From the Ashes

Lovestruck

Beauty was far too simple a word to describe the woman he saw walking out the door. He found himself struck with the romantic notion of love at first sight, the moment he laid eyes on her. He had not been looking for love. No, Benjamin had been eyeing the entrance to the school building with food on the mind. He and his partner had been called in to search the lockers for a drug bust just as he had been about to take his lunch break, so he did not have his head in the game, distracted by the noisy complaints of his empty stomach.

Ben had been hoping the search would go quickly so he could satisfy his burger craving and get back to work with a full stomach, but now he found himself lingering on a totally different distraction. The woman exiting out the door he was about to enter was not your typical beauty. As it happened, it wasn’t even her front that had caught his attention. She had backed into the door, opening it with her rear end as her arms had been occupied with a large box. She wore a pair of mens cargo jeans, torn and tattered around the ankles, and stained with what appeared to be paint. They were belted around her waist instead of hugging her hips, and tucked in around that waist was a baggy green t-shirt. She was short, not much more than five feet, and her golden-brown hair was barely contained in the braid pulling it back out of her face.

When she turned to face forward, the view of her front was completely blocked by the large container, which Ben now saw had bars on one side. He felt the leash he was holding jerk forward, as his K-9 unit lunged slightly in her direction, his ears perked and nose in the air. The dog only reacted that way when he smelled an interesting animal, which would explain the bars and the wood covering them that blocked the view inside.

She, of course, did not even seem to notice him. Her eyes locked briefly on the dog, a half smile spreading those amazingly unchapped, uncovered lips, and then she continued to walk right on by, not even glancing at the man attached on the other end of the leash. He, however, found himself turning his head to watch her retreating form as he continued walking up to the school door.

“Close that jaw,” his partner said ruefully, noticing Benjamin’s lingering gaze. The love-struck officer snapped his mouth shut, shaking the fuzziness from his brain and focusing on the task at hand. Mark tsked and shook his head. “Really, can’t you keep your mind on work?”

“Who was she?” Ben asked.

“Apparently not,” Mark sighed. “I have no idea,” he replied in answer to Ben’s question. “Maybe you should go ask her, when we’re finished of course.”

Benjamin glanced over his shoulder to see if he could catch another glimpse of her in the parking lot. “She’ll probably be gone by then.”

“And I’m sure you’ll bump into her again, or another ‘true love’, later,” Mark said. “Now let’s go. We’ve got lockers to check.”

“Yeah. Right. Lockers.” Ben nodded, opening the door, and trying desperately to get the image of her backside out of his mind.

--

Amber loaded the last cage and secured it safely in the back of her truck before lifting the tailgate up and shutting it with a loud clunk. The forest green paint of the vehicle matched her shirt, and the decal on the side advertised that she was driving a company vehicle for the town nature center. She’d just finished presenting a school program in the gym, and her mind was filled with her to-do list for when she returned to the center. Several of the animals needed to be fed their afternoon meals, all the bird cages needed to be cleaned again, and the black bear needed to be given his medication. Those tasks would be accomplished, likely just in time for the evening tour she was scheduled to guide.

The engine of the old but reliable truck came to a slow start at the turn of her key, and Amber pulled slowly out of the school parking lot to make the careful drive back to the nature center. She hadn’t even made it out of her parking space when she felt a buzz in her pocket and the muffled sound of her ringtone reached her ears. Stepping on the brake and pressing her back into her seat so she could reach into her pocket, Amber pulled out her cellular phone and saw the number for the school on the screen. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she flipped it open.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Hello, Ms. Faux?” echoed the familiar voice of the principal, a hint of concern making its way through the phone.

“Yes, is something wrong?” Amber thought that maybe she’d forgotten something inside, but going over the mental checklist in her head she knew everything had made it back to the company truck.

“Yes, this is Principal Kenmore,” the voice replied, and the fact that he was keeping to formalities when it was clear they both already knew who he was filled Amber with a sense of dread as she remembered passing the K-9 unit when she was getting everything packed up, a dread that was only intensified as she heard his next words. “I have your son in the office here with me. I think you should come in and have a word with me before you leave.”

Already putting the vehicle back in park and ripping out the key, Amber gave a curt response, “On my way,” and snapped the phone shut. Without even a pause, her jaw set in a determined scowl, she exited the truck as if she had wings, door swinging shut behind her as she dialed into work. She started speaking the moment she heard someone pick up on the other end, “Hey, it’s Amber. I’m going to be running a bit late. I’m having a little trouble at the school. All the animals are fine; don’t worry. Just make sure someone covers my afternoon feeding round, Tim gets his meds, and I might need a replacement to guide my tour. I’ll fill you in on everything when I get back, got it?”

Her straight forward words and firm tone demanded a quick and unquestioning response, and it came as no surprise when the voice of her co-worker, Craig, gave a solid “Yes ma’am.” Accepting the response and having no time for chit-chat, Amber snapped her phone shut once again, already pulling open the front door to the school and heading straight for the principal’s office.

