For Love

He loved her from afar. He was just her pharmacist. You may wonder how I know; I mean I was just the technician. Often times we are overlooked, taken for granted or simply ignored.  I had worked with Elliot for years. We were as close to being friends as could be ~ all things considered. Elliot was a decent man. He had been alone for about four years after his wife left him for his partner, Jim. Needless to say, the company moved Jim and the love he stole to another undisclosed location. Elliot was crushed and withdrew from everything; everyone.  Who wouldn't? After almost twenty years of marriage and a family created; a life that he thought was good and worth fighting for, he was shocked to discover he was the only one waging such a loving war.

It was almost a year and a half before he could even bear to go out.  He and I  would grab a bite or a drink after work sometimes.  We had even seen a movie or two. On occasion, he'd drop of my mom's meds if I wasn't able. There was nothing going on.  I don't dig guys. We were really just hanging out. I told him when I was dating or had a potential new girlfriend. He feigned interest and told me he had no one. We were doing the best we could with what we had. Life was hard and we were just trying to keep each other from dying of loneliness.

But then along came the stunning, captivating Dayna.  Well, along came her prescriptions. I had seen her around town; in a restaurant while I was having dinner with my mom.  She told us she moved to town with her husband, Marc, and they switched their prescriptions to us.  Elliot was all smiles for her. He bent over backwards, made polite small talk, noticed if she cut her hair, looked tired... he doted from across the counter.  And Dayna didn't object. She enjoyed the pleasantries and always chatted right back.  I had to laugh when Elliot all but knocked me over to go and wait on her. He never did that, preferring instead to hide behind the computer or on the phone.  But Dayna was a different story.  I watched him sometimes brush her hand when he handed over the meds or if she was having a difficult day, touch her arm and sympathetically pat her. He always took the time to explain her medicine; overly helpful with a look of adoration and hope in his eyes. I found it comical.  It was almost another year before he gained the courage to express something less than professional concern for her. She was flattered of course, but kindly reminded him that she was married.  I felt a little bad for him.  He just couldn't catch a romantic break. I didn't tell him I had fallen in love. It seemed cruel. So our dinners or drinks were a little more quiet then.

For a while, she disappeared.  Mr Kritzler came instead.  He always sauntered in with a cavelier bravado and almost appeared to be laughing at Elliot.  He would flip a condescending smile or a snide remark about his wife on the way out just to add insult to injury.  I hated that guy.  He even had the nerve to come in with other women.  Not that it would be any big deal except they were usually gum chewers who hung on him like cheap, gawdy jewelry.  It enraged Elliot. I wasn't too full of chuckles either.

But after the rains, the sun will shine again, right? Indeed. At least according to my mother.  And so Dayna began to show up again. Elliot kept his distance, understanding his place and things evened out.  They seemed satisfied with their friendship.  It became comfortable enough that I would step aside to tell him she was coming. I noticed his mood improving and by the time she arrived, I was glad.  He was like a kid waiting on Santa.  Whatever.  I wished him happiness; however he could muster it.   But then one day after she left, he seemed to cloud up.  It wasn't like him. He usually was glowing for at least two hours after she had gone.

"What's up El?"

He shook his head and frowned. "Nothin Kid."

"C'mon. What's up? Dayna is always a sunny spot for you."

"Not today." he furrowed his brow and shook his head.

I waited.  It would take some time but he would tell me.  He always did; about 7pm he caved.

"Hey, Carla?"

"Hey El?"

"Did you see that bruise on Dayna?"

"No." but I didn't want to tell him I had seen others.

"It was pretty ugly."

"Maybe she's a klutz"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Elliot, don't assume." but I had already done that.

"I'm just saying it looked ugly and there were some pretty harsh finger marks around her wrist."

"Maybe she and her husband like it rough."

"CARLA"

"Maybe not" I said quietly.

"Probably not." he sniffed

Truth be told, I had seen Dayna on days Elliot was off and she had to wear long sleeves or don sunglasses on more than one cloudy sultry afternoon.

He then folded up; just closed off completely.  He and I didn't hang out anymore. He didn't want to talk much, especially about Dayna.  When she came, he rushed to her, spoke softly, caressed her gently and I swear I heard him pleading with her... to get help? I don't know. I couldn't find out without being a total jackwagon and hovering. It wasn't my place. 

One day Dayna came in and asked if he was in.  I was surpised because it never happened that way.  I told her that he was in fact off.  I told her I could buzz his cell if she wanted but she adjusted her sunglasses and told me not to bother.  She'd catch him another time.  I smiled.

"Dayna?"

"Yes, Carla?"

"Are you all right?"

She pulled at her sleeves and straighted up her glasses again but it was too late.  I saw the shiner.  "Can't you leave?"

"Carla?"

"Yes."

"I will be all right. Thank you." and she swiped the tear before she thought I had seen it, patted my arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze and left me there with too many emotions. I was angry at her careless husband. I felt bad for her. I called Elliot when I was finished at work to tell him that she had come and asked for him. I also told him what I saw.

There was silence.

"Did you hear me?" I almost hissed.

"Yep. I did Kiddo."

"I'm not a kid."

"I know. I do that when I get nervous."

"I know."

"I'll see you tomorrow.

And we worked side by side for twelve hours not speaking of her; not even when her husband's medication was called in; a sleeping pill. Dayna called late that night to tell us she would be in to pick it up the next day since Marc would be leaving town.  Elliot began to pace and fidget. His normally sexy radio voice was filled with stutters and he was lost in thought. Then he prepared Marc's prescription.  I should have stopped him.  I should have told someone what I saw. But somewhere in my mind, maybe I thought it was right.  He began to compound the medicine, adding a whopping dose of digitalis to Mr Kritzler's sleeping capsules. They were a special strength, needing extra attention as did most things that concerned Mr. Kritzler. I saw El take it off the shelf, pull several from the stock bottle which he simply plopped into the mortar to disappear sinfully in the other ingredients.

