Saturday
This afternoon finds the gang in the cheap seats still running a big summer hit, Nick figures, it has Danny DeVito so what the hell.
Seated next to him, as expected is a lovely strawberry blond and to her right the fair, possibly brilliant, curly blond Sam, both in denim skirts, the knee-length kind. When they got out of the car Sam asked if she looks like a young lady for once, and by instinct Nick pinched her cheek and she grinned, albeit demurely.
To Sam's right is a short, ever fair brunette and to April's right is Vance. Nick had just spoken to him last night, felt he should try Vance's apartment and left a message that got returned within an hour.
They talked in generalities, about work, golf, but Vance never brought up the dating thing. Nick asked in general how it was going, and got a terse, "going good." Other than that Vance was glad to hear about his venture into consulting and that Deke seemed more buoyant and full of life than ever, was finally seeing someone after his brief marriage had fallen apart back in the '60s.
And that was it. Deej hadn't prompted Nick to reach out but he figured it was best, and it segued nicely into today's adventure.
Except that, about a third of the way into the picture Deej became irritated and motioned his attention over to April's lap, that had a jacket over it and Vance's arm extending somewhere beneath, well, we all know where.
Nick responds to this with a raised eyebrow and Deej tries to get comfortable but can't seem to, and emits a huff with every reposition. Nick brings her hand up to his face and plants one on the back of her hand, this calms her down some, she sighs and tries to watch the show.
As soon as the credits start April stands up and puts on said jacket and Vance leans over and waves to them, "Thanks guys, we're taking off."
April never makes eye contact with anyone as Deej just watches them.
She had already related how April got back to Eversoles’ about 11:30 last night and hardly talked to anyone, then this morning gathered her things into her car and hugged Nancy for letting her stay a couple nights.
The remaining three slowly make it to the lobby even though the crowd is only quarter-capacity. Deej is still in a daze.
Sam asks, soberly, "Is she still staying with us?"
Deej just shrugs, then tries to shake off the funk, "We should get you over there."
They head out to her car and she hands Nick the keys. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all. Just give me cues."
They head out of the main drag over to the grandparents who had lent her the pickup for moving.
Aside for some turn cues Deej says little until they get about halfway. "OK I'll just say it...that's just tacky, right next to...Sam, I'm sorry if that was weird, right next to you."
Sam tries, "It's OK, I mean, people do that all the time."
"Yeah but we're older...I...fuck it all."
Sam leans up and tries to console her sister. She's got the guitar back there with her and promised to provide her grandparents some entertainment before supper.
Deej does her best, "Did you guys like the movie?"
Nick chimes first, "Yeah was trying to remember all the TV shows those guys were in."'
Sam, "I love the color, I wasn't allowed to see the first Batman movie, they say it was dark."
Nick, "A guy I worked with is the biggest Batman freak ever, got the Prince soundtrack and jammed it in his car every day it seemed like."
Deej pipes up, "I love Prince's music but you know how that goes around this here Bible Belt."
Nick, "Yeah you'd think he was the Antichrist."
This gets snickers from both sisters.
Deej flashes a smile again finally, "I thought that was George Michael?"
By then they arrive and Deej indicates that they should all go in, which turns into a pleasant set of reintroduction and reminiscing, good vibes and the hint of approval.
They get out to her car and she takes the wheel back this time, they head over to her place to switch cars.
Once onto the road she sighs, "OK, it's the weekend, can we switch back to us for a while?"
"You're driving."
She looks over and smiles for the first time he's seen today.
It's only about three miles to her place there in the settlement. Her folks are just getting ready for home group and Dean confirms the fax came through yesterday,
"Looks good, can you come out next week and go over it with the owners?"
"Oh I think that can be arranged, call you Monday?"
"I usually answer to Dean but why not?"
This gets a huge moan from the ladies, the elder of which drags her husband out the door during a handshake.
Deej heads toward the hallway while attempting that sultry gaze she keeps getting better at.
"Where we headed?"
She heads back toward what should be her old room across from Sam's. then pauses a minute, then melts into defeat. She sighs,
"That little shit - sorry, god, please get me outta here."
"As you wish." Nick slowly notices how spartan their place is, few things on the walls, but there are holes, evidently redecorating as part of this renaissance of sorts.
Deej brightens up a tad. "Princess Bride?"
"Finally got a good look at that recently."
