Chapter 4: Chloe Breaks the Law

Chloe woke up later than she had hoped on Saturday, so she skipped the mirror and scale ritual. She already knew the McDonald's from yesterday did nothing to reverse the numbers in her favor. Chloe headed out to try and get her errands done on time and make it to the party with a gift in hand. She stopped and picked up a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks and some daisies from the local florist. No matter how behind she is this week, nothing cuts into Father-Daughter time, and daisies were his favorite.

Chloe stopped at her father's grave with the flowers and had meant to get the milk between the Starbucks stop and the florist but completely forgot. She put the flowers in a vase and sat cross-legged in front of his headstone and had her weekly chat with her dad to let him know about what had happened since last week, which wasn't very much.

Chloe told her father how she had saved Mrs. Harris from utter humiliation by picking out the perfect painting to hang, how yet again she rescued Francis and Jane from possibly losing their jobs, and she let him know she was procrastinating until the last minute as always. Chloe told him she was running short on time today since she had to get milk, drop off Jon's lunch, and pick up a birthday gift all before 7:00 even though she had slept in.

"I miss you, daddy," Chloe sighed and sat in silence for a moment before getting up, dusting herself off, and walking back to her car.

Chloe left her father's grave and headed to get the milk. She took a detour down the frozen section and saw they had Ben and Jerry's Cheesecake Brownie ice cream, and she almost drooled on the spot.

Oh, fuck it! It's only two pounds. I've got ten to go before I tip over, she thought to herself, recalling what the scale had told her yesterday. She grabbed the fat loaded ice cream container and rushed to the register before she could change her mind.

*****

Chloe was on her way to mail something important for Jon, and halfway to the post office, she realized she had forgotten the milk and had somehow eaten half the pint of ice cream already. She rolled the passenger window down at the next stop and flung the ice cream container out the window.

Why do I even carry a spoon in my purse? She wondered, and that's when she heard the Whoop Whoop and saw the flashing lights reflected in the mirror from behind her.

"Oh, God, seriously?" She mumbled. She hadn't been paying attention and didn't notice the car behind her was a cop.

"Hello, ma'am," Said the officer when he reached her window.

"Billy, you don't have to call me ma'am, every time you see me. I've known you forever." Said Chloe trying very hard not to roll her eyes.

"It's Officer Pike, Mrs. Harris. Do you know why I pulled you over?"

"I was stopped too long at the stop sign?" She took a guess knowing perfectly well why Billy had pulled her over; he loved to cause problems where there were none.

"No, ma'am. An item was seen projected out of your passenger side window there, and seeing as you are the only one in the car, I take it you were the culprit to toss it out."

"Oh?" Was all she could think of in response.

"Littering is a maximum five-hundred dollar fine." He scowled down at her as though she should know better.

"I do apologize, Billy-er, um Officer Pike. I'm having a terrible sort of day, and I just had a small mental hiccup. I just went to my father's grave, and feeling a bit emotional, I ate a little too much of that ice cream, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I may have momentarily lost my mind and threw it out the window. You know I normally wouldn't do such a thing." She rambled an excuse trying to look innocent, thinking hard to channel a fluffy bunny.

"I did think it strange it were you doing the tossing," Billy said, slightly confused.

"How about we make this a warning and to show how much I appreciate your leniency, I'll make Ashley one of my cheesecakes for Sunday brunch?" she warmed and soothed her voice with the slightest bit of pout to her lips and a hint of a twinkle in her eyes. Although she missed the fluffy bunny mark, it was as if the cutest puppy in the world had possessed her for a moment.

"Oh." Billy started taken aback from the cute overload that he was being attacked by. "Well, I guess that could work out. Ashley sure does love your cheesecake, says it's as if God himself crafted it. Well, we will look forward to that, and you be careful with where you put your ice cream. I'll get that one there for you, wouldn't want any coons to get at it. Take care now."

He tipped his hat a bit, then with his hands on his belt, he walked up the grass to where her ice cream container lay and picked it up. He studied it a bit, and with an arch in one brow, he curiously stuck a finger in it then tasted it with a smile.

Chloe drove off and left Office Pike to enjoy her discarded, fat loaded ice cream and reminded herself to get stuff for another cheesecake when she got the milk later.