"Well, my jailer actually gives me a lunch hour unlike this dictator here." I nodded toward Keith, then winked at the girl. She shrugged.
"I don’t bother."
"Why not?"
"Don’t care."
"Oh. So, you’re quite the salesman, huh?" I asked, watching Keith carefully take the painting off the wall, and take it behind the counter to wrap it up.
"Eh," she said, looking where my eyes had gone. "They were easy marks. That guy doesn’t know shit about art." She turned back to me.
"And you do?" She shrugged.
"I know enough."
"Apparently. Nice work."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Cody, would you finish the sale, please?" Keith asked, coming up to us. She nodded, and headed behind the counter where the couple was waiting, the guy busy writing out his check. I turned my attention to my boyfriend.
"Here you go, sir."
"Oh, thank you. You’re a doll." He took the cell phone from me, and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.
"So it looks like she’s doing well."
"Oh, yeah. That’s the third painting she’s sold this week, and by far the largest sale. That man just shelled out three thousand dollars." He said, clapping his hands together. "This will also be Cody’s first commission."
"What?" We both turned to see her walking up behind us.
"Yes, ma’am," He gave her a one-armed hug, which to my amazement, she actually allowed. "You just made three hundred bucks. How do you feel about that?" She grinned, nodding her head.
"Nice. I can handle that."
"Anything over a thousand dollars, you get ten percent." She held her hand up to him, and he promptly slapped it. "Nice going, chief."
"Eh, you’re just jealous," she said, lightly punching him on the arm. I watched this, stunned. Never in a million years did I think this punk girl and Keith would get along so well. He had little to no patience for kids, and from what I’d heard and seen, Cody was definitely one of those.
Part 4
I lightly tapped on the steering wheel to the funky beat of the newest Avril Lavigne song, liking the fun words and definite truths behind them. I remembered being a kid and not feeling like I fit in. This girl was far beyond her years in her realization of the way things were.
I was glad to be heading home, and especially on a Friday night. So, this meant I had two free days to myself, and a good, home cooked meal tonight at Rhonda's. Glancing up through the windshield, I could see that the sky was getting darker, a storm on its way. Lightning could be seen now and then off in the distance, but the distant rolls of thunder and the electric bolts were getting closer and closer in time, so it was coming.
As I cruised down Parish, I saw someone walking along the side of the street, something under their arm. As I got closer, and passed them, I realized it was Cody. She carried her skateboard under her arm.
Screeching to a halt in the dirt at the side of the busy road, I waited, rolling the passenger window down once she reached the car.
"Hey!" I called to her. The girl stopped, and glanced in the window. When she realized it was me, she leaned in on the window.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Nothing. Just heading home. What's with the walking?"
"Oh," she stood, and showed me her elbow and then her wheel, cracked in half, the jagged edges of the hard plastic a nasty reminder of the spill she took. I looked at her elbow again, bloody and turned into a pile of road rash. There were streaks of crimson where the blood had been draining down her arm.
"Oh my god! Get in." She hesitated for a moment, then opened the door, and flopped down in the seat. My eyes immediately went down the length of her Army-green cargo shorts that reached her knees, seeing the meat that was once the side of her calf, her sock already stained red. "Jesus, Cody. You really should try and be more careful." My brows drew in concern; she just shrugged.
"First time I've biffed it in three years."
"Okay, not bad. Why did your wheel break?" I asked as I got us back onto the main stretch. She brought the board up, turning what was left of the wheel on its axis.
"I don't know," she said absently. I took in the long-sleeved white shirt with an Army-green tee over it, and of course, the shorts and tan Vans.
"Aren't you cold?" I thought of my own clothing, black dress pants, and gray cashmere sweater. She shook her head.
"Nope."
"Oh. Okay."
"Good music. I'm kind of surprised." She motioned toward the car stereo.
"Why are you surprised?"
"Cause you're old." She snorted.
