Plans Come Together Ch. 02

PLANS COME TOGETHER Chapter 2

SATURDAY

-"JESUS CHRIST!"

We both heard it. Mike sat up in bed.

- "What was that?" he said.

The sweet sound of success, I thought. I was tempted to dawdle a bit, but realized that I probably shouldn't be the last person to respond, in case it looked suspicious.

We all eventually trickled into the kitchen and living room, where Bailey was blasting her best friend.

- "Well, I'm not fucking cleaning it up!"

- "What? So I have to?" said Lisa. I was pleased to see that she was holding her nose, looking thoroughly disgusted.

- "Who else? He's your - I mean, you invited him."

- "FINE!"

Bailey had gotten up early, good hostess that she was, to put on a pot of coffee and start preparing breakfast. She'd been taken completely by surprise when she encountered Matt and the vomitous mass.

- "I'm sorry." she said, apologizing to everyone. "I was just..."

- "What can we do to help?" asked Diane. Bailey shot her a look of complete gratitude.

Amy and Bailey went to the kitchen, to start serving coffees, muffins and bagels (serious breakfast food would have to wait until we completed a shopping run later today). Meanwhile Diane pitched in to help Lisa with the most disgusting task: cleaning up Matt and the couch.

- "She's a saint." I whispered to Mike. He was just standing there, completely in awe.

In a crisis, or an emergency (however minor), there are people who adopt a 'Woe is me' attitude, and then others who stand around watching. There are also the talkers, who like to make suggestions. Then there's the small minority who just roll up their sleeves and do something useful.

Diane got a bucket of warm, soapy water, and brought it to the couch while Lisa was still trying to figure out where to start. It didn't help that we were all gagging at the horrific smell.

- "Best to move him, first." I said.

Diane agreed. Mike and I levered Matt into a semi-sitting position, trying not to get any of the yuck on us. I peeled his shirt up, over his head. Lisa held Matt's hand by the fingertips, lifting his arm so that I could get the nasty, pukey shirt over it.

- "Ew, Ew, Ew..." she said, as she took up his second hand and got some vomit on her fingers.

Mike and I pulled Matt to his feet, basically holding him up between us.

- "Uhhh..." was Matt's first contribution to the discussion.

- "Take his feet." I said to Mike. We literally carried him to his room, and deposited him on his bed. I wanted to pinch his cheek and thank him, but I settled for propping him on his side, with one of the larger pillows behind him, so that it would be hard for him to roll onto his back.

- "I thought I was going to ralph." said Mike.

- "I'm glad you didn't. Imagine cleaning him up? I can't believe that Diane is doing that. Now I can see why you're crazy about her. She's really something."

Mike smiled. "She is, isn't she?"

We returned to the living room, where Lisa and Diane had removed most of the... yuck. Matt's shirt and most of the... loose bits had gone into a garbage bag.

- "Want us to get rid of that?" I asked.

- "Yes. Burn it, or bury it a mile underground." said Lisa.

- "I'll take it." said Mike.

Diane smiled at him. "Thanks, Mike."

Is it just me, or does vomit bring people together? Seriously, though - I mean small obstacles. You get over them together, and sometimes people bond.

Bailey was telling Amy and Joanne where to find things, and they were putting together a breakfast for everyone. Steve, meanwhile, was making himself useful by having a smoke on the deck. It was a lovely morning.

Over coffee and breakfast, we made plans. Matt was still out cold; that was no great loss. Bailey and Lisa, with Mike and me, would go into Walker's Corners for our major shopping run. We needed to fill the gas tank for the motorboat. Meat, eggs, milk, baked goods... there was an extensive list. And since the butcher had his special 'deal' with the Walkers, I'd collected $50 cash from everybody.

- "It should be more." I said. "How much are we spending on gas?"

- "None of your business." said Bailey. "My treat. Boat rides are part of the package. I'm just so glad that you're all here." She beamed at Diane and Amy, in particular. "What do you two want to get up to while we're gone?"

- "We could do the dishes and clean up." said Diane. Seriously - that's what she said.

- "No, no." said Bailey. "Clean-up will take up ten minutes, if we all pitch in. You should do something fun."

Diane glanced at her best friend, then back at Bailey. "Could we maybe try kayaking?"

- "Perfect." said our hostess. "Steve, sweetie - could you set them up? Life-jackets, and everything?"

- "Alright." said Steve, grudgingly. But I saw his eyes flicker to Amy.

- "Want to see the boathouse, Mike?" I said. "I didn't get to see it last time I was here. We should probably have a look, if we're going to go canoeing later."

