Copyright © 2002 Christine A. Verstraete. All rights reserved. 

    “Ten mill, plus interest” Ray Graves whispered over her shoulder. “Nice piece of change. Just think what we can do with that.”

    “We?” Lela Ward grimaced and took a quick step away from him. “There is no we.”

    She held her hand out to stop him. “No, stay there. You smell like a tavern. Look Ray, I’m not discussing this with you. Go fold those boxes and throw them out like I asked.”

    Lela let her breath out slowly when Ray glared and finally headed to the back of the store. She was forever indebted to him for loaning her the money to start her small shop, IT’S MAGIC!, but the relationship was becoming unbearable.

    The glittering red background of the poster plastered on the adjacent wall caught her eye. In big, black letters, the title read: “Marvelous Mondo! Master of the Magical Arts.” She studied the tall, handsome man in the black cape accompanied by a cute little girl in blond curls - her and her father.

    “I know, Dad, I know,” she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. “You told me, gratitude isn’t love. I was grateful, but did I have to marry him?”

    A melodic whistle drifted her way. Lela turned towards the sound and felt her cheeks warm at the suggestive way Ray leered. The big smile he flashed only made her feel worse. “A five million dollar smile,” she said and sighed.

***

    Her thoughts returned to the lottery ticket she’d carelessly stuffed in her pants pocket that morning. She shook her head in disbelief and tried to temper her excitement. She’d done it! She’d really done it! After three years of buying tickets, her numbers had finally come up. All five of them!

    Winning meant she could leave her cramped apartment and buy a house. She could get a new car! She could do all the things that weren’t possible before on a waitress’s salary. Shuffling the papers in front of her, Lela realized that first she had to get rid of Ray.

***

    At five, Lela escorted the last customer out, flipped the closed sign on the front door, and, still preoccupied, returned to her seat behind the counter.

    Grabbing a deck of standard playing cards, she shuffled, her deft fingers easily parting the cards and manipulating them. She spread the cards out in a fan, face down, then chose one. She studied the deck and inserted the card back in place. The trick didn’t work with one person, but just the feel of the cards was relaxing and helped the thought process.

    Whatever Lela had felt for Ray had faded long ago, even if her gratitude hadn’t. She felt obligated to help him in return. When Ray was down on his luck, she’d hired him as the store’s janitor.

    “I still don’t know how he talked me into marrying him,” she said to herself. “Now I’m gonna pay for it - big time. And why didn’t I file for divorce? What am I gonna do?”

    Leaning her head on her hands, she was surprised to hear heavy footsteps coming from the storeroom in back. She jumped and nearly fell off the stool when Ray walked in and set the broom beside the counter.

    He folded his arms and stared at her. “I’ve got a good suggestion,” he said with a smirk.”

    “I thought you left already,” she said.

    ”I did,” he said, stepping closer. “Took care of some things and came back.”

    “Good for you. Whaddya want?”

    “You know very well what I want, dear. Such a question to ask your husband.”

    “You know it’s only on paper,” Lela said. “Go home, Ray.”

    “Home? Aww, baby, home’s where the heart is. Don’t forget your heart’s mine. So’s part of that ticket in those tight little jeans of yours.”

    She slid off the stool and backed up. “Look, Ray. I’m seeing a lawyer tomorrow and filing the divorce papers. I should’ve done it sooner. You sign and I’ll give you a hundred g’s. You’ll be set for life. Buys a lot of beer.”

    The amicable look left Ray’s face. Too late, Lela saw the cruel glitter of his eyes. She swallowed, sorry that she’d triggered a side of him she knew was best left alone. She tried getting out from behind the counter, but he was quicker. He moved in and wrapped his hands around her neck, causing her to gasp.

    “Don’t play cute with me, Lela.” Ray pressed her against the wall. “You know I’m not that dumb.”

    Her attempts to squirm away failed. She gave in. “Okay, okay,” she said. “Let me go.”

    Ray tightened his grip, his smile never reaching his eyes. Slowly, he slipped his other hand beneath the hem of her blouse.

    “Ray, Ray, please. Don’t-don’t do this.” Her voice broke. “You-you know you can come home with me.”

    His sour laugh made her wince. “Nah, not when you ask like that.” He shoved her away, walked to the door, then turned and gave her a steady look. “Don’t forget, sweetie. What’s yours is mine. All I want is my half.”

    He stuck a toothpick in his mouth and continued, “You and me got some papers of our own to sign. I’ll meetcha here at nine tomorrow. I just want what’s coming to me.”

    “You’ll get it,” she said, watching him leave. She waited for the door to thud closed behind him. Her legs buckling, she grabbed the stool, sat down and started to cry.

    Several minutes later, Lela wiped her tear-streaked face and struggled to overcome her feelings of vulnerability. She stared at the pictures of her idols - The Great Gambini!, Blackstone, Harry Houdini.

    Her eyes fell again on her father’s picture. Oh, Dad, I sure miss you. She wished he was here to advise her. Sniffling, she picked up the playing cards again, the reds and blacks blurring together in a haze when she shuffled them faster.

