Amy's Smile Ch. 04

In the seventies, the vast majority of women were still having their children in their twenties and always more than one. Amy would have had freak status as an only. The other kids would have sensed it too, and with the natural horror the little bastards had for anyone who wasn't exactly like everyone else, they'd have stayed away.

No wonder she was hung up on Liam, he was probably the first person who made her feel like she halfway fit in. The problem with that was, he didn't do it because of any real acceptance on his part - he was just so wrapped up in his own huge ego that he'd think anyone was okay who held the same high opinion of his superiority as he did. I looked at Amy in the soft glow of the lamp beside her. She deserved better than that.

The conversation had grown heavy and now we sat there in silence. I could tell Amy wasn't exactly comfortable with all this so I did my schtick and was gratified to see her giggling again in a few minutes. I was careful to keep the rest of the evening light. Amy and I had become strangely close in the last few weeks, but there were some places it was better not to go. At least, not if we wanted to keep things more or less the way they were. And I was pretty sure that's exactly what Amy wanted.

The clock in the hall struck eight. I figured that was my cue and stood to leave. My pants were dry and I exchanged them for Jabba the Hut's sweats. Amy and I said our goodbyes and I put on my coat and headed out the door.

Well, I tried to anyway. The door appeared to be stuck. Amy stood by and watched as I gave it a mighty pull. It sounded like glass breaking, but her door was solid wood. I looked at the outside panel. A sheet of ice about an inch thick had completely coated the front of the greystone.

"Oh gosh!" Amy stuck her head out the door and looked around at the ice palace her house had become. "And look." She pointed.

My car was now one with the street. A cascade of ice spilled over the hood and anchored it to the ground. There was no way I was driving my Subaru Popsicle anywhere.

"Gosh Charlie," she whispered, "looks like your stuck with me."

Like I said, this is always how my life works.