Just a short story to try to jump start the creative juices. Try not to take it too serious.
George Richey; Norris D Wilson: "If you've watched as the heart of a child breaks in two, then you've seen a picture of me without you."
= = = =
On Saturday night we left in my car to celebrate our fifth anniversary. Marie and I met on the dance floor so it seemed natural that we find a nightclub after dining.
Marie was wearing a very flimsy peach colored dress with pink trim. It had a zippered back and low cut front. She hadn't spent much for the outfit buying it off the rack at Target. We'd gone shopping Thursday night to pick out something for her to wear tonight. Of course she needed matching shoes.
Her flesh colored bra and panty set was rather sexy. With the right light you could see through the dress. The undergarments, or were there any, let your imagination run wild. Although not 'stacked' Marie knew showing skin was enough to get my engine running. Not just me as I watched several men, some with dates of their own, mentally undress Marie.
Around 10 Pm a group of about thirty stormed into the place like they owned it. Mostly guys although a few had candy on their arms. I'd have to say most of the men were slightly older than us. Any empty or mostly empty table was rounded up. We lost two of the chairs at our table. It was pretty rude and those that put up a fuss were roughed up a bit. Our waitress said they were from some investment firm and pretty wild.
Someone in the new crowd yelled out "It's boiling in here, turn up the fucking AC."
Those with girlfriends hit the dance floor, those without were hitting on anything female looking. Marie turned away several requests and a few demands. Have I mentioned that these jerks were rude?
"Hugh, the AC is too cold for me. Would you run out to the car and grab my sweater?"
I thought nothing about it and felt Marie would be safe in the short time I was gone. There were about a half dozen waiting to get inside so I told the bouncer "I'm just getting my wife's sweater. I'll be right back."
Thick skull nodded. A minute later, sweater draped over my arm, I approached the door. Thick skull put his beefy paw out "Private party."
"I was just inside. I told you I was getting my wife her sweater."
"Private party."
"But I'm with my wife."
"Well she must have been invited and you're not. Move away from the door stupid."
"I need to get my wife."
"What's she wearing?"
"A peach colored dress with pink trim."
Thick skull disappeared and a nearly identical Neanderthal took his place.
Couples were fleeing the club and almost everyone told those waiting in line "It's getting pretty X-rated in there!"
A few minutes later the first guy returned, holding Marie's dress and her two inch heels.
"This the dress?"
"YES! Where's my wife?"
"Hey pretty boy, if she was wearing it she'd be here now wouldn't she? Take the fucking dress and shoes and leave Dumbshit. It's a private party!"
"I'm NOT leaving without my wife!"
"Look jerk, I told you once, get away from the door. There's a private party inside and the guys are having their way with the girls. That's why it's private."
"And I'm telling you OW OW OW that hurts" as thick skull twisted my arm behind my back.
"Where's your car asshole?"
"OW OW over there. The white sedan. OW already" as he marched me over to my car.
"Give me your keys" as my shoulder screamed in pain.
Handing over my keys we stood near the back of the car "When you think you can behave yourself I might let you out."
Next thing I heard was the trunk clicking open.
"A golfer huh?" as he pulled my set of clubs from the trunk.
"Get in!"
When I resisted he slammed his massive palm into my gut. Unable to breathe I collapsed. Next thing I felt was my shoulder popping painfully as I was twisted into the trunk. It hurt to move. It hurt to breathe. Then he jammed my clubs back into the trunk pinning me to the back wall. The trunk lid slammed and I was in the dark. To make matters worse the golf bag was pressing on my ribs. The pain was ramping up with every attempted breathe.
I don't know what a broken rib feels like but I could hardly inhale. My attempts to scream were pitiful.
Imagination can be your friend or your worst enemy. The thought of Marie inside the nightclub wearing, at best, her bra and panties was ripping my soul apart.
Just when I thought things couldn't get worse I heard a gruff voice "Hey bro, some moron left his keys on the seat. Hop in!"
My car roared to life as doors opened and closed. With a jerk forward I was now a captive in my own trunk heading to parts unknown. I tried to scream but my ribs told me to save it. With every bump in the road my shoulder and ribs told me to knock it off. I only had about a quarter tank of gas left but that was over one hundred miles worth.
To torture me the car thieves found a hip-hop radio station and cranked it up loud. Just shoot me.
Images of Marie being forced to do perverted sexual things were difficult to avoid. She would resist wouldn't she? Of course she would. She loves me. Nothing like that is happening.
