Free Chapter and Verse by Jo Willow, Sharon Gurley-Headley

conscience take it out on him when it all fell on Deacon.
    I twisted the deadbolt and opened the door.  It was an ambush.  The guy thrust the flowers at me and as I was taking them, Deacon made a squeeze play right through my door.  I thanked the young man in a hurry and slammed the door.  Son of a....
    “ Deacon?  What the hell are you doing here?  Do you know what time it is?”
    He turned to me holding a Grande Latte and a goody bag.
    “ It’s coffee and muffin time, Dor’.  I pegged you for a latte kind of girl.  Am I right?”
    I snatched the coffee from his hand and sat down at the table.  I popped the lid off the cup and took a deep sniff.  Then I began to sip.  Every time he’d try to say something, I held my hand up for him to stop.  I seem to recall motioning to a chair and he sat down quickly, but he didn’t speak.  He might be an idiot, but he had fleeting moments of wisdom.
    I ran my hands through my already messy hair and peered at him over my half empty cup.
    “ What’s the actual time Deke?”
    He looked at his watch and finally looked ashamed.
    “ Almost seven-thirty.”
    “ It’s seven-thirty on a Sunday morning and you’re sitting at my kitchen table.  You wanna explain that?”
    “ You like Starbucks and I wanna be a better friend.  I knew you were an early riser like me, so I ran to the corner.  Next time, you can go.”
    I took another sip and began to feel somewhat human.
    “ Next time?  You think this is going to be a regular gig?  You and me dropping in on each other early in the mornings with coffee?  Tell me something, ‘buddy’.  What happens the first time I drop in unannounced with coffee for two and a bag of muffins and you’re...entertaining someone?”
    He looked at his folded hands on the table and seemed to consider my question.
    “ Tell you what.  When I have overnight guests, I’ll automatically do the coffee run.  If I’m not here by eight, assume the coast is clear and you can make the run.”
    He was grinning as if he’d learned to tie his own shoes.  I shook my head and mumbled.
    “ I’ll be saving a fortune on coffee...”
    “ What?  Were you being sarcastic Dor’?  It’s a little early for sarcasm, don’t you think?”
    “ It’s a little early for your bullshit is what it’s a little early for.  I’m still pissed at you Deacon.”
    He looked down and appeared to study my tabletop.
    “ I know and I’m sorry.  Look, you need to know something.  I don’t apologize to anyone for anything.  Ever.  It’s not in my genetic makeup.  I’ve apologized more to you in the last week than I’ve ever apologized to anyone in my entire life.”
    “ And?”
    “ And what?  What do you mean, ‘and’?  I’m stating a fact.”
    “ Why?  You owed me those apologies.”
    He raked his hands down his face and blew out a sigh.
    I never said I didn’t owe them to you.  I’m saying I’m off balance Dorothy!  This is not me.  I’m the guy in charge.  The leader.  The Head Kahuna.”
    I’d busied myself filling the coffee pot from the tap and missed part of what he was saying.  As I poured the water into the top of the Mr. Coffee, I responded to what he’d said.
    “ Did you just say something about being a Tuna?  Because if you did, you lost me.”
    “ Not Tuna.  Kahuna.  The Head Kahuna.”
    He walked into the kitchen and took my hands in his, effectively forcing me to look at him.
    “ Dorothy, I feel like shit.  I can’t sleep and I’ve lost my appetite.  I’m sorry I hurt you.  I made a stupid mistake and I hurt a friend in the process.  It wasn’t worth it and it’ll never be worth it.  You, are worth it.  You’re lovely and you make me laugh.  Nobody with the exception of Anton, makes me laugh.  I don’t want to lose that.  There’s too little laughter in my life.  Say you forgive me and you’ll give me another chance.  Please Dorothy.  I may kill someone if I go another sleepless night.