The Accident Curse

by Foster Bridget Cassidy

  “No, Dad.”

  “Then what?”

  I sighed. “I have a curse.”

  “Huh?”

  “I have a curse. When I’m in Accident, bad things happen.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “See? I knew you wouldn’t understand. This is why it doesn’t make sense to talk it over.”

  Dad held up his hands. “Sorry, sorry. I’ll listen. I’ll try to understand. I promise.”

  I gazed out the restaurant’s window. It opened onto the 219, the lifeline connecting the small towns. Cars zoomed past and I wondered where they went in such a hurry. Nothing back here was pressing.

  “We had a lesson on it in second grade. Accident. How the surveyors made a mistake and took the measurements twice on the same land. All the kids laughed. They thought it was funny how stupid the surveyors were. But me, I couldn’t laugh. All I could think about was how easily it had happened. They were adults, intelligent adults, but they’d made this error, costing them time and money. And while it hadn’t been a big deal—no one had died as a result—I began to worry about making mistakes of my own.”

  I turned back to Dad. He nodded for me to continue.

  “Since then, I began to make mistakes. Or, that’s what I thought it was at first. I always tripped on the stairs in the basement, for example. I kept losing my lunchbox at school. Little things. Nothing too important. But, when viewed from a whole, all those little things added up.”

  “So, you think you’re unlucky?” Dad finally asked.

  “No…or, maybe…Every event in my life back here has been mired in accidents and misfortune. Even Mom….”

  “That was not an accident, Mart.”

  “Yes it was, Dad. It’s what made me realize I had to get out of here as soon as I possibly could.”

  “You’d been thinking of moving away since you were nine?”

  I nodded. “I knew I couldn’t live here. If I stayed any longer it would get worse.”

  “Marty,” Dad said gently. “Your mom’s death was not your fault.”

  “If I hadn’t picked up this curse….”

  “No, Marty. There’s no way to look at it other than the facts. She had cancer. No curse touched her.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “You don’t know that,” he countered. “You can use some sort of faulty logic on anything. What about breaking my leg? Was that your fault too?”

  “Dad, you’re not listening to me. Mom’s cancer…it all started when she broke her arm. She broke her arm tripping over my pirate fort. The fort I got from Grandpap instead of the baseball glove I asked for. He bought it for me because he thought you said I liked pirates instead of I liked the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. You see? It all stemmed from accidents.”

  He opened his mouth, but then closed it again. I saw the denial in his eyes, the desire to tell me I was being childish. But he held it in. “Even if it were true, then it would be my fault for not clarifying to Dad.”

  “No. It was a present for me. If you never had me, none of it would have happened. I’m to blame. Or, the curse is.”

  “And you don’t have these ‘accidents’ in Phoenix?”

  “I don’t. Everything is fine there.”

  He nodded. “I do see.” His hand reached across the table and gripped my wrist. “I do understand. I’d hate to see you go again, kid, but you have to do what’s best for you.”

  I sighed in relief. “Thank you, Dad. That means a lot to me.”

  “But you can come and visit more often, right? I mean, this curse isn’t affecting you now.”

  “Y-yeah, I guess I could.” I didn’t want to mention how I felt its gaze on me even now.

  “Well, good. I want to see you come home more often. I think Colten would like it too.”

  “Dad, we can’t have a long-distance relationship. It wouldn’t work.”

  “Then why are you even spending time with him now?”

  “I like him. He likes me. Let’s leave it at that.”

  Dad’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Marty, are you with him because you’re bored and he’s convenient? I didn’t raise you to treat your significant other like a plaything.”

  I held up my hands. “No, you’ve got it wrong. I like him a lot, Dad. He’s so refreshing. He sees all the things I hate about here in such a different way.” I shook my head in wonder. “Sometimes, he makes me see it the way he does and it doesn’t seem so bad.”

