The Grand Gang | Part 1

I had just started getting ready for work when my phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hey Thelma!” Bess answered.

“Hi.” I smiled. “What are you calling for?”

“I need a favor.”

“Ofcourse, what is it?” I said naively.

“Could you pick me up in about an hour?”

“I have to go to work today, I’ll probably be late.”

“Oh, I forgot about that. Just forget it then. I’ll figure out somethin’.”

“Is Margaret not able to?”

“No, she hurt her leg the other day and can’t really drive.”

“Oh, no. I’ll come then.”

“But…”

“No buts, I don’t want you to get yourself in trouble again by driving without your license.”

“You don’t have to worry about me…” they laughed.

“I’m getting my keys. I’ll meet you… where are you needing to be picked up from?”

“Thank you so much Thelma. I’ll text you the place. I’ll have to make you a cake or something. Oh and I’ll call your boss to explain if you need me to.”

“No it’s alright, don’t worry about it. I’ll be there. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Thinking about ignorant little past me makes me laugh. I had no clue what I had just signed up for.

I pulled up in my old beige sedan, and texted Bess that I was there. I looked around, eyes wide at this expensive looking neighborhood. What on earth would Bess be doing here? I turn and see a masked figure running straight at me. I locked my doors faster than I knew I could. They grabbed the other sides’ door handle and banged on the window.

“Hey, its me.” they pulled up their mask.

“Bess!?” I unlocked the doors, still unsure, they hopped in and threw a black bag onto the back seat.

“Go!” I noticed the familiar jeans with a hole in the bottom of the pant leg. I switch gears and go as I begin to hear sirens in the distance.

“What did you do?!”

“I’m sorry, I can explain.”

“You better!”

“I think it would go better if we had Meg to explain.”

“Margaret knows?!”

“Yes, just, please relax, it’ll be explained.”

“But I have work in 15 minutes!” I look in the rear view mirror and realize why I heard sirens as I see a cop car turning the corner. “What have you gotten me into?” I look at Bess, heat mounting in my face.

“I’m so sorry.” Bess looks at me with pleading eyes.

Then a thought crosses my mind.

“Did you hurt anyone?”

“What? No. Ofcourse not.” Bess said firmly.

I could tell they were sincere and let out a small sigh of relief as I slowed at a stop sign.

“Good.” I say softly.

I start to calm as I collect my thoughts.

“I’ll go to work and drop by afterwards at around 8.”

“Okay.” Bess said.

I dropped them off and continued on to work. I spent the entire time very distracted as I polished counters and scrubbed toilets. I couldn’t believe that Bess had gone that far. What had they done? What was in that bag? At least I knew they hadn’t hurt anyone. Or did I? How could I know if I didn’t even think they could go this far? Why had I let all of the little signs go? The bits of shoplifting and vandalism? Bess had probably talked me out of worrying. How could I let myself be pulled into it? Then I remembered how kind Bess was. How they had been there for me when Tom died. Tears crept down my wrinkled cheeks as I remembered the meals they cooked ,and the laundry they did, and the times they just held me as I cried and cried.

When I got off work I went straight to Bess’s place. I pulled into the gravel patch that made up most of the tiny front yard. I got out of the car and marched up to the silver rv and rapped my knuckles before cracking the door open.

“Hi.” I said as I peeked in.

“Hey!” Bess said with a big smile.

“Hi Thel.” Meg said slightly limping out of the tiny bathroom. She gave me a weak smile and stopped at the kitchen sink as she got herself a glass of water.

“Come in. Sit down. Do you want something to drink, or maybe to ea…”

“No thank you. I came for an explanation.” I said, giving Bess a stern stare.

Bess’s smile melted into a slight frown.

“Okay. Fine. I owe you that much.”

Meg gave Bess a disapproving stare as she sat on their small blue couch and sipped on her water.

“I’m sorry okay!” Bess said as they looked away from our stares. “God! I can’t tell you how much I’m sorry’”

“Get on with it Elizabeth.” Meg said.

Bess winced softly at hearing their full name. They knew they were getting no mercy from us.

“Okay, okay.” they sat down on the dinette across from us and put their face in their palms. They rubbed their eyes and sighed. “Okay. Where to start.”

