Chapter 3

Despite the open windows, the truck cab was swelteringly hot. Wade opened the passenger door for Daisy, who grinned at him widely for the courtesy, clearly pleased as punch that someone would open a door for her, and then he slammed the ornery door shut when she hopped in. Jumping into his own side, he started the truck and backed out of the driveway.

Damn, the air conditioning wasn’t working again. Wade kept his eyes on the road even though the highway was empty, and reached over and whacked the offending appliance hard. It coughed and then the fan started up and began to cool the cab.

The radio was on, and grainy though the reception was, Daisy seemed to enjoy it. She put her arm on the window ledge and stuck her head out the window, singing along to ‘The Age of Aquarius.’

The café was quiet and peaceful, and they were next to the only customers. Even so, they took their food outside to the truck where it was parked under a grove of willows which gave some illusion of privacy, and sat on the tail gate while they ate.

Daisy had ordered a strawberry butterscotch milkshake, and there was sweetened whipped cream on top drizzled with the hot butterscotch. She had looked so bright when he’d told her she could have anything she wanted, which made Wade think that perhaps she hadn’t gone out to eat with free reign for a very long time.

Sitting on the tailgate swinging her legs softly, Daisy pulled the straw out of her milkshake and licked it off carefully, with a look of blissful concentration on her face. Watching her enjoy it in such a manner through half-shut eyes as he bit into his burger, it wasn’t difficult for Wade to imagine Daisy’s tongue treating his cock the same way. It was a soft red tongue, and her unglossed lips were plump and the colour of ripe raspberries. A sudden surge of arousal swept through him at the unconscious image and imaginings, and even as she replaced the straw and drank long and deep of the milkshake with eyes shut tight, Wade’s cock ached for her, straining against his Levi’s with almost alarming urgency.

Later, he promised himself, biting into an escaping pickle as Daisy turned to him with the biggest grin and picked up her own burger. There was part of a strawberry stuck in between her teeth, but he didn’t tell her and didn’t mind.

‘Oh, boy, I’ve missed milkshakes,’ she said gratefully, biting into her own sandwich with as much exuberance. ‘We haven’t gone out much in some years. Mama’s too busy these days.’

‘Why’s that?’ Wade found himself asking, the blood beginning to circulate more evenly throughout his body again as he worked hard to focus on her words and not his desire. He DID want to know more about her, after all, was fascinated to.

‘Well, she’s a single mother, really. Sure, Dad pays alimony and child support and all that, but they didn’t part on hard feelings, and she didn’t want much from him, not even money. She didn’t think Dad owed her anything.’

‘Really?’ Wade sprinkled malt vinegar over his fries and offered Daisy the packet. She refused it with a shake of the head, her nose just barely wrinkling at the smell.

‘No thanks, I’m not a big fan. Anyway, yes. They were always very reasonable with one another when it came to money, and blunt too. No sense beating around the bush, Mama always says.’

‘Do you have any siblings?’ Wade asked, curious suddenly. Perhaps they were grown up, or lived with her father instead.

Daisy’s face changed, subtly. ‘Yes,’ she said, in nearly the same conversational tone. ‘Well, I did.’

‘What do you mean, ‘you did?’’

‘I had a younger brother named Liam,’ Daisy said, smothering a french fry in ketchup and putting it in her mouth. ‘He was retarded. Liam was the sweetest person I knew, and well-loved by everyone. Mama and Dad doted on him; he was so cheerful and friendly.’ A fleeting look of sadness crossed her face. ‘It didn’t seem fair when we found out he had leukaemia. He died of it, and that’s why Mama and Dad separated. They were too sad.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Wade said, and he was. There was no longer any amount of blood in his loins more than there was usually, and he was focused only on her words. ‘When?’

‘Seven years ago, almost,’ Daisy said. She was finished her cheeseburger, and wiped her fingers on a napkin. ‘It’s okay. I know he’s somewhere better, somewhere there’s no pain for him. Do you have any siblings?’

Wade felt off-balanced. The conversation had turned so rapidly and unexpectedly towards him, and he hadn’t been prepared.

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Maybe.’

Daisy tilted her head in curiosity. Go on, the expression on her face said.

‘I’m an only child in my family,’ Wade said, running his fingers through his hair and unintentionally succeeding in wiping relish through it. ‘But I’m adopted. I’m very lucky to not have spent much time in the foster system--I was only a few months old when the Quists adopted me, and they’ve never told me if I have any siblings.’

‘Oh,’ Daisy said. ‘That’s fascinating. I wonder if you do.’

Wade shrugged and smiled at her.

‘Since we’re both done eating, do you want to go back inside and listen to some Jukebox music?’

‘Yeah,’ she agreed readily, and they hopped off the truck box and went back in to the café to spend some quarters.

The first song Daisy chose was ‘Werewolves of London.’ They put the coins into the machine and as soon as the catchy piano bit started up, Daisy was closing her eyes and dancing along to the music. Wade watched her with amusement, happiness, and something he realized was bordering on, if not in the country of, affection. He was dancing too, and reached out for Daisy’s hands. She opened her eyes and clasped both her hands in his and they faced each other, smiling as they twisted and moved.