  “Then we still got a little more time to convince you. Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

  Chapter 16

  The following weekend I convinced Colten to take a day trip with me. I was able to get cheap tickets to the Pittsburgh Pirates ballgame and Colten seemed excited to join me. I offered to get one for Dad, but he declined, leaving the two of us alone on the excursion.

  This was a big step. First, we had the whole ride up: two hours of talking. Then, the actual game. And for the conclusion, the trip home. Altogether, it was a long time to spend in one another’s company.

  Colten met me at Dad’s house at ten o’clock.

  “Morning, Marty,” Colten called out his window as I walked down the porch. His grin was large and so inviting. He climbed from his truck and I immediately wrapped my arms around him. “You want me to drive?”

  “Nah, I got it. You all set?”

  “Sure. Hi, Jim,” Colten said to Dad, who peeked his head out the door.

  “Have fun, boys,” Dad answered with a wave.

  We got into Dad’s Tundra and I revved up the engine. As hoped, as soon as I put it into reverse, Colten slid close to me and kissed my temple. I grinned. Two hours of his attention would be the best thing in the world.

  We started on the 219, but then took the junction on the 68, heading toward Morgantown.

  Colten’s fingers gently brushed through my hair. “Will you get mad if I admit I’ve never seen a baseball game live?”

  I glanced at him before returning my eyes to the road. “Seriously?”

  “When we’d go up to Pittsburgh, it was usually for supplies. Never had the time to see a game.”

  “Then you haven’t seen the Steelers play? Or the Penguins?”

  He shook his head.

  “Poor, deprived boy. So many great teams and you can’t even see them.”

  “At least you’re trying to help me with that. I appreciate it.”

  “I should time my next visit so I can take you to see the Steelers.”

  I caught his sad smile off the corner of my eye. “You already thinking of coming back to visit?”

  My hand reached for his, gripping it tightly. “Look, we haven’t talked about this, Colten. Maybe we need to bring it up now.”

  He shook his head. “No, we don’t have to. I know you’re here checking on your dad, Marty. You don’t owe me any explanation.”

  His words stung. I had hoped he’d try to fight for me. Ask me to stay. Or at the very least, see if we could try something long-distance. I’d told Dad it wouldn’t work, but those words had been fear of admitting aloud how much I wanted it to work.

  “Yeah, we don’t have to define anything between us,” I agreed. “But I’m enjoying our time together. I get sad thinking it might end soon.”

  His fingers squeezed mine. “Me too. I don’t know what else there is to do.”

  “Let’s talk about something happier. Tell me about how you get Lola Belle all set for the Autumn Glory festival.”

  He laughed and nuzzled my neck. “You can’t possibly be interested in all the necessary pomp.”

  “I am interested. I love hearing you talk about your animals.”

  After he gave me a rundown of preparations for the fair—and it was a lot of work to get the animals ready—we fell into a comfortable silence. I switched on the CD player and was surprised Dad had left an Earth, Wind, and Fire disc inside. So maybe he did like disco.

  “It feels like I just made this trip,” I said.

 
“It’s almost been four weeks, right?”

  “Yeah.” My voice held a bit of my amazement. “For swearing I’d never come back, it actually hasn’t been as bad as I feared.”

  Colten smiled at me flirtatiously. “Any particular reason?”

  “What’s with your need for compliments?”

  His lips brushed against the side of my neck. “I like to hear you say it. Sometimes I still can’t believe you’re here with me.”

  “I know you’re a smart guy, Colten. So why can’t your brain remember these details?”

  He barked a laugh and I felt the burst of air along my skin. “I use my senses to try and convince myself. I can feel you.” His hand dug into my hair and gripped the roots. “I can taste you.” His tongue slid along my jawline. “I can even smell your scent on my clothes when I get home. My eyes still see you after I’ve shut them. My ears replay your words, the way you laugh. And yet, my brain—my logic—says it can’t possibly be happening.”

  My breath hitched as he kissed my skin more forcefully.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re way out of my league.”

  I snorted in disbelief. “You honestly think that? You’re crazy.”

