Picking Up The Pieces

by Brenda Adcock

  “You ain’t payin’ me period and I needed a break, old man” she said as she unscrewed the lid on a canteen of water and squinted at him. “I’m allowed.”

  “Fall asleep out here and you’ll turn into a lobster in nothin’ flat.”

  “I know,” she snapped as she stood up.

  “Don’t get smart with me, kid. I come to tell you Bridget has lunch ready and you got company.”

  “Nobody knows where I live.”

  “Reckon someone does. Kinda cute little gal, too.”

  “What?”

  “You losin’ your hearin’, girlie?”

  “I got a name, old man.”

  “So do I. Mine’s Pudge. Actually it’s not, that’s just a nickname. What’s yours?”

  “I don’t have a nickname, but most people just call me perv.”

  “Be proud of your name, Athon Dailey. You ain’t your folks. Now get in the damn cart and let’s go. Leave the weed whacker. You’ll be back.”

  Athon stepped onto the old golf cart next to Pudge and sat back. She swung off the torn seat a few minutes later before it came to a full stop. When they entered the mud room of the old house she heard laughter coming from the kitchen. She approached the room and stopped to peek around the corner. Her breath caught when she saw Lauren sitting at the small table. Athon looked down at her filthy clothes. Her sneakers were coated with green and pieces of grass and weeds hung from her jeans. She wiped her dirty hands on the butt of her jeans. Pudge strode past her and took a seat at the small kitchen table.

  “Where’s Athon?” Bridget asked.

  “Standin’ out in the mud room tryin’ to figure out how to make herself look more presentable, I reckon,” Pudge said with a chuckle as he picked up his sandwich.

  “Athon Dailey! Get your skinny ass in here!” Bridget called out.

  Athon stepped shyly into the doorway and rubbed her hands together. She nodded at Lauren who was smiling at her broadly. Athon finally took a breath and walked to the kitchen sink to scrub the dirt from her hands and arms. Lauren looked too cute for words in shorts that were a little baggy and fell to just above her knees, showing off well-toned calves. She was relieved that Lauren had topped her shorts off with a baggy long-sleeved t-shirt. Athon squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed hard. There was no way in hell she’d be able to stop herself from taking a peek at Lauren’s touchable body otherwise. She dried her hands on a hand towel hanging from the oven door and pasted a smile on her face.

  “So, what are you doing here, Lauren?” Athon asked, hoping she sounded casual, and felt the heat rise in her face as her voice cracked when she said Lauren’s name. She cleared her throat as if something was blocking the vocal chords. “Sorry,” she added. “Dust in my throat.”

  Lauren shrugged. “Just checking to see if you might be free for a movie or something.”

  “I can’t.” Athon took a large bite of her sandwich. The quicker she finished eating, the quicker she could leave again. “I’m busy today,” Athon said, flashing a glance at Bridget. “I have to finish cleanin’ up around the vehicles.”

  “I can help you and then maybe we’d have time to grab a burger or something before the movie,” Lauren volunteered.

  “No,” Athon said hastily. “You can’t do what I’m doin’ in shorts.”

  “I have an old pair of jeans she can borrow,” Bridget offered with a shrug. “Might have to tie the waist though since I ain’t been that skinny since I was twelve.”

  Athon turned toward Bridget. “You’re just a world of helpfulness today, aren’t you?” she said sarcastically. “Thanks.”

  Two hours later, Athon stopped the weed eater and set it down. Lauren had been sitting in the shade watching her. Even though Athon was a little self-conscious about the way she looked, she still moved fluidly. She knew her face was flushed from the autumn heat and exertion. When she walked toward where Lauren was sitting, she wiped her hands along her long waist and tried to ignore Lauren’s eyes as they watched her.

  “Guess that’s everything, at least for today,” Athon said as she pulled a hand towel from her back pocket and wiped her face. “I’ll clean up a little if you’ll help me,” she added. “I’m pretty ripe about now.” Athon walked toward the camper as Lauren stood and followed her. “How did you know where I live?”

