protect the innocent. But it takes too long, and I’m worried Chocko will come home and find us. After awhile, though, I get into the rhythm of things, forgetting about Chocko altogether.
The whole time we’re working, I can’t help thinking Miss B. would be proud of us for helping to make the world a better place. I wish I could tell her about it, but I know I can’t. She has such a strong conscience, she might feel obligated to turn us in. Personally, I don’t know why any woman would agree to pose nude, but I make up stories as I go, imagining they do it for the money, because they’re single moms with kids to feed, or because their mothers need special operations that can only be had in Mexico. When I’m done thinking about this, I let my mind drift to Mabel. I wonder what she would say about Chocko. I’d like to tell Sharon about her, but decide not to. I don’t think she’ll understand.
We’ve been working for hours and we’re nearly finished three whole walls when Sharon suddenly doubles over, covering her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud. She’s totally drunk on marker fumes, barely able to speak the words she’s trying to say. “Maybe
(snicker, snicker, snicker)
we should
(snicker, snicker)
check
(snicker)
to see if
(snicker, snicker, snicker,snicker, snicker)
your
(snicker)
underwear
(snicker, snicker)
is in
(snicker)
the freezer.”
Now I’m laughing too, until we hear the crunch of tires on gravel.
Sharon grabs me. “What’s that?”
“Dracula’s home to roost. Come on!”
We thunder down the stairs. Sharon jumps for the door but I grab her by the jacket.
“Wait! He might come through the front.”
We listen carefully, barely able to hear over our own breathing.
The door swings open in the kitchen. “He’s coming through the back. Go!” I push Sharon ahead of me.
She fumbles with the lock on the door, panicking. “I can’t get it open!”
I shove her aside and unlock the door. We burst outside, just as Chocko comes in.
Sharon bulldozes past, nearly knocking me down the stairs. Flying from the house, I clear the steps in one leap, beating furiously down the laneway. When we reach the road, Sharon and I collapse in each other’s arms.
“Oh my God, I thought he was going to catch us!” she squeals.
“That was so close!”
“He’s going to freak when he sees his room!”
We’re so hopped up, we practically skip on the way home.
Back in town, we part ways at the corner near the park. The sun is reaching over the horizon and I’m sure Dad will be up by now, drinking coffee and readingthe newspaper in his office. He’s such an early bird I’ll have to sneak past his window again to get into the house undetected.
I’m slinking along the side of the house when I see the silhouette of the paper boy coming toward me. Then I realize it’s not the paper boy: it’s Tod. He rides up to meet me on the front walk, handing me a copy of the
Sunnyview Review
. I stare at him in disbelief.
“Why are you delivering our paper?”
“It’s my job.”
“What happened to our old paper boy?”
Tod shrugs.
I sigh, too high on my recent victory to care all that much. Taking the paper, I climb the steps to the house. At the top, the door opens and Dad appears.
“You’re up early.”
“Just getting the paper.” I hand him the
Review
as though everything is perfectly normal.
There’s no point going to bed so I jump into the shower. I’m not in for more than two minutes when Peggy bangs furiously on the door.
“I need the bathroom!”
I let the water run over my shoulders. It’s amazing how sore I am after a night of censorship. I envision Chocko’s face when he walks in the room, his ladies sporting their new, black-strip bikinis. He’s going to flip out. I imagine he’ll mention it in class. I also imagine he’ll suspect me. I’ll have to play it extra cool to avoid suspicion. I take the nail brush and scrub my hands in a futile attempt to remove
The whole time we’re working, I can’t help thinking Miss B. would be proud of us for helping to make the world a better place. I wish I could tell her about it, but I know I can’t. She has such a strong conscience, she might feel obligated to turn us in. Personally, I don’t know why any woman would agree to pose nude, but I make up stories as I go, imagining they do it for the money, because they’re single moms with kids to feed, or because their mothers need special operations that can only be had in Mexico. When I’m done thinking about this, I let my mind drift to Mabel. I wonder what she would say about Chocko. I’d like to tell Sharon about her, but decide not to. I don’t think she’ll understand.
We’ve been working for hours and we’re nearly finished three whole walls when Sharon suddenly doubles over, covering her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing out loud. She’s totally drunk on marker fumes, barely able to speak the words she’s trying to say. “Maybe
(snicker, snicker, snicker)
we should
(snicker, snicker)
check
(snicker)
to see if
(snicker, snicker, snicker,snicker, snicker)
your
(snicker)
underwear
(snicker, snicker)
is in
(snicker)
the freezer.”
Now I’m laughing too, until we hear the crunch of tires on gravel.
Sharon grabs me. “What’s that?”
“Dracula’s home to roost. Come on!”
We thunder down the stairs. Sharon jumps for the door but I grab her by the jacket.
“Wait! He might come through the front.”
We listen carefully, barely able to hear over our own breathing.
The door swings open in the kitchen. “He’s coming through the back. Go!” I push Sharon ahead of me.
She fumbles with the lock on the door, panicking. “I can’t get it open!”
I shove her aside and unlock the door. We burst outside, just as Chocko comes in.
Sharon bulldozes past, nearly knocking me down the stairs. Flying from the house, I clear the steps in one leap, beating furiously down the laneway. When we reach the road, Sharon and I collapse in each other’s arms.
“Oh my God, I thought he was going to catch us!” she squeals.
“That was so close!”
“He’s going to freak when he sees his room!”
We’re so hopped up, we practically skip on the way home.
Back in town, we part ways at the corner near the park. The sun is reaching over the horizon and I’m sure Dad will be up by now, drinking coffee and readingthe newspaper in his office. He’s such an early bird I’ll have to sneak past his window again to get into the house undetected.
I’m slinking along the side of the house when I see the silhouette of the paper boy coming toward me. Then I realize it’s not the paper boy: it’s Tod. He rides up to meet me on the front walk, handing me a copy of the
Sunnyview Review
. I stare at him in disbelief.
“Why are you delivering our paper?”
“It’s my job.”
“What happened to our old paper boy?”
Tod shrugs.
I sigh, too high on my recent victory to care all that much. Taking the paper, I climb the steps to the house. At the top, the door opens and Dad appears.
“You’re up early.”
“Just getting the paper.” I hand him the
Review
as though everything is perfectly normal.
There’s no point going to bed so I jump into the shower. I’m not in for more than two minutes when Peggy bangs furiously on the door.
“I need the bathroom!”
I let the water run over my shoulders. It’s amazing how sore I am after a night of censorship. I envision Chocko’s face when he walks in the room, his ladies sporting their new, black-strip bikinis. He’s going to flip out. I imagine he’ll mention it in class. I also imagine he’ll suspect me. I’ll have to play it extra cool to avoid suspicion. I take the nail brush and scrub my hands in a futile attempt to remove
Similar Books
