Chapter 28: Richmond

Shari parked her little car in the spot marked “Visitors.” Checking the sign, she confirmed that the address was correct, and walked to the front entrance of the complex. She found the mailbox and button for “C. La Rue / B. Cain” and pushed it.

“Hello?”

“It’s Shari Morneau.”

“Shari! I’ll be right there.”

A skinny African-American man came to the steel gate and buzzed her in. Shari did not recognize him, though.

“Shari, I’m Benny Cain, Charlie’s roommate. He’s picking up some groceries and should be back in a half hour or so. Do you have any bags or anything?”

“Just this, let’s get inside.”

She had a little rolling carry-on bag suitable for the overhead bin on an airplane, and a shoulder bag resting on her hip.

“I’m only here for the long weekend. Charlie didn’t tell me he had a roommate, sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I promise, I don’t bite. Um, the bathroom is through there if you want to freshen up. Can I get you anything to drink? I have a bunch of things in the fridge.”

“I’ll come check it out in a minute. Thanks, Benny.”

In the bathroom, after relieving herself, she washed her hands and checked the mirror over the sink. Her hair was a little messy, but her face was clean, and her clothes were still OK. It was surprising because her decrepit car’s air conditioner had failed long ago, and she had just passed a bank showing 91° on its electronic sign.

Then she heard a small commotion and realized that her cousin Charlie had returned to the apartment. She walked out to find him.

“Charlie? Charlie! You’re big!”

“You last saw me five years ago, Shari. That was six inches and forty lbs. ago. Am I disappointing?”

“Not at all, goofball. You’re very handsome. I was just surprised.”

Benny put on a tragic expression and looked at his feet, sniffling.

“Oh, Benny, you’re pretty, too.”

Benny broke out in a huge smile and drew the back of his hand across his forehead.

“Phew! I’ve still got it.”

Shari smiled and turned back to her cousin.

“I need to put away these groceries while they are still cold, Shari, then we can chat. You know, eggs, milk, ice cream, that kind of stuff.”

“Can I help?”

“Naw, it’ll just be a minute. Relax, have a seat.”

“OK. Say, do you have any Coke? I’ve been wilting in this weather.”

“Sure, here you go. You want ice?”

“Next time. Right now, I’m a desperate woman. There’s no A/C in my car.”

Charlie was still unpacking the shopping bags.

Benny said, “In this weather, with no A/C, I’d be going around naked.”

Shari snorted.

“If he only knew,” she thought.

Charlie groaned.

“Benny seems to be allergic to clothes. I’m always complaining because he wants to parade around in a G-string. Benny, not in front of my cousin.”

“It’s a loincloth, not a G-string.”

“Potato, po-tah-to.”

To her, this had the sound of an old argument.

“Children, don’t fight. If you’re nice, I may tell you about my ex-boyfriend, the nudist.”

Benny perked up immediately, excited. Shari was beginning to wonder about his orientation. And, by extension, Charlie’s.

“Now that I’ve put everything away, we can talk. But first, I have a confession.”

“Here it comes: him and Benny.”

“Shari, I’m not really your cousin.”

“What? Sure you are. Your mother is Donna, and Donna is my mother Abbie’s sister. Therefore, we’re cousins.”

“No, I learned last year that although Donna has raised me since age 2 and she IS my mother for all the reasons that are important, biologically, my mother was a different woman.”

“Charlie!” cried Shari, and Benny, simultaneously.