Congregation of the
Ascension. I supposed he had friends inside, preparing to pop out of the
woodwork and lend their congratulations. And this must be the son we've
heard so much about, the congregants might say. You must be a proud man,
Father!
“You're never allowed to drive my truck again,” said Denny,
as he reached up to pluck the keys from my fist. “Fuck if I care your Saab's in
the shop.”
I nodded dully, sliding the emergency brake up. It took a
swift elbow in the ribs from Zora to get me out of the car, where apparently
Doll needed to change into her wedding clothes. I squeezed my eyes shut tight,
trying my damndest not to imagine her movements. Her tiny body, pressing up
against the familiar terrain of the truck...her big naked breasts, swinging in
the reflection of my rearview mirror... her pale, taut, back flush against the
car seats.
The fogey, playing the gentlemen, hopped out of the car and
came to stand next to me on the sidewalk. Jerk barely reached my shoulders. He
looked shrimpy, like he'd never clocked an hour at the gym. What could she
possibly see in him?
“You're the football guy, right?” Old Man River said, in an
irritatingly chirpy voice. Catching a slice of Zora's expression, I nodded. I
guessed it would be showing my hand to be outright impolite to my stepsister's
wedding date.
“She's talked about you,” he said. Then, he lowered his
voice and leaned toward me. I caught a whiff of some froufy, adult cologne.
“I'm Nate Dempsey. I hope this isn't too weird for you. Ash and I are friends
from the school, and she just kind of invited me last minute. I'm really
grateful to be included.”
“You look a bit old for a high school senior.”
“How's that?” Denny looked up from his corner of the
pavement, where he'd been steadfastly preoccupied kicking rocks. He snorted and
grinned in my direction.
“You look a little older than high school, man. All I'm
saying.” I bit my lip. The truck bed wobbled back and forth, and I heard a cute
little squeal from within. Doll was clearly struggling with some part of her
dress. A part of me wished I could tap on the window and offer my aid. Untangle
that bra strap. Smooth down those hose.
“I'm not too much older than you are, actually. And what can
I say? Your sister's mature.”
My nails were suddenly digging into the flesh of my palms.
“ Step -sister, bro.”
“Whatever you say.” We stood shifting on the sidewalk for
another few moments, awkward as hell. Then the ancient one opened his trap
again. “She had a really shitty year at that high school. We got to be close. I
totally understand this protective brother vibe, Landon, but you don't have to
worry about me. I'm one of the good guys.”
He even sounded like a
creepy teacher. All amiable and calming, like a person trying to talk someone
off a ledge.
“I think Ash is a doll. Honestly.”
I didn't even realize I'd done anything weird until I got a
cue from Zora again. Her eyes had lifted from her cell phone, and now appeared
to be boring their way through my face. Denny had appeared right at my side,
suddenly—though I saw his attention was fixed on the side of his truck, where a
decent-sized dent now lived above the driver's door handle.
“What the fuck , Landy?!” he shouted. It was then that
I connected my pulsing fist to the damage. “You fucking Spazmo today, or what?
Why are you punching my truck?”
Before I could come up with even the glimmer of a lie, Doll
emerged from the opposite door of the cab. She wore a silky, purple, sleeveless
dress that clung to her frame. She had a bright white daisy tucked behind one
ear. Her lips were shiny, bearing just a trace of pink. The dress looked made
for her body. As she walked towards our group on the sidewalk, the swampy air
seemed to bend around her. It was like she was gliding through water—silent,
impossible, lovely. The exact vision from my recurring dream.
None of us three guys said a word at first. Then
Ascension. I supposed he had friends inside, preparing to pop out of the
woodwork and lend their congratulations. And this must be the son we've
heard so much about, the congregants might say. You must be a proud man,
Father!
“You're never allowed to drive my truck again,” said Denny,
as he reached up to pluck the keys from my fist. “Fuck if I care your Saab's in
the shop.”
I nodded dully, sliding the emergency brake up. It took a
swift elbow in the ribs from Zora to get me out of the car, where apparently
Doll needed to change into her wedding clothes. I squeezed my eyes shut tight,
trying my damndest not to imagine her movements. Her tiny body, pressing up
against the familiar terrain of the truck...her big naked breasts, swinging in
the reflection of my rearview mirror... her pale, taut, back flush against the
car seats.
The fogey, playing the gentlemen, hopped out of the car and
came to stand next to me on the sidewalk. Jerk barely reached my shoulders. He
looked shrimpy, like he'd never clocked an hour at the gym. What could she
possibly see in him?
“You're the football guy, right?” Old Man River said, in an
irritatingly chirpy voice. Catching a slice of Zora's expression, I nodded. I
guessed it would be showing my hand to be outright impolite to my stepsister's
wedding date.
“She's talked about you,” he said. Then, he lowered his
voice and leaned toward me. I caught a whiff of some froufy, adult cologne.
“I'm Nate Dempsey. I hope this isn't too weird for you. Ash and I are friends
from the school, and she just kind of invited me last minute. I'm really
grateful to be included.”
“You look a bit old for a high school senior.”
“How's that?” Denny looked up from his corner of the
pavement, where he'd been steadfastly preoccupied kicking rocks. He snorted and
grinned in my direction.
“You look a little older than high school, man. All I'm
saying.” I bit my lip. The truck bed wobbled back and forth, and I heard a cute
little squeal from within. Doll was clearly struggling with some part of her
dress. A part of me wished I could tap on the window and offer my aid. Untangle
that bra strap. Smooth down those hose.
“I'm not too much older than you are, actually. And what can
I say? Your sister's mature.”
My nails were suddenly digging into the flesh of my palms.
“ Step -sister, bro.”
“Whatever you say.” We stood shifting on the sidewalk for
another few moments, awkward as hell. Then the ancient one opened his trap
again. “She had a really shitty year at that high school. We got to be close. I
totally understand this protective brother vibe, Landon, but you don't have to
worry about me. I'm one of the good guys.”
He even sounded like a
creepy teacher. All amiable and calming, like a person trying to talk someone
off a ledge.
“I think Ash is a doll. Honestly.”
I didn't even realize I'd done anything weird until I got a
cue from Zora again. Her eyes had lifted from her cell phone, and now appeared
to be boring their way through my face. Denny had appeared right at my side,
suddenly—though I saw his attention was fixed on the side of his truck, where a
decent-sized dent now lived above the driver's door handle.
“What the fuck , Landy?!” he shouted. It was then that
I connected my pulsing fist to the damage. “You fucking Spazmo today, or what?
Why are you punching my truck?”
Before I could come up with even the glimmer of a lie, Doll
emerged from the opposite door of the cab. She wore a silky, purple, sleeveless
dress that clung to her frame. She had a bright white daisy tucked behind one
ear. Her lips were shiny, bearing just a trace of pink. The dress looked made
for her body. As she walked towards our group on the sidewalk, the swampy air
seemed to bend around her. It was like she was gliding through water—silent,
impossible, lovely. The exact vision from my recurring dream.
None of us three guys said a word at first. Then
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