LOST
Grease Stains on the Paper Bag of Karma

Marie drove toward the mass of metal, glass and concrete that is Uptown Charlotte, hoping that one last stop by Kristy’s Diner would replace Wiz there. She found herself wanting him to be there—not just so she could tell him what she had found out, but also because she truly just wanted to spend time with him.

As that last thought passed through her cerebral cortex, her foot involuntarily came off the gas pedal. “I don’t need a relationship right now,” she thought. “Although, nothing says we can’t have a completely platonic relationship.” Her foot pressed back down on the accelerator as the two sides of her brain seemed to be having an argument. A moment later, she let up again, thinking, “What if he wants to be more than friends?” Finally, she pressed down on the gas, with determination to leave it there. “You’re being silly, Marie. Whatever is going to happen, just let it happen. That’s what Ma-Maw always said, right?”

As she turned onto Church Street, she expected to have to drive around the block at least once or twice in order to replace a space to park. But there was one right in front of the diner. The only things missing were the beam of sunlight through the clouds above to illuminate it and the choir of angels to herald its presence.

As soon as she opened the door and stepped inside, she heard Wiz’s voice. “Marie!”

She saw him sitting in the corner. Goose sat on the floor at the end of the table, his nose getting closer and closer to the bacon on Wiz’s plate. Marie started toward them but a waitress stopped her and handed her a small, paper bag with grease stains around the bottom.

“You’re joining them, right?” the waitress asked in a sweet, southern drawl, pointing to Wiz’s table. Marie answered with a confused nod.

“It’s for Goose. Rodney, our short order cook likes to spoil him every time he comes here. I told him, ’Why don’t you give him an apple pie to boot? They’re something else, those two right there. Thanks, Hon.”

Marie chuckled and walked over to the table, dangling the bag in the air above Goose’s head. “Somebody loves you, boy.” She opened it up so that he could get to the bacon inside, put it on the floor in front of him and then sat down across from Wiz. “Alex told me you didn’t show up for a lunch date with her and Stew today.”

“Yeah, I—”

“Wiz…” she interrupted, “you don’t have to explain it to me. Alex is the one who’s upset. She’s the one you need to be explaining it to. And apologizing.”

“I wish I could explain it. Well, actually, I take that back. It’s not that I can’t. It’s just that it would be very hard for her—and Stew—to understand.”

“Well, she’s pissed off. So, what are you going to do about it?”

“Let me tell you the reason and you can help me figure out what to do about it.”

“Okay.”

“I found out some information and I’ve constructed a theory based on that information.”

“Tell me the theory first.”

“Stew and Alex meeting… I don’t think it was mere chance.”

“There are plenty of people who believe in fate, destiny, soul mates, whatever. That’s nothing new.”

“No. It’s more than that. I think Zachary is obsessed with a woman named Astrid.”

“Who is she?”

“Astrid was Xamn’s wife-to-be.”

“And Xamn is Stew.”

“Yes. And… when Astrid was young, her family adopted Zachary. As they grew older, he became very possessive of her. She was the catalyst for everything that happened.”

“And you think Alex is Astrid?”

“Yes. It makes perfect sense. Everything is coming full circle.”

“Oh, God. Here comes that feeling again,” she said as she held her head in her hands.

“What feeling is that?”

“Like I just received too much information for my brain to handle.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean, ‘everything is coming full circle’?”

“Every wrong, given enough time, has the chance to be made right.”

“What? Like karma?”

“Yeah, I guess you could look at it like that.”

“So, how did you replace this information, anyway?”

“Well…” Wiz said, reluctant to continue, “yesterday, I found out where Zachary’s been hiding.”

“What? And you didn’t call me?”

“Hold on. Hold on. Before you get too upset… I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d immediately go in there and try to get him.”

“You’re damn right!”

“Zachary is not your common, everyday criminal. He’s not even on the same level as a criminal mastermind. He’s a few steps above Hitler and Stalin. Okay? He’s immortal. He can shapeshift. And he’s evil. He cannot be dealt with according to any normal protocol.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. So, when do I get to replace out where this place is?”

“I’ll let you know. We need to replace out as much as we can before we make any move on him. And I need to replace out for sure if Alex is Astrid.”

“How are you going to do that?”

“All I need to do is touch her hand.”

“You could have done that today.”

“I know, but the time was not right. She would’ve seen it on my face that I’m keeping something from her and I just can’t tell her yet.”

“Just so you know… I’m not comfortable with just letting Di Corvo keep doing what he’s doing. What if he kills someone else?”

“I’ve thought about that. We are just not prepared to take him down yet. If we go at him now, he’ll just disappear before we can even get within ten feet of him and who knows when we’d replace him again.”

“Okay. I’m trusting you, but against all my training and better judgment. Can you live with that?”

“I’ve lived with far worse things in my life.”

“I would imagine you have. I’m sorry.”

Wiz sighed and took a deep breath; his demeanor changed. “Marie…”

“Yes?”

“Will you have dinner with me?”

“Wiz, we’re in a—”

“Not here. Someplace nicer.”

“What? Right now?”

“Yes. But I’ll understand if you—”

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“I guess I am, if that’s okay.”

“Yeah. I’ll have dinner with you. Let’s go take care of your check here. Wait—what are you going to do with Goose?”

“He’ll just have to stay hidden.”

“And you… do you have something a bit dressier to change into?”

“Don’t you worry about that.” Wiz paid his bill and turned toward the restroom, leaving Marie by the door. “Just let me change,” he said as he closed the door. When he came out a few minutes later, he was wearing khaki pants, a light-blue oxford shirt and loafers. And above all things, his hair was combed and pulled back in a ponytail.

Marie’s mouth hung open and, for a moment, she couldn’t speak at all. “Holy crap! Who are you?” Marie asked.

“Is this okay?”

She laughed and said, “Well, yeah. So, all of this came from things that didn’t belong to anyone?”

“Yep. People leave stuff behind when they move all the time.”

“Can you clean me up while you’re at it?”

“Are you kidding? You look beautiful. Don’t change a thing.”

“Okay. Flattery is appreciated. So, where do you want to go?”

“Charlotte’s your town. You know the good restaurants. You choose.”

“Hm. Okay. Mangione’s on East Boulevard.”

“Let’s go, then,” he said, opening her car door.

“What did you do? Pawn a sword today?” she asked as she got in.

“Nope. Navajo blanket.”

“Ah. Good one.”