She takes a breath and looks around, looks like she's fighting tears, "Let's....go..."
She's extremely elegant in this state, but also not the time to point it out. So, just, "Yeah."
For some reason he heads straight to Sears, on the strip. Their standalone Sears is a bit smaller than most mall-sized Searses that he's been to on road trips but theirs still has the adjoining garage, so the store serves as an enormous waiting room while they change your tires.
They enter the front to be greeted by racks of women's apparel and the aroma of a nearby perfume counter. Sears really is trying to soften their image. She takes a bit of interest in a few things then has to ask,
"You don't come here often, do you?"
She looks up at him, pensively, "You know, I really hate to buy clothes. Most of what I wear is a gift."
"I love the tights."
"Oh...yeah they last much longer than hose."
He cannot resist. "How many animals are in a pair of pantyhose."
She stops and looks up at him flatly with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Lessee...two....no..."
"Don't screw it up."
He winces, then spits it out, "Ten little piggies, two calves, an ass and a mackerel you can't see."
This gets a Mona Lisa look. "But you can feel it, if you're lucky....punk."
Nick just winks at her and looks around some. Usually when in here he heads to the electronics to see how far things have come.
She steps to his side and they head that way, past the Pioneers, he observes,
"Wonder how a SuperTuner would do with our antenna?"'
"Is it worth it?"
"Would have been a few years ago."
She pulls close and pecks his cheek and just kinda leans. Nick squeezes her, takes her hand, and heads towards the CDs.
For old time sake he thumbs through the Zs, doesn't find Eliminator but of course they have ZZ Top’s recent greatest hits with the eye candy on the cover.
Speaking of eye candy, she's staring into space again.
He pulls her close, "How about the home goods?"
She smiles, "Why not."
So they gradually head that way and pass the shelving, commodes, Nick can't help it,
"How often do little kids go for it?"
She just throws a slight grin and grabs his left buttock, then strolls on. They meander on a bit and the curtains catch her eye, and right about then, Noreen rounds the corner. Nick sees her first,
"Well look what the cat dragged in."
The gals look at each other, naturally Noreen locks onto Deej and lights up,
"Well hello dear, so good to see you." They hug.
Nick chimes in, why not, "Getting some ideas for up the road?"
"We brought the brats in to see Batman, leave it to me to bail at the last minute."
"We just saw it."
The gals start jabbering, and before long, Noreen looks at him,
"Get lost, go play in traffic."
Deej joins in, "Yeah go find mommy a new bra."
"WHAT?" His amused alarm is all his own.
They lean on each other cracking up as they wonder off, and Nick is left to, yes, look at their butts.
So he roams around and dutifully lets them coalesce, the least he can do, his two women of the year. One taller, some would say prettier, the other, well, damn, how does he get so lucky.
He reflects upon something Deej mentioned on the phone earlier, how April had been asking Sam about her recent adventure, she kept getting Sam to relate the details, seemingly out of concern, but...
Anyway, no use dwelling on something you can't control. He heads back to the stereos, remembers how they used to have more of those standalone console units with the speakers, all-in-one for those who don't like to fool with wiring. One time they were up at the grandparents and went to Montgomery Ward and there was a cool looking slate blue system, and the cabinet felt like masonry, he couldn't tell, but was sure that the receiver included some shortwave bands, probably the 5-15 MHz range - now why couldn't we bring that home?
About then he hears Deej, "How did we know he'd be here?"
Noreen chimes in, "OK you can have her back now, my gang should be headed back toward daylight soon enough."
The gals hug once again, then Noreen passes him, "Do like I told ya, stud," then smacks his ass pretty hard before heading toward the door.
Deej walks up to him shaking her head, and with the lightest expression he's seen all day, embraces him, "God I love her. Wish we could hang out more, could use a big sister."
"Yeah. She's a concept."
Deej just stares him down and uses her eyebrows for punctuation, "So....stud...we know where the parents are, and where they ain't. Your move."
"Is Uncle Frank still hanging around?"
She pauses and leans her head a tad. "I'd say he's about done, nothing we can't handle."
They head toward the front door as they'd entered, she has his arm.
He opens the passenger and she wraps herself around him as she does, and presses in, staring him down. They start a sultry burn of PDA that echoes the campus walk. When this pauses, she relates,
"Noreen could tell I'm about to lose my mind."
"Let's go see what we can do."
