Gloria mumbled, “Double Trouble,” and Deana realized her sister was reading the words on Darlene’s shirt.
“Hey, Deedee,” Darlene said as she reached them. “Rebecca, Gloria, hi.”
Deana glanced at Gloria, surprised Darlene knew her name. “Hi. How are you?”
“Great,” Darlene said. “You?”
“Good,” Deana said.
“Evan here?”
“No,” Deana said. “Rebecca’s mom dropped us off.”
“Cool,” Darlene said. “What are ya’ll up to?”
“New bikinis,” Gloria said.
“Yeah, bathing suits,” Deana said.
“Unbelievable, me too,” Darlene said. “That’s crazy.”
“It is,” Rebecca said.
“Where you lookin’,” Darlene asked.
“I want one of those micro thong things,” Rebecca said. “A one-piece, you know, it wraps around here then goes around here, and…”
The girls watched Rebecca’s finger move around her neck, tits, and crotch, then Darlene said, “It’d take me a week to find one of those in here.” She pointed at her rump.
Gloria huffed. “If I go home with a micro, mini, thong anything, I’ll be coming back with Mom tomorrow to return it. Let’s go to rue21 or the Gap.”
“No, they don’t have any string things,” Rebecca said. “I looked online.”
“The two of you can go to the sexy, little butt shop,” Darlene said, “and I’ll go with Gloria where they have BB and B stuff.”
Rebecca cocked her head. “What?”
“Big butts and boobs,” Darlene said.
Deana expected Gloria to reject the suggestion, but she said, “That would be good. I don’t mind. I’ll go with Darlene.”
“That’s great,” Rebecca said.
“I guess,” Deana said.
“Give me your number,” Darlene said. “I’ll text you so we can hook up after.”
The last song on the album was nearing the end. Evan sat on the edge of his bed.
“It’s a fucked up ol’ world, but this ol’ girl
Well, she ain’t giving in”
It was fucked up, Evan thought, but he wasn’t giving in either. His father was in China, so fuck doing the right thing. He had an ample supply of supplements and lived with two women he could potentially have sex with. They had both told him the last time was the last time, but hadn’t he heard that before? Besides, later, the tumbler wanted him to stare at her ass in a bikini. He shivered at the thought of Deana and Rebecca bent over, demanding he judge their butts. Mm, that could turn into Jason’s three favorite words. There wasn’t anything for Evan to be disappointed or discouraged about.
He got up, grabbed a pair of boxers off the floor and pulled them on. After a shower, he’d talk to Candy or his mother, depending on who he found. That was a disturbing thought. When he encountered the sexy, strawberry-blonde, would he have to decide if it was Candy, his lover or Candy his mother? Maybe she would tell him what to do, thus proving he still had a mother. That was cause for concern. He and Deana were equals, so their interaction hadn’t been altered significantly, but Candy had been telling him what to do most of his life, and he had to obey or face the consequences. Things would be weird between them now.
Steam wavered up from the cup of coffee Candy was staring into. She watched it twist, turn and intertwine as it rose toward her face. Inhaling hastened the ascent of the lazy white streamers. She felt the moisture on her nose and the warmth spreading up through her nostrils. The smell made her tongue wet with anticipation. She could see the reflection of her face floating on the black surface. Her touch made the image roll with the waves. It appeared her face was swimming in a tranquil brook.
Candy pursed her lips and released a puff of air. The peaceful, swaying columns of steam crashed into the sides of the mug, circled, and frantically fought to escape the scalding liquid. The ripples distorted her face. The only thing missing was ominous dark clouds overhead. Her thoughts weren’t in a tranquil brook; they were riding a cyclone as Candy tried to figure out how to get what she wanted, and needed, but not what she’d have coming to her if John found out.
The sound of the shower turning on made Candy smile. She sipped her coffee and went to brush her teeth. After that, she would resolve the conflict she had created, once and for all.
As they walked in the opposite direction of Darlene and Gloria, Deana asked Rebecca, “Isn’t that weird? You think I should have sent Gloria with her?”
“Yeah, it’s awesome,” Rebecca said. “Tell me what happened. I can’t believe you haven’t told me already. Why didn’t you call me? I thought you weren’t going to do it? What changed your mind? Was it—”
“Stop!” Deana held up her hand. “If you stop asking questions for a second, and answer me, then I’ll tell you.”
“Sorry, I’m excited…it finally happened for you. This is huge.”
“How did you know?”
Rebecca grinned. “Your face is broadcasting I got fucked. Anybody can see that.”
“Shit, I hope not everybody. Gloria can’t know,” she said. “I was going to tell you as soon as we were alone. I didn’t think it would still be written on my face. Good thing I didn’t see my mother this morning.”
“How was it? Was it good…Did you get off?”
“Shh! You’re doing it again,” Deana said. “Shouldn’t we have stayed with them? Darlene—”
“Darlene is fine. What dah ya think, she knew we were coming here, and she has something planned for your sister?”
“No, of course not, but it is weird that she’s here alone on a Monday…to buy a bathing suit. She was friendly, too, in a strange way, you know, for Darlene.”
“Dee, we’re here on a Monday, buying bathing suits, and other than her calling you, Deedee, there isn’t anything weird about it,” Rebecca said. “Why did she call you that?”
“Not sure,” Deana said. “Probably heard one of the girls from ball say it. She’s been at volleyball games.”
“Okay,” Rebecca said. “Now, where, when, how? Start talking!”
“You lied,” Deana said. “It hurt…really hurt. I thought he ripped it.”
“Did you use the lube?” Rebecca asked.
“Yeah, my blood.”
“See, if I had been there, I would have lubed him up for you, but don’t worry, later I’ll kiss it and make it all better.”
“It’s okay. It killed at first, and then it was only uncomfortable until he came.”
Rebecca’s eyes bulged. “Came! You let him cum in you? Dammit, I thought only guys had dicks for brains.”
“Hey, watch it, I’m not stupid. Well, maybe a little, but I’m on the pill, and I had Plan B.”
“What the fuck.” Rebecca spun on one foot while blowing air like a leaking balloon. “How do I not know that? I thought we didn’t keep secrets anymore?”
“I know, I know, I was gonna tell you.”
“Did you forget? Oops, I forgot to tell you the most incredible thing that has happened in recent history.”
“Stop, it wasn’t like that.”
“Tell me, how did you get it? You have to see a doctor.”
“My mom, Candy, that’s why I didn’t tell you.”
“That’s crazy,” Rebecca said. “You asked your mom for the pill. You’re not even allowed to date. What did she say, sure, you wanna fuck, that’s fine?”
“Shut up! She came to me. One of those mother things, I guess. I told her I wasn’t and wasn’t planning on it, but she told me to hold on to them. She’s not the same person she was three weeks ago. It’s like she knows things she shouldn’t.”
“Could she?” Rebecca asked.