Chapter 4

Barb, Molly's housemate arrived while I cleaned the dishes and pots and pans. Molly had slipped on her dress when we returned to eating, but refused to let me cover my lower half allowing her to play with my half hard dick like it was some sort of rosary. Moments before Barb arrived, Molly had embarrassed me by putting on my self-released CD, commenting how she wanted to incorporate the songs, either the melodies or lyrics or both, into the show's music. I hurriedly and clumsily slipped on my shorts and jeans when I heard the door open.

"Where is he?" Barb spoke with restrained anger. "Is that his piece of shit car in front of our house?"

"He's..." Molly began, turning to catch my eye and watch me hide. She turned back to her roommate and chuckled. "It is a piece of shit, isn't it?"

"What?" Barb exclaimed and then joined in the laughter. "Are you alright?" she asked, quieted.

"I thought you planned to be with your girlfriend."

"I ... We're worried about you."

"Barb," Molly grumbled, "do you prefer the meek little mouse?"

"What? No. But no one can cure you instantly. Not even your porn star boyfriend."

Molly sighed in exasperation. "Yeah, he's a stud, Barb. He's a fucking fantasy come true, okay? But ... Listen."

"Listen?"

"The music."

"What about... ?"

"Sshh. Sit. Listen. Okay?"

"But..." Barb began, but Molly pressed her pointing finger to her lips and sat beside her friend on their couch.

Yeah it's embarrassing to be in the presence of someone listening to my low budget CD. But I listened too and it sounded good. I saw Molly grab the CD cover. The CD's called a Bum's Bum and the cover photo had me busking on the street, my guitar case open, looking almost preppy while the slimiest bum we could find tosses a coin into the case. It was a penny and we paid the bum enough to buy something better than his overly sweet formaldehyde laced wine. For the British fans, the inside photo showed my bum, my pale butt. It's small, but at least it ain't flabby. I heard Barb chuckle when she opened the case and that sounded good, too.

"It's good," Barb said at one point, agreeing with me.

Later she furthered the critique. "It's sort of sweet, but smart too. An amusing tinge of irony, but not cynical." Molly nodded in agreement.

I decided to make my appearance halfway through the third song. Barb actually smiled at me and noticed Molly smiling too. I sat in the notorious loveseat and Molly moved to my lap. That surprised Barb more than anything.

"Did you call our lawyer about his contract?' asked Molly.

"I wanted..."

"I know. You figured I'd be screaming and freaking out and scaring him off. I'm not. I didn't. I'm fine. More than fine in fact." She kissed me briefly but with feeling, not just for effect. "He's going to help me with the songs."

"I'd love to," I said, my first words.

"Make the contract, Barb. Did you cancel your date?"

Barb shrugged. "Sort of."

"Call Sarah. Treat her nice. I want..."

Looking directly at me with a profoundly serious expression, Barb interrupted her friend. "Can I say something? Joseph ... I love her, okay? She's my first love and I still love her even if I have a significant other. And I know her better than anyone by quite a wide margin. Her psyche's fragile. You know that." I nodded. Barb continued. "She's going to freak out. And if you ... If you try ... If you think you can calm her, she may prove more than you can handle. She's tougher than she looks. Stronger even. Despite her deep phobia for people, she's the strongest woman I ever met. And physically, she can cause you hurt, not to mention emotionally. If you think you can handle it ... I don't know."

"Barb," I said quietly, "I know we just met, but already I feel like I can't imagine life without her. I ... love..."

Suddenly Molly tensed to a hard knot and bounced off my lap with almost painful intensity and ran to her room. Following immediately behind her, I didn't let the door slam shut. It slammed into my shoulder and sprung open. She shrunk into a fetal position in the far corner at the head of her bed.