Chapter 12: Change the equation to base 7

I’d convinced Beth to come with me to Raven’s Roost. It was a local park with a viewing platform dug out of stone. We’d driven here after dark and parked in the lot. We had to hop to two barrier gates to get to the platform itself, but I’d spread out a pair of sleeping bags and pillows and a picnic ready. We were lying comfortably as you could on stone waiting for the show to start.

She loosened her hair from the ponytail as she spoke, “I’m surprised you asked me here and not Alex.” She actually had really nice hair when she let it down. It brought a genuine smile to my face, rather than my often practiced one

“Alex wasn’t interested.”

“Lis then?”

“Lis would’ve just made it an excuse to fool around. Not opposed to that normally, but I want to see the shower.”

“Why here?”

“The two nearest proper cities are about 50 miles in either direction. See that sort of discoloration of the sky at the bottom...” She nodded, but I wasn’t sure if she did. I moved on anyway, “That’s light pollution. We’re 15 miles from the nearest town too and with the park shut down for the winter it should be minimal. We’ll have the best view of the meteor shower possible.”

“How’d you find out about this place? I haven’t been here since I was a kid.”

“My sister told me about it.”

“And you didn’t ask her?”

“She...” I ground my lower lip between my teeth. “She’s out with Mickey.”

“That’s the boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t like him.”

“No ... He reminds me of my father.”

Not that I think I’d like anyone that was sleeping with Mindy aside from me.

“Oh...”

“Don’t ask.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Good.”

“Have you thought about seeing someone?”

“Alex is still with Adam.”

“I meant a psychologist.”

“Have you?”

“I don’t need to.”

“Sure, I just have to sit with you to make sure you eat for shits and giggles.”

“I will if you will. I’d have to give up one of my dance classes though.”

“I ... I know it’s probably a good idea and Robert would likely pay for it since he seems intent on buying my affection ... but I don’t know if I’m ready to deal with all of it.”

“I’m serious, I’ll see someone if you do. How is Robert trying to buy you off?’

“Well, my first night in the room in his house he’d bought me a rather nice bed, television, vcr, mini-fridge, microwave, a laptop, two game systems, and a game boy ... with games. He had to have wasted two grand on it all. The chaise lounge disappeared though ... not sure what’s up with that. I’m not sure what kind of hold Moira has on him, but he seems to legitimately want me to be happy staying there.”

“And yet you run back to Valleyview most nights.”

“I’ve been staying at Robert’s on Mondays After a Suzie lesson and Thursdays after the Jazz Thursday thing with Sarah.”

“That’s weird y’know.”

“What’s weird about it?”

“Hanging out with your crush’s mom. You think she’s going to give you an in? Cause that isn’t how anything works.”

“It’s not like that. I actually like Sarah. She’s smart and kind and I really like the music. She played some Bill Evans for me this week and I spent most of Saturday trying to recreate that emotion on the grandmother’s upright.”

The first streaks chose that moment to pass across the sky. It was slow at first, but then over time they were going off every other second a flash and then a string of light, then another from a new origin point in the sky ... just a hint of October chill making the air bite back pleasantly.

Two weeks later:

I was surprised when Mindy stepped between the beads and into my room at Robert’s house, “Where the fuck have you been, turd?”

“Give it a week, sugar-spun.”

“What the hell is wrong with your face? Is that thrush?”

“No, a yeast infection...”

She started cackling. Eventually, she calmed down enough to ask, “Which cheerleader?” Lis.

“You know I’m not going to answer that.”

“That is hilarious.”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m spreading monistat 7 onto my cheeks twice a day.”

She started cackling again, “How many days left?”

“Four.”

“All right, but you’re bunking with me when your no longer...” she stopped to laugh some more, “ready for baking.”

“It’s not like I knew before I started licking ... this could happen to anyone.”

“No, just you.”

Another week later:

I’d been rash free for a couple of days, so I’d returned to the grandmother’s house with the intention of reveling in my sibling bond, but instead when I popped into her room from my own I found Mindy getting ready to leave with her two friends. They were sisters. One named Emily was Mindy’s age and aiming at Med school the nest year. Her sister Sally was four years younger and attended the other school in the valley.

I’d expected to be brushed off till later. I knew the three had sapphic games to play, but instead I found myself in the back of the orange vw bug as they engaged in rather dull shenanigans. They stole a couple road signs, did some graffiti, and drank an excessive amount of alcohol. My sister abstained after I commented on her being the one driving, but I suspected if I hadn’t called her out she would’ve partaken.

It was around midnight when Emily offered me a swig of her beer which I declined. Emily then admonished me, “If you can’t run with the big dogs, you should have stayed on the porch.”

Sally added with a bit of a slur, “She’s right kid.”

“I can outrun all of you and I’ll happily take you on individually or in a group.”

Emily coughed out, “I didn’t mean that literally.”

“She’s the dumb one isn’t she, sister-mine?”

Emily blurted out, “I’m not dumb.”

“You thought I interpreted your obvious metaphor literally. I keep up with five nutty, nympho cheerleaders; the three of you are nothing.”

Mindy started laughing, “maybe you should try him out Em. I do know he gets around.”

Emily scoffed, “Seriously, He’s like 12.”

“Closer to 9 actually. Oh, wait you meant my age; I’m 14.”

Mindy cackled, “He’s not lying.”

“Tell you what. Just say the world and I’ll have you begging for more time with me by the end of the night. After you regain the ability to form complete sentences of course. That’ll take an hour or two by itself.”

Emily seemed to sober up, “Kids got a mouth on him. Why’d we bring him anyway?”

Sally on the other hand slurred out, “Emmy, live a little.”

Mindy defended me, “Trust me, my baby brother is a force to be reckoned with.”

It wasn’t too long after that we all returned home. I slipped up to my room, Mindy joined me after she was certain the two had passed out.