There was no fucking way I was going to leave Steve Holmgren alone with Diane and Amy. Not for a second. And he knew it.

The five of us trooped down to the boathouse. It was in a lovely spot, with a beautiful view of this end of the lake. After last night's rain, there was barely any wind, and the water was very calm. The girls would have little trouble.

Steve pointed out the available kayaks, pulled out a couple of paddles, and pointed at the life-jackets. That done, he went back up to the cottage. Great guy.

Mike and I helped the girls get settled in their kayaks. Diane was confident, but Amy had never done this before.

- "Trust your paddle." I told her. "It'll help to keep you balanced. You'll be fine."

We gave them a gentle push, out into the lake, and watched them paddle out. Amy was concentrating on keeping her craft steady. Diane turned to smile and wave.

- "I get it, Mike." I said. "She's special."

- "I know."

- "Last night was good, right?"

- "Yeah." He let out a deep sigh.

- "So... whatever happens, in the next few days... you can't bail on me, Mike. I think it's all going to work out. But don't leave me, alright?"

He hesitated. He always did. Mike had to think about his answer, first.

- "What does that mean?"

- "It means that I need you to trust me. Okay? I got you this far."

- "Okay, Kyle."

Bailey, Lisa and Joanne had cleaned up after breakfast. Steve was on his phone.

- "Ready to go?" asked Bailey.

- "All set." I glanced at Joanne, who gave me a slow nod.

Bailey would drive Steve's SUV. The hatchback would be a lot more convenient than the deep trunk on my old beast. Lisa sat up front with Bailey, while Mike and I piled into the back.

- "Last night was fun." said Bailey, cheerfully.

Yeah, let's not talk about the puke.

- "All of it was." I said. "Name that tune, Beep Bop - but Rude Scrabble was probably the best."

- "Ha! Yes. Who knew that Diane was... so wild."

I let Bailey drive down the dirt road for almost ten minutes. Then I slapped myself in the forehead.

- "SHIT!"

- "What's wrong?"

- "I - shit! I left my wallet in the bedroom. All of the cash is in it."

- "Oh!" said Bailey.

- "Kyle, you dumbass." said Lisa. She was not in a particularly good mood this morning.

- "I'm so sorry, Bailey." I said. Mike frowned, but didn't say anything. He knew that I wasn't the forgetful type.

- "It's okay, Kyle." said Bailey. We'll just go back and get it. No harm done." She pulled into a lane, reversed direction, and headed back to the cottage.

I was trying to calculate the time that had elapsed. Well, there are some things that you can control, and some that you can't.

- "I'm sorry." I repeated.

- "It's no big deal." said Bailey. "Just a couple of minutes."

She pulled up in front of the cottage. Lisa jumped out first.

- "Now I have to pee." she complained.

- "Yeah, I should probably go, too." I said. I had been just about to say it first. Peeing is almost like yawning; harder to resist when someone is doing it.

- "Oh, fine." said Bailey, climbing out of the driver's seat. My plan had picked up a certain kind of crazy momentum; obstacles were simply evaporating. I let the two girls precede me to the door.

The kitchen wasn't a separate room. It was more of an open concept thing, with no wall separating it from the living room, which was the first place you came to.

We all heard the slapping of flesh on flesh.

Bailey and Lisa turned together, and saw a sight I'm sure they had never expected.

Joanne was bent over the kitchen island, wearing only a T-shirt and sandals. Steve was behind her, his shorts around his ankles, fucking her from behind, grunting like a pig.

Bailey was stunned. She didn't say a word. Lisa found her voice.

- "STEVE! WHAT THE FUCK!"

Steve staggered, almost as if he'd been tasered. His backed away from Joanne, his lips moving, but no words coming out.

Joanne calmly gathered herself, then went to look for her shorts.

***

Bailey was incandescent with rage. I'd seen that phrase in print, but never thought it could be real. It was. She was rooting through the drawers, looking for a sharp object.

Lisa and I restrained her. It took a good ten minutes to talk her out of a homicide.

- "FINE!" she said. "But they GO! NOW! I don't want to see them again. Ever!"

- "Baby..." said Steve.

- "EVER!" screamed Bailey.

Phase Two completed.

***

Steve packed a few things, and Joanne got her bag.

- "You'll be alright?" I asked her.

- "I'll be fine." she said, showing me a small can of pepper spray. "Just in case."

- "Call me if you have to. Or just call me."

- "I will."

Steve drove away, with Joanne, just before noon.