"Excuse me? Old?" She nodded, but as I glared at her, I saw the slightest bit of a smirk cross her lips. "So you like Avril Lavigne, huh?"
"Well, duh. She's one of us, dude."
"Oh, dude." I grinned as I tried out the term we used to use in college and high school. The rain began to pelt down, and I turned on the windshield wipers. "Listen, I have to stop off at my place to change before we head to your mom's, okay?"
"We?"
"Yes, we. Your mom is having her dinner tonight." I glanced over at her, and she smacked herself in the forehead with her hand.
"Shit, I forgot."
"Well, good thing I picked you up then, huh?" She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, great."
I pulled into my driveway, and turned off the engine. The rain was really coming down now. I turned to Cody.
"Ready?" She grinned, then at the same time, we both pushed open our doors, and ran toward the covered front porch of my house.
"Dude, you squeal like a girl!" she laughed as we finally reached it. I looked at her, seeing the way her long hair was already plastered to her scalp just from that short jaunt.
"Well, good to know, considering I am a girl." I grinned, then dug my keys out, and got the door unlocked. The cold wind and rain pushed us through the door. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."
She followed me up the stairs, and into the bathroom in my bedroom.
"Sit," I ordered, heading to my cabinet to once again grab the peroxide, gauze, cotton balls, band-aids and Neosporin for her.
"You know, I'm not sure what I'll owe you more for - bailing me out, or medical supplies."
I smiled, kneeling in front of her with the bag of cotton balls and bottle of peroxide.
"This is true." I smiled. "Do you want another pair of socks?" I asked, looking at the blood that had soaked through the sock on her left foot.
"Nah. I'll be fine until I get home." I glanced up at her.
"Are you sure? That can't be too comfortable." She shrugged, shaking her head.
"It's not the first time. I'm fine."
"Okay. Here we go." She sucked in her bottom lip as I applied the stinging peroxide, the wound bubbling like crazy. I glanced up at her, and saw her bite that bottom lip, the only indication that she felt anything. Though I did hear her breathe through her nose a few times, the breath skipping once or twice as I imagined fire raced through her leg.
As I worked on her leg, I thought about her comment on my being old. Did she really think that? I know when I was her age anything over twenty seemed old, but I wasn't old. I was up on the new fads and fashions, though I may not bother to wear them. For some reason I was bothered by this.
"So, let me ask you something, Cody,"
"Sure."
"If I'm old at 26, what does that make your mom?" I glanced up at her with a good-natured grin.
"Ancient," she said matter-of-factly. I shook my head and clicked my tongue.
"Someday you, too will be 'old' my friend."
"Nope. I don't plan to make it past thirty." My head snapped up and I looked at her.
"What? Why?" She shrugged.
"I'm having my fun now."
"I'm sure you are." Figuring it was just the talk of youth, I threw away the bloody cotton balls, and grabbed the Neosporin, and began to apply it to the angry-looking skin. "You sure did one hell of a job on yourself, Cody. Sorry." First time she had flinched. "This will probably leave a bit of a scar."
"It won't be my first."
"With your chosen activity, I seriously doubt it will be your last, either." I stood, smiling at her. "Let's see that elbow." She pushed up the sleeve of the longer shirt, and showed it to me. "Not as bad, but bad enough. So, how are things at the gallery?"
"Good. I made another sale the other day." I smiled at her.
"So I heard. Keith is ecstatic with you."
"There's a first." She snorted. "You guys date, right?" I nodded. "Even though he's a total queen?" I looked up at her sharply, my eyes narrowed until I saw the look on her face. She wasn't being mean, just stating a fact. I turned my attention back to her wound.
"Well, he's a bit feminine, yes."
"That doesn't bother you?"
"Why should it? He loves to shop and loves chick flicks." This actually made her laugh, the first time I'd ever heard her, in fact. I grinned up at her. She was shaking her head.