--

Benjamin was bent over, giving his canine partner a treat and a scratch behind the ears, when he received an elbow nudge from his human companion, drawing his gaze up to see what was going on. Mark tilted his head toward the door, which had opened to admit the familiar paint-stained-mens-jeans, green-shirt, braided-hair, ravishingly-beautiful backside. The other officer smirked as Ben watched, or rather stared, as the woman turned around, shutting the door behind her.

The bagginess of her shirt left little to look at, but that just left more for Benjamin’s racing imagination to concoct. It was clear enough that her bosom was filled out nicely, as the folds of green did not catch on any lump in her midsection. Her pants hugged her shapely legs, making him wish she’d worn shorts. And her beautiful, unadorned face was set in a determined scowl that somehow served to make her appear only more attractive.

He heard Mark chuckle behind him, and Ben quickly shut his mouth, and cleared his throat. He immediately wished he hadn’t done so, however, for the sound drew the woman’s fiery gaze upon him. Though he’d faced some of the most hardened criminals, he found himself taking a step back as she sized him up. He certainly did not want to be the target of that woman’s fury.

“Ms. Faux, I take it?” he heard Mark ask, and he was glad to find her stare leave him for his partner, realizing he’d been holding his breath.

“Yes,” she responded stiffly.

Mark nodded toward the principal’s office. “You’re son and Principal Kenmore are inside. We’ll be right here when you’re done.”

“Thank you,” she stated, just as stiffly, and she seemed to stalk past them to the door.

When they heard the click of the door shutting behind her, Mark gave a low whistle. “I’d sure hate to be that kid,” he muttered.

“Yeah,” Ben replied wistfully. His thoughts were more on the woman. He wasn’t really worried about the boy. In fact, it hadn’t even registered in his mind that the woman would have to be the boy’s mother. His mind was too busy replaying her image standing there in the doorway, as his imagination brought her gaze up to meet his with the bright smile she had offered the dog instead of the fiery glare he’d actually received.

Mark looked at his partner knowingly and just shook his head with a chuckle.

--

“What were you thinking?!” Amber demanded of the twelve year old slumped in the chair across from the principal’s desk, not even allowing time for formalities. Principal Kenmore had started to stand from his large seat behind the desk, but found himself met with Ms. Faux’s back side as she addressed her son. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie, not wanting to get in her way.

“What was it? What did you find?” she asked, turning to look at him questioningly, but as he opened his mouth to speak, she waved it aside, glaring once again at the boy who appeared to slink even lower in his chair. “Nevermind,” she said. “I want you to tell me. What did they find in your locker, David?”

She crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised as she awaited his answer, her foot tapping on the floor impatiently.

“Um… It’s uh…” he peeked past her towering five foot frame at Principal Kenmore with a pleading gaze as if seeking help, but the older man just shrugged. David sighed, looked down at the floor and whispered, “marijuana.”

“What?” his mother curtly demanded.

“Marijuana,” the boy repeated more clearly, his face going red.

“And what on earth were you doing with marijuana? Where did you get it?”

“Mom… come on…” David looked up at her in exasperation. “What’s the big deal? You said yourself, marijuana’s not all that bad.”

“What’s the big deal? I’ll tell you what the big deal is. It’s illegal!”

“Yeah, but…”

“Don’t you ‘yeah but’ me, young man,” Amber scolded. “You are a very intelligent boy, and you are certainly smart enough to know the difference between a theological discussion and reality. Yes, marijuana isn’t the most terrible thing you could have been caught with. It can be very useful to people who actually need it for a prescribed reason, and I do find it rather silly that it is still considered an illegal substance, especially when cigarettes and alcohol are worse yet considered legal. We’ve discussed this before. You have absolutely no reason to have it, and even if you did it’s illegal, and that is a big deal. Do you understand? Ill-e-gal, meaning that you having it is against the law. Whether you did anything with it or not, and so help me if you did anything with it you are going to be in even bigger trouble than you already are, you broke a law.”

“But-“

“Ah, no buts. Now do you understand?”

David sighed, jutting his lip out in a scowl and looking at the ground. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Good, now where did you get it?”

Another sigh. “I found it growing in Jimmy’s yard. He doesn’t even know what it is.”

Ms. Faux’s eyebrows narrowed, but she gave a stiff nod, confirmation that she believed him. “What were you doing with it?”

The boy shifted and fidgeted in his seat, uncomfortable, but he clearly knew better than to lie to his mother as he whispered, “selling it.”

“You wha-“ Amber scowled, her eyebrows seeming to furrow even deeper if that were possible. “Alright, where’s the money. Fork it over.”

David’s mouth opened up wide, looking between his mother and the principal in shock. “But mom!”

“No. I am not going to allow my son to profit off of illegal activity. Fork over the money. Every penny.”

David frowned and fished in his pockets for his wallet, handing it to his mother without a word.

“Now, when we get home, you are going to write down a list of all the kids you sold that to and you are going to return their money. You are going to write a five page essay as an apology to the principal and the school, explaining how you understand what you did was wrong and you are sorry. You will also write an apology to the parents of the students who bought your marijuana, each one, individually. You are grounded for a month, and you will do whatever Principal Kenmore deems a suitable punishment for your behavior as well as the officers waiting outside the door. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am,” David grumbled.