They arrive at an empty house that will stay that way for a bit yet, the home group includes a small potluck. Nick grabs the mail and sets it on the counter, then stands looking out the patio door, dressed in jeans, brown leather shoes and a hallowed go-to sweater that had been with him a few trips around the sun.
Deej joins and leans her head on his, she just holds that and stares, deep into her own troubled mind. He hadn't been sure how to interpret the phrase 'losing my mind' but it doesn't seem to be as emotive as it had been the past couple weekends. But still, here we are.
He scoops her up and rejoins what started in the parking lot, and she's still into it. He moves around to her neck. She speaks up,
"Mmmm. Alright, here's the deal. I need to...check on things...in the bathroom up there." She pokes his chest lightly. "You...get...comfortable."
They stroll casually up the stairs then part ways. As soon as the bathroom door closes he drops the casual. Drapes are closed, pillows are fluffed...well, not much more to do, well, has to pee. Through the bathroom door he advises,
"Be right back."
Nick shimmies down the stairs then around back to the master downstairs bath. During the whiz he realizes this could give her some time, so he milks it, splashes his face a bit, combs the hair, whips off the sweater, why not carry it in.
While heading back up the stairs he sees the bathroom door open and light off, so...sure enough, she's lying on the bed in just her tights and unbuttoned blouse with a black bra showing.
He stops cold. "Well."
There is just enough light to see her smile.
He joins her on the bed as her eyes follow his.
"So...what's the situation."
"All clear, for the moment....I'll pretty much stay in place for the time being."
"Yes m'aam."
He leans in and they rejoin the tongues thing. Then the neck. Before long she starts to pull down the tights then gives him the dancing eyebrows.
Instinctively he gets to his knees as she pulls the tights up, and instinctively he loses the pants, then remembers the other night's conversation and takes a hint.
Nick gets into place in a missionary stance and feeds his helper though her tights and she sets it into place,
"Good boy....gimme that sugar."
Already he can feel a load is not far off, so he may need to delay it for her sake. She smells simply wonderful with the musk of the day, mixed in with anger and disappointment. No need to hurry.
They knead the dough in a slow rhythm but her hands are working them both. His nature is to reach for some natural lube but this is her show given the circumstances.
At some point she flips open her bra, "Look but don't touch, I'm pretty sensitive."
Damn.
He can feel a some dampness growing on his undercarriage and doesn't care what all it entails, but can't hold out much longer. She's always been kinda random, unpredictable, and that's no different in this -
And with that, several days' worth surprises her tummy and sends her over the edge. After his supply is exhausted they keep the rhythm as she grows more antsy, rolls her head from side to side and suddenly
PUFF
Against his sack, as she grunts,
"OHHH that's what you get."
Then relaxes to catch her breath.
"Was it ever this intense for you?"
Nick pauses to gather his mind, then, "It was always pretty unreal, but with you it's intense with you being from the 'hood."
She instantly bursts into hard laughter, snorts then laughs even harder.
Nick takes this as a queue to grab a washcloth. He returns and she takes it, trying to catch her breath.
"Here let me use this, can you grab another one for you and...I'll keep this here?"
"Sure," and he runs off to clean up.
Nick returns to find her now just in the tights with one arm behind her back, he takes the spot near the wall that she left.
She leans to face him, touches his chest, and asks,
"Tell me how you and Noreen met."
"Deej -"
"Please?"
He pauses. "Can I just look at you?"
"Sure, while you're talking."
He sighs. "My junior year, we went to a super bowl party at..." and relates it, or paraphrases, best he can with her prompting.
"Deej, just let me say, in this light...and when you cried earlier, wow."
"Thanks, really. I never know how you see me that way."
"Your eyes are that rare pale blue, you just glow right now."
She shakes her head and they exchange a peck.
He continues, "Okay...so yeah, no idea why but I went upstairs and there...."
Her eyes get bigger with each detail.
"I still can't believe it, but now I know it was two nerds in a chance encounter."
She looks to the side for a while and takes a few breaths. "Nick I was lying here trying to be all sexy."
"That's just it, be Deej, be Danni. Be you."
She sighs, then after a pause, slightly tearing again, "I promise to...if...you can help me discover just who she is," poking his chest to emphasize the syllables.
He wipes her tears.
"So you finally got, well, that, around back."
"Deej...it's really one of those things that is over way too soon."
She looks at him expecting more.
"Then you have to clean up and, well, it has to come back out."