  “I’m a backwoods country boy who’s obsessed with livestock. You’re successful, sophisticated, cultured. I’ve got nothin’ to offer you.” To emphasis this point, he bit down on my earlobe.

  A tremble shot through my whole body. “Colten,” I whispered breathlessly. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth.”

  He laughed softly and bit down harder.

  “If anything,” I said, trying to control my breathing, “you’re out of my league.”

  Colten’s attack ceased and he pulled back several inches.

  I risked a glance over at him and was surprised by his wide eyes and slack jaw.

  “What?” I asked.

  “I’m too good for you? Is that what you said?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How could you possibly believe anything so ridiculous?”

  “Because you’re honest, a good person, thoughtful and selfless. You’re loyal and so passionate about your work. You’re ambitious and know what you want. You’re like a light so bright I can’t even open my eyes.”

  He buried his face in my neck again. “Marty.”

  It was a little after noon when we exited the Fort Pitt tunnel and were rewarded with the sight of the beautiful skyline.

  “God, I love this,” I said. “Mom always loved looking at it from this angle.”

  The freeway crossed the Monongahela River, then we exited right away. The loops and junctions around here were tricky, and PNC Park, where the Pirates played, was right across the Allegheny River. We got on the aptly named Roberto Clemente Bridge and the ballpark loomed on the left side.

  The game didn’t start till one, so I parked the car and we headed into the stadium for a bite.

  As soon as we entered, the smell of baseball wafted to me. Beer, hot dogs, popcorn. I saw spring training games regularly, but it’d been awhile since I’d been to a real game. With Colten’s hand firmly grasped in mine, and the sights and sounds of the stadium around us, there was no better place on earth.

  “What do you want for lunch?” Colten asked, glancing at all the vendors along the outside wall of the stadium.

  “Primanti Brothers,” I said without hesitation. “I double checked they have a location here.”

  He gave me an odd look.

  “Some things you can’t get in Arizona.”

  We found the Primanti Brothers stall outside the 110 section. Our seats were way in the top level in 317. Cheap and a good view didn’t go hand in hand. I was still weeping over the price of the emergency flight.

  We ordered two capicola and cheese sandwiches. They came piled high with coleslaw and fries stuffed between the slices of bread. After purchasing a couple beers, I hurried Colten to our seats, eager to sink my teeth into this delicacy.

  No one checked our tickets as we wound our way up the aisle to row H. People wouldn’t sneak into these lousy seats.

  It came as no surprise when the area turned out to be empty. Though Pittsburghers were fiercely loyal to their teams, the Pirates weren’t at their best this season and attendance was obviously down.

  Didn’t faze me. Despite being Maryland born and bred, Pittsburgh was my team. No matter what. My friends in Arizona wanted me to switch to the Cardinals, the Diamondbacks, or the Coyotes. No way in hell. I didn’t even like the Suns despite having no official basketball team. If forced, I picked the Wizards.

  The first bite of the Primanti Brother’s made it into my mouth and I moaned in ecstasy. There was no better combination than capicola, coleslaw, and fries—except maybe the pastrami, coleslaw, and fries. I ignored Colten completely as I devoured the meal.

  “I feel like I should be jealous,” Colten said after I finished. He still had half of his left.

  “You should,” I agreed after I took a swig of beer. “I’d pick Primanti Brothers over nearly everything.”

  He smiled coyly. “I’ll have to up my game, it seems.”

  “You can try, but it probably won’t work.”

  “Would the sandwich give you a blowjob in the bathroom?”

  I choked on a swallow of beer. I had to cough it out of my lungs.

  “What?” I asked when I could talk again.

  “You heard me. Cause if you can’t get it from them, I’m willing, just so you know.”

  A tingle shot through my body, starting at the base of my neck and trailing down my spine to end at my big toe. My skin vibrated with electricity.

  “You wanna?” I asked, because surely, he was joking.

  “Or maybe something more?” he added with a suggestive raise of his eyebrow.

