Just a Little Bit Crazy

by T A Ford

  Chapter Eleven

  For Whom the Bell Tolls

  He was woken by the phone in his bedroom ringing. He turned and realized he was in the bed alone. He picked it up. “Hello?”

  “Hi Doc.”

  “Dina? You’re gone?” he checked his watch. It was just after nine.

  “I have to go see my brother. He leaves tomorrow. He’s making flapjacks. They’re actually pancakes, but Rodney still thinks I’m six and calls them flapjacks.”

  “Okay.”

  “What will you do today?” she asked.

  “Pack. I’m moving next to you, remember?”

  “Really? Today?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “I can help,” she offered.

  “I’d like that,” he admitted.

  “Well I’m here. Oh, I’m going to tell my brother about us.”

  He shot upright. “Dina! No. Wait. Don’t tell him.”

  “He already knows you’re my doctor.”

  “Yes, but this isn’t something we can tell anybody. It’s just not appropriate. Not yet. Let’s get through your therapy. Make sure you’re all good. That the meds are working. And then you can make a decision about us. And then, then we can tell everyone.”

  “I already made a decision. I love you.”

  “Dina, listen babe, this isn’t how things should be done.”

  “Doc, you’re going to have to loosen up and trust me.”

  “I do. I, ah, do. But let’s have a little time for us first. Just you and me with no ones opinion. What do you think?”

  “You don’t want to share me,” she chuckled.

  Cue let go a deep breath of relief and ran his hand back through his hair.

  “Alright, fine. We’ll wait.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” he smiled. “Then we can tell the world if we want.”

  “Promise?” she asked. “I don’t lie to Rodney. It’s one of his rules. Never lie.”

  “You don’t tell him about your male friends. Do you?”

  “No. He doesn’t ask. And when he does I just... well... you’re right. I lie to him.”

  “See? Sometimes the lie is better than the truth.”

  “I understand,” she said.

  “Good, so we don’t tell him until he asks, and when he does we tell him together.”

  “Okay. I’ll call you this evening. Rodney will want to go to the movies and hang out today. I took my medicine and I fed Jack. So, you go ahead and rest up. We can have sex tonight.”

  “Wait, Dina.”

  She hung up. Cue put the pillow over his head.

  That evening, Cue heard knocking at the door. He set down the slice of pizza next to his beer. He hoped it was Dina—she was the only person he wanted to see. He was thrown to find Rodney waiting for him.

  “W’sup, man,” Rodney said, walking in without being invited to. Cue closed the door.

  “Hi man, w’sup?” Cue asked.

  “You packed?”

  “Yea, I, uhm, move tomorrow.”

  “What’s going on with my sister?” Rodney asked.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The other day she had a meltdown. The cops were called. But her doctor came and handled the situation. Now do you know what I’m talking about?” Rodney asked as he paced. His fists were tight and his nostrils flared. “Bro, nothing happens with my sister that I’m not told about. The building manager called me. Why the fuck didn’t you?”

  “I didn’t have my phone. And I handled it. She was fine.”

  “That was two days ago, my guy. You should have called me,” Rodney said.

  “Have you seen her?” Cue asked.

  Rodney took off his coat and scarf. “Yea, she’s buzzing around high off those meds you got her on.”

  “They don’t make her high.”

  “Well I’ve never seen her this happy. Has to be the fucking meds.”

  Cue swiped his hand over his head. “Fuck. I need to tell you something.”

  “Save it,” Rodney said. “I know she got a long journey ahead of her. I know. I’m not getting my hopes up. It’s just seeing her now, man. She was so chill today. Freaked me out. I don’t want to reprogram her. But this over happiness might lead to a crash when I’m not here to pull her up. I get it though. We on the right track. That has to be the work you’ve been doing over the past few weeks. I’m appreciative of it, bro. But let’s get something straight: she have any kind of episode, I’m the one to the rescue, my guy. Not you. I’m the one.”

  “I understand. Your sister is doing the work. You are the support.”

