Chapter 6

They found Emily in the TV room. She’d somehow reclaimed the recliner she’d been forced to abandon and she had a can of pringles in her lap and a can of pop in her hand as she loudly commented on the Modern Family episode that was on the old television set. There were a half-dozen other people in the room studiously ignoring her.

Aaron wondered where she’d acquired the items because in his mind, homeless equated to penniless.

“Go get your stuff. We’re going with Mr. Aaron,” Amber bluntly told her daughter.

“As if I’d leave my fucking shit unattended!” Emily replied, thumbing the backpack on the floor next to her.

Seeing what she gestured towards saddened Aaron. A 16 year old who’s worldly belongings fitted into a single book bag-sized backpack.

Emily made a production of sniffing the air before saying, “Doesn’t smell like you fucked him in there. You losing your touch or’d you just suck the rent out of him, vacuum lips?” She asked crudely.

Amber rolled her eyes and Aaron saw that it was all she could do to contain a scathing reply. “Just get your damned bag and let’s go,” she replied.

“So, Casanova, What we riding in? Escalade, Porsche, Beamer? It better not be a fucking Prius!”

“I thought we’d walk,” Aaron replied. “It’s only 9 miles.” He smiled when Emily’s eyes got huge.

“Gotcha!” He grinned. “Actually its a Ford. F250. Is that acceptable to your ladyship?” He asked, putting on a bad English accent.

“Fuck you, asshole.” Was Emily’s reply.

Amber had a similar sized bag that she kept at the manager’s desk, right under the sign that advised patrons not to leave personal belongings there. Aaron just shook his head. It didn’t bother him nearly as much that Amber had only the one bag too.

They made the quarter mile walk to Aaron’s truck in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. At the truck, Aaron broke the silence.

“I know you’ve been through a lot, Emily and I feel bad for you, but ... well ... not really. When I met your mom, I couldn’t believe how mean and nasty she was. Then I met you.”

“Well fuck you very much, retard. We’re really fucking doing this with this loser, mom?” She asked, dropping her bag and planting her hands on her hips.

“One day. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll come back here.” Amber replied.

“Shit. Well you fucking better be on your best fucking behavior then, slag! There was two fucking losers trying to feel me up in there and I just about had to lobotomize one stupid whore. I don’t want to spend another fucking minute in that place if I can help it!”

“We’ll see what you think when we get to my place. And there’s something you should know. I’m a naturist.” Aaron said, the words out of his mouth before he’d even fully formed his idea.

That was technically a lie, but Aaron really did usually just strip off at home, being the only one there. He found that it saved on laundry and he was always sweating over something or other.

He’d just had the thought that by saying he was a naturist, it would pave the way for Amber’s Plan B.

Emily, despite her street smarts, didn’t even know what a naturist was. She thought the word sounded something like being a vegetarian and she didn’t even pause to ask.

“Well I’m a carnivore so you’re just going to have to fucking deal with it when I cut up a baby fucking lamb and make a hotdog of it!” She curled her arms and adopted a wide-legged stance. “Me Jane, queen of the jungle!” She shouted then made ape noises that sounded more like monkey noises to Aaron.

Amber smiled and Aaron rolled his eyes. “Pigs get made into hotdogs and I eat those too. I mean you’re going to have to deal with me being naked in MY house. You’re a big girl now so you will have to respect my lifestyle.”

“You don’t wave a fucking boner in my face and we’ll be fine,” Emily said in a threatening voice. “Just don’t expect me to clap and cheer when you flip out your dinky little fucking wee wee. It don’t interest me in the fucking least, okay?”

Aaron was startled and pleased by her response. Startled that she didn’t go crazy at the idea she’d see him naked and pleased that the idea didn’t faze her.

“As long as you know what to expect. Why don’t you both sit in the back. Amber, you can go over the rules with Emily on the drive. Emily, those things I vetoed earlier? I take them back. But they only apply for the most part to your mom.”

“Fucked if I know what you said earlier. I’d had to have been fucking listening, to know!” She retorted with a grin.

“Take a look at your mom. You’re as messed up as her, but she tells me she can be different. We’ll find out over the next 24 hours, okay?” Aaron said, ending the conversation.

Of course Emily had to have the last word. “Yeah, whatever. Just keep your damn filthy hands off me and we’ll be sweet.”

The ride to Aaron’s was full of, “no fucking way!” and “You wrote that?” followed by, “You fucking crazy bitch!” Interspersed with giggles from Emily too many times for Aaron to keep track of.

Aaron was totally ignored and that suited him fine. He was wondering about the wisdom of his naturist claim. Would he actually be able to take his clothes off in front a a pair of strangers? Female strangers? At what point would it be made clear that the females were to strip too?