  Lauren shrugged. “I followed you after I dropped you off the other night.”

  Athon reached inside the camper and lifted out two large kitty litter containers. She hoisted one onto the roof of a nearby vehicle. “If you’ll tip this over a little at a time, I can at least wash off the first layer of dirt,” Athon said as she removed the cap on the first container.

  Lauren braced it with her hands as Athon bent over slightly. At first the water dribbled out of the container, but when Athon began rubbing her head briskly Lauren allowed the water to flow out more freely. The bottom of the container slipped in Lauren’s hands and over half the water poured onto Athon’s head and ran down her t-shirt and into the waist of her jeans. She jumped a little before running her hand under her shirt to rinse her sweaty body. Lauren laughed as water ran down Athon’s face and dripped from her hair. When the water was gone Athon replaced the first container with another one, making sure the water ran down her back. Lauren ran a hand under the back of Athon’s t-shirt and rubbed her hand over the smooth skin beneath her fingers.

  Athon arched away and turned to look down at Lauren. Lauren reached up and ran her hand through Athon’s hair and down her face, pausing at the reddish spot along Athon’s cheek. Athon brought her hand up and covered Lauren’s. “You shouldn’t do that, Lauren,” she said softly. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Athon shook her head and looked in the camper for a towel. She felt exposed standing there in wet clothes. The coolness of the wet jeans against her skin made her shiver. She blushed as she saw her hardened nipples pressing against the fabric of her t-shirt. She turned away from Lauren and ruffled her hair with the towel.

  Lauren tilted her head to the side. “I like you, Athon.”

  “You don’t know a damn thing about me.”

  “I know enough.”

  “Trust me, you don’t.”

  Lauren picked up the second container and dumped the remaining water over Athon’s head, sending a sheet of water over her body. Lauren laughed and tried to step away. Athon grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the camper. She drew Lauren close and let the palm of her hand sweep down Lauren’s side. She held her at the waist as she leaned down and kissed her lightly. She felt Lauren flinch and was sure she would pull away, angry that Athon had taken such a liberty. Instead she ran her hands down the back of Athon’s jeans and over the tight muscles of her butt to pull her closer as their lips met again, more demanding the second time.

  Athon slid her hands under Lauren’s shirt and moved them up until she felt the soft fabric covering her breasts. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered. She pressed her face into Lauren’s hair and held her tightly. She didn’t know why she wasn’t maneuvering Lauren toward the bed inside the camper. She had seen the hungry look in Lauren’s eyes even before the kiss, but backed away from the temptation. “You deserve better than me. You should get home before it gets too late,” she said.

  “I think it’s already too late. Can I come over again sometime?”

  “Your parents wouldn’t approve. I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

  “HERE’S THE DEAL, girlie,” Pudge rasped over breakfast the following weekend. “I ain’t got the time to be running you all over the place for school and work. And now that Bridget’s got her beauty license, she won’t have as much time either.”

  “I can walk to school and work or hitch a ride,” Athon said with a shrug. “I used to walk farther.”

  Pudge held up his hand. “So I was thinkin’,” he continued. “I got this old car somewhere on the lot. Ain’t a thing of beauty, but she’s got a good engine. You got a license?”

  “Yeah.”

&n
bsp; “If we can get it runnin’ and through an inspection, it’s yours while you’re here.”

  “I can’t afford a vehicle,” Athon frowned.

  “Since I ain’t gonna charge you nothin’ for it, I reckon you can afford that, can’t ya?”

  “Why are you being so nice to me, Pudge?”

  “Just givin’ you a break. We all need that once in a while, that’s all.”

  Athon picked up her plate and rinsed it off. She didn’t want Pudge, or anyone else, to see the tears in her eyes. She stopped next to the table and wrapped her arms around the old man who let her live on his property. “Thanks, Pudge. Someday I’ll pay you back.”