"I guess. Whatever floats your boat, dude."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No." I looked up at her at the quickness of her answer. 'Don't need one." She gave me a quirky grin. "I have fun on my own terms."
"Oh," I looked back at her elbow, not saying anything more.
"Okay, you're good to go." I said, standing and closing everything up, Cody's leg bandaged with gauze, and three Band-Aids on her elbow. "I'm going to change, so feel free to look around."
She said nothing as she left the bathroom. I heard her footsteps on the stairs as she made her way down. I quickly stripped, thrilled at the idea of getting out of my "monkey suit." I actually did enjoy getting dressed up, I knew I looked good. But, even more than that, I loved putting on the comfy stuff. I grabbed a pair of faded, comfortable jeans, and a light gray cotton sweater, warm against the March chill. Lacing up my brown boots, I was ready to go.
I didn't hear anything as I headed downstairs, so I looked around, finally seeing Cody back in the solarium, the door open, holding something in her hands. She stood near a shelf that was lined with pieces I had made on my wheel, as well as pieces that a friend of mine who was a glassblower had made. She held one such piece in her hand. When she heard me walk toward her, she turned to me, raising the small tube for me to see.
"Cool, dude!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you could actually be cool." Her grin was wide. I was confused.
"What?"
"This. Nice, no one would be able to tell what it was. Does my mom know?"
As I stared at her like she was nuts, until it hit me what she thought it was.
"Cody, that's an incense burner." She looked down at it, then at me. "Not a bong." Slowly a smile spread across her face, wiping the confusion away with it.
"Well, I say tomayto you say tomahto." She put it back and looked at me. "You sure dress up for these things, don't you."
I looked down at myself, then at her. "What do you mean? I'm not dressed up. This is actually quite casual for me."
"Dude, if that's casual, then what do you do when you really dress up?" I put a hand on my hip.
"If you'd prefer, I do have a pair of sweats upstairs."
She shrugged. "Don't matter to me what you wear." She walked by me, picking up her skateboard from where it leaned against the wall. "Are we going?"
"Yup. Just let me grab my keys." I grabbed my purse, then stopped, turning to look at her. "Would you like a tour? I mean, it hasn't exactly been under pleasant circumstances either time that you've been here." The girl shrugged, her hands buried in the deep pockets of her shorts.
"Sure." I showed her the solarium, all my hanging plants and those that sat on the shelves I had made. "Who made this stuff?" she asked, looking at a figure I'd made years ago.
"I did." She looked at me.
"Really? You're a potter?" I nodded.
"I like to think so." I smiled at her, then led her through the rest of the house, showing her my pottery room upstairs, the walls lined with my works finished and drying.
"This is a really nice place," she said quietly as we headed downstairs.
"I love it here." I said, looking around proudly. "And since it's on six acres of land, I have no one to bother me."
"Damn! Who did you have to kill to get this place at your age?"
I just looked at her for a moment, a stab of pain slicing right through my heart. I looked away, and headed toward the front door.
"Just got lucky, I guess."
The drive to Rhonda's was pretty quiet, both of us lost in our own worlds until I thought of a question.
"So, what's your mom making?" Cody shrugged.
"Hell if I know. Why?"
"I'm starving! I haven't eaten anything since the bagel I had this morning."
"You don't eat lunch?" I shook my head. "Why?"
"Usually don't have time." I glanced over at her to see the look of disgust on her face.
"Damn. I'd be in trouble if I skipped lunch." She glanced at me again. "But, I guess it does explain a lot in your case."
"Meaning?"
"Well, look at you; you're a stick." I looked down at myself, then over at her.
"Hardly." She just smirked and looked out the window.
I pulled up to the curb in front of the Thomlin house, and we both got out. The rain had slowed, and was now just a drizzle, but it made for a cold night.
"I can't believe you're not cold." I muttered to Cody as we made our way to the front door.
