“That was quick,” she said. She half-expected Noah to come running to her with some rock he found in a neighbor’s yard.
“I was close,” Queen replied, stopping to take off her shoes at the door. “Hey, girl.”
“Hi!” Delilah stood. She walked over and did an elbow touch with her. Hugging was out since the COVID had turned everyone into social distance warriors. Queen kept to her mask, and Delilah put on hers.
“Okay, officer friendly. You hungry? I baked a cake, and there’s still some dinner in the kitchen.”
“For real? What you make?” Queen asked.
“Tuna casserole. Trying to get Maverick to eat less red meat.”
“Eew,” Queen laughed and plopped down in the chair. “I need real food. I should have known you still cook like a bird.”
“Very funny, birds don’t cook,” Delilah said with an eye-roll
“When was the last time you spoke to your mother?” Queen asked.
“What kind of question is that?” Delilah replied and took a seat across from her.
“Answer my question without asking a question, please.”
“Whatever,” Delilah sighed.
“When was the last time you and Delores talked?” Queen asked again.
“A few weeks ago, I had daddy’s medicine delivered, and some grocery sent in for them. She called because things were missing, so we had to get on the phone together with the delivery company. They’re fine out there.” Delilah waved off any concern.
“You need to talk to her, Dee. Seriously. People are dying. Stop with this and makeup with your mother. It’s been six weeks,” Queen said.
“She could call to talk to me, you know. She hasn’t,” Delilah retorted.
“She’s probably afraid. It’s time for you and her to heal. You know you have the power to make it right with her. You have to be able to forgive people. Move past their mistakes. For your sake, and theirs.”
“Are you finished? Is this why you came over here? To lecture me?” Delilah groaned.
“No. I came to tell you to pack a bag,” Queen replied.
“For who?” Delilah asked. “For what?”
“For yourself. We’re headed to D.C. Tonight.”
“Have you bumped your head? I’m not getting on the plane in the middle of a pandemic! And for what?” Delilah asked. Queen laughed. “I’m serious, Queen. What are you smoking?”
“Girl, I got the best news. Tomorrow Shelly will be on a plane headed back to us. Armand has been back and forth to Saudi Arabia. He called our contacts. He’s going to get her out of there. We need to be ready to see her when she lands.”
“Why D.C.?” Delilah asked. “Why not come to Colorado?”
“Well, it’s complicated. Flights have been canceled with the pandemic. This is a direct shot to the people in charge of the government. The short story is the government is involved in her extraction. And they will want to talk to her before she is released.”
“Is she under arrest?” Delilah asked.
“That’s why you are coming as her attorney to make sure they don’t pull that shit.” Queen sat forward. “She’s caught up in some nasty stuff. We need to be there to protect her.”
“Okay,” Delilah felt all of the tension in her heart over her missing friend melt. “She’s coming back to us. She’s really coming back.” Delilah threw her arms around Queen’s neck and hugged her. “Are you sure? It’s over?”
“Well, she isn’t on the plane yet. But Armand said he’s confident she will be.” Queen shrugged off Delilah’s embrace. Delilah chuckled. Her friend was not a hugger. “Apparently, Jaxon Price has her locked up in the Middle East. Tucked away somewhere.”
“What is with this man kidnapping and locking her up all over the place? What is he? Some kind of sadist?”
“I think he is,” Queen said. “Armand is the only one allowed to visit her. He said he spoke with her. She knows Jaxon isn’t who he said he is. His name over there is Asad. He’s some kind of bigshot, and he’s a motherfucker. She wants out. She sees what her life would be like with him. This is going to work in our favor. We’ll get her out of this mess.”
“I’ll tell Maverick. I have to pack. And I need... more information, Queen. What are we facing? Who are we facing in D.C.? Wait? Where do we take her? I mean, I can’t bring her here to my parents' house? We’re still quarantining, and we’re close to that damn mountain. He could come for her again—”
“Go home,” Queen said.
“Huh?”
“Go home,” Queen repeated.
“I am home.” Delilah frowned.
“You know what I mean,” Queen repeated.
“Don’t start that.”
“Take your family back to the ranch. When Goodiva comes, she can quarantine in your guest house. Since you’ve upgraded Maverick to the bedroom.”
“Very funny,” Delilah said.
“Go home and fix things with your mother. You have to move past this stuff, Dee. Aren’t you tired of being angry? Look at you and Maverick. You’re happy now. The nightmare is over.” Queen shrugged.
“I don’t get you,” Delilah said. “Why do you defend her so much?”
“Who? Your mom? Oh, that’s easy. She’s my mom too. You don’t stop loving someone because of their mistakes. None of us are perfect, including you, Dee.”
Delilah gave her an eye-roll. She glanced to Maverick’s boots over by the door. It wasn’t cold anymore. Spring had finally arrived. In the evenings, he and Noah went for their walks or camped out in a tent in the backyard. Her baby was all outdoorsy with his father. Maverick catered to his every need selflessly.
“You thinking about what I said?” Queen asked.
“Huh? No. I have another question. What do you think about all of this Black Lives Matter stuff? The protests over police brutality. The killing of innocent men and women. The way the police get away with it and the media makes everything seem like our fault. All of it.”
“I wish it wasn’t an indictment of all police,” Queen mumbled. “But I get why it has to be. The corruption and cover-up in police departments were bound to blow up in our faces. I wouldn’t say this at the force, but I’m glad it’s happening, Dee. It’s gotten too far out of hand.”
“Maverick won’t talk to me about it,” Delilah said.
“Explain?”
“He’s keeping it all inside. I don’t know what to do or say when it comes up on the television. He just sits there and watches the news clips, and the chaos, the burning buildings. He watches all of it and never speaks a word. I think he was one of those cops in some way or another. Could he be?”
“Why would you think that? Seriously? That’s a really fucked up thing to say about a man you are falling in love with,” Queen said. “If you really believed that could you be here with him now?”
“Huh? Falling in love? Who said that?” Delilah asked.
“Oh, get over yourself. You’re here playing house!”
“I was just asking you a question—”