Chapter 36

Cassidy and I got dressed in some comfy clothes - sweatpants for both of us, while I threw on a light sweater and she slipped into a zip-up hoodie without bothering to put on an undershirt or bra. I had a feeling she knew this was going to tease me and I let her have it.

We went out to the loungey living area of the houseboat. The music was still playing up top and there was loud talking. I had to wonder how long the game had kept going after we left, and what we might have missed out on. I checked through the kitchen area quickly while Cassidy turned on the TV and looked through the shitty selection of DVDs that the houseboat was stocked with. I ended up finding a couple of pouches of microwave popcorn in a cupboard, so I started working on those.

“What do you think,” Cassidy asked me. “Space Jam or Dirty Dancing?”

“Space Jam for sure,” I said. If I was remembering correctly, while Dirty Dancing was a fun and sometimes sexy movie, there were also some scenes and characters I didn’t want to think about after the day I had.

“OK,” Cassidy chirped happily and loaded the DVD player with the movie while I opened the steaming bag of popcorn into a big mixing bowl and brought it over to the couch. Cassidy had sat on one side, so I sat in the middle and she immediately leaned into me and handed me the remote as I tucked my arm around her. We hadn’t even gotten our first handfuls of popcorn to our mouths when there was a stampede of feet coming down the stairs just outside the glass doors.

The first woman in was Heels, and she was clearly drunk. Wanda and Heather were right behind her, also looking like they’d had a good time.

“Here you are!” Heels said. “Come here, you’re the only ones that I haven’t made out with.”

Heels was kneeling next to me on the couch before I could even pause the movie and kissed me firmly, slipping in a little tongue. I could taste the alcohol on her breath and, to be quite frank, even if I’d actually responded with anything other than surprise it wouldn’t have been a very good kiss. She pulled away and smacked her lips, wiggling her thick eyebrows at me as I just sort of sat there in shock, and then she was climbing over my lap.

“Last one!” she said, and Cassidy squeaked in her own surprise as she was grabbed and kissed as well.

“Stop,” Cassidy said, pushing Heels away.

“That’s it, that’s everyone,” Heels said, not caring as she stumbled to her feet and stood grinning in the middle of the living room. “I have officially kissed every person on this trip, and it was great.” Then she let out what might have been one of the loudest, most resonant belches I had ever heard. Calling it a ‘burp’ would have been an injustice to the sheer amount of volume she produced. Heels smacked her lips again afterwards, blinking tiredly. “OK, bedtime.”

“Jesus Christ, Baheela,” Wanda said, shaking her head. “Alright, let’s get you tucked away.”

Meanwhile, Cassidy was clutching my arm and whispering to me quietly, “Robbie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t- I tried to stop her-”

“It’s OK,” I whispered back quietly, taking her hand and squeezing it softly. “I know.”

“Hey, what are you guys watching?” Wanda asked us as she led Heels towards the bedrooms.

“Space Jam,” I said. “You’re welcome to join us if you want.”

“I will! I love that movie,” she said. “Be right back.”

Heather was shaking her head with a wry smirk watching Wanda walk off with Heels, then turned to me and Cassidy. “I thought you two were getting in some private time. Don’t tell me you’re finished already.”

The implication was obvious. “Actually,” Cassidy said. “Considering the long day we had, we purposefully went quick. But once you’re with someone for long enough that really knows you and gets you, quick can be just as satisfying as long.”

“Oh, honey,” Heather said, shaking her head. “Real satisfaction takes work, talent and effort. And certain gifts.” She stuck out her tongue, which I had to admit was particularly long as she touched the bottom of her chin with it.