Underbelly (14 page)

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I’m not saying they were wrong to bomb Berlin, because I wanted the war to end as quickly as possible. Even if you agree with a decision it doesn’t mean that you find the consequences easy to bear. Theoretically I agree with what they did in Hiroshima and Nagasaki but I could never go there and see the results.”

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There’s definitely two sides to that one,” Grey said gravely.

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Are you against it?” Delgado asked calmly, respecting his views regardless of whether they differed from his or not.

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I don’t know. I’m glad it wasn’t my decision to make. Tell me if I’m keeping you up,” Grey said, the hour growing late and Delgado had to go to work for six. He had taken the job of hospital orderly only as a temporary measure and would resume his studies in January to earn his doctorate. As a temporary position in his chosen field it provided an invaluable learning experience and he would seek to keep working part-time when his degree recommenced. The help that he had received in getting his place back had greatly surprised and impressed him.

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Who needs sleep? We’ve had to go without it plenty in the past. As a soon to be medical student again, I’d like to examine your back.”

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Yeah, okay, but don’t plan any treatments based on what’s happened to me.”

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She should think about becoming a doctor – she could do so much good with her powers,” Delgado said critically, believing such potentially benevolent powers wasted on her.

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Isn’t it a calling, though? If you don’t feel it, it’s a job you can’t fake,” Grey said, defending her and making Delgado smile, the scenario very familiar. He had softened towards Laura immediately after Grey’s condition improved but as time passed his opinion changed and he was overjoyed that Grey had picked another for his wife.

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You’re getting déjà vu, aren’t you?” Grey said, realising the cause of his mirth.

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Yeah. It’s not a power, mind, before you start,” he joked. “Don’t try and recruit me for some kind of American Pagan Resistance.”

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Damn it, you’ve guessed the real reason for my visit. The only reason I went to Scotland was to recruit the Loch Ness Monster. She’s considering it. I shouldn’t be telling you this, you might be planning a revival of the Inquisition.”

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Something like that,” he said dryly before adding, seriously, “You’re all right, Jimmy, but creatures like Inge – they have to be stopped.”

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Agreed. Any ideas how?” Grey said. Laura, for her own reasons, had still not informed him or Germaine of Inge’s death.

He shook his head and said, “I think Laura can help you on that score more than I can. Don’t think that because I’m against demons like Inge that I think the same as your parents.” He accepted that Grey’s supernatural powers were real and did not make him a bad person.

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You’ve let me into your house – I know you’re not like my parents ‘cause they wouldn’t even do that,” Grey said gratefully. He let Delgado examine his back and heard Delgado mutter something In Spanish as he touched the wound.

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You’re the luckiest man alive,” Delgado said after he was finished examining him.

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I wouldn’t have been shot if that was true. I know I’ve cheated death – I’m sure death bears no grudges,” he said flippantly.

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In the world that you inhabit don’t take that for granted.”

Grey enjoyed his first week in Phoenix more than Germaine. While Shirley Grey had let herself down by turning so cruelly on her own son, prior to her betrayal she had been easier to get on with than Solymar Delgado. There was nothing nasty about Solymar, but she was very frank and not one for trifling small talk and this led to long silences that Germaine found uncomfortable. She did not feel that Solymar disliked her (at times she was warm and kind), rather that she was indifferent towards her, something that would not have concerned her if they had not been living in the same house. Cuauhtémoc (or Charlie as he told Grey and Germaine to call him) was much friendlier to the couple but his desire to be the perfect host led to him acting subservient, especially to Grey, which irritated Delgado who told his father that it was his house and he should read the paper first and sit at the head of the table. Cuauhtémoc could not understand why his courtesy towards his son’s friend infuriated his son so and he did not stop trying to be helpful even though his guest said the same as his son, that he was doing too much for them. Delgado took Grey and Germaine out for a meal to meet his new girlfriend, Cierra, a nurse at the hospital Delgado worked at, and Germaine was pleased when they clicked. Grey spent the days with Germaine and most nights with Delgado, joining him at his local and meeting some of his friends and tagging along at Delgado’s invitation to his second job, which he was told to keep top secret. Grey didn’t understand why he didn’t want his parents to know that he worked as a medic at boxing matches but promised to keep quiet and followed him into the small hall, which was packed out, and watched the fight with him.

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What do you call the taller one again?” Grey asked as he stood near the makeshift ring with Delgado.

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You mean the black one? Ned Neale. He’s a tough guy, fighting on even though he just came out of hospital last week.”

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What for?”

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Nah, I can’t breach doctor patient confidentiality – I shouldn’t have even said that much. I wouldn’t be fighting if I was him but he insisted.”

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Well that’s who I’d put my money on. That left jab – I’d sooner get shot again then face that. He must have an impressive record.”

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The ones that I’ve been at he’s won less than half. The one who always wins isn’t here tonight. He’s a good friend of mine, a Mexican – he’s the one that got me this job.”

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Oow – did you see that?” Grey said as Neale delivered an uppercut to his staggering opponent. “He’s gonna win tonight.”

