Chapter 10

“Eiko-chan, wake up, it’s nearly 7,” Eiko squeezed her jaw tightly. There had been a handful of Sundays she had ever been allowed to sleep in. Sleepovers at Avery’s, Gia’s or Natalie’s. The few times at Leanne’s she had been awakened by the sheer life of her home, and that they left for church by nine.

Eiko knew a couple of things. She stretched in her dark blue pajamas with the gold stars and moons. She knew that she wasn’t going to have six kids like Mrs Corkwood but she’d definitely have more than one like her mom. The hiccup with her plans was that she didn’t know was whether she liked boys.

She laid out her clothes for the day on her freshly made bed. She took yesterday’s clothes from her bedroom hamper and carried them to the big one in the hall closet. She procured a towel and set to take a shower.

“You are nearly late for breakfast,” Her mother reprimanded Eiko as she arrived in the dining room.

“I made your favorite,” Her father carried in three plates of small pancakes with chopped up strawberries scattered over them, “Please grab the glasses for your mother and yourself.”

“Yes Dad,” Eiko smiled and hurried to kitchen to get juice for herself and coffee for her parents. She lost her smile as she heard her mother’s voice.

“You don’t need to go about cooking breakfast,” Hiroko complained, “I’m more than capable of taking care of this.”

“I like making pancakes,” Kenta refused, “It’s the only thing I could manage back in college. You remember?”

“I do.” Eiko was glad her mother at least sounded warm for a moment. “But we’ve come along way since then. You’ve seen the weight she’s put on. We don’t want to spoil her daughter.”

“Here you are.” Eiko set the steaming black cup in front of her father and the lightly colored coffee in front of her mom.

“Tell me about your plans for today.” Hiroko always looked hard into her daughter’s eyes.

“Oh, this is wonderful,” Kenta put his cup back on the table, “Now I can make two things, pancakes and coffee.”

Eiko smiled at her father and turned back to see her mother waiting with a flat difficult frown. Natalie was gorgeous; Leanne was dating her guy; Gia had her theatre role. Where was Eiko’s wish?

“A classmate of ours is in hospital,” Eiko decided, “I was hoping to visit her today.”

“Kirk Cavanagh’s daughter,” Kenta frowned and blinked away the emotion that pooled in his eye.

“I didn’t know you were friends,” Hiroko pushed.

“No,” Eiko shook her head. “But I wanted to support, uh, Natalie and Quinn’s always been nice.”

“Don’t stutter. Will you be needing a drive?” Hiroko asked in such a way that Eiko knew to reply.

“No, thank you, Mom.”

Natalie twirled in front of the mirror. It still thrilled her. She fluffed her platinum blonde hair out. She had just put down her blow dryer and her hair obeyed whatever she wanted to do with it. She ran her hands over her belly, grinning wildly to feel the contours of her abdominal muscles. She hopped around, stuck out her hip, and tried to steam the mirror back up with just a look over her shoulder. She blew a kiss, grabbed her scandalous robe from the hook on the back of the door and sashayed across the hall to her bedroom.

She still couldn’t believe all the new clothes she owned. She’d have burned all of her gross fat tents she used to wear. They sat in the stack of cardboard boxes behind her door. She still remembered yesterday, zipping back and forth between the bathroom, showing off everything new and helping her dad pack up the old stuff for Goodwill.

“That’s quite the heartbreaker’s dress,” Her dad had said of the green slinky thing she held on the hanger in front of her.

Natalie beamed as she twirled and the little wavy green skirt picked up around her thighs. It wasn’t quite an October dress, but there was no way she wasn’t wearing it today. She grabbed her phone. 1 PM. She had Josh’s, Roger’s, and Silas’s numbers ready to go. It was Sunday, Silas was out. She didn’t want to push things too far with Josh either. She unblacked the screen and saw Eiko’s string of texts.

“Who the fuck gets up early on a Sunday?” Natalie moaned, “Right, Leanne...”

“Yeah, I guess,” She didn’t want to but she replied to Eiko. If things weren’t working for her friend her own wish could fall apart. She had no intention of ever laying eyes on Quinn again, but there was no harm in being sure.

“Hey Dad,” Natalie slid across the kitchen tiles on sock feet, “Can you give me a ride somewhere?”

“Get a jacket,” her father squashed his easy smile to see her daughter in that dress. “It’s windy out.”

