Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Landon
All the way from the airport, we have been talking.
It’s good to see Stacy sitting next to me in the truck.
My sister is the only one who considers me to be an open person.
Communication has always been easy with her.
Like we never changed from our kid selves, talking under the blanket fort in the living room.
That’s where our imaginations played out and all the childish secrets were spilled.
Until we got too old to remember the magic.
After the teen years we found it again and it has never left us.
“Dad says you’re into Kim. Is he hallucinating on the pain meds?”
For a moment I consider lying.
“No. But he has big mouth syndrome.”
“Thank God. I’d never hear any of the good stuff if it wasn’t for him. Tell me about the girl.”
I take the exit and Stacy hands me an unwrapped Hershey’s kiss.
“Well, she’s nice,” I say, popping the chocolate.
“Nice? Are you describing your old aunt Fanny? What kind of review is that?”
“A good one. And I’m not finished. She is smart and compassionate.” I pause for effect. “And sexy as fuck. There’s that.”
“Ding. Ding. Ding. She checks all the boxes.”
“I don’t know yet. We only had one date.”
“What are you waiting for? An invitation from the mayor? You better be careful or another guy will appreciate her. Just sayin’.”
One last turn takes us on the frontage road.
“Why are you so interested?”
I feel eyes on me.
“Because you’re my brother. And you’re thirty fucking five. Isn’t that good enough?”
“We’re going to a wedding Saturday so things may get more interesting. I’ll send out a newsletter next week.”
“Ha! I would love having a sister-in-law while I’m still young. Maybe become an aunt.”
I don’t even respond to her ridiculous statement. The honeymoon? That’s a different subject.
Instead of taking the road to the house, I turn left toward the tool sheds, dog kennels, and runs.
“I want to show you something.”
“I haven’t been here in a long time. How many rescue dogs is he taking care of?”
“None right now. And I am happy it worked out that way. If I had to handle more than Biscuit and Barney, it would be too much. We’d have to find other fosters.”
“But he loves it so much.”
“Holly says he hasn’t taken any in for six months.”
“That doesn’t make sense. I wonder why and why he didn’t tell us.”
I pull the car up to the chain link fence and park. The state of disrepair is painfully obvious without me pointing it out.
“What’s happened? Oh, Landon.”
“I know. It shocked me too. He hasn’t kept things up. The whole property is like this. Worn.”
“Not to Mom’s standards.”
“Or his either. I think he’s been ill longer than we knew. The heart thing took it out of him. The weight too. Mom’s flowers are the only thing he has maintained.”
“Maybe he misses her so much he’s depressed. Shit.”
There’re tears in Stacy’s eyes as she surveys the scene.
Looks like a dog ghost town against a background of a weathered padlocked shed.
Half of a dry crinkled autumn leaf stays stuck behind the lock, where it fell and wedged months ago.
Grass is overgrown and the gathering spring rain makes sure we understand the mood.
“I could cry,” she says, tears streaming down her face.
“Yep.”
“Is he having any response to the stent? Do you see a change?”
“No. But who can tell? He’s quieter. The hip gives him a reason to stay down. Even though it was supposed to be a pretty quick recovery. He is using it against himself.”
“What about a new therapist? Has he tried any others?”
“Ha! We are lucky he’s letting Kim boss him around. He listens to her and she knows about this kind of therapy. I gave up trying to get him to listen to a stranger. He has a doctor’s appointment next week, so maybe she’ll get through. Or at least guide us in what to do.”
“He’s a stubborn man.”
“No shit.”
“Let’s get out of here. I need to see him.”
I know Stacy will see the depth of change in Dad and want to reverse the downward spiral.
All I have to do is show her. The short ride from shed to house is filled with silence and we let it be.
I have been processing my father’s state of mind for weeks and I still don’t know how to change things.
She has just begun to have it sit in her mind.
Here we are in life already. Stacy and I were always happy in the role of children.
It seems obvious to say. Of course we were.
We thrived there. Protected, guided, loved.
Now without warning the ground has shifted.
We are unfamiliar with being the voices of reason, the decision makers for people that have always been smarter and stronger.
If she is like me, it scares the hell out of her.
Will we be as good as they were? Is it even possible?
The car door opens the second I pull up in front of the house. Only the screen door is closed. The B Boys appear instantly. Barking dogs. Barking fucking dogs, followed by the holler of our father.
“Shut the fuck up, Biscuit! Crap!”
That’s new. Biscuit is not used to that kind of anger being directed at him. Barney is. I’ll give them a treat.
Stacy is up the stairs before I’m out of the truck.
“Hi!” she says, pretending tears weren’t on her face ten minutes ago.
I follow and open the door for her to pass. The dogs surround Stacy’s legs and Barney jumps up.
“Barney! Down!”
Kim’s strong command is heard and obeyed. Did that just happen?
“That’s new,” I say, following my sister inside.
“Stacy! Hello, sweetheart.” Dad’s voice is filled with love and he is obviously happy.
