Tombstone.
This morning I walked down Allen Street and headed to the courthouse and worked on cases from the court docket in the office there. After a while I heard Alex’s voice through the open window and headed outside.
“Hey there everyone!” I greeted the crowd and they all greeted me. “Been working on court stuff... figured I should get some fresh air.”
“That’s a good idea,” Alex smiled at me but then I saw the frog. I hid behind Alex and he chuckled.
“Don’t worry, Trin. I won’t put it in your hair.”
“Remind me again why I came outside?”
“Hmm, interesting color. I wonder if it’s poisonous,” Alex looked closer at the frong.
“Said you wanted some fresh air,” Zeth reminded me.
“Don’t lick it, as if it is poisonous that will kill you for sure!” Ed warned.
Alex took out a glass jar and a stick with a bit of cotton on the end. “I’d like to take a sample. You never know what kind of properties it has.”
“Give me an outlaw to shoot any day over forgz!” Angel agreed.
Alex carefully wiped the frog’s back with the cotton swab and stuck it in the jar, making sure not to hurt the frog as he did.
“Thought a frog like that would need a lake or something to survive,” Zeth stated. “Would rarely see one this far in.”
“It must survive because of all this rain,” Ed looked up.
“Iz gross iz vat it is,” Angel put in. “Zat’s mine explanation and I don’t plan on changing it anytime soon.”
“I’m going to go do a few experiments with this stuff in the pharmacy,” Alex said.
“On the frog?” Zeth asked.
“No, not on the frog. I took a sample of the stuff that came off his back. I like to see what kinds of properties things like that have. Sometimes, they can have medical benefits.”
“No one takes samples of the stuff that comes off my back. Am I not as interesting as a frog?” Ed asked.
“Well, Ed, if you think that stuff will help in someway, I’d be happy to take a sample,” Ed said.
I was barely paying attention, then suddenly realized I hadn’t been talking much.
“You okay over there?” Alex smiled at me.
“Just distracted about all the cases this weekend I guess,” I nodded, though I hated the fact that there was a frog around.
“Trin, want to watch me do some experiments? Make sure I don’t blow up the place?” Alex asked then.
“Sure Alex. Where we going?” I chuckled.
“To the pharmacy.”
“Lead the way.”
He walked towards the clinic and stopped then, seeing Jess inside. “Hey Jess, you ok in there?”
She turned and I looked from Jess to Alex. “Let me talk to her?”
“Yeah sure. I’ll be in the pharmacy if you need me.”
I walked into the clinic and closed the door behind me, looking at Jess. “You okay hon?”
She swallowed and I could see that something was really wrong. “Yea Trin, I’m fine.”
“You sure? You can talk to me...”
“I’m fine. Honestly,” she nodded.
“You know it’s pointless to lie to a detective, right?” she half winks
“I’m cursed,” she said with a forced smile.
“You’re cursed?”
“Yea, I just can’t seem to able to find anyone who likes me...”
“Oh Jess...” I went to hug her and she hugged me back. “It’s hard, I know. Sometimes we just gotta do our jobs the best we can do and the rest will fall into place...”
“Every time I find someone I really like, fate pulls its hateful head and something horrible always happens.”
“I know how you feel, trust me.”
“I’ve decided to go on strike.”
“Listen... The last man that I was with was Alex, right? Back in like... November. Now... I’m going to be the best man at his wedding.”
“What?”
“And while part of me is really happy for them and I can’t wait to see them as husband and wife and so happy... I still love him. I think apart of me always will. But we weren’t right for each other that way. It was a different kind of love.”
“I thought you two were...” she threw her hands in the air.
“You thought Alex and I were still together?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Goodness no... that ended a long time ago. But that’s just my point. We’re so close that the romance part? It doesn’t matter. We’re good friends. We’re there for one another.”
“Sounds like me and JY.”
“And you know what? I would never trade that for any date or moment or second in time that I would have with another man that would just disappear after. I know that Alex is there for me when I need him. You have to focus on relationships like that... the friendships that mean so much more than anything romantic.”
