The following is an excerpt from my work in progress. Janette's husband kicked her out of the house a week earlier. She needs to pick up some of her belongings from her former home. Four strangers agree to help her move her things as she meets her husband's new love for the first time.
*****
Tex drawled, “We don’t plan on going to bed soon, so we’ll help you pick up this desk. How big is it?”
I made motions with my hands. “But it comes apart in the middle, so it isn’t that big to handle. I thought the top piece could go in the back seat of my car and the base should fit in the back.”
“You said you have some other things. We can fit it all in the van easy, and you’ll need help carrying it.”
I swallowed, “I admit that I will be relieved to have someone with me when I go out there. I don’t know if Court will be home. If he is, I assume his pregnant girlfriend will be there too.” I looked at the pine covered hills in the distance and almost whispered, “That would be awkward.”
“Awkward isn’t what I’d call it. You need someone to go with you.” Dave shook his head. “We’ll meet you back here in five minutes.”
Dave proved to be correct in that awkward didn’t describe the trial of getting my desk and plates. I felt extremely thankful to have four men with me when a slender young girl I guessed to be about fifteen answered the door.
She turned away from the door and called, “Mama, es la gringa.”
I didn’t hear the answer, but an older woman who huffed a bit came out of the kitchen and instructed a boy about ten to “Va a Senor Court, pronto.”
I wanted to laugh. Court’s girlfriend already had at least three kids. She was overweight, and her skin looked older than I guessed her age to be. I shook my head wondering how much make-up she had on when Court screwed her.
Tex distracted me with a question about where the desk might be. “Oh, I better lock it so the front doesn’t fall open while you’re carrying it.” I led my entourage of men to the corner of the sitting room.
Tex and Benny easily lifted the top off its base, and Tex managed to cradle the whole top in his arms as Benny and Dave hefted the two-drawer base between them.
Terry held up his box and said, “plates.”
He followed me to the buffet and reached down Grandma’s plates from the top shelf. I started wrapping them in paper under the watchful glare of Court’s mistress, who stood in the middle of the disheveled living room. She, the whore that she was, radiated disapproval. I began to wonder if Court had been drunk when he did the deed, but quickly discarded the idea since I was experienced with Court’s sexual performance under the influence of alcohol.
The daughter seemed to be arguing with her mother, while the mother tried to shush her. Tex came back in time to witness this exchange. “No muchacha…” I didn’t catch the rest of his rapid Spanish, but the girl scowled at him.
I continued to wrap plates and try not to stare at the horror that was Court’s new love. I wondered if she was expecting him to come back from the barn. I knew he’d slunk out there to avoid me and saw no reason why he might present himself in an unpleasant situation.
“Oh! I have some library books that need to go back.” I looked around and tried to stifle my disgust at the dirty plates sitting on the floor and on coffee table. “The books aren’t where I left them.” I looked up surprised when the sliding glass door opened. “Court where are my library books?”
“Court, mi macho amour.” The daughter flung herself at Court, and he cradled her in his arms. My eyes must have grown to the size of the plate in my hands. I looked at the older woman.
She smirked at me.
I felt my lip curl with disgust as I slid my eyes from the girl’s chubby cheeks to almost non-existent breasts, narrow hips and flat buttocks. I turned my back on the child in my husband’s arms.
*****
Tex drawled, “We don’t plan on going to bed soon, so we’ll help you pick up this desk. How big is it?”
I made motions with my hands. “But it comes apart in the middle, so it isn’t that big to handle. I thought the top piece could go in the back seat of my car and the base should fit in the back.”
“You said you have some other things. We can fit it all in the van easy, and you’ll need help carrying it.”
I swallowed, “I admit that I will be relieved to have someone with me when I go out there. I don’t know if Court will be home. If he is, I assume his pregnant girlfriend will be there too.” I looked at the pine covered hills in the distance and almost whispered, “That would be awkward.”
“Awkward isn’t what I’d call it. You need someone to go with you.” Dave shook his head. “We’ll meet you back here in five minutes.”
Dave proved to be correct in that awkward didn’t describe the trial of getting my desk and plates. I felt extremely thankful to have four men with me when a slender young girl I guessed to be about fifteen answered the door.
She turned away from the door and called, “Mama, es la gringa.”
I didn’t hear the answer, but an older woman who huffed a bit came out of the kitchen and instructed a boy about ten to “Va a Senor Court, pronto.”
I wanted to laugh. Court’s girlfriend already had at least three kids. She was overweight, and her skin looked older than I guessed her age to be. I shook my head wondering how much make-up she had on when Court screwed her.
Tex distracted me with a question about where the desk might be. “Oh, I better lock it so the front doesn’t fall open while you’re carrying it.” I led my entourage of men to the corner of the sitting room.
Tex and Benny easily lifted the top off its base, and Tex managed to cradle the whole top in his arms as Benny and Dave hefted the two-drawer base between them.
Terry held up his box and said, “plates.”
He followed me to the buffet and reached down Grandma’s plates from the top shelf. I started wrapping them in paper under the watchful glare of Court’s mistress, who stood in the middle of the disheveled living room. She, the whore that she was, radiated disapproval. I began to wonder if Court had been drunk when he did the deed, but quickly discarded the idea since I was experienced with Court’s sexual performance under the influence of alcohol.
The daughter seemed to be arguing with her mother, while the mother tried to shush her. Tex came back in time to witness this exchange. “No muchacha…” I didn’t catch the rest of his rapid Spanish, but the girl scowled at him.
I continued to wrap plates and try not to stare at the horror that was Court’s new love. I wondered if she was expecting him to come back from the barn. I knew he’d slunk out there to avoid me and saw no reason why he might present himself in an unpleasant situation.
“Oh! I have some library books that need to go back.” I looked around and tried to stifle my disgust at the dirty plates sitting on the floor and on coffee table. “The books aren’t where I left them.” I looked up surprised when the sliding glass door opened. “Court where are my library books?”
“Court, mi macho amour.” The daughter flung herself at Court, and he cradled her in his arms. My eyes must have grown to the size of the plate in my hands. I looked at the older woman.
She smirked at me.
I felt my lip curl with disgust as I slid my eyes from the girl’s chubby cheeks to almost non-existent breasts, narrow hips and flat buttocks. I turned my back on the child in my husband’s arms.
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