"Do you think if I was I'd admit it to you?" She grinned, taking hold of the doorknob to the house, and pushed, only to smack right into it. With narrowed brows, she looked at the door as if just the heat of her glare would unlock it. "Fuck," she grumbled, digging into her pockets. I watched, amused. Finally she found her keys, then the search for the right one began, but no need. The door was pulled open, and Jodi stood there, a smile frozen on her face when she saw Cody. She looked from her to me, then back to Cody.
"What are you doing?" she asked her sister.
"What does it look like I was trying to do? Why the hell did you fucking lock me out?"
"I didn't, jeez." She turned away from her twin, and smiled at me. "Brooklyn. Um, did you bring Cody here?" I nodded at her confusion.
"Sure did. She had a bit of an...," Cody glared at me over her shoulder. "Well, I saw her on the side of the road and picked her up." I finished.
"Oh." She gave me what I thought was a forced smile, but wasn't sure. Confused, I followed the girls inside the house.
* * *
She adjusted her hand in mine as we walked around my neighborhood. The month was dwindling, and April would soon be upon us. Today was beautiful, brisk, but sunny. Rand had left a message on my cell that she wanted to go walking today, and when I got home from work, she sat on the trunk of her car.
"So, have you guys made up yet?" I asked as we took a left on Valkyrie Avenue.
"No," she sighed, beginning to swing our joined arms.
"Why not?"
"Cause I still think he's an asshole." Her brows knit together as she thought about it, her dark eyes squinting against the falling sun. Her hand ran through her hair, freshly cut, short, and dyed her normal black. But, with her skin tone, it actually looked good on her; she didn't look like one of those wannabe vampire types. Her black stretch shirt clung to her petite body, along with the matching pants.
"Okay, now, explain to me again what happened?" I asked as we headed toward the park that was a block away from my house, though we, of course, had gone the long way to get there.
"I don't want to talk about it, Brooklyn."
"Oh, come on, Rand. You cannot leave a message on my cell like you did and then say you don't want to talk about it." I gently pushed her. She regained her pace walking in step with me, and grinned.
"Okay, okay." She took a deep breath. Here I am, waiting for her to tell me something awful, like he had cheated on her. I held my breath and waited. "He," she swallowed. "He made reservations for us to go away for our anniversary next weekend, and he had the nerve to ask Waldorf for the time off for me." She looked at me, her dark eyes on fire. "Can you believe that?"
I stopped us, and looked at her. "And?"
"And?! What do you mean, and? He had the balls to go behind my back and talk to my boss!"
"Are you kidding me?" I was speechless. "This is why you're pissed off at that wonderful guy you've got?"
"Wonderful? He went behind my back!" She pounded herself in the chest.
"Yes, I know, but baby cakes, think about why he did it. He loves you. I would do anything for Keith to do something so sweet and spontaneous like that. You should count yourself lucky, chick." I continued our walk. "Where's he taking you? And did your boss give you the time off?"
"Yes, and he's taking me somewhere in Washington state. He won't tell me where." I shook my head, suddenly almost angry at my friend.
"I really can't believe you got mad at him for that, Rand."
"Gee, tell me how you really feel," she said dryly.
"Well, come on. We always said we'd tell each other when we thought the other was being wrong, and honey, quite frankly, you're being a hag right now." Rand looked at me, her thumb caressing the back of my hand as we walked.
"You really think so?" I nodded.
"Absolutely. He was trying to do something nice for you by surprising you. How did you find out about it anyway, if it was to be a surprise?" I found us a bench, and we both sat.
"Waldorf."
"Now, that's who you should be pissed at."
Rand was quite for a moment, taking my hand into her lap, continuing to rub my skin. She stared off into the sunset, chewing on her bottom lip as she thought. I also stared into the sun, thinking about my own thoughts. Keith came into mind, and I my thoughts wrapped around him. Sometimes I did wish we had some, hell I don't know, I guess passion, maybe? He was my best friend next to Rand by far, and I was happy with him, and we did have lots of fun. But, still. I would watch Rand and Peter, and something in me would be struck. There just always seemed to be a flirtatious playfulness between them all the time; it was palpable.