Bailey had retreated to her room, with Lisa in tow. I gave them half an hour. Then I went up and knocked on the bedroom door. Lisa was angry - at everyone (Matt, Steve, me). Bailey had been crying her eyes out. Lisa was sitting beside her, on her bed, with an arm around her best friend.

- "I'm sorry." I said. "But we still have to go shopping."

- "Fuck off, Kyle." said Lisa. "Can't you see how upset she is?"

- "I understand. But it's either shopping, or send everybody home - including you two, because now you don't have a ride. Plus Matt is still in a coma."

Lisa scowled. "Don't be an asshole. Damn it, this is all your fault!"

- "My fault?"

- "You had to invite that... that -"

Bailey put her hand on Lisa's arm.

- "Come on, Leece. It's hardly Kyle's fault. All Steve had to do was say no. But he couldn't keep it in his pants. He did this once before, you know."

Once? I managed to keep a straight face.

- "You didn't tell me that!" said Lisa.

- "I was too embarrassed." said Bailey. "And Kyle's right. I can't invite all of you guys up here and then send everyone home the next day, just because my boyfriend - ex-boyfriend - is an asshole. And I don't particularly want to go home and face my parents right now."

She stood up. "Let's go shopping."

- "I'll get Mike to stay back," I said, "just so Diane and Amy won't be weirded out if they come back and find the cottage empty - except for sleeping beauty, of course."

Lisa didn't like the reference, but Bailey agreed.

Mike was down in the living room. He'd seen Steve and Joanne leave, but he still wasn't sure what had happened. I gave him only the basics.

- "I'll explain everything when I get back. We'll go do the shopping, but you stay here. Keep Diane and Amy here. Whatever you decide to tell them, don't let them leave. Bailey wants them to stay."

- "Kyle - what's going on?" Mike was shy, but he wasn't stupid.

- "I'll tell you everything when I get back. I promise. Trust me, Mike."

I found a moment to text Joanne.

- "You OK?"

She replied almost immediately. "All good. Sitting in the backseat while he whines in the front. Have a nice audio file for you."

- "Send it."

Joanne had made a recording of Steve pestering her.

- "Come on." he said. "You know you want to. There's a park up ahead. I can pull over."

- "Why?"

- "Don't play dumb. Come on. I didn't get off back at the cottage."

- "Too bad. Neither did I. But I'll tell you what: you eat my pussy until I come, and I'll consider giving you a blowjob."

- "Fuck that!"

- "What? You'll stick your dick in my pussy, but you won't lick it?"

- "You got that right!"

- "Do you ever go down on Bailey?"

- "None of your fucking business."

- "So that's a 'No'. Poor Bailey."

This was pure gold - and it was all on Joanne's own initiative. I hadn't asked her to do this.

Bailey had cleaned herself up. She and Lisa joined me in my car, which we now had to use because Steve's SUV was gone. Bailey sat up front, in case I needed directions.

- "I'm sorry, Bailey." I said. "About what happened."

- "Not your fault. Let's not talk about it anymore."

It was a fairly quiet drive to Walker's Corners, about fifteen minutes away. We filled the spare tank with gas for the boat, bought a tank of propane for the barbecue, and then hit the grocery store. Bailey was well known there - and with her looks, every male in the place found some reason to come over and say hello, or just stand nearby and gawk.

My phone pinged again. It was a second audio file from Joanne. I lowered the volume, and put the phone to my ear. Oh, my goodness: this exchange was even better.

I hadn't turned the sound down low enough. I also didn't notice Bailey and Lisa walking up behind me until the last moment.

- "Is that Steve?' said Bailey.

- "Why would Steve be calling you?" demanded Lisa.

I hadn't planned this. But I quickly realized that it was almost perfect timing. Couldn't have been better.

- "Umm..." I hesitated. "It's... an audio file. Joanne sent it."

- "But that was Steve's voice." said Bailey.

- "Yeah. She, ah... she recorded him. Saying some stuff."

- "What did he say? I want to hear it!"

- "Ahh... you probably don't want to hear this." I said.

- "Yes, I do." she said, firmly.

- "Well, maybe not here. In the store, I mean."

Bailey looked around. There were at least three guys standing nearby, pretending to be doing something useful while they checked her out.

- "Okay. In the car."

We spent a small fortune in the store. The butcher had all of the meat ready. We also got plenty of bread, hot dog and hamburger buns, condiments, vegetables and fruit, plus seven dozen eggs and four packages of bacon. I raised an eyebrow at that.

