Trash Daddy

24. Starfish

Iwatch Luke walk up the stone steps that lead from the beach to the boardwalk. He disappears into the throng of tourists and locals all mingling about, enjoying a day of swimming and trinket shopping.

I wish I could have gone with him to pick up the Plan B and grab our food, but every day, the noose around my neck feels a little tighter. I probably stand the same chance of being arrested as I did two weeks ago, but now that I know how serious my lying bitch of an aunt has made the situation, it”s become all the more stressful.

Yet here I sit, on the beach with a man I can”t have, risking my foolish neck for something that can”t happen. I sigh and cram a ball cap down over my curls, tucking them up and under.

We made our little resting spot under the pier to avoid too much of the midday sun. But now, with the wind cutting off the water and the cooling shade, I shiver and pull out my hoodie, yanking it over my head.

Ball cap and hoodie girl sulking in the sand, not conspicuous at all.I shiver again as the air nips against my damp skin.

Curling up, I watch the waves roll in and out. I never really got to spend a lot of time at the beach as a child. A couple of foster families brought me once or twice. It wasn”t until I was a teenager and living with my aunt that I discovered that when she was drunk or high, I could walk out the front door. I could spend all day or night stomping around with my friends, hanging out on deserted playgrounds or in parking lots.

My aunt”s drug problem gave me freedom, and I rediscovered the beach, especially in the wee hours of the night with a couple of friends, hiding in the tall grasses from the beach police. Hours were spent swimming, drinking cheap vodka, and horsing around. Chatting about how when we turned eighteen, everything would be different. I”d go to college and move out, be in charge of my own life finally.

But that was before the lawyers and courtroom verdicts. Before I was manipulated into losing everything. I close my eyes and let the misery overtake me like the waves do the beach. I don”t know how long I lie there, but a gentle nudge wakes me up.

Luke sits next to me, unbagging our food and grinning down at me. ”I got extra fries. You have to try them from this place. They’re great.”

I look from him to the fries and back. I”m seriously going to miss him. Like really bad. Once we devour every last crispy fry and I swallow my Plan B, we decide to swim a bit more before taking a nap. Luke brings a blanket from the car and lets me use his chest as a pillow while he scrolls on his smartphone. After that, we meander along the boardwalk before ducking into a little tourist trap.

The walls are white planking lined with glass shelves covered in beach-themed snow globes, picture frames, seashells, and big wooden words like Beach and Summer Days.

The lightly stained wooden floor holds woven baskets full of stuffed animals and pirate-themed children’s toys. Metal racks with a bright assortment of tee shirts with annoying phrases like I got my tan at White Cove are littered around the room.

Boogie boards, flip-flops, hats, and snorkeling gear are tucked in wherever it’s most convenient.

”You”ve been staring at that stuffed starfish forever.” Luke”s voice startles me as he stands looking over my shoulder at the baby-blue-and-black-striped plush starfish I”m holding.

Luke plucks the stuffy from my hands as we stand in front of the woven basket. ”I had one as a kid. Smaller, but the same type of starfish.”

”Oh, yeah?”

”Yeah, I lost it. Well, I don”t think it was lost. The foster parents didn”t want me anymore, told my caseworker I wasn”t a good fit for their house, so one day she came in to help me pack.” I pause, taking the stuffy back from his hands.

”But I couldn”t find my starfish. His name was Finny, which is funny because starfish don”t have any fins. I had it for so long, I don”t even remember where I got it. It may have even been mine from before, with my parents.”

I sigh. ”Anyway, I’m crying because these people don’t want me and I’ve lost my favorite stuffy. All my shit is in black bags, and I have no idea where I’m going next or who those people are. If they will like me or how they will expect me to behave or if I can even act happy cause I”m not. I’m angry and scared. The caseworker tells me the foster mom, I don”t even remember her name now, will look for it. I knew that was a lie. Pretty certain one of her kids kept it. I never saw it again.”

A ball of lead drops into my stomach, souring the fries. Tossing down the stuffed starfish like it burned me, I mentally swear I”m not going to have a breakdown here in this nice, cheery family store, especially in front of Luke.

