By the time we got downstairs, Mom’s casserole was cooling on top of the stove.
Mom looked up from reading the newspaper. “About time you two woke up. Casserole’s ready if you’re hungry.”
“It smells delicious,” Tom said.
I rubbed my stomach. “I’m hungry.”
We decided to eat and Tom set the table while Mom fixed a salad to go along with her chicken and broccoli dish.
“Do you remember the first time I made this dish?” Mom asked.
I smiled.
“Sounds like there’s a story to be told,” Tom said.
Mom jabbed a piece of broccoli. “Suzy always thought these looked like small trees and she didn’t like them. So I made this casserole, thinking that maybe she would like them this way. And I thought she did when she cleaned her plate.”
“But?” Tom asked.
Rosa nodded toward Sue. “Go ahead. Tell him.”
I was embarrassed. “I sort of sneaked them into a napkin I had on my lap. Every time I stabbed a piece, instead of putting it in my mouth, I dropped it into the opened napkin. It worked great. Afterward, I threw the bundle of broccoli out.”
“But,” Rosa held up her finger. “What Suzy didn’t count on was the dog getting into the trash and me finding the broccoli spilling from the napkin on the floor.”
Tom laughed. “So what happened next?”
“I made it the next night for warm-ups,” Mom said.
“And?” Tom asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I liked it.”
Tom laughed.
“I told my Suzy that if you never give something a chance, how are you going to know if you like it? From then on, she was willing to take chances.”
“And today I love it,” Sue said.
***
Tom
I loved the broccoli story. And I kept thinking about Sue taking chances. She was willing to take a chance with me and Rachel screwed that up. Sooner or later, the memory of that night would return. All I could do is hope that when it did, Sue would give us another chance.
We were finishing dinner when Chloe bounced in the door. She ran and hugged Sue. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
“Grab a plate and join us,” Rosa said.
Chloe sniffed. “What is it?”
“Chicken and broccoli,” Rosa said.
Chloe scrunched her nose. “I hate broccoli.”
We laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“I was just telling T about your mom hating broccoli and how when she actually tried it, she liked it.”
“I’ll eat it raw dipped in dressing, but never cooked,” Chloe said. “Besides, I’m not real hungry. I’ll get something later.”
“Do you have a lot of homework?” Sue asked.
“Some.”
“Why don’t you get it done so you can visit when Aunt Gina gets here?”
Chloe grabbed her backpack and headed to her room, and I helped Sue to the living room so she could watch TV and relax while Rosa and I cleaned up.
I handed Rosa dinner plates to load in the dishwasher. “The casserole was delicious. Thanks for making it.”
Rosa smiled. “I love cooking. Ever since Howe passed away, I don’t do much of it anymore. Not fun cooking for yourself. That’s why I enjoy when the family comes over for Sunday dinner. Do you cook much?”
I shook my head. “It’s just me and Klondike, speaking of which, I need to get home to check on him. I had a neighbor take him out, but he’s probably wondering where I am.”
“We used to have a dog,” Rosa said. “That old mutt was more kid than dog.”
I smiled. “Sounds like Klondike.”
***
Sue
“I’ll be fine,” I told Mom and Tom. “Chloe’s upstairs and Gina just called and said she’ll be here in ten minutes.”
“Well, if you’re sure you’re gonna be okay,” Mom said. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning before Chloe goes to school.”
Mom went to get her things and Tom sat beside me. “Do you want me to come back? I can bring Klondike with me and spend the night.”
I smiled. “Sleeping beside you did feel great, but I hate for you to run home and then back again. Besides, Gina’s coming and you know how we are when we start talking. “
Tom nodded. “Yeah, I definitely know what that’s like.”
I kissed Tom and Mom goodbye and dozed off. I was in the dryer, spinning around and around and around. Tom looked in the window. And then Gina and Chloe and Mom looked in the window. I was banging on the dryer window, crying for help, but no one was helping me. They just took turns peeking in the window, watching me go around and around.
“Help me! Help me!” I screamed. I woke up to hands shaking me.
“Sue, it’s just a bad dream. Everything’s okay. You’re at home with me and Chloe.”
I opened my eyes to find Chloe and Gina sitting next to me.
I was confused. “Where am I?”
“You’re at home with me and Chloe,” Gina repeated.
“Why didn’t you help me get out of the dryer?” I cried.
Chloe bit her bottom lip. “Mom, you’re scaring me.”
“It was a bad dream, Sue,” Gina said. “Just a bad dream. You’re safe at home. Chloe and I are here. Everything’s going to be okay.”
I looked at Chloe and her eyes were glassy.
“Are you all right, Mom? Aunt Gina and I were eating when you started to scream.”
I reached out and took her hand. “I’m okay, Chloe. Just tired.”
I wanted to tell Gina about the dream, but I didn’t want Chloe to hear. No need to upset her.
“I brought your favorite ice cream,” Gina said. “Want some?”
I smiled. Gina always knew how to make me smile.
We ate ice cream and then Chloe went to finish studying and take her shower.