  A month later Pudge watched as Athon slid into the driver’s seat of the old blue and rust Toyota. She closed her eyes and said a small prayer before she turned the key in the ignition. She and Tiny had been working on it in their spare time. She had pulled seats from another old car in Pudge’s junkyard and drilled new holes to fit the Toyota frame and body. The engine sputtered and tried to turn over. She bounced up and down on the seat as the engine finally kicked over. She left it running and jumped out, leaping into Pudge’s arms and slapping him soundly on the back.

  “Can I take it on the road?” she asked excitedly.

  “When was the last time you drove a vehicle?”

  “Not since I took driver’s ed,” she admitted.

  “Maybe I better go with you.”

  “I’m good,” she called out as she leaped back into the seat and tugged the door closed with a pop as she revved the engine.

  “Don’t push it and drive slow,” Pudge yelled. “Been a while since this baby seen the highway.”

  Athon waved out the window as she eased the car out of the parking area in front of Tiny’s and turned onto Fairfield Highway. Even though she was only going twenty-five miles per hour, the November wind coming through the window felt cool and refreshing. Gradually, she increased her speed and found it exhilarating as she cruised along the stretch of highway that eventually would lead her into San Antonio. Before she hit the city limits sign she pulled over and waited for an opening in the traffic to turn around. She ignored the speedometer as she drove and was surprised to see red and blue lights flashing behind her. A siren whooped and she slowed down as she pulled onto the shoulder of the road. She glanced into the rearview mirror and immediately recognized the stout figure exiting the police car. Sheriff Raynelle Cosper never seemed to smile.

  “License, registration, and insurance,” Sheriff Cosper said as she stepped next to the driver’s window, her ticket book attached to a clipboard.

  Athon looked at her own reflection in the sheriff’s mirrored sunglasses. “I only have my license,” she said.

  “Get out of the vehicle,” the sheriff ordered as she stepped to the side of the door and rested her palm on the butt of her weapon.

  As soon as Athon got out and slammed the door to make it close, Sheriff Cosper shoved her toward the front of the vehicle. “Hands on the hood and spread ‘em,” Cosper said.

  “What did I do?” Athon asked, starting to turn around.

  Cosper shoved her roughly against the hood leaving her hand firmly planted on Athon’s back. Athon jerked her elbow back and spun to face Cosper. The glint of sunlight striking the sheriff’s firearm greeted her. “Hands on the hood,” Cosper repeated through clenched teeth.

  After a thorough search of Athon’s loose clothing, Cosper asked, “Where’d you get this vehicle?”

  “Can I stand up now?” Athon replied.

  Cosper grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around, allowing Athon to lean against the front of the car. “Where’d you get this vehicle? And I’m getting tired of repeating myself.”

  “It belongs to Pudge Fitzgerald. Pudge, Tiny, and me just finished giving it a tune-up and I was test driving it.”

  “Shove your hands in your pockets,” Cosper said as she looked down both sides of the vehicle.

  Athon stuck her hands in her front jean pockets and shifted from foot to foot. “Runs good,” she muttered.

  “Tell Pudge he needs plates and insurance on this heap,” Cosper said. “Now get this POS off my highway.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Athon said. She carefully stepped around the sheriff and slid into the driver’s seat. She smiled when the motor started immediately. I did that, she thought. Her work made it run. She felt her chest puff out with pride as she watched the sheriff open the door to her patrol car, remove her hat, and lower her body inside. Athon signaled to enter the highway and pulled slowly off the shoulder. Sheriff Cosper followed her all the way back to Tiny’s and continued on her patrol when Athon signaled and turned off the road, breathing a sigh of relief.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Duvalle, Texas December 1987

  ATHON HAD BEEN living at Pudge’s for only three months yet it seemed like she’d been there forever. He and Bridget treated her like a member of their family and she owed them more than she would ever be able to repay. She cleared the table while Pudge stretched out on his recliner for his nightly nap in front of television shows he never watched. Bridget put leftovers in containers and made a place for them in the refrigerator.

  “Got a date tonight?” Bridget asked as she snapped a lid on a plastic container.

  “What makes you ask?”

  “Just that you been actin’ different since that cute little gal was here a couple of months back.”

  “She’s only a friend.”