“Good,” Amber turned to the principal who sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised in amazement. “Don’t go easy on him,” she said. “He needs to understand the severity of what he’s done.”

“Right, right,” Principal Kenmore replied, shaking his amazement off like cold water. “Um, yes, well… I uh, due to the nature of his offense I am required to assign him one week at the alternative school.”

“Very well,” Amber said. “Will that be all?”

“For me, yes,” the principal replied, standing to open the door for them. “I believe the officers would like to speak with you both before you go.”

“Of course,” Ms. Fox motioned for her son to step out the door ahead of her as she turned to shake Mr. Kenmore's hand. “Thank you for calling me in. Now, get out there David and apologize to the officers.”

--

“Well, that was something wasn’t it?” Mark asked his partner, as he led the German Shepherd into the back of the police car. “Never had a drug-bustee apologize before.”

“Yeah,” Ben answered, sounding distant, his mind clearly elsewhere. Mark didn’t think he’d even heard what he’d said. He hadn’t seen Benjamin in it this deep in a long time.

When the two police officers had been standing by their opposite doors for several minutes, Benjamin staring out into the parking lot as if looking for Ms. Faux’s already departed vehicle, Mark shook his head in exasperation. “Hey, Ben!” he called, waving his hand over the hood in front of the other man’s face and finally clapping his hands.

Ben blinked and looked at Mark as if just now returning to reality. “You space out on me like that again man, and I’m gonna taze you.”

The partners opened their doors and slipped into their seats, Mark behind the wheel. Ben grabbed the mike and spoke into it, “Unit 53 reporting. Drug sweep completed. Come back to station?”

“Affirmative,” the radio answered.

He replaced the equipment, buckling his belt as Mark started the engine, and they traveled for a few minutes with only the dog's painting and the radio's fain crackling breaking the silence. Mark spared a glance to the passenger seat, waiting for the conversation he knew was about to follow.

“Do you think she noticed me?” Ben asked.

Mark snorted. “Yeah, sure. Who wouldn’t notice a love-struck officer with his mouth hanging wide open?” he chuckled. “Really, man. You gotta learn how to keep your head in the game. You make it way too obvious. Major turn-off.”

Benjamin frowned and looked out the window.

“Hey, I’m just kidding, alright?” Mark said, glancing over at his partner. “You do need to work on not staring off into space so much, though. I think she thought you might have snuffed a bit of the weed.”

Now it was Benjamin’s turn to scoff.

“Nah, really,” Mark continued. “Or maybe she thought you were just dumb- a little oodled in the head.”

Ben punched him in the shoulder, and Mark brought up a hand in defense, “Watch it, I’m driving!” He swerved a little, clearly for effect.

“Uh, huh, Mr. I’ve-driven-through-rush-hour-with-a-300-lbs-killer-trying-to-knife-me-in-the-back-seat,” Ben smiled. “I seriously doubt you’re going to get us in an accident over a little punch in the shoulder.”

Mark just shrugged and smiled back. “You never know.”

“Yeah, you never know,” Benjamin answered, his voice growing distant again.

“Ah come on man,” Mark sighed. “How long is it going to take for you to get your mind off this one?”

“I don’t know,” Ben shrugged. “I think she’s the one.”

“You can’t know that,” Mark replied. “You don’t even know her.”

Ben just shrugged again.

“She’s got baggage, man,” Mark cautioned.

“So?”

“So, since when have you been interested in anyone with a kid?” Mark answered. “Especially a druggie kid. Seriously?  I mean, she’s a working mom, with a difficult teenage boy, and you really want to get involved? Just because you think she’s ‘the one’ after seeing her only once?”
Another shrug.

“How do you know she’s even available? Or more likely, if she even wants to be available to anyone?” Mark asked. “She seemed like a pretty tough nut to crack to me. Did you even hear her in the principal's office? She was hard on that kid. I think she takes this mom business pretty seriously. I doubt she wants to give any man the chance to screw up her hard work.”

Another shrug.

“How do you even know she isn’t married?” He asked. “Were you paying enough attention to see if she was wearing a wedding ring?”

Ben’s eyes went wide at that. “Was she?”

Mark chuckled. “I knew it. You are so lost in la-la land. She’s got a kid, so she’s at least been with another guy, and most people that have kids together get married. I mean, yeah there are a lot of single mom’s out there, but if she’s got a kid you should at least LOOK for a ring, right? Duh.”

Ben seemed desperate now and even leaned in close to Mark, “Was she?”

“How do you know if I know? I’m not the one interested in her. Why would I be looking?”

Benjamin tilted his head to the side and glared at his partner in annoyance. When Mark finally took the time to glance his direction, he chuckled.

“All right, all right, gee whiz. Spoil my fun why don’t you,” he smiled. “There wasn’t any ring.”

The other officer heaved a huge sigh of relief and returned to gazing out the window, once again daydreaming.

Mark glanced at him and shook his head. “Whatever man, if you really want to pursue this, whatever it is, don’t trudge around and expect me to give you a push. You gotta go after this one yourself, and don’t come crying to me when it doesn’t work out.”

Ben just looked out his window, closed his eyes, and pictured her face, smiling.