Blood Games

    He’s probably just a decent guy who wants to help, she told herself.

    But you never know. This is New York.

    ‘I’m Wayne, by the way.’ Cracking a smile, he added, ‘I’ll be your tour guide for this evening’s festivities.’

    They introduced themselves, and he nodded a pleasant greeting to each of them.

    ‘First on the agenda, let’s get you turned around so you’re heading out of harm’s way.’ They parted to let him through, then accompanied him back up Broome Street.

    Vivian and Cora walked at his sides, the others following close behind. His wet pony tail hung swaying at the nape of his neck. His jeans hugged his hips so low that the crevice of his buttocks showed and Abilene had doubts that he was wearing underpants.

    Finley’s kind of guy, she thought.

    ‘How’d you manage to end up on the Lower East Side?’ he asked, looking over his shoulder. Probably so everyone could hear, but his question seemed directed at Helen.

    ‘We thought we were in Greenwich Village,’ she answered.

    He smiled. ‘That might be where you started.’

    ‘Map-girl blew it,’ Finley told him.

    ‘I guess you’re tourists.’

    Cora laughed.

    ‘Obviously,’ Vivian said.

    ‘Where you from?’

    As they walked along, they told Wayne where they were currently living, how they’d gone to college together and come to New York City as an excuse for a get-together.

    ‘We’re planning to meet somewhere every year,’ Helen explained. ‘This year, it was Vivian’s turn to pick. She’s into acting, so obviously she chose New York. We’ve been to… what? Five shows? The others were, you know, downtown, but tonight we came out to the Village. It seems like all we’ve done is go to plays and walk.’

    Abilene grinned at her. She’d rarely found Helen so talkative with a stranger.

    ‘Next year, it’ll be Cora’s turn to pick.’

    ‘You won’t be seeing us back here,’ Cora said. ‘That’s a guarantee.’

    ‘You don’t like New York?’ Wayne asked her.

    ‘It’s an armpit.’

    ‘Come on,’ Vivian protested. ‘It’s great!’

    ‘Great if you like traffic and crowds and honking horns and jackhammers, weirdos and winos everywhere.’

    Mention of the wino made Abilene realize they’d already walked past the derelict who’d called out from the entry way their first time by. She hadn’t even noticed. It does help, she decided, having an escort. She found that she didn’t even mind the rain so much, now that Wayne was leading them back to civilization.

    ‘And have you ever tried to breathe the air in Grand Central Station? It smells like exhaust.’

    ‘At least,’ Finley added.

    ‘I think New York’s terrific,’ Helen said. ‘I’ve loved every minute.’

    That’s a hoot, Abilene thought.

    She must really like this guy.

    While they descended the stairway to the subway station, Wayne put on his shirt. At long last, Abilene thought. Though she had appreciated being escorted back to civilization, and Wayne seemed like a nice enough fellow, she’d found it odd that he had kept his shirt off while walking along with the five of them. Particularly because of the way his jeans hung so low. Was he deliberately showing off his body to them?

    As he slipped into his shirt, Finley leaned close to Abilene and whispered, ‘Aw, shucks.’

    Helen, two stairs below them, looked back and gave Finley a chiding glance.

    They gathered around Wayne at the bottom of the stairway. Vivian extended a hand to him and said, ‘Thanks so much. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.’

    Smiling, he squeezed her hand. ‘My pleasure. It’s not every night I get to help out damsels in distress. I think I’d better stick with you for a while, though. You get some pretty strange customers on the subway, especially at this hour.’

    ‘That’s very nice of you, but…’

    ‘We’ll be fine,’ Cora interrupted. By the look in her eyes, Abilene could see that she was suspicious of the offer. ‘But thanks so much for getting us here.’

    ‘I’ll stay with you. At least till we get to your stop. Just in case. I really don’t mind.’

    ‘It’s not necessary,’ Cora said.

    ‘It sounds like a good idea to me,’ Helen said. She looked at the others for support. ‘You know? You hear about stuff happening on the subways, and it’s after midnight, and… if Wayne thinks he should stay with us for a while, I’m all for it.’

    ‘I’m only concerned about your safety, ladies.’

    ‘But you’ve already done so much,’ Vivian protested. ‘We can’t ask you to ride all the way back with us.’

    ‘I insist. Really.’

    ‘Besides,’ Finley said, ‘it’ll give him a break from the rain. I sure wouldn’t want to rush right back out there.’

    ‘Oh, I like the rain. But I don’t like the idea of you girls riding alone at this time of night.’

    ‘Let us at least buy your tokens,’ Vivian said.

    He laughed softly. ‘Fine. If you like.’

    Vivian, keeper of the tokens, searched her purse for those she’d bought for the return trip. She passed them around. As Wayne followed her to the glass-enclosed booth, Cora shook her head.

    ‘I know,’ Abilene said.

    ‘What’s the problem?’ Helen asked. ‘He’s just being nice.’

    ‘Maybe too nice,’ Abilene said.