“But the difference is... at one time he did love you.”
“Sure... But Jess I could have let our breakup destroy me. And it almost did for a while. When I saw him with others. But at the end of the day I know that our friendship means so much more than those three months we had because what we have now... Is guaranteed to last. So focus on your friendship with Jy... focus on developing it to its full potential. Even if you never kiss each other or dance with one another... Those are the people that’ll be there for you at the end of the day when you need it the most.”
“Oh Trin we tried not one but twice and we both know the relationship can only be friends..”
“See? So focus on that. Be thankful for that. Cause friendships like that with men are so rare but they mean so much.”
“Yea but that does not fill the empty needs I am feeling now...”
“Oh trust me hon I understand that too. Seeing everyone else so happy dancing together... It’s hard. And that’s all anyone can say right now because there’s no solution. It’s just hard.”
“My question is how come I can love someone so much without any response from the other part?”
“I don’t know hon...” I sighed. “Unrequited love is the absolute worst.”
“So my decision. I’m on strike.”
“Focus on what you do best... focus on being the best doctor you can be. Focus on your patients and your friends.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s what I’ve been doing. Try to be the best detective and lawyer I can be to this town. I feel sometimes like I’m married to the town, to be honest.”
“My goal now.”
I hugged her tight and said, “You’ll be alright hon.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Okay I’m going to head outside. You have a good day, alright?”
“It’s called harden the heart.”
“Don’t harden your heart too much.. Soften it for your patients,” I smiled at her and headed outside, letting her think about that.
I walked outside and saw Alex and was unable to resist hugging him again. “Trin!” he exclaimed and hugged me a little too tight.
“Easy there... need to breathe,” I chuckled.
“What color was this frog, Alex?” Pet asked Alex then.
“Orange,” he answered.
“Frogs? We’re talking about frogs?” I looked between them.
“With spots?” Pet asked.
“Maybe. There it is!” Alex pointed as the frog came over and I jumped. “When did you change your hair color Trin?”
“Jess, I think Alex’s been poisoned,” Pet said.
“I did? It should be... brown,” I looked at him.
“Don’t get me wrong, it looks nice blue.”
I looked from him to Pet and asked, “Is he okay?”
Alex started to roll on the floor laughing and Pet asked, “Trin, do I look purple to you?”
“Nope, you look normal,” I told her.
“He said I was purple.”
“Jess maybe you could um.... look at him?” I suggested. “Alex... hon.... what’s gotten into you?” I looked at him, concerned for my best friend.
“Did things start spinning after you touched the frog Alex?” Pet asked.
“Frog juice!” Alex laughed then. “Not the fancy french kind either.”
“Come on, Alex. Walk with me to the clinic,” I suggested and walked inside with Pet following me. I helped him up on the bed and he sat looking at me in confusion.
“Hey, how’d I get in here. Wasn’t I just at the pharmacy?” Alex asked.
“Pet, help me out here?” I looked to her.
“Look at these shiny things!” Alex looked around.
“Oh cripes! Alex have seat before you hurt yourself dear,” Pet said and I looked over at her with a worried look as he lay on the bed and started at the ceiling, giggling.
“I have no idea what to do here. Gunshots I can handle... but touching a frog that’s poisonous?”
“I do,” Alex whispered to me.
“Um water. Maybe water. Can you get a glass please?” Pet asked.
“Save it for Aly, hon...” I shook my head.
“What?” he laughed like crazy.
“Yeah,” I nodded to Pet and went over to get a glass and filled it with water, bringing it back as Jess walked in.
“Oh rainbows!” Alex took the glass.
Jess walked over to Alex and handed him a bottle of peroxide and a small amount of charcoal. “Wash the area with peroxide and mix the charcoal with something to drink and take it.”
Alex sat up suddenly then and grabbed my arm. “Follow the elephant patterns of life.”
I almost spilled the glass as I handed it to Pet and she drank it, setting the glass down. “Now use little words and agree with whatever he says. Mister Alexander J Stone, M.A. how do you feel?”
“Wonderful!” he looked at her.