  “Solid,” he said, and they bumped fists.

  “Did you know she could sing?”

  “Who? Dina? No she can’t.” Rodney said. He paced a bit more. “Here’s the thing. I might be gone longer than two months. I’ll definitely be coming back. But things are delicate in Europe. I need to ask that you keep an eye on her, but if she has a problem then fuck it all to hell I’m on a plane. I don’t give a fuck. You push the button and I’m here.” Rodney put his hand to his head and let go a deep resounding sigh. “I’m getting anxious man. Leaving her behind.”

  “Rodney. You need to trust Dina. She’s a great person. Really talented. And she’s going to get stronger. This will help her. She’s not your mother.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I know what you’re thinking. She’s not crazy, or even dangerous.”

  “Tell that to Rafael. She stabbed him with a pencil.”

  “What I’m saying is Dina has a dependency on you that adds to her anxiety. Let her get stronger. She will. Trust her. Go to Europe.”

  “Yea. I feel guilty about this. Because I’m happy to go. To give her to you. To be free of the burden. You know?”

  “I understand.”

  “So, she told you she can sing?”

  “She sang for me. She’s good, man,” Cue said.

  “That’s weird. My mother could sing. Some of the best memories I have of her is her singing.” Rodney shook his head. He checked his watch. “I’m on my way to Sheila’s. Trying to get her back on the trip.”

  “You’re taking her?”

  “She got a hold on me. Can’t shake it. Sometimes it’s just like that with the honeys,” Rodney said.

  Cue had to nod his head in agreement. “I promise to keep you in the loop. Anything goes down that you should know, I’ll call you.”

  “Thanks man. For everything.”

  “Travel safe, bro. And good luck with Sheila.”

  Rodney chuckled. “I already stopped by Cartier to sweeten the deal.”

  “That’s an expensive habit.”

  “Yea, I guess we all got habits we can’t shake. Right?” Rodney gave him a playful punch to his arm and then left.

  Cue didn’t bother to respond. His habits lived inside of him. He struggled with each of them every day. He walked Rodney out and convinced himself that not telling his friend that he was falling in love with his sister and it was the right thing to do.

  “That’s it?” Dina asked.

  Cue walked in with a box as the movers delivered the sofa and started to leave. He looked around the penthouse. “Yea. I think that’s it.”

  Jack ran around the place exploring. Dina was her helpful self. She organized everything for him. She had the movers take boxes to the rooms where they would need to be opened, and then she began to neatly arrange the closet. Cue tipped the men and then walked them to the door. He returned to the closet and watched her.

  “What do you want to do today?” he asked.

  “Huh? Unpack things, silly.”

  “I was thinking we drive out to Tyrone.”

  “Where is that?”

  “Near Fayetteville. They have festival, a little carnival we can go to tonight.”

  She hung up a shirt and looked back at him. “You like carnivals?”

  He didn’t. The truth was, he’d rather lay in bed with his face buried between her thighs. But he
had to get past his desires for her and work her through some of her social exercises. The carnival would be full of people and rides. A good place for her to have fun and relate to others.

  “Do you?” he asked.

  “No. I hate everything about theme parks. It’s just too much,” she shook her head.

  “If we go early we’ll miss the crowds.” He removed his phone. “And there is a duck park. We can go and feed the ducks?”

  “Ducks are gone for the winter. None to feed.”

  He showed her the images on his phone She took his phone and thumbed through the images. He saw her smile with interest. She looked up at him with her beautiful curious eyes. “I think the practical thing to do is finish unpacking. And if we still feel like being frisky, then we have sex.” She walked over and hugged his waist. He wasn’t going to win any debate that ended with her in his arms that way. Cue kissed her and left her to unpacking.

  Dina worked until her hands were tired. Her wrists and arms burned from the strain. But when she was done. The downstairs was all unpacked. Cue took the empty cardboard boxes out to the trash compactor. She got a broom and swept up trash when he returned. She glanced back at her sweaty guy and shook her head. “We’re done downstairs. We’ll have to unpack upstairs tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow I have to work. We can save it for later,” he said and went to the fridge and took out a beer.