After about two dozen songs the car slowed some but still took the turn sharp enough to shift things in the trunk. The pain was incredible. And then the car lunged to a halt. Both car doors opened and closed. I heard eighteen wheelers using their airbrakes. Must be somewhere close to a highway off-ramp. When I heard the trunk click open I thought my nightmare would end. Silly wabbit.
Looking out I saw an unshaven beast wearing a bandana. He looked at me for a brief second and then slammed the trunk shut.
After car doors opened and closed I heard "There's a guy in the trunk. Let's dump his ass. Give me one of them beers."
Hearing the cans fizz open I dreaded what was coming next. It was a short trip along some unpaved road before the car finally stopped. When the trunk opened it was pitch black outside. The bandana was now being used as a mask. My golf clubs were pried from the trunk and I followed shortly thereafter.
"We knows where you live and we ain't afraid to track your sorry ass down" as they started to kick me. Can't say I remember much after feeling that kick planted in my ribs.
+ + + +
As I roused back into the living I heard female voices "He's coming around. Get the sheriff!"
It was bright. My nose was covered and oxygen was being force-fed to me. Not a lick of pain.
Some guy entered the room and I heard the female voice again "He's all yours."
He spoke "Hey boy. You done got yourself into a fight you didn't win. What's your story?"
I told him what I knew. My cell phone, wallet, and wedding band were missing. To them I was a 'John Doe'. Learning it was Sunday evening made me feel somewhat better. Someone had spotted me when the sun rose this morning.
It didn't take long to learn I was about sixty miles south of where I lived. Their attempts to reach Marie's cell phone went to messages. After my interview with the sheriff the attending nurse filled me on my condition. Dislocated ribs, hyper-extended shoulder, and covered from head to toe with bruises. They had me on opioids for the pain. Those pills were working as I felt nothing but heartache. Why wasn't Marie answering her phone?
I'd have them call Marie's parents but they were in my contacts and I really didn't know their number. Knowing where they lived helped the sheriff track them down. He said they were totally unaware of any problems and would drive over to find Marie. The sheriff also contacted my local police department.
After an opioid-induced sleep I awoke to find Marie sitting in the chair, wearing her peach dress and matching shoes. I thought I must be dreaming.
Squeezing my hand "You had me so worried Hugh. You're all bruised. What happened?"
"They wouldn't let me back inside the nightclub and when I objected the bouncer stuffed me into the trunk of my car. He must have tossed the keys on my front seat because some guys noticed them and stole my car with me in the trunk. They drove for a while and at a truck stop opened the trunk. When they saw me they drove to some secluded area and beat the shit out of me. You're wearing the dress?"
"When you didn't come back inside I went looking for you. The car was gone. I hadn't brought my phone so I had no way to call you. You weren't there when I got home and the police wouldn't take a missing person report. I waited up all night for you. Instead of sitting at home I drove around looking for your car on Sunday. It was later that evening when Mom and the police both showed up. I drove as fast as I could to get here but you were already asleep."
"I still don't understand. The bouncer brought me your dress and shoes. Where was your phone?"
"Couldn't have been my dress and shoes. See, I'm still wearing them. Must have belonged to someone else. What did you do with them?"
"I don't know. When the bouncer sucker punched me I may have dropped them. Have they found my car?"
Marie was squirming in her chair as if it hurt to sit "Nobody has said a word about your car."
"Would you check with the nurses to see when I can go home?"
I watched Marie walk out of the room. She walked a bit bowlegged.
Returning cheerfully about five minutes later "They say I can take you home today. I'm having an oxygen machine delivered. You should plan on taking the whole week off. I let your boss know you were carjacked and assaulted."
With my arm in a sling and chest heavily wrapped, I was discharged. Marie tried her best to avoid potholes and curbs although I was so high on painkillers that it probably wouldn't have mattered.
It still seemed to me that Marie was walking awkwardly but maybe that was just the opioids distorting things. Sleeping in my own bed was a plus.
+ + + +
Epilogue:
Life returned to normal. It was more than a week before Marie and I had sex. She seemed very nervous, like she was going to hurt me. When we finished she seemed relieved.
I was curious "Is something wrong?"
"No. Nothing. I just didn't want this to hurt. I'm so glad you can have sex again. Did it feel okay, you know, nothing different?"
"It was good" as we snuggled.
They didn't recover my car for three months. The insurance company had already replaced it so I never got the chance to see if anything identifiable was still inside. Marie fretted when the car was found but I never understood why.
I never could make sense of that dress thing with the bouncer. As my luck would have it, none of the security cameras at the nightclub were working that night.
Our credit card statements were a bit high that month. Mine because I bought Marie's anniversary outfit and Marie's because she said she bought another outfit.
I don't think we'll go dancing for a while.
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