―Zechariah 4:10
Menacing
Izzie told Jeff, her manager, Granger was back out on the streets, so when I dropped her off at work that night, he came out to meet her.
It was a cool gesture and I smiled and waved at Jeff from the car. He was a good guy and it made me think if Izzie never met me, I was sure Jeff would have been there to take care of her.
It was a sobering thought to realize none of us are irreplaceable and it made me all the more aware of how special Izzie was and how much she meant to me.
I was about to drive off when I spotted Granger sitting in a battered pick-up opposite The Thirsty Cactus.
I couldn't believe it. I got out my cell phone and took a photo and then entered the bar and showed the photo to Jeff.
He looked outside and saw Granger still waiting.
"Did the judge issue a no-contact order?" I asked him.
"He did." He got out his cell phone and phoned the police.
"Take a seat and let's see what happens" he smiled.
He gestured to the waitress to drop two drafts and we sat sipping the beers watching the street.
Within minutes a cruiser pulled up and two policemen approached Granger and asked for identification. He didn't look happy but complied.
Next thing we saw was Granger placed in the back of the cruiser and we watched while it pulled away.
"That was not a smooth move on his part, "Jeff laughed.
"Yeah, Granger's not known for being the sharpest knife in the drawer."
"Ask Mace Wells, the guy who bailed him out. He didn't look happy doing it. He'll be less happy now."
"Oh, I think he'll be pissed. He doesn't like any attention drawn to his clan. Granger will regret what he did."
Jeff got up to go back to work.
"You have a good night, Jase―and don't worry about Izzie, she's in good hands."
"Thanks, Jeff," I smiled. I didn't doubt it for a minute.
I tried not feel threatened but I did―not by Granger but by Jeff. The guy was cool and liked Izzie, do doubt about it.
Good thing she liked me...and Frizzy.
Yeah, pathetic...but I got to cling everything with the track record I've had.
Back home, I re-arm the alarm system and check the cameras. No events listed...that's reassuring, but it doesn't touch my real insecurity―I feel I don't deserve Izzie.
Why did I have to be such a jerk when I was young? I wasted what could have been a time of bonding with my father and instead got mixed up with Mace Wells and his losers and spent time in penitentiary.
Good thing I inherited Dad's wealth because I don't have much of a resume.
Frizzy mews and climbs up on me and her purring consoles me. At least, I made some changes―I'm more sensitive to others and their needs and I'm developing a deep yearning for family.
I no longer want to be that guy―angry and pushy, like a fist pounding through everything. I want to hold things lightly―like Frizzy―like my parents' memory....
And like Izzie,
assuming she still wants me.