“So now that we’re alone, how are things, really?” asked Gina, putting a throw pillow on her lap.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. “Okay. I’m tired and still in some pain. It bugs me that I don’t remember the accident. Or the day or so leading up to it. In fact, the last memory I have of Tom is having great shower sex.”
Gina laughed. “Well, that’s a good last memory to have.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. But I can’t help feeling like I’m missing something. It’s hard to explain. Pretend my life is a tape and someone hit the pause button, abruptly stopping it. My life resumed later when the play button was pushed, but a section of tape became tangled when it was abruptly stopped. That tangled section is the missing memories. I’ve been trying to untangle the tape but it’s stuck and I can’t seem to get it out in one piece.”
“Maybe that’s the problem,” Gina said. “You’re trying too hard. If I were you, I’d relax and enjoy life. Don’t push yourself too hard to remember. Most likely, your memories will return when you aren’t expecting them to.”
I nodded. “Yeah, that’s kind of what the doctor said. Something might trigger a memory. And there’s a chance that I won’t remember everything. But I’m getting glimpses of things. Like the dinner we had.”
“The one at the fancy restaurant?”
I nodded. “That was the night before the shower sex morning. You had bought two bottles of champagne and I drank a little too much.”
“Does Tom know you remember that?” Gina asked.
“Yeah. I told him the last thing I remember was the shower sex. That made him smile.”
“I bet it did,” Gina said. “That’s all you remember about that night?”
“Pretty much. Should I have remembered more?”
Gina shook her head. “You remembered enough.”
***
Tom
When I opened the back door, Klondike was right inside waiting for me. While we were on a walk, Gina texted me, letting me know she was with Sue and that Sue was sleeping. I was glad Gina was able to spend some t
ime with Sue. Gina and I had talked about Sue’s memory loss. She was as concerned as I was about how Sue would handle the memory of seeing Rachel in my house dressed in her whore regalia. The doctor said it’s not uncommon for a patient to not remember what happened right before the accident and that the memories could return in bits and pieces. We just had to be prepared to handle that when they did. Maybe I should have told the doctor about Rachel, since they weren’t all good memories Sue lost.
Klondike wouldn’t leave my side the rest of the night. We were watching TV when Sue called.
“I miss you,” Sue said.
“I miss you, too. Feeling any better?”
“Still feel tired and weak.”
“Well, remember what the doctor said. It might take awhile.”
Sue sighed. “I was wondering about your offer.”
“You mean about me and Klondike staying over?”
“Yeah. I talked to Chloe and she’s fine with it. Actually more than fine. Well, not fine that you’re coming over. That sounds terrible. Not that she minds you coming over, but she’s more excited about having Klondike here.”
I smiled. “Of course.”
“Anyway, what do you think?”
“Nothing could keep me away,” I said.
The three words I wanted to say were on the tip of my tongue, ready to slip off. But I held them back. I wanted Sue to be ready to hear them. Really hear them and know that I meant them.
Chapter 15
Sue
Gina invited some of our high school friends over to her house for a girls’ night. No guys allowed. She thought it would be fun to reminisce and a great way to celebrate my recovery. She was able to pick a weekend when those who lived out of town could come.
I was looking forward to seeing the old gang—Diane, Lynn, Ellen, and Maggie. Karen was bringing her partner, Mia. And of course, Cookie, who always made me laugh so hard my gut hurt.
It took Cookie about two sips of wine before she fired her hairy ball question.
“So I was reading this magazine article about whether guys should shave their balls. What do you girls think? I, for one, am not a fan of ball hair.”
The room erupted into laughter.
“I don’t like caveman hairy,” Diane said. “A trim is good, but definitely not bald. That makes me think of a little boy and totally grosses me out.”
Lynn took a sip of wine. “Personally, I think guys’ balls are effing ugly. They look like one of those rubber chickens.”
“Especially if the balls are bare and the dick is limp,” Maggie added.
I laughed so hard I had to hold my gut. The laughing was good for my mind, but not my healing ribs.
“I agree with Diane,” Gina said. “Some hair is okay. But not so long that you can braid it. I never let mine get that long!”
“Me neither,” Karen says, looking at Mia. “We like bare best.”
Cookie laughed so hard she fell off the barstool.
“You know,” Mia said. “Some men shave their pubes because it makes their dicks look bigger.”
Karen narrowed her eyes and looked at her partner. “How would you know?”
Uh oh! I thought maybe we were going to have a girl fight in Gina’s kitchen.
“Like you, love,” said Mia, her lips curling into a sexy smile. “I’ve had a man or two in my life. Just decided I liked the other team better.”
I’m not sure if Cookie thought she needed to diffuse the tension, but she blurted, “And another thing, I think guys should dip their dicks in Scope. They’d taste so much better!”
“Try putting whipped cream on it,” Ellen said. “And maybe a little chocolate syrup.”
We all howled.
“Well, you are the chef,” Cookie laughed. “It makes sense that you’d be able to tell us how to doctor up a dog to make it more palatable.”
There was more laughter.
Gina, who was the only one who wasn’t drinking, said, “Man, I wish I could have what you are all having.”
“How’s the mommy-to-be, anyway?” Karen asked. “You look great.”