"Still. I want to try sometime."
Nick sighs. "We'd need to try a finger first."'
She smirks, "I got the time."
"You're pretty sensitive right now, aren't you?"
She looks to the side, a tad defeated, "Well, yeah."
"What's the deal?"
She sighs, "I'm being stupid."
"Deej." and scoops her up. Instinctively his hand on her back starts to move downward, gets into the back of the tights.
She speaks up, "I'm not going to stop you."
"I'm afraid you won't like it and you'll feel bad."
"I'll feel worse if we don't try."
Nick pecks her on the lips, "Right back." He darts into the bathroom and comes back with the little rounded square jar.
"And you keep that handy...for...."
"Chafing."
"Of course."
He scoops a finger load then resumes his position. "You sure?"
"Get busy." Her eyes are closed.
Gently and gradually he makes his way to the back entrance, taps it, she reacts as expected, then starts to massage the ring, she moves with him, so far so good.
"Ready?"
"Mmmm."
He gently presses in, very, very slowly, would like to make circles but she feels tense.
"Are you relaxed."
She sighs. "Nicky, I think you were right."
He gently pulls back.
"I'm sorry."
"For what, being honest?"
She thinks a second. "Alright, gimme that jar.."
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Pretty sure it works both ways, sport."
She never fails to bring a surprise.
Before he knows it he's straddling her middle and she has one finger round back and the other working out an encore. She leans in and runs her tongue around the tip for a bit, then kneads out another bead, this one makes his nuts ache as they do with a double dip.
"There we go, all better." She proceeds to rub the proceeds all over her bosoms then reach for her bra, then looks at him and busts up laughing.
"Have you lost your mind or found it?"
"Right now I could give a fat hairy fuck," then pulls him in for a smooch. "You rest up for a minute, stud, I'll head down the hall and freshen up."
"Deal." Nick had never felt so tired in his own bed.
Almost instantly, he must have dozed off, she calls "Can I let this rag soak in the sink?"
"There's Woolite in the cabinet."
A pause. "Just why is there Woolite in a boy's bathroom?"
"Chafing."
At this point he gets re-dressed then asks through the door above the running water, "You hungry yet?"
"Hey, yeah."
"Leftovers?"
"Always."
He heads to the fridge and she appears about two minutes later looking fresh as a daisy and they settle on some baked chicken and choice of sides. OOH, two half-cobs of corn left.
After clearing plates they mosey to the couch, he grabs an end seat and pats for her to park it right in front of him, then once in place she looks over with a raised eyebrow,
"Now what?"
"We chill."
She just maintains the look so he grabs a hassock to provide a place for her feets to rest, also grabs the remote and finds the news with the volume down low.
Still maintaining her gaze, "You know that's easier said than done for me."
"Well either lean back or stay there an let me drink you in."
This gets an exasperated puff. "Has anyone ever called you incorrigible?"
"Sounds like a fancy college word. Someone's been using her thesaurus."
She takes a deep breath, stares into space. "I know you're right, been trying to work on my chill lately but, well, you're the only one that seems to give a damn."
"What else we gonna do, hunt them down and kick their asses?"
This gets a raised eyebrow. "Too easy. Yeah they'll learn their lesson, one way or another."
Nick lets this float.
Suddenly she looks around and finds the VCR clock, "Is that the right time?"
"Should be close, I can't stand it being off."
This gets a smirk, "Can I use the phone?"
"Of course."
"I need to stop putting this off, then I'll be all yours."
He thinks he could offer a shoulder rub at some point but with her nerves this may not be the time.
After a few steps, "Oh...would you be available...tomorrow, for some moving? I'll try to bring your favorite blond brat too."
"Cherbret."
This earns a peck and she hops off to the kitchen table so he flips around the channels and naturally finds MST3k, winner winner.
Tomorrow is shaping up to be another adventure. Funny what happens when you have a mystical figure come to life and waltz back into your own spacetime.
Over the course of about two commercial breaks he can pick out a few words and almost dozes off, may have when she comes back to the couch, this time leaning back on him fully.
"Everything OK?."
He hears a sniff, "As good as it can be." Nick is able to find some tears to wipe. "Thanks. Okay...Bev totally understands what I need to do and...for the rest of it we're all doing out best."
"Good."
"Um, is tomorrow morning OK?"
"Uh yeah, you gonna play hookie from Sunday School?"