  “Uh huh,” Bridget said with a look. “Tell me another story, sugar. A blind person could see you like her.”

  Athon turned from the sink and leaned against the counter as she dried her hands on a small towel. “I do like her, but I don’t want her to get in trouble. She might if she hangs around me too much. Her father’s a minister.”

  “Her father’s a man and will do what he thinks he has to to protect his daughter.” Bridget planted her fists on her hips and shook her head. She stepped toward Athon and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just be careful and don’t let yourself get hurt. And don’t you hurt her neither.”

  “I—” Athon started to protest.

  “I haven’t known you long, Athon Dailey, but I know you like girls the same as a man does.”

  Athon glared at Bridget and threw the hand towel on the counter. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

  “Depends on who you talk to. I ‘spect that minister wouldn’t be too happy that you might have been lovin’ up on his daughter. Just be careful, that’s all I’m sayin’.”

  Athon left the house and ran to the camper. Her own words echoed in her mind. I haven’t done anything wrong. She stretched out on the mattress with her hands behind her head. Bridget was right. Athon did like girls—a lot, but she’d never been with one she wanted to be with all the time. Until she met Lauren. She was comfortable to be with and they could talk about anything. It was the first real friendship Athon could remember having with anyone.

  It was a Saturday night and Gus had given her the night off. She needed to get ahead for her classes, but couldn’t convince herself to leave the comfortable mattress. She glanced at her clock. It was still early and she wondered what Lauren was doing on a pleasant Saturday night. Thoughts about Rafe Stoneman crossed her mind. He’d been hounding Lauren to go out with him for weeks. Maybe she finally gave up and accepted a date. Athon closed her eyes tightly and didn’t want to think about that. She knew Rafe’s reputation. Mr. One and Done.

  In an attempt to shake the image of Lauren and Rafe together, the fullness of her lips against his, the smoothness of her skin beneath his fingers, Athon stormed out of the camper. She dug a cigarette from the cabinet inside the camper door and lit it with shaking hands. What the hell was wrong with her? The thought of a girl she had kissed once in the arms of some guy never bothered her before. In fact, she expected it to happen, knew it would because she was only a practice dummy. As much as she longed to, she had never really touched another girl intimately. The thoug
ht of kissing Lauren again made her stomach muscles clench.

  Athon plopped down on a discarded car seat and rocked back and forth as she held her head in her hands, biting back the groans as her mind relived the feel of Lauren’s lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around her waist against the chill of the evening and laid down on the car seat.

  A hand on her shoulder startled Athon awake and she blinked as she looked around. Her eyes slowly began to focus on the face kneeling in front of her. Dark hair plaited into cornrows and held in place by multi-colored beads surrounded the slender caramel face staring at her. Athon reached out and slid her hand over the back of the neck and pulled the image closer until their lips met. She deepened the kiss hungrily, wanting to devour the beautiful girl of her dreams. She felt warm arms slip around her as she broke the kiss slowly and traced her mouth and tongue to the slender neck. It was more wonderful than she remembered as she felt a strong rapid pulse beneath her lips. A hand caressing her face brought her fully awake.

  “What are you doing here?” Athon asked as she blinked and stared at Lauren.

  “Looking for you,” Lauren breathed.

  “I’m sorry. I guess I fell asleep,” Athon said, nervously rubbing her face.

  “I don’t know what you were dreaming about, but I liked it.”

  She brought her mouth closer to Athon’s ear and whispered, “Was I in your dream?”

  Athon fingered a dread and smiled. “I like your hair this way. You’re beautiful.”

  Lauren rubbed her hands up and down Athon’s bare arms. “You’re cold. Can we go into the camper?”

  “You shouldn’t stay,” Athon said as she stood and pulled Lauren up.

  “Why not? It’s Saturday night.”

  “You should be out on a date or something. With Rafe.”

  Lauren snorted. “That gropasaurus! I don’t think so. Definitely not my type. Besides I have more fun with you.” She opened the door to the camper and stepped inside. “I never did get the grand tour of your humble abode.”