  I swallowed. More? We hadn’t gone all the way, as it were, and I’d never imagined the first place we’d fuck would be the bathroom at PNC Park. It was filthy and disgusting. And it turned me on like I never imagined.

  But he was only kidding anyway. Wasn’t he?

  His smile turned a shade more seductive. “I bet we could sneak into a family bathroom. More privacy.”

  “Quit teasing me. My cock can’t tell the difference.” I playfully swatted at his shoulder.

  He caught my hand in his and used my forward momentum to pull me into a hungry kiss. My mouth melded with his and my arms wrapped around him. I tried to pull him to me but the damned armrest prevented us getting closer.

  “Let’s go,” he said. “We can finish before the game starts.”

  I followed him, stunned.

  The upper courtyard was almost completely deserted so we had no problem sneaking into a large restroom with a locking door.

  I glanced around, suddenly apprehensive. The surfaces couldn’t possibly be sterilized. How many germs rested there, ready to be picked up?

  But then Colten’s fingers slipped under my shirt and caressed the skin along my stomach. They drew around my sides and nestled at the small of my back. I moved closer to him, tipping my chin up to meet his lips. His tongue pushed into my mouth with an intense pressure. I hardly noticed when he shoved me back against the wall, I only welcomed the force he exuded as he pinned me in place.

  The rest of my reluctance vanished as his hips nudged me and I felt the press of his cock on my lower stomach.

  His lips left mine and attacked the side of my neck.

  “This wasn’t a whim?” I asked.

  “What gave it away?”

  “Don’t take it as an insult, but I don’t think you’re this impulsive.”

  His hot breath hit my ear as he laughed. “You know me so well.”

  “You’ve come prepared then? For something more?”

  “I brought everything we’d need, for any number of things.” He nibbled on my earlobe.

  I shuddered. “What did you have in mind?”

  In answer, his fingers went down to my jeans and unbuttoned them. The fly sli
d down next. Then my pants were making a pool around my ankles.

  Colten’s hands gently massaged me through my boxers. “I’ve been dreaming of fucking you, Marty. I wanna pound into you as hard as I can. Clutch your ass as I come.”

  My words failed me so I mumbled incoherently, but nodded.

  His thumb slipped back under my shirt and rubbed against my nipple. “You’d let me? I thought you might like it the other way around our first time.”

  “I want you inside me, Colten. I’d prefer to be on my back, but any way works.”

  “Why on your back?”

  “I wanna look at you.”

  He grinned and I felt like an animal about to be preyed on. “Then we can do that. Take these off, though.” His fingers pinched the waistband of my boxers.

  I pulled them down and then kicked them and my jeans off completely. Only a little tugging was necessary to get them over my shoes. My shirt stayed on but Colten’s thumb still fingered my nipple.

  Colten took a step back and pulled two condoms and a small bottle of lube from his pocket. He placed them on the edge of the sink, then took off his own clothing.

  His body took my breath away. Though we were consistent with our petting sessions at his house, it was still a marvel to see him in his naked glory. The bathroom’s light highlighted every angle of him, giving me a great view.

  He unwrapped one of the condoms and approached me. Getting onto his knees in front of me, he unrolled the latex onto my cock. Once done, he lapped at the covered head and I could still feel the irresistible heat of his mouth through the barrier.

  A moan escaped my lips. Despite my obvious liking of the particular position, he stood, and I growled in frustration.

  He went back to the sink and opened the other condom. He put it on himself, then added a thick layer of lubricant along his length. After depositing more into his palm, he came back over to me.

  “Turn around for a minute,” he told me.

  I did, leaning my elbows against the wall and sticking my ass out invitingly. I cradled my head in my palms so it didn’t touch the surface.

  Colten loomed closer, I could sense him before I felt his fingers gently probing at my entrance. Slowly, he worked around my rim, loosening up my clenched muscles. I relaxed into his touch. Gradually, he breached me, his finger entering me fully.