She smiles, "If we can get it over with then that leaves the rest of the day."
"Logical."
She grabs his hands. "At least there will be check for me...OH, and she said they might need my help in the office."
"Yeah you've got a lot going on commit to roofing."
"My family couldn't agree more, let alone Bob."
"You'll be back home."
After a pause, "Can you friggin' believe that?"
"A brave new world. Noticed the bare walls over there."
"Oh I didn't mention, yeah, Sam is in charge of redecorating."
"Very nice."
"Unfortunately she likes to draw me."
"Her hero."
"Stop it, and you're becoming one faster than you realize. She told me about that complement the other day, talented little shit, that made her day."
"Did she run and tell your mom?"
"Uhhh no, that stays between sibba-lings."
"Sounds right, I think I'm still under oath for a few." He had been playing with her hair and rubbing her temples. "Is that relaxing?"
"Actually it is. Um, speaking of secrets...you shared a pretty biggun upstairs, I need to share one."
"Rutroh."
"Well...you're the only one I ever shared this with, or could...but during my freshman year I may have injured some drunk in the little town by Asstickle."
Nick pauses. "Your training kicked in?"
"You could say that...you know how I react physically, your poor leg, when you made me crazy..." She giggles, "Wow, see? Anyway...AHEM...but yeah I cut between two buildings and this guy stepped out from behind a dumpster, just a few feet away, he was just so nasty and seemed confused but he reached toward me and next thing I know I grabbed his legs and tossed him over my shoulder and heard a THUMP, turned around and he had hit the open door of a dumpster and was sliding down."
She pauses. "I didn't even mean it that way, but I basically threw a guy into the trash."
She sobs more and the breathing has worked up so he reaches for her hands. "Easy, hon."
After a few bated breaths she continues. "So yeah I looked around and no one saw, and I was too...its a new town and I didn't know if there were police...I just ducked back to my room."
"Wow, understandable."
"That guy coulda been dangerous, but after thinking about it he was probably just as confused as me."
"Hard to say."
"I figured I'd just wait to hear if the campus announced anything but hours and days went by, back to normal. No one even mentioned it, so it just stayed weird. I've thought about contacting the sheriff over there but what if, you know the guy died?"
Nick pauses. "How bout we talk to Deke about this sometime?"
After a few gasps, and with little voice left, "Yeah, yeah, thanks Nicky."
He leans in to scoop her up some. He had already shut the TV off when she finished the phone call and went back to rubbing her temples. She finally seems spent, Nick has no idea why this was the goal but this amazing girl feels like a bag of sand leaning against him. He ponders switching the TV back on, hears her dozing off, then holds off on the TV. Some music would be nice, but...
It's striking how the past couple of weeks have brought so much more clarity and vibrancy to life. Noreen now seems like a John The Baptist of sorts, a forerunner to get him ready, and she would get a roaring laugh from that.
After surely dozing off for a few clicks this time he fishes for the remote and quietly resumes MST, but before long she stirs.
"Nicky?"
"Yes dear."
"This is perfect."
"No complaints here."
She grabs one of his hands, repositions, and before long nods off a few more times, but the catnaps get further apart by the time the garage door startles her.
"It's a raid," Nick can't resist.
"Here we are good kids fully clothed."
"Can't win 'em all," which gets an elbow nudge.
Momentarily there are footsteps approaching then Ned's voice, "Are you two gonna hog the TV so I have to watch the game in a bedroom?"
"Dear," Irene scolds.
Deej sits up and yawns while giving Ned a dirty look and he grins it off.
Nick pipes up, "Let him have his old TV, I need to get this tired girl home."
Deej heads over to catch up with the mom figure and find her shoes and Ned settles into a recliner without another word, Nick tosses the remote in a think-fast manner to try for a fumble but Ned recovers.
After he unlocks the passenger door in the fading cool sunlight with slight breeze she turns facing him and wraps her leg and gets that staredown thing going.
"You were kinda nervous upstairs."
"Just stare me down with, well, both pairs of headlights."
She grins. "Nick why do you seem to like my body? I have hardly any chest and I'm a mile wide through here," motioning at her hips, "I'm this amazon...jock...tomboy-"
"Stop, it all comes together to form a hell of a statue, those hips are pretty shapely You’re a babe, just accept it.."
Stare intensifies, "Ummm hmmm." Then rolls her eyes, "I mean, thanks, really."
"You're hot without even trying."
