy's up in the shop. I'll let him know you're here." Rhonda picked up the phone and made a short call.

By that time, a sudden shift in the detective's demeanor showed she'd put two and two together. "Nurse Pierce," she said, still unable to hide a certain surprise. "I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm doing great, and call me Rhonda. Tommy will be right down. Tea, soda, coffee?"

"Diet would be great."

Rhonda fetched Camille a Diet Coke from the same stash Tommy had raided some days earlier, with the exception that Rhonda was civilized enough to provide a glass and ice for her guest. Drinks in hand, the two women adjourned to the sunroom, which really was just a wide and comfortable breezeway that led out onto the apartment's modest balcony.

"I didn't know you and Mr. Haas were together," Camille said as she turned from the sliding glass door and its view of the street below. There still was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Yeah, six years now. From time to time, they forget to lock the ER doors, and I slip out." The nurse shared her lovely smile. "Tommy's mentioned having met you before, as well as Detective Mueller. I didn't want to get involved in your business together. But I've known your partner a while, and his partner before you. Detective Gellner was a hoot."

"Oh ... jeez, that man is still legend at the precinct. Those have been huge shoes to fill." The young woman looked down. "Fortunately, I've got some pretty big feet."

Rhonda laughed. "You'll have to eat a lot more cannoli before you fit into his suit, though."

The old detective's girth and appetites were as famous as his policing skills, and Camille joined Rhonda in her laugh. Their rapport about the precinct and its various oddballs and characters went on a few minutes longer, the end of which found the detective standing near a small bookshelf on which there was a photo of a somewhat younger Rhonda with a handsome man of about 35 and a precious young girl of some seven years.

"Oh, who is this lovely child?" Camille asked.

"That's my daughter, Marlena."

"How old is she?"

"In that picture, eight. She and my husband were killed by a drunk driver just over nine years ago." Rhonda saw the detective's immediate distress. "Camille, is it?"

"Yes."

"Camille, it was a long time ago. You can ask all you want."

"No. I didn't mean to pry. I'm sorry."

"Nonsense," Rhonda said. "We've all lost people. It isn't prying .... It's never prying to ask about the ones somebody loves." Still sensing the detective's discomfort, Rhonda changed the subject. "My jackass boyfriend still isn't down. Can I get you anything else while you wait?"

At that moment, the front door opened, Tommy stepped through, and walked toward the women with his typical smile. Greetings were exchanged, after which the trifling discomfort of moments before evaporated.

"Camille," said Rhonda a few minutes later, "I'm a night shift girl and gotta get some sleep. I'll let you two get to it. But it is so nice having you in our home. If this oaf doesn't make you feel like a member of the family, come wake me up. I'll sort him out."

She stuck out her hand, and Camille shook it warmly. On the way to the bedroom, Rhonda gave Tommy a sharp backhand to the shoulder and retired without further word.