“Why were you in that neighborhood?” I said.

“I was picking up a few things. Now hold on, I’ll start from the beginning. Is that okay Meg?”

“Sure.”

“So, as you know me and Meg are what some like to call free spirits. We call it an alternative way of living, but anyways. We’ve always been about people before institutions and we’ve seen so many people hurt by the government and banks and so on.”

“And?” I said impatiently.

“Well, one of my biker buddies sort of mentioned doing something about it, and we agreed.”

“What was it?

“We decided to get the big guys where it really hurts. Their wallets. We started stealing and giving the money to organizations and charities we care about. My buddy chickened out on the whole thing, but me and Meg went through with it.”

My jaw hung open and my thoughts swirled faster and faster.

“You stole? Like robbery?”

“Only a few times.”

“A few times!” I said standing up.

“Woah, woah, woah. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“But…but…” I had no idea what to think, my mind was even more muddled than it had been before. “So that was what was in that bag? Money?”

Bess looked down at the floor and nodded.

“Bess should never have gotten you into this.” Meg said. “I had no idea they would do something so stupid.” Meg said giving Bess a death glare.

“I’m so sorry Thel. I have no idea what I was thinking. I guess I just thought…”

“What? What did you think? That I was some pushover and I would do whatever you asked to help because I happen to believe in doing good?” I said hotly, crossing my arms tightly. I paused for a moment, unsure of whether to continue my rant or not.

“I’m sorry.” Bess said, their voice barely a whisper. Meg leaned forward and rubbed Bess’s arm. A sob broke away from Bess and I saw a few tears fall and make dark splotches on their worn blue jeans. I stood my ground.

“We’re sorry Thel. We didn’t mean to get you involved.” Meg said.

I sighed.

“Is that everything?”

“I think so. Was there anything else Bess?” Meg said.

Bess shook their head no.

“I guess I’ll go home then.”

“If you have any questions feel free to ask.” Meg said, turning her attention from Bess to me. “I would walk you to your car, but I’ve already overdone it with this leg.” she says motioning at it apologetically.

“That’s alright. You take care of it.” I paused with the usual farewell we said on my lips. See you later. I shook my head and firmly turned the door handle.

It felt wrong not to say it, and I fought with it all the way home along with all of my other thoughts. What was I supposed to do?

I pulled into my own paved driveway and turned off the car just to stare into space. Thinking.

Brr brr, my phone buzzed.

I let out an exasperated sigh and answered.

“Hey, it’s Meg. Bess asked me to call you and say that we saw your car on the news. They know what they’re looking for. They don’t have a license plate number or else they would have gotten it already, but if you can, it would be best if you didn’t use your car for a little while.”

My anger bubbled up, but I kept my voice as neutral as I could, this was Meg after all. She didn’t make this mess, Bess did.

“For how long? I can’t just stop using my car. How am I supposed to get to work? I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.”

“I know, I know. This shouldn’t have happened, but you have to so you don’t get arrested on top of everything else.”

My mind reeled at the thought of being in jail. After all of this!

“I can’t afford a new car, or to use a taxi for everything, or to rent, or…”

“I can drive you for a few things after my leg gets better, but meanwhile do you have anyone you could borrow a car from?”

“I don’t know. Maybe my brother, but we’re not very close so I don’t know.”

“Okay, and if that doesn’t work I guess we can pay for your ubers until I can drive you.”

“Alright. What should I do with the car?”

“Just hide it. Keep it in the garage.”

“Okay.” even in my anger I feel a little bit of thankfulness for them looking out for me the best they could. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For doing all you can to…” my voice cracked a little as a big lump grew in my throat. Tears started to follow.

“Oh, no! It is the very least we could do. We would never let anything happen to you if we can help it.”

I sniffed and tried to collect myself.

“I’ve got to go now. Bye Thel.”

“Bye.” I nearly whispered.

She hung up. I pushed the garage door button and parked inside. It only went in half way. I got out and pushed everything as far out of the way as I could. It took me nearly half an hour, but it finally fit just barely. I sat in my car staring at the old refrigerator and the stress of the day crashed over me in racking sobs.