She pulls him in for an embrace. "Why am I such a tired girl?"
Nick thinks. "Why are we barely adults and solving everyone's problems?"
"You got a point there, meester. Hey can we get ice cream?"
"Good call."
"Just keep in mind, once I get on my feet, I'll treat sometimes, got it?"
"I was thinking maybe most times."
She licks his face and gets slobber in his nostrils, whips around to take the shotgun seat and laughs relentlessly as he sputters and fumbles with his shirt collar to clean it off.
They get underway and Nick thinks of some loose ends to tie up, "So where are things with Sam, did she apologize to that dude?"
She gasps, "Oh...yeah....that didn't happen till I was around to kinda grease the gears, and talk about awkward, the boy was scared to death of both of us and Sam struggled to, well, even sound human."
Nick pauses. "I want to laugh but fighting it."
Deej shrugs, "Yeah that's about it, but she was sincere."
"So had she ever gotten into trouble?"
"Not really, got good grades and just her goofy self - well, at home, pretty sure she's all business at school, but she gets the most out of being creative, so we'll head down that road. "
"I noticed you never leave her by herself."
"Actually she's made it clear she doesn't like to be by herself, we know that now, so that works out. And now I see what you mean, the Noreen similarity, and that's a good thing. Then she's like me, not really into girly shit and like you, well, comfortable in her own head, if that makes sense."
"She really has the goods with the guitar."
"Nick you know we have to bug her put it down to do chores and homework, it's amazing."
"Does she have anything to tune it with?"
"She's been using an old, really a toy keyboard."
"That works. If I get myself a tuner I might see if they make me a deal on two."
"That would be sweet."
"Been meaning to ask, have you ever considered working for your dad?"
She just shoots him a look.
"Yeah he'd end up working for you."
"I'd fire his butt."
Nick looks over and she's giggling toward the window.
"What?"
That's fun to think about actually.
"I'm starting to feel sorry for your dad."
"He's got it as bad as your poor MOTHER," poking his right shoulder
"Yeah that's fair. Seems like he can take charge at work, but..."
"Exactly, he's learning though."
They pull in to the DQ on the strip and unanimously decide to do drive through, she gets a Heath Blizzard and Nick just a lime slush, then pulls into a space in the open part of a large nearby lot.
Between bites she digs in, "Nicholas are you stalling?"
"You got a date later?"'
She takes another bite, then, "I nearly just flashed a tit just now," and laughs quietly toward the window.
Nick looks out his window and takes a sip.
After a couple more bites, "Are you OK with what we do, when we're alone?"
He glances her way, then gently reaches over to her shoulder, down towards her blouse buttons, feels around and finds some crusty remnants. "I'd say we both are, dear."
She smiles, looks down to scoop up some more Blizzard, "Just keeping tabs, this is weird and I don't want you to feel trapped."
"Compelled is a better word, dear."
She sighs, "But compelled by what exactly, dear?"
He thinks, "Well I'm pretty curious, but curiosity isn't enough, we all know that."
She takes another bite and looks over.
"After all this time I need to see the story through. I want you to win."
She sighs an looks out her window. "Dammit, that's where I start to freak out. I tend to rely on myself too much."
"That's understandable, you had to live in a bubble most of your life."
She puffs an ironic laugh. "Yeah...it's sad, I've sat while professors and pastors relate how they live behind a veil, or a veneer, very inward by nature but they keep up a public facade, just seems so...artificial. I mean...there a lot of folks I absolutely adore, so sincere and focused on others, on the greater good. Some never marry, I think of them as wards of the church, if that makes sense.
"I'm probably guilty of that veneer thing."
She grabs his hand, "Nick...not to that extent, and you just have a good nature, it's genuine, trust me. And you're an example of not needing some…organization…to be real and doing good."
"If you say so."
She's done scraping around the Blizzard cup. "I do, and thanks hon, do you keep a trash bag?"
"Crap still need one, we'll hit a can on the way out."
She giggles.
"Do I want to know."
She giggles harder and turns red.
"Laugh it up...fuzzball."
This gets a "HAHHHHHHN," or her best attempt at one, then a colossal burp and she goes off the rails laughing for a couple minutes.
Nik just shakes his head, "Alright tired girl, let's get you settled in, I have a feeling you'll wanna soak and continue your therapy."
"OOhhh yeah, too bad it'll be solo."