“You’re the best!” Natalie beamed. “What do you think? Will this go with my new leather jacket?”

“You’d look like--” And her father’s features softened, “You’ll always look beautiful.”

“Cool, Eiko asked to come along,” Natalie practically skipped over to her new fur collared black leather jacket. Oh! And she had just the perfect boots for this outfit too!

David breathed a sigh of relief. He was horribly conflicted about every woman in life, save Kristi. He had always had a thing for Avery but had been resigned that she didn’t feel the same. Mindy was just the girl he could watch from afar, pretend he was in love with, project his feelings onto. Who didn’t like the girl who always had an easy smile and kind words? Leanne was a frozen pit in his stomach. He did not understand how he could feel so strongly for a woman and then lose that tether when Gia was close enough to smell. He still could taste Eiko’s lip gloss if he let his mind wander.

David smiled his relief. Persephone was waiting for the three of them; Curtis helped flank Kristi between them. Persephone was waiting in a black tanktop over a lightly torn mesh long sleeved top. The jungle tattoo on her wrist trailed over her ear with her nearly shaved skull tucking a string of dark red braids behind her neck. Her ear was glittering with black stones and red rubies. Her small breasts were pressing against her top in the autumn cold. Her tight leather pants were stuffed into untied steel toed boots. She looked sour. David didn’t immediately get swept up in her eyes. He let out a happy breath.

“You’ve made it,” Persephone grumbled. “Quinn’s parents are in your dad’s office talking things over with the specialist. We’d better hurry up.”

“Yeah, totally.” Curtis took the sports bottle from Kristi’s purse.

“What’s that?” Persephone growled.

“Coffee,” Kristi answered leading the foursome in through the front doors of Truce Central Infirmary.

“I haven’t slept,” Persephone let the pallor of her face and the shadows under her eyes show with a moment of weakness. David frowned, kept quiet. Persephone continued, “Give me a shot.”

“No,” Curtis said clearly as he pressed the elevator button.

“What? C’mon don’t be a bitch,” Persephone growled, returning to state in which David recognized her. Curtis wouldn’t share; he wasn’t stupid. The bottle was filled with Charming Prince.

“No,” Curtis shook her.

“He said no,” Kristi cut off Persephone, “Tell me why you think this is witchcraft?”

“Oh, I’m not going through this ridiculous shit again,” Persephone snapped, “Humor me, give Quinn her Snow White moment and when she wakes up, you’ll Goddamned get it.”

“Sleeping Beauty,” David corrected under his breath.

“Don’t be a dipshit,” Persephone barked, “Quinn’s a brunette.”

“She looks more like Belle’s evil twin,” Curtis tried to joke. Persephone turned on him. Kristi fingered her jean back pocket. David was surprised by the thought that Kristi might have a knife. Actually, she had a collection of really cool looking knives back at her place but until the look she gave Persephone, David hardly expected Kristi to carry one of them.

“I see why she’s always liked you now,” Persephone turned back from Curtis as the elevator doors opened onto the third floor.

“Thanks, I guess,” Curtis ran a hand down Kristi’s arm. The redhead smiled. The pediatrics ward was down the hall to the left and the four hurried on silently but for Persephone’s thudding boots and David’s squeaking sneakers.

“How are we supposed to figure anything out by just looking at her?” Natalie poked Quinn’s foot with her index finger. She ground her teeth. It had been easier at school. Out of sight, out of mind. There was the little shrine with Quinn’s school pictures and lots of signed names set up in front of the office. Natalie never had any reason to walk by there. She had her wish, her body, her right. So what about the dark eyed little artist with bad taste in friends?

“I don’t know,” Eiko was nearly in tears. Her stomach was wringing out her pancake breakfast down into her guts. She white-knuckled the footboard of Quinn’s hospital bed.

“What about that thing about some wishes taking longer?” Natalie scraped around for ideas, “Avery’s not her lord majesty queen of the world yet either.”

“I know,” Eiko clenched her jaw for a moment, “I’ve waited so long. I just want a mom like Shaylee or Elizabeth.”

“Or even Mrs Carpenter,” Natalie nodded.

“I’m sorry, Nat,” Eiko blanched a little.

“Don’t be,” the blonde smiled, “I’ve always thought of the Sheriff as the best mom.”