"Maybe you're right," she said finally. "God, I'm really a bitch."
"Well, I wouldn't quite take it that far, but how about a hag?" She punched me. "Ow!"
"Call me a hag. Shit. I should call him."
"I've got my cell on me." She turned to me with hopeful eyes.
"Really?" I reached to my hip, and unclipped it from my waistband. She eagerly took it, and quickly dialed. "Sweetie? Hi, baby, it's the bitch. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, too."
I got up, wanting them to have some time alone, and also not in the mood to get a cavity from listening to them, either.
Once again my mind turned back to Keith. I knew that he and I weren't going to be an item forever, just something I felt in my bones, and that didn't really bother me much. I often thought about where I was headed, and who I'd head down that path with, but then again, I figured that wouldn't be a problem. I wasn't one of these people who had grand ideas of having a family of my own with a husband, 2.3 kids and a dog named Rufus running around within the white-picket fence. None of that really mattered to me. I had my house, my job that I loved, and wonderful friends. In truth, there really wasn't much more that I needed.
"Ugh!" I nearly fell to the ground as I was attacked from behind. I caught my balance again, and reached back to grab the underside of Rand's knees as she made a nice home on my back.
"He forgave me," she said into my ear, and I smiled, bouncing her up and down on my back as I turned in circles.
"Ahhh, stop, you wench!" she yelled as I giggled.
* * *
I rode my bike down the path, headed into the park on my usual route. More and more kids and families were moving in as the weather continued to improve, though we still had some nice, cold, cloudy days, which I loved. There was nothing better to do on those days than to pull on my most comfy pair of sweats, and either read or work on my latest piece.
I saw the skate park just up ahead, and saw the usual crowd there. As I got closer, I saw the gate open, and someone walk out. I stopped my bike when I realized it was Cody. Apparently she had gotten her skateboard and body fixed.
"Hey." I smiled as I pulled to a stop. She nodded at me.
"Hi."
"So, you healed?" I asked, pointing at her leg. She looked down, her knee-length cargo shorts showing off the nice scab that was left behind.
"For the most part, yeah." She looked back at me. "So, another ride for you, huh?"
"I come through here every day, Cody." She shrugged.
"I know." She grinned, her eyes hidden behind her mirrored Oakleys. "Gotta go. Later."
"Bye." I watched as she tossed the board to the ground, hopped on it, and took off.
* * *
I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I read over the copy, trying to figure out what idiot had put it together. There were mistakes coming at me from every direction. I may have to talk to Rhonda about this; it was the third one like this I'd gotten this week, and it was only Wednesday.
"Brooklyn," I jumped, my pen flying out of my hand as I looked up. Cody was grinning at me from over the top of my cubical. With a sigh, I reached down and grabbed my pen off the floor, and turned to her.
"If you don't want a huge red mark written on your large intestine, you'll never do that again." She grinned, and held up a white bag of take-out food. I looked at the bag, my mouth beginning to water. "Did you bring that for me?" I asked, beginning to stand.
"No. It's for my mom." I immediately plopped back down in my chair. She gave me an evil smile, and held up another bag that sat in one of those handy, dandy drink carriers, a large yellow cup tucked neatly inside one of the holes. "This one's for you." She set it down on my desk. "I hope you're a Wendy's fan."
"Oh, Cody. I'm an anything fan right now." I stood, and took the bag, looking inside, the yummy smells wafting up to tickly my nose. "You are a doll." She looked away, embarrassed. "What's the occasion?" I grabbed a fry, and quickly popped it into my mouth.
"Well, I figured I'd start paying you back today. So, now I owe you $95.64." I chuckled.
"You don't owe me anything, Cody."
"Yeah, well, I'm going to drop this off with my mom."
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