  “That’s disgusting Doc! Wash your hands first. You were at the trash compactor!”

  “Oh?” He nodded an apology and walked out of the kitchen drinking his beer. When he plopped down on the new sofa in his sweaty shirt and put his dirty feet up on the coffee table, she flipped. “Disgusting. Very sick. You should clean yourself. Don’t you know that!” she yelled at him. “It’s vile. All of the disgusting germs you spread. I can’t take it!”

  Cue looked at her confused.

  “I’ll never sit on that sofa again if you don’t get up right away! Get up! Now!” she shouted.

  He stood and set the bottle of beer down on the coffee table.

  “There’s no coaster! You’ll leave a ring. Oh my God! What is wrong with you!” She went into the kitchen and turned around in a complete circle trying to find the coasters. “Do you even have any? The table will stain. And the sofa. You’re disgusting. A dirty man.”

  “Dina?”

  “Shut up talking. I’m trying to find the coasters. If there were notes in here we’d know where everything was. Let me think.”

  “Dina,” he said and touched her shoulder. She shrugged off his touch and backed away as if he’d struck her. “I said go shower. Do not touch me. You’ve been to the trash and now you touch me? You’re violating me! You disgusting man.”

  “Dina,” he pleaded. She could see the germs all over him. She squirmed away from him. He gave up. “I’ll shower, okay? You can clean me.”

  She blinked at him.

  “You’ve been cleaning too. You’re dirty too. Right?”

  She looked down at her hands. She had on gloves. But the gloves were sweaty on the inside and her fingers felt slick with the bacMauraa caked up under the bed of her nails. She pulled them off and tossed them to the sink. The moment she wiped her hands on herself she realized that she spread the germs down her shirt.

  “Let’s shower,” she agreed. Her stomach began to cinch tight with worry. All she wanted was to get clean. And she needed to get clean fast. She pushed past him and started taking off her clothes. By the time she reached the shower she had her clothes in her arms. She folded everything neatly, including her panties. She set them on the toilet, then went to the large glass shower. She turned it on unaware that he had joined her. It didn’t matter that the water was lukewarm. She stepped under the cool jets and exhaled. The anxiety she had been carrying the moment before seem to rinse down the drain.

  She opened her eyes and saw Cue. He was standing before her like a Viking god returning from battle out of one of her favorite romance books. She pulled him into the water and stepped aside so he could rinse the sweat and germs from him. Dina took extra care to lather the soap and loafers she put in the shower when she unpacked the bathroom. She scrubbed his chest, his back, his long legs that were hairy around the calves, but not his muscular thighs. She saved the best for last.

  “Go to the carnival with me,” he said. Resting his hand on the shower wall behind her, he leaned in and looked down into her eyes. The water drained from the back of his head and neck. It and ran forward as a flowing rinse. She stroked and cleaned his dick.

  “Why do you want me to go this carnival so bad? We can feed ducks in Piedmont Park if there are any.”

  “Because it’s one of the things we talked about. Your anxieties. Dealing with people outside of your comfort zone.”

  “I’m not having attacks. I get upset a little, but it’s getting better.”

  He lifted her chin with his finger. “Is it? Is that why I’m in the shower now being cleaned after visiting the trash compactor.”

  “You like it,” she smiled, and his gaze lowered to his erection. He nodded in agreement. She dropped the sponge. She put both hands to his face and drew him down even further to kiss her. She had tried to avoid wetting her hair, but it was too late. Once they kissed, she was his. He swept her up in his arms and she had to breathe through his passion and the water covering her face. His tongue stroked against hers, and their lips moved together. Her arms lifted to his neck and he turned her to the shower wall. She was in heaven whenever she was in his strong long arms. Did he have any idea how excited and happy he made her? Should she tell him, or write him a letter? When his mouth left hers, her thoughts left her mind.