Nick lets that ride while he gets onto the main drag, looks over to find her anticipating a response.
"You gonna put on some jazz during that soak?"
"Mmmm. One thing about that old Chrysler was the bench seat, we're segregated in here."
"Yeah true."
"What do you think about when we're together."
Nick pauses. "Well, the day kinda comes back in flashes, I try to remember things to ask you about, and sometimes I think of your undergarments."
She goes into another gale of laughter. "Seriously, my undergarments are from Kmart usually."
"Why does your hair always smell so nice?"
"Aussie. Well, sometimes I mix it with VO5 when short on cash, but I try to keep Aussie around."
"What about in the early days?"
"Oh, back then Finesse."
"Ahhh yeah, kinda made me crazy."
"OK, hold it right there...define crazy?"
"Can't think about anything else."
"Mmmm. What about...below the belt?"
Pauses. "I guess that usually kicks in at the end of the day, in the shower or in bed."
"That's what I thought, kind of a loner...loner with a boner," then claps her hands and bursts into laughter.
Nick reaches over and grabs her thigh then remembers she's not very ticklish, "Ahh shit."
"That's right!"
"You're ticklish other places I bet."
"Eventually we'll be naked together, can you handle that?"
Nick pauses longer than usual. "Yeah, but I have a photographic memory, I want to think of you as the babe I remember."
Silence.
Nick looks over and she's leaning back, eyes closed, smiling.
He lets that float the rest of the trip.
They enter her house to find a dark living room, Nancy at the kitchen table working a puzzle and the petite crazy blond running out of her room with a huge grin.
"Did you play for Grams and Gramps?" Deej asks.
"Yeah, they fell asleep."
Nick observes, "That's a complement you know, seriously."
"Yeah I must be doing something right."
"OH, don't move," and she runs back to her room and back out with a tape and hands it to Nick.
His eyes get big. "Oh yeah, thanks, I'll play it on the way home."
She bounces on her heels as Deej turns on a lamp and sets her purse down, Nick takes a cue to grab some couch as Deej catches her mom up.
Sam just kinda floats around, Nick asks, "Are there any other musicians at school?"
"Band geeks."
"You know what I mean, anyone in a rock band?"
She makes a face, "I think there are some...dudes that play...like...death...metal? They grow their hair out long and always act stoned."
"Yeah that would be different. We didn't have any bands that I know of in town, everyone was consumed with partying."
She grins, as a cartoon would, her face contorts sardonically as a human face is capable, "Around here they're consumed with farming and screwing sheep."
From the kitchen, "SAMANTHA MARIE!"
"Sorry...humping sheep, better?"
Nick is about to implode trying not to laugh, but Deej steals the scene with a tackle that would impress any given NFL coach and commences the, well, sistering.
Nancy floats over, in a blouse similar the one Deej is wearing and the same long denim skirt she's probably worn all her life. "Nick, you don't know how glad we are that you seem to appreciate what we've unleashed upon this earth." and motions to the one-sided wrestling match that's taken over the living room.
Nick just takes a deep breath, "Well you don't need a TV in here do you?"
Nancy covers her laugh, gets slightly flushed, then taps his arm as she turns back to the kitchen. It's clear that Deej gets her height from Dean but Sam must either take after like a pint-sized aunt or had stunted growth. Nancy is just...in between somewhere. Maybe she's the milkman's mom.
But there's no doubt they're all related and he's now convinced that girls simply do everything better. He and his semi-human brother could never be this entertaining, one of them always took it too far right off the bat and it's over soon as it starts.
Nick is just about to go see Nancy's puzzle when the battle ceases, Deej gets up,
"Alright this gal's gotta pee like a horse."
Sam tiptoes behind her then quickly appears with a small folder,
"Get this to your car, hurry."
He starts to look at it, then she emphasizes,
“NOW!"
So Nick sneaks it out and slips it under the seat, just in case, and leaves the tape on the seat as a cover.
He slips back into the house just as Deej reemerges from the hallway and assesses, then focuses on him.
"Forget something?"
"I put the tape in the car so I don't forget it."
She turns to Sam. "Is that your story too?"
Sam does the grin and bouncy eyebrows.
Deej eyes them alternatively them with suspicion. "We'll just see."
Nick chimes in, "So did everything come out okay?"
This gets a dirty look from the older one and continued grin and eyebrows from the younger one.