Gina rubbed her hand over her stomach. “I feel great. I’m not puking as much as I was, so that’s good. I’m still tired, but even that seems to be getting a little better. What surprises me most are my boobs. Damn! I never thought I’d have boobs this big.”
“You want to talk about boobs, girlfriend,” said Cookie, holding hers, one in each hand. “These girls got so big I thought I might have to wear a sling around my neck to keep them from dragging on the ground. We’re talking serious tonnage.”
There was more laughter.
“So are you going to find out what you’re having?” Mia asked.
“I want to know; Mike doesn’t. So, we haven’t decided what we’ll do yet.”
“I wanted to know,” Lynn said. “I wanted to make sure the room was tailored to the sex.”
I wasn’t surprised by Lynn’s admission. She was, after all, an events planner. She was the type of person who wanted everything coordinated and paid attention to the tiniest of details. She had already cornered me about having a surprise baby shower for Gina.
The night was just what I needed. I even had a little wine. It was great to be with friends who you could unwind with and be yourself. And talk about things like hairy balls and dick sundaes.
***
Tom
Gina had invited the girls to her house so I decided I’d invite the guys over to my house. Grill some burgers, drink some beer. Maybe play some poker. Good times.
Jeremy had a fight with Teresa right before he got there and the first twenty minutes was spent listening to him rant about it.
“So she’s on me about not fixing the faucet. Tells me I don’t do my share when it comes to hauling the kids around. Then she’s on me about never saying anything nice to her. Which, by the way, is pure bullshit. Christ, I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Talk about PMS.”
“You do know why they call it PMS, don’t you?” asked Keith, not waiting for an answer. “Because Mad Cow was taken.”
Everyone laughed.
“Besides, guys never say all that sweet shit they say in the movies,” said Keith, screwing off the cap on his bottle of beer. “And why do we have to work so damn hard to get sex? I’d like a massage every once in awhile, too!”
I laughed.
“You just wait, lover boy,” Jeremy said. “When you’ve been with someone as long as we have, the sex sort of loses its steam.”
I was glad when the conversation turned to sports and cars, the normal topics guys talk about.
“You still have your 58?” Keith asked.
I nodded.
Jeremy sipped his beer. “Man, I’d love to restore an old car. With two college educations to pay for, that’s not going to happen.”
Jeremy patted Mike on the shoulder. “Mikey here is catching up to me, though. In a few months you’ll have two.”
Mike nodded. “Yep. Can’t wait.”
“Man, there’s no way I’d want to go back to having a screaming kid in the middle of the night. That’s a pain in the ass,” Jeremy said.
There was more talk and more beer, and a few hours later, we had solved all of the world’s problems. Life was good.
***
Sue
“Who likes to screw in the morning?” Ellen asked.
“Not me,” said Diane, shaking her head. “I don’t know any woman who likes sex first thing in the morning.”
“I do,” said Lynn, sitting up straight and bouncing side to side. “Kind of gets me going. Like eating a big bowl of Wheaties. Gives me lots of energy.”
Mia laughed. “The breakfast of champions.”
“I’m with Diane on this one,” Maggie said. “Most women I know give in and bury their face in the pillow so they don’t have to smell their breath.”
“Do what I do,’ Cookie said. “Keep a tiny bottle of mint mouth spray under your pillow. Pull it out and give him a squirt and th
en yourself.”
Lynn laughed. “I’m impressed with your planning skills, Cookie. I didn’t know you had that in you.”
Cookie smiled. “You might be the events planner in the group, Lynn, but I’m the survivor of the sex wilderness. This Girl Scout knows how to prepare.”
Growing up, whenever we got together, we always played Question/Answer. It was sort of like a game. Someone would throw out a question and we’d all answer it. When we got older, we held on to the tradition. Only the questions we ask now are a bit X-rated.
“What’s the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?” I asked.
Gina laughed. “You know what mine was. It was the Boeing 747 fart I let rip during my violin recital.”
Everyone laughed.
“I remember I was on a wooden stage and I tapped my shoe extra loud to try to drown it out. I could feel my face heat up. I’m sure it was the color of a candy apple.”
“What about you, Diane?”
“Well, here’s something that happened today. I’m at the stop light and I look down and realize that the damn bra pads in my dress are scrunched up. Unlike my bathing suit, there were no holes in the dress where I could stick my finger in and smooth the pads out. So I’m at the stop light, both hands on my boobs, trying to smooth out the damn pads. And I’m really going at it, having a hell of a time. All of a sudden, I look over and realize that the guy in the car next to me has been watching me the whole time.”
We all laughed.
“So what’d you do?” I asked.
“I tried to explain to him using sign language that I wasn’t playing with my tits like he thought I was, but trying to smooth out the pads. Thank God the light turned green. When I got home, I threw out the dress.”
The room erupted in laughter again.
“Who’s next?” Gina asked.
“I’ll go,” Maggie said. “So I’m naked and I have on these killer heels. James likes when I wear my whore heels in bed.”
“What is it about fuck me heels on a naked girl that turns guys’ dicks into homing missiles?” Cookie asked.
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