Sucking in a deep breath against the tightening in my chest, I glance at him. That dark, flat look dominates his face as his eyes narrow on the starfish like he could stab it. ”You could get it,” he says.

I shake my head, my eyes taking in the shape of him and all the little details of his face: the slight crow’s feet, his perfectly trimmed mustache, and his favorite gold chain that dangled above me while we fucked not long ago. I admire the soft curve of his lips and the way he always slicks his hair back, but it’s still wavy and curls at the ends. I memorize his face even while he staunchly stares at the stuffed animals. ”No, you learn that for one reason or another, you just can”t take everything you care about with you,” I explain.

With that, I turn and walk over to the table with a hodgepodge of beaded jewelry boxes and shot glasses, not seeing the objects in front of me.

I can feel Luke”s eyes on me. Picking up one of the jewelry boxes, I fidget with it a moment before moving on, allowing my feet to take me to the rotating stand of magnets. Spinning the carousel, I see pictures of dolphins, crabs, fish, and flip-flops fly by, all advertising the abundance and fun of White Cove.

A purple-and-pink picture of a sunset catches my eye. In the middle of it sits the rock formation Luke took me to. The image is soothing and romantic in a sort of whimsical, once-upon-a-time way. I pull the magnetic image away from the metal.

My eyes meet Luke’s over the tables of stuff. ”I found what I want.”

It’s dark by the time we get back to the store after a quiet walk along the beach and dinner. Luke decided we should go shower to wash away the sand. The hot water was amazing, but the mirror revealed my back was more scratched up than I thought from leaning against the rocks during our lovemaking session.

I check the clock as Luke cuts the engine—nearly ten pm. The radio continues to play“In and Out” by Blonder.

”You”ve been quiet this evening. Penny for your thoughts.” Luke pulls out his pack of cigarettes. The paper crinkles as he pulls one out and lights it. The glow of the cherry and the smoke makes the car hazy before he rolls down the windows, letting in a fresh breeze of air.

”What happened to my pervy guy?” I tease. “You’ve been so... dare I say, romantic today?”

”Oh, the dirty Daddy short-shorts and slut muffin stuffing session weren”t enough filth for you?” He stares out the windshield. ”She cusses, lets other men fuck her, and now she wants me to be rough and gross with her... I”ve created a monster.”

He grins back at me and reaches over to pinch my cheek. ”You picked up slutting fast, didn’t you?” Laughter worms its way up my chest as I turn ten shades of crimson.

”I love how embarrassed you get, especially after you were all into it. It”s like the minute you”re not coming on my hand or someone”s dick, you remember you do have some shame. And that fact just makes me want to tie you to one of those dining room tables inside and fuck with you until you squirt all over it. Then, I”m going to stick my cock up your tight ass because I know it will feel amazing around my dick. How do you feel about anal?”

I sputter as the images smack into my brain. Blinking them away, or at least trying to, I realize I have made an error. ”I made a mistake. You can relax, pervy Luke. I clearly don”t know what the fuck I”m asking for.”

Luke howls with laughter in the seat next to me. Grabbing me around the neck, he kisses me soundly and bites my lip, sending sparks of lust zipping into my pussy.

”Too late, caramel drop. Pervy Luke wants to play and you”re in trouble.” He clicks his seatbelt off and begins to crawl onto my side of the car. Laughing, I quickly yank my car door open and slide out as Luke snatches at my hair. Reeling me back into the seat, he slides his hands up under my shirt and bra to squeeze my tits. ”These melons are just begging me to suck on them.” He bites my shoulder.

Abandoning all hope of escaping him decently, I slip out of my shirt and bra, letting it rip over my head and leaving me crouched down topless just outside of his car with dumbfounded Luke holding onto my clothes. ”Huh, fitting. That’s how I found you the first time,” he says. I sniff in his direction and toss my hair. Covering my nipples with one arm, I walk proudly to the back door and open it with the spare key.

A whistling catcall sounds behind me, and I stick my tongue out at him and point. ”Don”t forget our bags.” He rolls his eyes and quickly opens the car door, slamming it with a, ”Fuck the bags.” He stalks toward me. Laughing, I quickly rip open the door.

I”m down the hallway in two seconds and hiding in the furniture, with Luke right behind me, yanking off his clothes.