Chapter 27

I opened my eyes minutes before my alarm clock. The color of my room seemed unreal. The carpet was green. My bookshelf was a light brown and filled with the vibrant jackets of fantasy novels. My door swung open and my sister marched in wearing my old hockey jersey.

“Mom got called in early to work,” she told me. “Dad’s making breakfast.”

I picked the sleep snot from my eyes. Zoë was gone and my alarm sounded. I slogged out to the kitchen pulling on a t-shirt.

“--skip school today with Dean.” Zoë was saying as she hovered behind Dad’s pancake flipping action.

“You have to go to school, Zo.” Dad snorted. “Otherwise, you’re gonna marry a rich guy and get really fat before you divorce him.”

“Please!” She preened, ignoring his else statement. I pulled out a carton of orange juice from the fridge. “It’s important for Dean.”

“Speaking of your brother, Dean, there’s bacon on the counter.” He pointed to the most delicious pile of meat strips sitting in a stack on paper towel. “Pancakes are all but ready.”

“Thanks Dad.” I said as I refilled my orange juice and poured a glass for Zoë. I grabbed a plate and piled high my breakfast. Zoë watched me every step of the way.

“I don’t miss classes, Dad.” She was marketing her plan. “Neither does Dean, would it be so bad--”

“You missed a day less than a week ago, because of bad dreams.” He pointed out.

“Oh, yes, terrible dreams. Portents of destruction and hellfire. We must consult the wizard to divine their intent.” I grinned. She gave me a sad crooked frown. Her eyes lit up before she spoke again.

“I talked to the wizard. She says Zoë has to go to school so she can have a classy hobby like curing cancer or rocket science while she’s mooching off her rich garbage man husband.” Dad crunched his bacon. “Perfect.”

“It’s about girls and Dean.” She declared. She should’ve been jumping in on the jokes but she wasn’t. I poured too much syrup.

“You two have gotten quite close since his first date with Kia.” Dad took an equal amount of bacon as I had. Leaving Zoë with a third of a Baxter man’s serving. I tried to promise myself not to steal a strip off her plate. I didn’t believe me. “I’m sure he’s not enthused to be your little science experiment.”

“I’m a decent sized science experiment. Imagine making a paper mache volcano my height.” I spoke in the slimmest of gaps between full mouths.

“Your argument is valid. The council will take it under advisement.” Dad had a similar talking method.

“Pleeease ... Please! Please! Please!” Zoë begged.

“Yes, Zoë, you and Dean can have the day off.” He sighed. “I will be telling your mother.”

“I love you, daddy!” She hugged him around the neck and set off to get her own plateful of breakfast.

“Which girl is she talking about?” Dad asked me with a teasing grin.

“Pat, Xiomara, Marin, and Elizabeth.” She grinned, sitting down. “To start. Wanda’s also a target.”

“Great, nice big harem for you there, son.” Dad scoffed. “The one thing I know about women, is they love love love sharing their man indiscriminately. This is only going to end well.”

“Yeah, I’m getting similar vibes.” I nodded.

“Oh, and Renée. Renée is all primed for you. Connie’ll even help with that.”

“Connie Johnson?” Dad snorted. “I was one of the groomsmen at her parents’ wedding. Damn, I should reconnect with Rob. Used to go fishing with him all the time.” He reached over and grabbed my shoulder. He looked me in the eye and affected his most serious voice I had never trusted. “Never have kids that don’t want to go fishing.”

“I only stopped going fishing when Reggie didn’t want to go with us anymore.” I shook and picked away a tear.

“You OK, Dean?” Dad asked me. I smiled. Crunched some bacon.

“It’s fine.” I lied.

“Well, OK then.” He stood up and picked up his cell phone. “OK Google, call Beaverton High School. Front office.” He put his phone to his ear as he sipped his coffee. I reached across the table and picked a strip of bacon off Zoë’s plate. I stared at her. She had lifted the plate and turned it bacon towards me as I reached.

“Hi, I’m Bart Baxter, father of Dean and Zoë Baxter. I’m calling in to excuse their absences today. You have a lovely day as well.” He said with the appropriate pauses for the secretary.