That was that.

It was my turn to sweat and fidget.  I began to feel ill.  I didn't know what to do.  The clock seemed to run in reverse. At last came in.  We both dove for the counter.

"Hi Dayna. All set." he said almost too cheerfullly.

"Hey Mrs Kritzler." I chirped trying to butt in.

He glared at me.

"Uhhh hi guys." she winced a smile to keep her busted lip from splitting open again. "I just came to get Marc's prescription."

"Oh yep. Here it is. All set. All ready. For marc." he slid it over to her quickly and she signed for it.  The sale was made; a deal with the devil.  He sighed and wiped his forehead.

"Mrs Kritzler.." I stammered.

"Yes?"

"....Have a nice night." and I turned away.  She was dobbing blood from her lips.

I couldn't think of another thing to say for the rest of my shift and all but ran out of there.  Elliot didn't notice.

We wouldn't speak to or see each other until Monday.   When it arrived and we were tossed together again, we were more than grateful that it was busy and filled with all the headaches a hearty Monday should be to make you appreciate the other days of the week.  Then around 11am Edith Welty came in and asked for a refill of her anxiety meds. She's the town's self- proclaimed Nancy Drew; but we view her as more of the local gossip and busy body. What a pain she can be; always snooping... knows everything about everybody (so she thinks)

"I just gotta have em Doc. You won't BELIEVE my day!" and she slapped the counter.

"Oh?" Elliot was only half listening while he prepped some other meds and I was too busy hammering out labels and yapping on the phone in order to keep our heads above water.

"Well, just between us," she "whispered"; the old carcass was hard of hearing so it was as "just between us" as an a cannon blast. " I was on my way here and drove passed that pretty house over on Fairmont and it was a literal BEEHIVE of activity."

"Oh?" again, there was distance and disinterest.

"Yes! There were crews of all sorts, police and yellow tape and of course the rubberneckers." She waved her heavily ringed fingers as if to scold them. Bangle bracelets clinked to capture Elliot into the conversation. "And so I pulled up as close as I dared and asked someone  who was walking out what the devil was going on and they said the woman there had died. Diana...Dena... Ohhhh what was her name..."

In a puff of dry sawdusty air he gasped her name."Dayna?"

"There ! Thank you so much. DAYNA! Well it seems that she took some of her husband's sleeping pills and overdosed.  You know Elliot, you always tell me not to give my little helpers to anyone and now we all know why. Such a shame....I just heard that he was away on business and they were very eager to speak with him. Seems he was a bit... of a... rough talker... " she put her fists up and made some very poor attempt at boxing." AAAAND I have heard that he had an issue keeping it in his pants." This was given a significantly dramatic eyebrow raise and a slow nod as she stared over her glasses that were chained around her neck so we could marvel at her tip top sleuthing.

Elliot looked like he was made of chalk and that at that instant he wanted to twist the chain around Edith's neck until her eye popped out and smooshed against her glasses and her tongue fell out of the red slash that was such an innocently cruel excuse for a mouth.  He took off his jacket, said "Oh my God Jesus Christ." and left.

I had to call the DM and tell them what had happened and then we closed the pharmacy.

I tried to reach him.  I wanted to tell him what I knew.  I wanted to tell him I'd help him.  But he wouldn't answer my calls.  By the next morning, I headed to his place.

No one answered the door.  I went around back hoping he'd left the slider unlocked as he so often did. Pushing back the outdated vertical blinds I froze in the doorway.  Elliot's body lay in a thick dark stain. His jaw was set at a grotesque angle and there appeared to be no top to his skull. Angry crimson streaks raged along the once delicate walls; the gun playfully laying to his side.  I called the police and told them what I found. Then I waited. No matter how uncomfortable I was I had to stay.   My phone would be pinged and I would be found anyway.  I couldn't make the second call from this phone.

I would have to use the cheap one my girlfriend bought me.  Dayna had paid cash for the stupid little thing and it was hidden so when I had given my story; when they had found the note I'm sure Elliot wrote in his grief, I would then be able to call her and she would confirm the truth; that Marc had died unlike the story I got to tell Mrs. Welty.  I smiled knowing Edith Welty couldn't see better than a mole and was glad she had stopped by so I could give her the false terrifying news. It was a fluke but one that worked to my advantage.  She never knew it was me since I was wearing my hoodie and  made SURE  I was conveniently busy on the phone when she delivered the devastating blow.  Blabbermouth. Otherwise, I would have had to tell him myself; that I had seen it on my way to  my mother's place which is the same neighborhood.  He'd remember that from the couple of times he'd dropped off meds to her when we were in a pinch.

It was a long day, but I was released without a second glance.  I waited until the next morning to make the call; her voice small and hopeful as she answered. She told me what I wanted, needed to hear; that she was at last mine.  We could move on; here or anywhere without hesitation, without bindings.

It was all for love.




So my daughter said she liked it and confessed that even though she was creeped out, she still found herself saying "awwww ~ they fell in love...."   Heehee. I love it when it's skewed like that.  Well I hope you all had a beautiful weekend. I sure did. I made it to the lake, enjoyed every breath, and we are going to stay late ~ what could be better? I can't think of a thing. Well, other than the fact we got to hang out and I hope you liked my story. 

Until next time, thanks for keeping an eye on me. I'm glad you were here.