    “He taught me everything he knew,” Lela said, mentally reviewing her father’s old magic acts. There was the sword trick. She could impale Ray. “Don’t I wish.”

    Most of the acts were more stage-oriented. “Nah, everything’s already complicated. I need something else. Something simple...”

    The cards flew out of her hands in every direction. “That’s it!” she yelled.

    “Simple, so simple,” she said, edging out from behind the counter. “No wonder I didn’t think of it before.”

***

    The next morning, Lela dressed, grabbed her purse, and rushed out to the rusted old Buick parked at the curb. Opening the door, she slid over the tattered front seat, slipped the key into the ignition and started up the car. The car roared and farted out a plume of dark smoke, making Lela more anxious to settle things with Ray.

    Her foot pressing the pedal almost to the floor, Lela backed up, then gave the car some gas and sped into the deserted street. The enjoyment she usually felt about going to work faded as she parked and saw Ray leave his post by the front door and saunter towards her.

    “Perfect timing,” he said, pulling a silver-toned watch with a broken wristband from his pocket. “I was gonna call if you didn’t get here in another couple minutes.”

    “Impatient, impatient.” Lela looked at her own watch. “It’s not even nine yet.”

    “Whatever. C’mon, let’s get done so’s I can be outta your hair.”

    “Finally we agree,” she said, hunting for the key to the front door. “My lawyer should be here soon.”

    The correct key in hand, Lela unlocked the front door, stepped inside and flicked on the light switch. Feeling surprisingly calm, she walked to the office in the back, jerked open the blinds, then dropped into one of the rumpled easy chairs. Her hands folded, she watched Ray pull an envelope from his pocket.

    “I could’ve gotten real greedy,” he said opening the envelope and sliding out a sheaf of papers. “I didn’t. Like I said, all I want is half. Sign and I’ll be outta your life for good.”

    She nodded and took the papers he offered. “Where will you go?” she asked. “Vacation?”

    “Why, ya wanna come along?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. “Hawaii. Alaska, wherever. It don’t matter. Enough yakking. Sign.”

    Her hands shaking, Lela unfolded the papers and scanned the typewritten text. She flipped through the pages. Everything seemed to be in order.

    “I told ya. It’s legit. Sign.”

    “Don’t rush me,” she snapped. “I like to know what I’m signing. Maybe my attorney should look at this first.”

    “Ah, damn it. Quit stalling and sign the freakin’ thing.” Angrily, he looked around, then grabbed a pen and tossed it her way.

    Lela smiled inwardly at his bluster. “Fine,” she said, catching the pen.

    She removed the cap, pressed it to the page and began writing. Nothing came out. She held the pen up, shook it, and tried writing again. The pen only dented the paper.

    Ray watched her, his face getting redder by the minute until he exploded. “Oh, for cryin’ out loud! Get another pen already!”

    “Okay, take it easy.” Lela reached for her purse, dug inside and then pulled out a bright red fountain pen. She held it up for his inspection. “How’s this?”

    He scowled and uttered a string of curses. “Looks like a pen. Use it.”

    With a flourish, Lela flipped through the pages, then quickly signed her name on the dotted line on the last page. Smiling, she refolded the papers and handed them back to him.

    “About time,” he said, checking his watch. “Where’s that lawyer of yours?”

    Just then, the bell on the front door jingled. “Joe?” Lela called. “We’re back here.”

    Her attorney, Joseph Giglione, walked in, dropped his briefcase on the desk, opened it, and explained her position. He then gave Ray a felt-tipped pen and the divorce papers to sign. That done, he shoved everything back into his briefcase and lectured Lela about signing documents without his review.

    “It’s okay, really,” she insisted. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

    “I’ll be the judge of that. May I see the papers?”

    Her arms crossed in front of her, Lela leaned back in the chair and watched Ray pull the papers from his pocket and hand them over.

    Joe unfolded the papers and began reading. He grunted occasionally, then looked up at her when he got to the last page. ”I thought you said you signed this?”

    “I did,” Lela said.

    “Where?” Joe asked. “I don’t see a signature.”

    A yelp erupted from Ray, who leaped across the room like his pants were on fire. He yanked the pages from Joe’s hand. “What’re you talking about? I saw her. She signed ‘em.”

    “She did?” Joe asked. “There’s no signature here.”

    Lela’s smile widened at the frantic way Ray shuffled through the pages. His eyes wide and wild-looking, he stopped and stared at the last page.

    “Oh, my, I think I goofed,” Lela told him, picking up the red fountain pen. “Gee, I don’t know how I did that. I must’ve grabbed the wrong pen. This one has disappearing ink in it. You know, now you see it, now you don’t?”

    Ignoring his threats, Lela watched Ray tear up the papers in a fury. She motioned to Joe, who pulled out another paper from his briefcase and handed it to Ray who looked at her in surprise.

    “Call it even, Ray,” Lela said. “I’m paying back the five thousand you loaned me. Joe told me not to, but I’m still giving you the hundred grand I promised. Then we’re through. Sign.”

    She laughed when he reached for the red pen in her lap. “Uh-uh,” she said, grabbing it first. “Don’t even think it.”

    She tossed him a cheap black ballpoint. “Use this one.”

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