“Dean,” Zoë smiled. “Can you drive Dad into work so we can borrow his car?”

“That ... Is not happening.” Dad said as he cut into his first pancake. “And believe me, your mother is going to pick your brains when she gets home.”

“That’s fine.” Zoë grinned. I stood up, lifting my empty plate and reaching out for Zoë’s. She seemed frustrated. She handed me her plate only after a noticeable pause and Dad looking at her. Dad touched my elbow as I walked by him.

“For what it’s worth. Zoë’s picking girls she likes. I’d reach out to Patricia, if I were you. That little fireball’s got enough vigor to keep you on your toes.” He smiled looking over to my sister. “Plus, if you break Xiomara’s heart, you’re going to have to fight me.”

“Sure Dad.” I replied, I wanted to counterpunch but couldn’t confirm I had been attacked. I loaded up the dishwasher.

“Alright guys, enjoy your day. Your phones have GPS, we can spy on you provided we find someone your age to show us how it’s done. Please leave a list of friends who will sell you out for reasonable prices.”

“Bye Dad.” I waved. The front door closed behind him. Zoë got up from the table and stretched. The hem of my jersey lifted enough for me to be certain she had no underwear on. “What’s going on Zoë?”

“Oh, I’ve texted Xiomara. She’s going to ditch at lunch and come here. I wanted to pick her up, but I guess she’ll have to walk.”

“OK ... But...”

“The girls, in the box. They’re worn down and exhausted. C’mon, time for your training montage.” She laughed. “Join me in the shower.”

It wasn’t an invitation, but it wasn’t a command.

“This isn’t the box, Zo. If Dad comes back--”

“He’s been fired and he won’t notice,” she snarked. “I like doing things as a family. Like we do inside the spaceship. Please?”

I followed my sister to the bathroom. I was closing my hands into fists and trying to discern what she was thinking. Zoë looked over the shoulder of my jersey. She looked nervous but excited.

“We’re going to be weird forever, aren’t we?” I laughed as I shucked my pajamas. Zoë shed my jersey. We looked at each other. I claim she started giggling first. I was in the bathroom, naked with my sister, bent over and laughing like a hyena. She was in the same state.

“Knock knock?” The voice shouted through our house and Zoë and I shut up. She threw my pajama bottoms at me. “Dean, are you OK?”

“Um! Give me a moment!” I shouted back at the voice. I looked at Zoë and mouthed “Kia?”

“I think so.” She replied silently. I, dressed in my flannel pants, ducked out of the washroom and saw Kia looking around our kitchen. She lit up with a big smile and I dashed down the hall to meet her before she saw Zoë.

“Hey, you missed the bus, I wanted to make sure you were feeling OK.” She worried. I smiled but she saw the surprise and looked confused.

“Uh, yeah, just a bit of a head thing. I hope I’ll be feeling better by tomorrow.” I answered.

“Zoë too?”

“Yeah, once someone gets sick everybody at home’s going to get it.” I rambled. I scratched my hair. I don’t even know why I was lying. I skipped school today. What’s wrong with that?

“I guess,” She answered. “Do you want me to make you some soup or something?” She put her hand on my forehead. “You don’t feel hot at least.”

“You’re going to have to hold off on a shower, Dean. I just destroyed that bathroom!” Zoë marched out in my jersey and crossed the hall to her bedroom. Her door slammed shut.

“I don’t think she knew I was here.” Kia blushed. I smiled. She looked around the kitchen. “Here, you should drink this.” She led me across the kitchen and pulled orange juice out of the fridge. I grabbed glasses from the cupboard. She frowned.

“Thank you,” I said and sipped. I was quite full from breakfast. “So you skipped the bus too?”

“Shit, I guess I did. My boyfriend was sick though.” She muttered. I took another sip. She thought we were still together? I shrugged. “Have you been sleeping well? Did you get enough rest?”

“I think I’m OK.” I smiled. “I’ve got Zoë looking after me.”

“And she’s got you looking after her.” Kia nodded. “Let me take you to bed.”