“Dad! Oh Daddy!”
Stacy starts crying and it throws all of us. Me, Kim, even the pooches, who are staring at the surprising scene.
“What’s this?” Dad says, taking her face in his hands. “No need to cry. I’m still alive.”
A kiss is exchanged.
“I’m just a big baby. I’m so happy to see you. Now let me take a look at things.”
She stands back and takes a scan of his bearded face and broken body as he sits in the wheelchair. Wiping the tears she gets ahold of her emotions.
“You look good!” She lies through her teeth. “So how long you gonna be in the chair?”
“He doesn’t really need it now. The therapist wanted him to go to the crutches.”
“I can speak for myself, goddammit!”
Shit. I move to the kitchen and get to bringing Stacy a beer.
“Kim, thank you for taking such good care of my dad. Landon says you’ve made things so much easier for them both. And hello. I feel like I kind of know you already.”
The two women come together in a hug and exchange smiles. Women. They are good at the whole meeting new people thing. Better than us men, who generally hate the idea.
“I feel the same. But I’m going to let you all have a good visit. I’m heading home for a few days.”
“I hope it’s not because I’m here. There’s plenty of room.”
“No. I have to take care of some things at home. I’ll be here Monday to walk you through the exercises. We can get to know each other better then.”
Am I disguising my disappointment? I knew she was going to let Stacy have a day or two alone with Dad, but hearing it’s going to start now is a blow. I am not prone to exaggeration, but it’s safe to say she is making a different man of me.
Six hours later the house is quiet and everyone has gone to bed. I lie in mine with Barney. He’s good company but I’m thinking of another companion I much rather be with. One whose legs wouldn’t try to kick me. I grab the cell, tap on her name and wait. She answers on the second ring.
“Would you quit bothering me?” I say in a stern voice.
“I’m not doing anything. In fact, you are bothering me with your face.”
She has deciphered my message and it makes me happier than it should. Everything the woman does seems disproportionally joyful making.
“I much rather be bothering you with my body.”
That giggle of hers makes my dick twitch every fucking time. What will it be like when she actually is touching the thing? Then she goes silent.
“Hello?”
“I’m here,” she says almost in a whisper.
“So what do you think of the idea?”
“I think it’s brilliant.”
Oh hell yeah. Great answer.
“Kim. Tell me what you have on.”
“Shoes.”
My laugh precedes hers.
“Shoes, you say? Is that all? Please say yes even if it’s a lie.”
“I was trying on my bridesmaid dress and heels. I just stepped out of the dress when you called.”
The ache in my balls reaches my brain and fries a few cells as it passes through.
“So you’re telling me all you have on are a pair of high heels?”
“That’s correct.”
“What color are they?”
“They sparkle with jeweled straps.”
“Oh fuck me.”
“I want to, Landon.”
“Do you have a full-length mirror there?”
“Yes.”
“Go stand naked in front of it.”
I kick Barney off the bed, throw the blanket and sheets back and grab my dick. I start stroking. Slowly.
“Oh, baby. Let me see your body. Describe it.”
“I will if you touch yourself while I do.”
“I am. Fuck. I’m hard already. Just imagining you.”
“My skin is soft. Let’s start there. Thinking about your hands on me is what I do every day.”
“I can hardly wait.” The desire in my voice is obvious.
“My breasts.”
“Tell me. And go slow.”
She giggles. “Well, they might be my best feature.”
“Oh shit.”
“They aren’t the biggest, but I think they are beautiful. My nipples are sensitive. Last night they got hard just thinking of your cock. How hard I will make it.”
Oh fucuuuuuck! I stroke harder. She knows talking is all we can do right now, so she continues with the excellent tease.
“My ass you say? Oh, I pretty much hated the size when I was a teenager. It was too much in my adolescent idea of sexy. Let me turn around and look at it in the mirror.”
“Oh yeah. Do that.”
“My idea of beauty has changed over the years. Now I think it’s just the right size. See it shake?”
“I want to fuck you so bad right now.”
“Shall I bend over and you can take me from behind?”
Barney is looking at me like I am a pervert. He doesn’t want to be witness to the perversion, so he walks out of the room. The whacking continues.
“Talk to me about your pussy. Is it wet yet?”
“Landon?”
“Yes?”
“Every night since we met, it has been wet. Sometimes it happens during the day. I masturbate thinking about sucking you.”
The vision of her masturbating and the thought of her blowing me is more desire than I can take. My hand’s firm grip pounds the orgasm from the depths of me.
“I’m gonna come!”
My voice and the jizz shoots out in an explosive hail of pleasure. A toes curling and ass squeezing kind of orgasm.
“Come, baby. Come inside me,” she coos.
That gets the last drop I have to give.
“Fuck. Oh God.”
“That was great.”
“For me. But what about you? Oh, God.”
My chest is rising and falling in a steady pattern of lust just now satisfied.
“Yeah, what about me? Hunter is gone for the night.”
“I can be there in an hour.”
“I’ll be waiting.”