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“No, I don’t care who he is. Danny and I get along just fine on our own. I have plenty of male friends who have been like fathers to him.”
“Yeah, you obviously have a regular fan club,” he said dryly, thinking about the two men who had just left her shanty.
Her eyes flashed green arrows of anger. “What I have is really none of your business. My life became none of your business the day you left Black Bog…the day you left me.”
“Leaving you was the absolute worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life,” he replied softly.
She shrugged. “It really doesn’t matter. Now it’s all water under the bridge. That was a long time ago, and I’ve certainly moved on from it.”
He leaned forward. “Mimi, don’t you remember how good we were together? How in love we were?” He needed to break through to her somehow.
“We were two young kids. It was mere puppy love and nothing more,” she scoffed. “Look, Johnny, there’s really no reason for you to come around here. I’m a different person than I was five years ago.”
He sat back again. “Then I’d like to get to know you all over again. I’d also like to get to know your son.”
“Why?” She visibly stiffened.
“We were once so good together, so why wouldn’t I want to get to know you again? And as far as your son, he’s obviously an important part of your life, so I’d like to get to know him as well.”
“Johnny, there is not and won’t ever be a path forward for us,” she said firmly.
He stared at her for a long moment. “What are you so afraid of?”
“Nothing.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not afraid of anything expect the serial killer who is at work in Black Bog right now.”
“You mean the Deer Slayer?” he asked.
“Is that what they’re calling him now?” she asked curiously.
“The morning paper was filled with news about the murders, and it called him that,” he replied.
“I guess it’s appropriate. He hangs his victims like a hunter would a deer.”
“Do you know there’s a town meeting tomorrow night?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m going to it with one of my close friends,” she replied.
It was interesting and slightly disheartening at the same time that she appeared far more relaxed talking about a serial killer than she was about their past relationship.
“Mimi, I know you must be really angry with me,” he began, but she cut him off.
“Johnny, I was angry and hurt for a long while after you left me, but now what I feel about you is complete indifference,” she replied with a coolness in her tone.
It would really hurt…if he believed it. But he didn’t. If she was so indifferent to him, then her eyes wouldn’t fire with such anger. They wouldn’t hold a hint of fear when he brought up her son—a little boy Johnny still believed was his.
She rose from the chair. “Johnny, it’s getting late, and I need to get up early in the morning,” she said. It was an obvious dismissal. “And we really have nothing more to discuss.”
He got up, and she walked with him to the door. Once again, he could smell her scent, the evocative fragrance that pulled forth so many wonderful memories.
She stepped out with him on the front porch. The sultry night air wrapped around them, reminding him of those nights so long ago when she’d been in his arms and they had talked about a future together.
“Ma chérie,” he said and took a step closer to her.
“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “I am not your darling, Johnny. I’m not your anything.”
He took another step, close enough that in the glow of light coming out of the shanty windows, he saw her eyes widen slightly.
However, she didn’t step back from him and that gave him a bit of courage. “I’ve spent the last five years regretting leaving you,” he said in a whisper. He reached out and trailed his hand slowly down the side of her face.