  “You feel so good to me,” she said. “I like everything you do to me. Do more. Do more,” she panted.

  “Go to the carnival with me,” he whispered in her ear as he eased inside of her. She felt her vagina tighten as he moved in her, almost to the point of pushing him out. He had no choice but to use force, and that was how she liked it. He slammed into her and her backside scraped up against the tiled wall.

  “Tell me,” he kissed her face. “Are you going to come for me. Huh? Right now?”

  “Not if you don’t keep doing me right,” she groaned. He eased out of her and she slipped to standing on her feet. He turned her to the wall and went back inside of her. She bent over with her hands to the wall as he slammed in and out of her distressed sex. He gripped her hips like they were the only thing keeping him attached to the world. She could feel the pleasure detonated inside of her.

  “Oh yes that’s so good,” he panted, and she knew he too was close. Her body locked and her thighs cramped as he went full throttle, nearly slamming her head into the shower wall if her hands weren’t up preventing it. She didn’t want him to stop. She wished it could last forever. He could stay in her forever. Nothing in life ever felt as good as he did at the moment. He held one hip with his left hand and her shoulder with the right and slammed a tempo that sent shockwaves through her clitoris.

  Hanging tight to the edge, she let go another deep cry of ecstasy as she released. He joined her, the two of them letting in all of the pleasure and passion that had exploded between them. He pulled out and Dina swayed. She was so weak she had to turn and put her back to the wall. She stared at him as he put both hands to his head and groaned.

  “Dina. Dina. Dina,” he groaned, as if trapped in a private hell. “What are we doing?”

  Before he could blame himself for his weakness, she went to him and hugged his waist. She put her head to his chest and held on tight to him. “You love me. I love you. That’s what.”

  “We should slow down.”

  “You say that after sex all the time? Can you not keep up?”

  Cue laughed. “No that’s not what I mean.”

  “Then stop saying it.” She kissed his chest.

  He chuckled.

  “Let’s go to the carnival!” she announced.

  He looked down at her, surprised.

 
“I want to go. I think I might even want to do a ride. You feel up to it?”

  He smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s do it.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Carnival Queen

  Dina remained close to Cue. He kept his arm around her as she bit into her caramel and peanut apple and glanced from one big ride to the other. It was the best candy apple she’d ever had. They arrived after seven. The carnival stayed open until ten. Plenty of people crammed into the midway. ‘Clusters’ was the word that came to mind for Dina. In her Better Health books she read up plenty on communicable disease clusters. How many of the people bumping and brushing up against each other were passing on germs. She tried to put the statistics out of her mind. People stood in lines waiting for a turn on the loud bright blinking rides. One ride in particular played raunchy rap lyrics with every other word blasting the ’N’ word. It had rollercoaster seats that ran in a circle around a track, traveling at a very high speed before stopping and doing the same race in reverse. She stood with Cue watching the people, feeling queasy at the mere thought of how close everyone was.

  “Looks like fun, huh? Want to try it?” he asked.

  “No,” she said. “The seats are probably infested with fleas and disease.”

  “What about one of those?” she pointed.

  A carnival truck had caramel apples. Cue nodded. He walked over and brought her one. She hadn’t tasted one since she was a kid.

  “Come on,” he said and dropped his arm over her shoulder. She felt like he was her boyfriend and protector all at once. For a moment that helped soothe her anxiety. She began to think less and less about ‘disease clusters’ as they strolled the midway. Cue walked her over to a carnival booth with large colorful stuffed animals. “Pick out the one you want?”

  Dina was too busy looking around at the people and licking her apple. There was so many different kinds of them she couldn’t keep her eyes on just one. Again, her mind began to swirl on thoughts of disaster. She tried to not imagine the worst things that happened in crowds, such as mass shootings, and fights or terrorist bombings. She didn’t dare say it aloud. But she wanted to shout “Run!” or “Fire!” to make the people surrounding her disperse. Her self-control was remarkable to her.