- "They'll get used." said Lisa. "And if we run out, we can come back for more."

Two guys from the store helped load up my car. Bailey smiled at them, and thanked them. They waved goodbye to her as I started the car, and pulled away. I hadn't gone a hundred yards before Bailey said: "I want to hear it."

- "Bailey - trust me. You really don't."

- "Yes, I do. Play it."

I didn't want to act too reluctant. Both Bailey and Lisa knew that Steve Holmgren wasn't my favourite person. I had no reason to protect him. I was just pretending that I didn't want to hurt Bailey's feelings. That's not to say that I wanted to hurt her - but she deserved to know.

- "I guess you have a right to know." I said. "There are two files. I was just starting to listen to the second one when you heard it - in the store."

- "Play the first one." said Bailey.

"Come on." said Steve. "You know you want to. There's a park up ahead. I can pull over."

- "Why?"

- "Don't play dumb. Come on. I didn't get off back at the cottage."

- "Too bad. Neither did I. But I'll tell you what: you eat my pussy until I come, and I'll consider giving you a blowjob."

- "Fuck that!"

- "What? You'll stick your dick in my pussy, but you won't lick it?"

- "You got that right!"

- "Do you ever go down on Bailey?"

- "None of your fucking business."

- "So that's a 'No'. Poor Bailey."

I didn't say a word.

- "Play it again." said Bailey.

- "Bailey..." said Lisa. "Don't torture yourself."

- "I want to hear it again!"

I played it a second time. When it was done, Bailey let out a deep breath. I could see that her fists were so tightly clenched that her knuckles were white. She was outwardly calm, but she had to be steaming inside.

"Now the second one."

- "I only heard the very beginning. I'm not sure what's on the rest."

- "Please."

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?" said Steve.

- "So I'm a slut when I fuck you, and a bitch when I won't? Does Bailey know that you fucked me before?"

- "Shut the hell up! You better keep your fucking mouth shut about that. You wouldn't like it if I got mad."

- "Does she know about Maria Pereira?"

- "What? How the fuck do you know about her?"

- "Hey - we sluts talk to each other, sometimes. Compare notes. Did you know that Maria agrees with me - Kyle Grant is ten times better than you in the sack."

- "Fuck off."

- "And while we're on the subject of Kyle, does he know that you fucked his sister?"

- "No, but if -"

That was when I jammed on the brakes, hard enough that Bailey almost hit her face on the dashboard. I slammed the stick into park, and jumped out of the car.

This was going to require an Academy Award-worthy acting performance from me. Because I did know that Steve had seduced my sister, and then dumped her. I'd come home last Christmas to find Katie in tears half the time. It took me quite a while to get the story out of her.

Joanne only knew about it because I'd told her. I needed her to understand why I wanted revenge on Steve Holmgren. It wasn't just the way he'd treated me for years; he hurt my little sister.

But I hadn't known that Joanne was going to say that for Bailey to hear.

I stood with my back to the car, taking several deep breaths to compose myself. I would have to copy Bailey: outwardly calm, but seething inside. I heard the car door open; Lisa was about to get out and come check on me.

- "It's alright." I said. "I'm coming." I got back behind the wheel.

- "I'm sorry, Kyle." said Bailey.

- "Wasn't your fault."

I put the car in gear, squeezed the steering wheel hard, to that my knuckles showed white, and drove slowly down the dirt road.

- "Do you want to hear the rest?' she asked.

- "Sure."

"Why do you have to be such a bitch?"

- "So I'm a slut when I fuck you, and a bitch when I won't? Does Bailey know that you fucked me before?"

- "Shut the hell up! You better keep your fucking mouth shut about that. You wouldn't like it if I got mad."

- "Does she know about Maria Pereira?"

- "What? How the fuck do you know about her?"

- "Hey - we sluts talk to each other, sometimes. Compare notes. Did you know that Maria agrees with me - Kyle Grant is ten times better than you in the sack."

- "Fuck off."

- "And while we're on the subject of Kyle, does he know that you fucked his sister?"

- "No, but if he pisses me off again, I might just tell him."

- "What if he told Bailey?"

Steve laughed. "As if she'd believe him."

- "You really hurt Katie. Did you know that?"

- "Whatever. How the fuck would you know?"

- "I'm friends with Kyle's family. You shouldn't have told her that you were thinking of breaking up with Bailey. She believed you. She thought she really had a chance to be your girlfriend. When you dumped her, you broke her heart."

- "Too bad."

- "Did you know she was a virgin?"