"Mom, is it OK if Sam goes with us to Dawson's tomorrow morning?"
"Yes if she wants to." To Nick this feels like a courtesy since Deej is pretty much in charge these days.
She turns to Sam, who nods coherently.
Then to Nick, "We all set?"
"Yeah one way or another, do we need Dad's truck."
Deej snaps her fingers then grabs the phone and within a couple minutes confirms they can get into Gramp’s full-sized pickup with a hidden key and use it as long as they need, even though it will only be one trip.
After hanging up she walks up to Nick with full eye contact, just so he can hear "You sticking around?"
In kind, just so she can hear "Will we both fit in your tub?"
She pops him on the rear. "Daft boy."
"I should prollably get home and decompress."
She cocks her head, "I didn't mean to take over your weekends Nicky."
"What's the use having a Deej if you don't go on adventures?"
"MMM that we do." She turns toward the kitchen, "Say bye to Mom - I think Dad's watching the game."
"A lot of that going around."
"Yeah," then louder, "See ya Nancy." He turns to the blond dancing herself around the room, "Gunnite Brat."
This gets a mean face then a grin and a wave, he remembers the folder beneath his seat.
They stroll out to the Celeca and wind down their time for the day and just embrace.
Finally Deej speaks up, "Think I'll wait till everyone's settled in before a bath, get some time in with the little monster and see if she has any homework left."
"You're a good parent."
She slaps his arm, "Shut up."
"Will you put on some jazz?"
"Oh I think we have that capability, it's at the bottom of the dial?"
"You'll find it."
She giggles.
"Sad thing is I'm pretty sure I know why you're laughing."
This sets off it off more, "Alright nerd, go home to yo momma, see your ass tomorrow." She pecks him and walks to the house.
"Nite."
Once on the road, Nick pops the tape in and sure enough it's what he heard the other day, then mixed up some, just a stream of consciousness set to music, really kinda mesmerizing. He stops for fuel on the way and continues, only getting about 12 minutes of the tape reviewed and more to come, so this will be part of tonight's jazz fix for certain.
Once at home he runs in and learns there's Sunday dinner at gramma Swanson's tomorrow, just with gramma, but it's OK if the moving will take too long.
Let's find out. While changing into house attire Nick calls the gal and she's all bubbly about it, sure they can if he can handle her showing up around 8.
"Yes, hon, jeans are fine, you know we'll be casual."
"Ok I'll just bring a compact, gotta be a girl some of the time."
Right about then Tim beeped in so he transfers the conn and gets ready for a shower, soak really isn't called for tonight.
While toweling off he remembers the folder and has to throw on sweats to retrieve it from the driveway. Therein, from a time known only to the ages is a pencil portrait of the eternal Deej in pencil, with a hint of hair spray, probably to protect the lead. He'll have to find out which of the sisters drew this but the sentiment of the gift says it all, and before long it takes its place on the corkboard nudged among some tacks.
Nick flips on the old garage-sale lava lamp then rewinds the tape, and starts from the beginning. Whatever recorder she used is aligned with his and there's not much hiss for a normal bias tape. It will be up to him to teach her about such things, in time, but for now, wow.
After surely dozing off at some point he realizes there is just hiss, so he stops the tape and rewinds, then heads downstairs to see if they have any spare frames. There are some in the closet that can be reused, so he does, with a construction paper mat, and soon has the work enshrined on a spot of wall that could surely use it. Plus, when Deej sees it she'll punch the moon.
Might as well burn off some carbon, so he tries to tune the knockoff strat with the piano while Ned dozes off through the late quarters of a college encounter. Finally it sounds close enough so back upstairs to take on the tape.
First thing is to get past the distractions, like realizing he really needs a stand, as well as a tuner, but for now just lean against the bed and...play. The tape lead provides plenty of time to get into place. Virtual Sam starts strumming so he tries the A minor scale. The trick is to find something that fits the room, matches the landscape whereas most initial attempts are a bull in a china shop.
A few minutes in there's a really intricate arpeggio that gives him pause, must be moving around in the chord, something he had always found impossible. It's becoming clear that he stands to learn a lot from this zany little chick. Then she moves on, evidently in the same key, he has to give her credit for keeping it simple for him at this point.
As the tape goes on for just over 20 minutes he starts to find the moves that work better than others, this is a start. Just once through tonight, then jazz.
At some point Nick remembers to set an alarm for 7:45 to begin the next adventure.