“But Mrs Corkwo--”

“What are you whores doing here!” Persephone’s voice nearly skinned Eiko for how fast the Japanese girl jumped. Natalie kept her cool. Persephone wasn’t alone. Kristi came in next; she waved with her fingers to Eiko. Curtis was third. He was cute. Tall, big shoulders, dark hair, and--

David’s uncertain nervous smile flushed every thought in Natalie’s head out of the way. He was adorable. She meant hot. Leanne was so lucky. Bitch.

“Hey, Eiko,” Natalie grabbed her shaking friend’s shoulder, “I’m going to give them a moment.”

“I asked why’d you come here? Some sick need to see what you did?”

“We never meant--”

“How would we manage this?” Natalie squeezed Eiko’s elbow, “David, can you walk with me down to the cafeteria? I skipped breakfast,”

“Sure,” he said instantly. Kristi turned to him with a little bit of suspicion. David recovered, “I don’t really need to be here. If you see her mom, tell her we’re thinking of Quinn.”

“You, yes, you and Fat-alie, no. Get her out of here,” Persephone glared at Natalie who nudged David out into the hall.

“You’re still here,” Persephone glowered at Eiko.

“I’ll take her for a walk,” Kristi promised.

“Please! I wanted to ask you about Dee!” Eiko blushed furiously as she shook out a mesh of cobwebs that only cleared up a moment ago. Curtis was laughing madly. Kristi was smacking Curtis.

“You got this?” The redhead asked the last boy in the room.

“Sure thing Anastasia. Time to go be Beast,” Curtis shared the burning smile with Kristi.

“Prince Charming,” corrected Persephone. She had her upper lip cocked with impatience at the redhead. She wished Curtis’s entourage hadn’t tagged along. It was satisfying to cut the dead weight. Kristi smiled and followed Eiko from the room.

“OK,” Curtis said squeezing the sports bottle in three sharp spritzes into his mouth, “Best get this over with.”

David couldn’t help but be captivated by Natalie. She was practically six feet tall in her boots. David was a liberal five ten, or a conservative five four with magically adjusted chromosomes. Natalie wore her black jacket tight and halfway zippered up. Her cleavage thrust up and out, jiggling with her confident steps.

Kristi had told David to ask out Leanne. Eiko had kissed Dee at the mall. Avery had climbed in his window. Gia had snuggled in next to him on the couch. He hadn’t acted. He still rattled at every step.

“You look hot,” He told Natalie. A couple weeks with Kristi and he found that more explicit compliments worked better. Her radiant smile told him he was right.

“Yes I am.” She couldn’t help but touching his arm or walking so close to him that they rubbed hips. “It’s about time isn’t it?”

“You certainly know how to handle it,” David exalted her confidence.

“Yeah, I refuse to waste time.” For the first time since she was hot had she felt truly nervous with a boy. “What about you? What can you handle?”

David acted. That’s all he wanted. He wanted to act.

“This isn’t the cafeteria,” she said of the utility closet. She kissed him but only after he pulled her up against him.

Like lightning, the tingles rushed along his spine. He chose to act. He believed he should stop. He thrust his tongue into her mouth.

Natalie flushed red right down to her navel. David had yanked her jacket off her shoulders, pinning her wrists in her sleeves against her hips. She couldn’t believe how excited she felt. Leaning her head back, tilting her chin up, feeling the first needful kiss against her throat, her knees practically gave out.

“I hope this isn’t too fast,” David answered his conscience despite tugging hard at her jacket’s zipper finally freeing her of the coat so she could pitch it on the floor. She scrambled for his jeans.

“Go faster!” She forced her eyes straight into his. Her whole body shook as she couldn’t breathe quite like she normally could. He slipped the spaghetti straps from her shoulders. Her large breasts held the green dress aloft for just a moment before the fabric slithered down her body like a shed snakeskin.

He picked up her breasts one at a time. Slowly kissing her lips. He had purposefully slowed down at her “Go faster!” He couldn’t believe the way she whimpered eagerly for each following kiss.

“Holy shit, it’s lovely!” She had pulled down his freshly open jeans. Her palm rolled over the face of her boxers. He folded, a ripple of his muscles visibly scaled up his spine. He squeezed her breasts. She tilted her head, rocked back her shoulders, just to accept the ramped up desire in his kiss.