I put down my half drank juice and took her hand. She was very excited to get into my room. Zoë’s door creaked open from across the hall. Kia immediately checked out all of my posters and ran her finger over one of the line of books on my shelf. She came to a stop on the far end of my bed. She patted the mattress.

“I’ll tuck you in,” she said. I was awake, going back to bed was ... It was the only way to get her out of the house in a good mood. I climbed into bed and she pulled my comforter up and over me. “Is there anything else I can get you?”

I was about to smile and say no, thanks. I’m feeling better already. Zoë poked her head in my door.

“He loves boobs. You could flash him.” My sister was drinking orange juice. Probably the half glass I had left in the kitchen. Kia closed my bedroom door in her face. Zoë’s voice carried easily through the door. “He likes having his dick sucked.”

“I’m so glad I’m an only child.” Kia stepped back from the door and ran her hands through her brightly dyed hair.

“I kinda think I lucked out on sisters,” I needed to defend Zoë.

“Thanks Dean!” Zoë shouted through the door again. “I’ll be in the shower!”

Kia stayed quiet and listened until Zoë’s footsteps retreated from my bedroom door. She gave me a dark frown. I smiled. “I’m going to be, OK. You should get to school.” Without the bus it’d be a thirty-five minute walk. She’d be a little late for first period.

“Yeah, I guess.” She tongued her braces and wandered her eyes around my room. She made eye contact and blushed totally red. She grabbed the hem of her shirt, yanked it up passed her collarbone and covered her face as I looked on. Her bra had flipped up as she overshot her tits. Her bright pink nipples stuck out. She was smiling and blushing further as she dragged her shirt back down.

“Wow, you’re beautiful.” I grinned like an idiot. She was tugging and pulling her bra through her shirt.

“Maybe I’m cute but I’m not beautiful.” She shook her head and stepped back towards my door. “Feel better, Dean.”

“Stay beautiful, Kia.” I replied and she bolted from my home. I gave her to the count of 100 before I got out of bed and walked by the bathroom. Zoë did not sing well but she did sing loudly. I reached the front door. Kia was long gone. I took a deep breath and walked into the bathroom.

“You got her to flash me,” I cut off Zoë’s earsplitting shrillness, “Best sister ever.”

“If I was the best sister ever, she’d be picking your pubes out of her braces for the next six months,” Zoë poked her head out from behind the shower curtain. “Come wash my hair?”

I smiled and shed my pajamas again. I stepped in after her. Zoë was a fit attractive girl. Earth Zoë was about 5 maybe 10 pounds heavier than spaceship Zoë. Her dark hair had additional blond highlights. I squeezed some of her shampoo into my hand and started on her scalp.

“That feels amazing!” She grinned. “We are going to be weird forever.”

“You said the girls in the box were exhausted.” I ignored her slick skin and the way the water ran over the backs of her shoulders and streamed across her butt.

“Oh God yes. They don’t get these days to freshen up like we do. They can’t talk to their parents or brothers or sisters or friends. They just have that time in the box.” She leaned forward to rinse out her head and passed back a bottle of conditioner. I’ve never used the stuff. I was disappointed it didn’t get really foamy when I started massaging her scalp again. “So you need to be trained. You need to be the guy they can go to. When they need to feel safe, get laid, scream in your face, or cry on your shoulder, you have to be there.”

“Who’s going to scream in my face?” I frowned. I pushed my sister’s head forward into the stream again.

“All of them eventually,” Zoë shrugged. “First, I have no idea. My money’s on Andrea but it’s not a safe bet by any means.”

“Who needs to get laid?” I beamed.

“Pat. She wants you to go straight caveman on her, drag her into bed, shove her face in the pillow and make her bite it if she can’t get wet in time.” Zoë gave me the shampoo bottle for a second wash. I started again. “Of course, if you do. She’s going to throw a fit and chew you out for pushing her around.”

“So I shouldn’t--”

“Oh you absolutely should!” Zoë twisted on me. She was bright smiling and her tits were thrust out at me. I took a necessary step backwards. “Especially, if she’s ever the center of attention. You shouldn’t do anything like that to Marin, Andrea, Renée, or Elizabeth though. They’ll get more embarrassed and panicked than hot and bothered.”