subtly raised eyebrows.
“Yes, we should be back soon. I have my cell phone,” Regina told her mother. “Aw, wait a minute, no I don’t. I dropped it in water yesterday and I got so sidetracked I forgot to put it in rice when we got home,” Regina said before she cursed herself under her breath.
“You dropped your phone in water?” Nikki repeated. Regina nodded her head begrudgingly.
“That sucks,” Nikki assured her as she rose from the porch steps and dusted off her bottom.
“We’ll just have to get you another one,” her mother told her.
“Yeah, I guess,” Regina griped.
“You can use my phone while we’re out if you need to,” Nikki told her.
“You should put something on your shoulders. You’ll catch …”
“Death of pneumonia,” Regina finished her mother’s sentence as she stepped out into the yard. “I will be fine, Mother.”
Mrs. Dean shook her head and went back to her chore. Patricia Dean worried due to the reputation that Nikki Valentine had created over the past couple of years, but Regina was a grown-up and despite the current status of Nikki’s life, Regina probably needed her now.
The two girls waved good-bye to Mr. Dean who threw his palm up and waved it heartily.
Regina looked around and noticed that there was no car.
“Where is the Mustang?” she questioned her friend. Regina could still remember how excited they all were when Nikki received a brand-new bright yellow Mustang for her sixteenth birthday.
“That Mustang is long gone. I have a Mercedes now, I love it,” Nikki informed her. She noticed Regina’s eyes wandering the street and she thought she should answer the question before it was asked.
“I have a DWI and since my father bought the car, he decided to take it away. What can I do? I live with him. That was almost a year ago, I get my car back tomorrow. Hallelujah!” Nikki brightened, trying to make light of the matter. To her, it was a light matter, everyone knew her situation, and therefore it did not cause much embarrassment on her end, and besides, having the last name Valentine in this town was meaningful.
“Sheriff Handow gave you a DWI?” Regina’s mouth dropped.
“Yeah, he’s a douche, but it was the third time that they pulled me over for the same thing. He talked to my father and they decided that it may be a good thing for me.” Nikki sighed. “Can you believe that? Can’t even trust your own father.” Nikki smiled.
“Can’t trust anyone,” Regina agreed sarcastically.
“We can use my mother’s car,” Regina said as she began to call out to her mother before Nikki stopped her with a look of underlying mischief.
“Don’t you still have your bike?” Nikki asked. Regina was sure that her face registered some expression of confusion in response to that question, especially since Nikki was now laughing.
“Are you kidding? I mean, I do ride an exercise bike at the gym, but it has been awhile since I have used one for actual transportation.” Regina spoke words jumbled in laughter.
“Mom,” she called in a raised voice. Mrs. Dean looked up from her work on the porch.
“Do we have a bike?” she asked. Her mother paused and thought for a moment.
“Your father has one in the shed, I believe. Do you want to take my car?” she asked. The girls looked at one another.
“Nah, it might actually be fun to ride. It’s a nice day.” Regina was getting used to small-town living again in the short period of time that she had been home. Her father had one of those boy bikes with the large bar that went straight across from the handlebars to the seat.
“Geeze, that’s a vagina disaster waiting to happen.” Nikki announced.
Once Regina was able to stretch her legs, tight in her slim jeans, over each side, she felt secure and they set out down the rolling streets of Black Water.
Fall breezes fluttered Regina’s hair and she thought it felt great to have the brisk air washing over her face. The girls talked and laughed as
“Yes, we should be back soon. I have my cell phone,” Regina told her mother. “Aw, wait a minute, no I don’t. I dropped it in water yesterday and I got so sidetracked I forgot to put it in rice when we got home,” Regina said before she cursed herself under her breath.
“You dropped your phone in water?” Nikki repeated. Regina nodded her head begrudgingly.
“That sucks,” Nikki assured her as she rose from the porch steps and dusted off her bottom.
“We’ll just have to get you another one,” her mother told her.
“Yeah, I guess,” Regina griped.
“You can use my phone while we’re out if you need to,” Nikki told her.
“You should put something on your shoulders. You’ll catch …”
“Death of pneumonia,” Regina finished her mother’s sentence as she stepped out into the yard. “I will be fine, Mother.”
Mrs. Dean shook her head and went back to her chore. Patricia Dean worried due to the reputation that Nikki Valentine had created over the past couple of years, but Regina was a grown-up and despite the current status of Nikki’s life, Regina probably needed her now.
The two girls waved good-bye to Mr. Dean who threw his palm up and waved it heartily.
Regina looked around and noticed that there was no car.
“Where is the Mustang?” she questioned her friend. Regina could still remember how excited they all were when Nikki received a brand-new bright yellow Mustang for her sixteenth birthday.
“That Mustang is long gone. I have a Mercedes now, I love it,” Nikki informed her. She noticed Regina’s eyes wandering the street and she thought she should answer the question before it was asked.
“I have a DWI and since my father bought the car, he decided to take it away. What can I do? I live with him. That was almost a year ago, I get my car back tomorrow. Hallelujah!” Nikki brightened, trying to make light of the matter. To her, it was a light matter, everyone knew her situation, and therefore it did not cause much embarrassment on her end, and besides, having the last name Valentine in this town was meaningful.
“Sheriff Handow gave you a DWI?” Regina’s mouth dropped.
“Yeah, he’s a douche, but it was the third time that they pulled me over for the same thing. He talked to my father and they decided that it may be a good thing for me.” Nikki sighed. “Can you believe that? Can’t even trust your own father.” Nikki smiled.
“Can’t trust anyone,” Regina agreed sarcastically.
“We can use my mother’s car,” Regina said as she began to call out to her mother before Nikki stopped her with a look of underlying mischief.
“Don’t you still have your bike?” Nikki asked. Regina was sure that her face registered some expression of confusion in response to that question, especially since Nikki was now laughing.
“Are you kidding? I mean, I do ride an exercise bike at the gym, but it has been awhile since I have used one for actual transportation.” Regina spoke words jumbled in laughter.
“Mom,” she called in a raised voice. Mrs. Dean looked up from her work on the porch.
“Do we have a bike?” she asked. Her mother paused and thought for a moment.
“Your father has one in the shed, I believe. Do you want to take my car?” she asked. The girls looked at one another.
“Nah, it might actually be fun to ride. It’s a nice day.” Regina was getting used to small-town living again in the short period of time that she had been home. Her father had one of those boy bikes with the large bar that went straight across from the handlebars to the seat.
“Geeze, that’s a vagina disaster waiting to happen.” Nikki announced.
Once Regina was able to stretch her legs, tight in her slim jeans, over each side, she felt secure and they set out down the rolling streets of Black Water.
Fall breezes fluttered Regina’s hair and she thought it felt great to have the brisk air washing over her face. The girls talked and laughed as
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