Chapter 7

Mom took us to Penney’s first, then to Yonkers, ShopKo, and finally Target before we finally found something good enough for Sara. Not that there wasn’t anything that would work at the previous three stores, Sara was just being ridiculous. I had gotten really lucky; Penney’s had a stormtrooper outfit in my size! I tried to get a lightsaber, and pretend I was Luke in that scene where he, Han and Chewy sneak onto the Empire ship, but there wasn’t one. Well, there actually was one, but it was one of those collector models that was almost two-hundred dollars. Mom laughed so hard when I asked her if we could get it, I started pouting and whining like a five-year-old.

When it was all said and done, Sara found a Princess Leia costume, and not just any Leia costume, the costume. You know the one, where she was chained to Jabba the Hut. Yup, that one, on a sixteen-year-old, tight, perfect body. She looked amazing in it too.

Mom freaked out right away, “There is no way you are going to wear that in public, Sara.”

“We’re nudists. What’s the big deal?” Sara replied. “It’s not like you can see my vagina or even my nipples.”

Mom didn’t say anything right away. She looked like she wanted to say something, but what Sara said was right. Granted, we are in town and not at camp, but that didn’t change the fact that we really did live a nudist lifestyle, even at home.

“Fine, fine. If your dad says it’s okay, then fine. If he tells you no, then you can’t go out with Sam, Mary, and Amy.”

“Deal!” Sara quickly agreed with a huge, happy smile on her face.

“He is probably going to say no, you know that right?”

“Not if you don’t tell him to,” Sara argued.

“I won’t say anything, I promise,” Mom answered but finished with, “as long as you don’t try to beg and give him those puppy dog eyes to get your way.”

“That’s not—” Sara tried to argue.

“Sara, just agree,” I cut Sara off.

“Fine,” Sara reluctantly agreed.

“Okay then, let’s go check out so we can go home,” Mom said. It was obvious she wasn’t happy with what was going on.

When we got home, not a word was mentioned to Dad about Sara’s Halloween costume. Dinner was normal, and I was surprised when Mom didn’t bring up the Leia outfit, but she didn’t. Sara and I did the dishes and cleaned up the table and countertop. The rest of the night was spent sitting on the love seat with Sara leaned up against me, as Mom and Dad sprawled out and cuddled on the couch.

The four of us watched Maverick, featuring Mel Gibson, who Mom had a serious crush on. She said it was his blue eyes, but Dad and I weren’t so sure. Dad loved westerns, but this movie was about as close to a western as Mom and Sara were willing to sit through. If it were up to Dad, we would watch Tombstone every day.

“Val Kilmer played Doc Holiday perfectly. I can’t even imagine what it would be like back in those days,” Dad would announce every time it happened to be on HBO. Especially that scene where Doc was pale and dying but refused to give up.

When Mel threw out the ace of spades on the last hand, I was already up on my feet stretching, as if that was my announcement to everyone that I was headed off to bed. Mom noticed. She smiled at me and gave me a subtle wave, while Dad’s attention was fixed on the screen and the scene playing out on it. Sara quickly followed my lead, hurrying behind me as I left the living room and headed up the stairs to my room.

“I can’t believe Mom never said anything about my costume to Dad,” Sara said as she crawled into bed with me.

“Mom said she wouldn’t,” I replied.

“Still ... I guess I am just surprised.”

“Honestly, me too,” I laughed. “I guess you will get your answer tomorrow after school when Mary and Amy are here. That might work in your favor, who knows.”

“I don’t think he will say no.”

“We’ll see.” I tried to keep the pessimism out of my voice.

“It’ll be fine, trust me,” Sara replied, her voice full of confidence.

“Whatever you say, princess...” I couldn’t help but laugh at the princess’ comment. Sara just grinned like a cat that had gotten the cream and snuggled up tight against me, her head laying on my chest.

When I opened my eyes in the morning, Sara’s head was still resting on my chest. The first big thing I noticed was the sun was already coming up. I was way too late to go downstairs with Mom. There was nothing I could do about it, and surprisingly, I didn’t even have the typical morning wood either. I shifted a little to free myself from under Sara, but that little movement was all it took to wake her up.

“Mmm, morning, Sam,” Sara said.

Her voice was scratchy and tired sounding, but she lifted her head and looked at me with a happy, warm smile on her face that made her eyes seem to twinkle.

“Morning, princess.” Sara giggled when I called her princess.

“I kind of like it when you call me that.”

“Why wouldn’t you? What girl doesn’t want to be a princess?”

“Mmm, that’s true.” Sara gave me a big hug and then rolled over and got out of bed. “Come on, let’s go take a shower and get ready for school. Mary and Amy are coming today!”

It was shocking to see Sara go from sound asleep to up and at ‘em in seconds. Sure, I can get myself out of bed and be functional, but Sara was already cheery. That was not normal at all, not for me, and definitely not for her. Regardless, I got out of bed and followed Sara towards the shower. She was already washing her hair when I opened the curtain and stepped in. She kindly made room for me to stand under the perfectly hot water. We both washed, dried, hung up our towels and then dressed for another day of school.

I hated going to school knowing full well it was a holiday tonight and then it would be the weekend. My mind, like the mind of anyone with a life outside of school, didn’t like it either. Sure, there were the studious types who worried about their GPAs, had parents who expected a certain level of excellence, or even dreamed of being the valedictorian who cared a lot, but those were few and far between. Those types were easy to spot. They were the ones asking all the questions or getting all wound up when the rest of the class wasn’t paying attention like that person thought they should. I didn’t care at all, the only thing on my mind all day was Mary ... well, Mary and Amy.

I couldn’t stop thinking about what potential costume Mary was going to be wearing tonight. My mind started to drift further and further into the sexy, improbable costumes. I tried to tell myself there was no way that was happening, but then Sara was wearing the Princess Leia costume. What if Mary wore something just as hot and revealing? What about Amy...

“Sam, what’s gotten into you?” Stephanie asked at lunch.

“Don’t mind him, Mary is coming tonight,” Sara told her.

“Mary ... Oh! Mary, the Mary?” Stephanie asked, and that seemed to garner the rest of the girls’ attention too.

“Yup, that Mary. His girlfriend from camp.”

“Oh. My. God. Sam has a real-life girlfriend?” Laura chimed in, all smiles and sunshine.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Liz snorted, which wasn’t surprising. “She’s probably ugly.”

“Liz!” Sara and Laura, both admonished her at the same time.

“What?” Liz looked shocked to having been called out. “Look at him, there isn’t much there to see.”

“That was out of line, Liz,” Stephanie came to my defense. “Just because you hate boys doesn’t mean the rest of us do too.”

“But—” Liz began but was cut off by Milly suddenly.

“Stop it, you’re just jealous,” Milly argued.

“Jealous of wha—”

“Elizabeth, I’m warning you...” Milly stepped up to Liz and in front of me, and the look of horror on Liz’s face was the craziest, weirdest, most surprising thing I have ever seen.

That announcement from Milly stopped everyone in their tracks. Even Liz looked like she was trying to swallow her own tongue. I can count the number of times on one hand since school started that Milly had offered up any comments without being asked. The look Milly was giving Liz now was over the top strange. Milly looked furious, and an inch away from getting into an actual physical altercation with the much heftier Liz. More surprising of Milly’s sudden intervention was that it was enough to back Liz back down, her hands raised in surrender.