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Lee soaks up punishment like a sponge, he’s got a jaw of granite – you see either of these men in bars, Grey, don’t start anything. I don’t know why I’m saying that to you, considering you’re more of a mediator than a pugilist – I’m kind of surprised you’re not trying to break this up.”

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I’ve always enjoyed boxing, as a spectator. There’s nothing wrong with a good, clean fight.”

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You do realise this is unlicensed, don’t you?”

Grey turned to look at Delgado, whose eyes remained fixed on Neale and Lee as he continued to monitor the fight. “Isdel, that’s not good,” Grey said. He was concerned that his friend would get into trouble and he associated illegal fighting with organised crime.

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Beggars can’t be choosers. The boxers need the money and so do I. It doesn’t pay well, but it’s experience too and before I started doing this there was no medical presence at all. I talk to them briefly before the bout and I check them over in the dressing room afterwards. If I take the moral high ground and don’t do it then no one else will because they won’t find any trained professionals who’ll do it for the change that they’re offering. There was a young guy, a bit younger than you, and last month after the fight I insisted he went to the hospital even though he just wanted to go out drinking. It turned out he had a brain clot and they managed to save him because I spotted something was wrong. What other part time jobs am I going to find where I can diagnose and treat patients, plus, as a bonus, get to watch decent boxing matches?”

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Well put. If there’s a market for it, which there seems to be from the crowd, then there needs to be someone like you here,” Grey said, Delgado’s words convincing him that he was acting rightly. “I wasn’t having a go – I wouldn’t want you getting one of your friends here to have a pop at me.”

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No fear. I wouldn’t want you getting one of your nurses to have a pop at me,” Delgado responded, joking with him.

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Don’t worry, Germaine doesn’t punch that hard,” Grey said, playing along with him, knowing full well who he was referring to.

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I’m sure. She seems a sweet girl, Jimmy. You’ve done all right for yourself there. These bouts – I enjoy them, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I prefer watching licensed fights with my dad. I can’t fully relax here.”

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If my talking distracts you, tell me and I’ll put a sock in it,” Grey said, happy just to be there with his friend and Delgado knew that he would not take offence even if he told him to be silent.

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Hey, if you invite a windbag you can’t complain once they start talking. As long as I keep my eyes trained on them, you can talk away. Has Germaine been giving you a good hiding then?”

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Hmm? No, no,” Grey said, realising where the question was coming from and chuckling. “She has nightmares and she lashes out in her sleep and I get caught in the crossfire. I can live with that part of it. It’s seeing her so distressed which is hard, and these nightmares show no sign of letting up.”

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Not surprising though, is it? She shouldn’t take any tablets or any medication to ensure she sleeps soundly because that can be a slippery slope. You’ll be the cure, a good husband who loves her.”

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I hope so. So do you think this’ll go the distance?”

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Hard to tell but I’m sure you two will.”

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Thanks, pal,” Grey said appreciatively.

Neale went down in the eighteenth round (the crowd always demanded a knockout winner, some previous bouts going on for much longer) and while he wanted to continue he had trouble getting to his feet and Delgado declared him unfit to continue, earning him threats from a punter who’d bet on Neale. Grey looked over to see who was heckling Delgado, to intercede on his behalf. While he tried not to judge on appearance, the ruthless exterior of the disgruntled punter tempered Grey’s response and he kept quiet, aware that any attempts at peacemaking would more than likely incite something rather than solve anything. Grey waited for Delgado, and after he had finished checking out the boxers they walked home and Grey explained why he hadn’t leapt to his defence.

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Whoa. If you come back again don’t say a fucking thing there. I just let them let off steam, I don’t get drawn into anything because some of them don’t fight with their fists.”

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For real?” Grey said naively. “Is that why you think your parents wouldn’t approve?”

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No, it’s because it’s unlicensed they’d be against it. They know I can look after myself. Why don’t you and Germaine stick around a bit longer then you can come with me and my dad to a proper boxing match, which won’t run for 18 rounds?”

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No, we’ve imposed enough. Anyway, I’ve got to take her to meet the stars in Hollywood.”

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Why don’t you stay till after New Year? What are you two going to do for Christmas and New Year if you leave?”

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It won’t be Keokuk, that’s for sure. Last time there was only me, Germaine and Laura and it was the best Christmas I’ve ever had so I know wherever we are we’ll be fine. Last year I was in a wheelchair and it was still the best – there’s no Laura this time, so…”

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So this one should be the best,” Delgado sniped, unable to resist. “You’re welcome to stay. Have a think about it. Talk to Germaine.”

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Is the sofa that comfortable that you want it for another month?”

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It’s better than sharing a bed with you and Hill. It’s amazing how long ago that feels.”

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I know. I’ll talk to Germaine and I’ll get back to you.”

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Even if you do go, come back here for Christmas. Trust me, Christmas here is an occasion,” Delgado said, disliking the thought of the two of them spending Christmas in a grotty flat or hotel room, just the two of them, when they could be at his house with his large extended family. Miserable, lonely Christmases were for the likes of Laura Spencer, not them.

Chapter 3 – A Cautionary Tale