Wheeling Park Ch. 10

"That's okay. As long as you still trust me. You do, right?"

"Yeah," I said, suddenly feeling like I was the one being handled.

"Good. And I'm gonna ask how much Carrie wants for her car. I'll chip in, if I have to."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow when we're sober," I told her.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"You like my panties? Livy bought them for me."

"Uhh, I see ya got a tat- tattoo,... too," I said, somewhat neatly hopping away from that subject.

"Uh-huh. I'll show you tomorrow if you don't skip out on me."

I only nodded, not expecting that.

"Uh, Mom, do we got tits- tats-,... taters and everything?" I desperately managed.

This seemed to amuse them and I glanced around anxiously for Olivia while they chuckled.

"Yes, go ahead and cook up what you want."

"Kay."

"So, ummm,... What are you going to do once you get her pants off?" Mom asked with a sleazy expression.

"Uhh, heh, I was just teasing her a little."

"No, you weren't."

"Aw, Mom," I complained, not wanting to speculate with her about it.

"Maybe you should just tell her you'll do whatever she wants," she pressed.

"Weeeell,...", Olivia said from behind me, (thank god!) "Maybe I'd rather just let him have fun. This time."

Okay, this wasn't helping.

"Ready to go, sug?"

That helped.

"Yup. See ya, Mom, Jen."

"Well!" Olivia exclaimed as we were walking down the steps outside to the dirt track, my heart beginning to slow. "I think that went pretty well, all things considered. I expect we'll see them soon."

"Don't count on it."

"Are you kidding? We handled them."

"Mebbe Mom, but not Jen."

"Barbie will follow your mum."

"Will she?"

"You're very negative, like with the AC unit, but that worked out just like I said it would, didn't it?"

"AC units don' got minds of their own."

" ... You're not bad, you know," she said, walking along. "If you apply your talents to the right field, you'll be very successful."

"Not my forte."

"What?"

"Fuckin' with people's heads. I'm an attacker. Least if I wadn drunk, I coulda had a head to fuck theirs with, or mebbe a lit- little time, but holy she-it."

"Okay, gimmie that beer, you've had enough. And I think they'll surprise you, sug."

"Hey, Livia."

"What?"

"I'm sorry bout what happened to ya in Juvie."

" ..... I've been over that for a long time, Jarid. But it means one hell of a lot that you would say that to me."

"S'no prob'm. Hey, I don' think I'm gonna be no good fer a food n movie."

"That's alright. I'll take care of- whoops! C'mere, you, you're staggering all over. No, sug, I'll handle that for when they come home."

"Optimist. Some day, you'll be sprised when things don' work out. Optimists r never pr- prepared fer the worst."

"Well see, that's why smart optimists keep adorably toxic people like you around."

"Tox-hic?"

"Well, maybe not toxic. No, I do prefer, 'twisted and acidic', I guess."

"My epitaph."

She laughed and held me a little tighter as she kept me walking in a straight line.

"Oh, crap." I toned.

"What now, baby?"

"Never get your pants off like this."