Blurred Lines

Chapter Nine

"I have your favorite." Bri smiled, holding up the pint of chocolate peanut butter ice cream. She set the pints down on the bench and stood up to give me a hug as I approached her on the path.

"Thank you." I hugged her back and sat cross-legged on the bench next to her. I opened the lid to the small tub and Bri opened her pint of cookies and cream.

We sat in silence for a few moments, slowly eating our ice cream as it began to melt around the edges of the container. Watching the runners and bikers on the path that wove around the park full of little kids, it was just comforting to be in her presence. This was tradition, starting the day after that dreadful day that my mom died six years ago. We met at the playground we used to play at all the time and sat on the bench. She brought ice cream, our favorite comfort food. But I didn't even eat it, I couldn't stop crying long enough to take a bite.

Today she waited for me to speak first. To say the same repetitive thing that I always do. I put my spoon back in the carton and told Bri that I missed my mom. Her warm embrace. Her soft skin. Her stern look at my dad when he was acting mischievous. Their kiss when one of them came home from work.

Bri slowly sucked on the clump of ice cream on the end of her spoon and watched me solemnly as I went on, slowly poking at the chunks of peanut butter.

I missed when people would tell me I looked just like her, with her smooth brown hair, chocolate eyes, and inviting smile. I missed silly hospital stories with her friends, vacations, going out to dinner, and being a complete family.

There was a moment of silence as I contemplated a new thought that had settled in the back of my mind. "This year is his last year," I murmured. 

Bri looked over at me, studying my expressions as I continued, "Dave Harvey gets out of jail next year."

I knew Bri didn't know what to say to something like that so I just ate another scoop of ice cream and allowed the words to keep tumbling out, "I've been seeing my therapist less now. She says that I'm doing better with finding positive outlets if I'm upset. But honestly, after all this time, it's becoming more of a dull ache that I feel. I still miss her terribly, and this day is the worst. I can't stop thinking about her or talking about her. But I think I'm doing well with moving forward in a positive direction where I used to let my pain weigh me down and hold me back."

Bri nodded. "I agree. You've become stronger over the years, and I think that your therapist is right, if you're hurting, you find positive outlets. You don't let yourself become destructive." I wasn't sure if lying in the middle of a street counted as not being destructive, but I decided to not tell her about that just in case it worried her. "And you have your dad."
"Yeah." I smiled. "Him and I have become best friends."

Our conversation veered off towards other things we were going to do this summer: our jobs, our families, and our plans. When we had finished our pints of ice cream, it was almost 5:00 pm. We said our goodbyes and I drove to the police station to meet Dad.

I parked in the lot and waited in the front waiting room for Dad to open the door, letting me into the back rooms where the offices were.

"Well if it isn't little Blair!" Dad's friend exclaimed and stood up from his desk. He was my dad's closest friend at the station, a man with a bald head and a thick mustache that lead into an even thicker beard.

"Hi Mr. Mike!" I laughed and gave him a big hug. Dad chuckled as he settled back into his chair, finishing with something on his computer.

"What are you doing here?" He sat down and scooched his chair in.

"She came to offer us her two-sense." Officer Darrell gestured towards the stack of folders on his desk. "How else do you think all this paperwork will get done."

Mr. Mike rolled his eyes. "If you didn't spend all your time eating donuts, maybe it would get done." Officer Darrell grumbled under his breath as he walked away to go fill his coffee cup.

"Blair is here to talk food." Dad stapled some papers together and tucked them into a folder in his drawer. "What are you in the mood for?"

I shrugged and leaned on his desk. "I don't care."

"Get pizza from Mario's," Mr. Mike suggested. "I can't tell you how badly I want it, but Carol is making us have vegetables tonight." He exaggeratedly curled his lips in disgust. His wife, Carol, always made creative and healthy options for dinner while Mr. Mike preferred to cook mac and cheese or take out a pizza.

"You are an absolute child." I laughed at Mr. Mike and turned to Dad. "I'm good to pick up pizza for dinner. I can call now and get a pepperoni pie."

"Sounds like a plan." Dad finished putting everything away. "I'm going to run to the restroom and I will be good to leave."

He left and I started to pull out my phone to order the pizza.

"Hey Blair," Mr. Mike started, looking up from his paperwork and turning serious. "I know you know this already, but you and your dad can always come over for dinner or hang out with Carol, the kids, and I."

"I know."

"If you need anything, anything at all. I am always a person you can call, okay?"

"I know." I gave him a small smile. "Thank you." It was nice, and he usually said something showing his support for my dad and I on my mom's anniversary. I was always awkward, though, and while my dad and I have gone over for dinners, I have never called him asking for help.

He nodded and turned back to his work. I called Mario's for the pizza and when Dad came back I told him it would be ready in twenty minutes. While Dad went to pick up the pizza, I drove home to set the table and pour drinks.

When he came home, he plopped the box on the table and ran upstairs to change clothes. By the time I was done serving us each two slices, he had taken a seat at the table across from me.

"How was your day?" I asked, picking off the pepperonis one by one and eating them before taking a bite of the pizza.

"It was good. I went on patrol in the morning and did some paperwork in the afternoon." He paused to take a bite and answered the question I really asked. "I think this day is always the hardest. Today is when the memories keep coming back and I miss her the most. But I think it's becoming easier to understand that we will always love and miss her, and that she wouldn't want us to be hurting so badly after all these years."

"Yeah, I agree," I whispered as a bit of gooey cheese and red sauce dripped onto his shirt. "I love you Dad, even if you do eat like you're four years old."

He pretended to mock me as he grabbed a napkin, picking up the cheese but accidentally smearing the sauce further across the shirt. He gave up and tossed the napkin to the side.

"Well, at least I eat like a normal person and I actually eat my pepperoni pizza with my pepperonis on the pizza."

I scowled then laughed. All I could think of was, "Whatever."

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had fun writing about the banter between Mr. Mike and Officer Darrell, and Blair and her dad. 

If you were to pick your favorite kind of ice cream, what would it be? I think I would either go for a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream or something with peanut butter in it :)

Stay safe and stay healthy!

- Payton