“And.... um... professionally, what are you suppose to do for poisoning?” Pet asked.
“For this... I think just ride it out.” He took both our hands in his and said, “I love you both!” I sighed hearing him and squeezed his hand.
“We love you too dear. Um ride it out cowboy!” Pet looked at Alex, then looked at me. “Trin, I have to go to the hotel for a moment. can you stay with him?”
“Of course,” I nodded.
“Wow that’s an amazing dress Jess!” Alex giggled.
“I’m here Pet. Did he drink the charcoal?” Jess asked.
“Thanks ever so much,” Pet said and headed out of the clinic.
“Why don’t you take over, Jess? He was poisoned when he touched that damned frog,” I told her.
Jess went to work and examined him, insuring he would be okay.
“I’m just going to close my eyes for a moment. There are too many colors in here,” he said then.
“Get some rest,” I smiled at him and looked at Jess. “Think he’ll be okay when he wakes up Jess?”
Alex opened his eyes then and looked around. “They’re not watching are they?”
“Who, hon?” I squeezed his and,
“Who what?” he looked at me.
“Who’s not watching?”
“I don’t know.”
“This one has me stumped. I gave him charcoal for the poison on the inside. Peroxide to boil away the poison on the outside,” Jess said.
Alex sat up and shook his head. “What am I talking about?”
“It’s okay, Alex... Shh...”
“You have brown hair, Trin,” Alex took a couple of deep breaths.
“You alright?” I went to rub his back.
“I never have dealt with poisonous frogs. I wasn’t poisoned cause I washed my hands right away,” Jess said and I nodded.
“Are you okay?” Alex looked over at Jess.
“Yes, I am fine. How are you feeling?” Jess asked.
“I’m good but I have a bit of a head ache,” he smiled and rubbed his temples.
I leaned over to hug him gently. “Welcome back.”
“I guess some folks are can be more poisoned than others,” Jess said.
“So, Trin, want to go do some experiments next door. I found this frog...” Alex stopped and thought for a moment. “Wait. NO, I already wnet there, didn’t I?”
“I think we need to get you home,” I rubbed his back.
“I’m really confused right now,” Alex shook his head.
“That may be a side effect from the charcoal. I think you need to sleep the rest off it you get worse take a bath in peroxide,” Jess said.
“Thanks Jess,” Alex smiled.
“Yer welcome. I think we need something to put that frog in and get rid of it,” Jess suggested.
“I fully agree there,” I nodded.
“I don’t want a kid touching it,” Alex said.
“Nobody touching it,” Jess agreed.
“Glad you’re back, hon,” I smiled at Alex.
“I should go home,” he smiled back.
“Let me help you get there,” I said and helped him off the table.
We said goodbye to Jess and walked outside, making sure that the coast was clear. We walked to Alex’s house and I hesitated, having a thought that might not be appropriate considering our history but I was worried about him being alone.
“I was just thinking....”
“Yeah?”
“You should be in Diamond,” I nodded. “I would suggest living with me until the wedding but..”
“That might be a little odd,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, that’s why I hesitated. But you really should be there. I don’t like you being all the way out here by yourself.”
“Right now, I’m not sure I want to be by myself.”
“Then come to Diamond. Stay in the hotel at the very least. Maybe stay with Ger,” I suggested and he looked at me and smiled. “Why don’t we go find out if that’s a possibility? You can get rid of this place, start acclimating yourself to town. Or re-acclimating, as it were.”
“Okay.”
I leaned over and hugged him gently. “I don’t like seeing you like that.”
“Thanks Trin,” he hugged me back. “I know I can always count on you, even when I think your hair is blue.”
“I’m here for you like you are for me,” I chuckled and he smiled. “Let’s go to Diamond, shall we?”
“Sure.”
Black Diamond.
We walked back to Diamond and went to look in the hotel but it didn’t feel right so I suggested he could come lay on my couch while I did some work. We walked up to my apartment and he lay down on the couch with the blanket pulled over him. I sat in the chair next to the couch and pulled out my notebook, doing some work while he slept.
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