Page 65 of Hockey Halloween
Dylan moved up beside me, avoiding my elbows. “Sure you don’t want to come in? Ann here would love to talk to you.” I flipped around, furious with my stupid brother. I reached for the handcuffs, ready to follow through with my threat to shut him up. Grinning evilly, he snapped one end around my arm. And then locked the other end to Larry’s wrist.
For a moment I just stared. My left wrist was locked to Larry’s right one. Larry gave a tug on his end. My arm jerked in response.
“Dylan, what the fuck are you doing?” he asked, voice flat but tension underneath.
Dylan laughed. “Just a little joke. Kelli had a crush on you back in school and used to peek at us when we played games here, like Seven Minutes in Heaven. Thought I’d finally let her have her chance.”
I dug a finger into his ribs, where he was the most ticklish. “I’m going to kill you, Dylan. Get the fucking cuffs off!”
My brother stepped back, but I couldn’t follow him because I was handcuffed to the man standing in the doorway.
My brother laughed again. “No problem. I’ve got the key right here.” He rolled his eyes. “Some people can’t take a joke.”
“Jokes are supposed to be funny,” I snarled. I was mortified that Dylan had shared those things about me. I would never be able to look Larry in the face. Assuming I ever saw him again.
Dylan slid his hand in the pocket of Dad’s pants. Why did he have the keys there? What was he hoping to do with the handcuffs?Eeeww…I was so telling Mom.
He pulled out the key and I reached for it. I didn’t trust him not to prolong this and embarrass me further. He jerked his hand back, losing his grip on the key. I tried to grab it, but I couldn’t move while I was tied to Larry, standing behind me.
The key fell to the floor, bounced, and slid, hitting the edge of the heating grate and popping up just enough to drop between the slats and disappear from view.
For long seconds my brother and I stared at the grate.
Larry stepped up beside me. “What just happened?”
Dylan’s mouth was hanging open.The idiot.
“Dylan just dropped the key into the furnace.”
“Not my fault.” He raised his hands and stepped back.
So whose fault did he think it was?
“Have you got another?” Larry’s voice was tense.
“I’ll check.” Dylan headed for the bedroom and I followed, Larry dragging behind me.
My stupid fucking brother.
Larry
You are an idiot
“I’m so sorry.” Raggedy Ann—apparently Kelli, Dylan’s little sister under the red wig and makeup—apologized again.
We were hurrying down the sidewalk heading back to my mom’s. When we hadn’t been able to find a key in the bedroom, Dylan promised to dig out the one that fell down their heating vent. I wasn’t sure how long it would take, but I needed Mom to make this clown costume wearable and then get me and the costume to the arena where we had our event tonight. Kelli agreed to come to Mom’s place with me while we waited so Mom could get started on the costume adjustments.
“Why are you apologizing? It was your brother who did this.” I could not believe the moron had handcuffed me to his sister.
“Sorry, it’s a habit. I get blamed for a lot of things.” Kelli was staring down at the sidewalk as she walked.
I stopped and waited for her to feel the tug and halt too. “Hey.”
She finally met my gaze. Her eyes were blue and wide, catching my attention. They were beautiful.Not the time to notice.
“I’m not blaming you. Dylan’s been doing stupid things as long as I’ve known him. This is entirely his fault.”
A shy smile lifted her lips. I stared for a moment, focused on her mouth. Why couldn’t I remember Dylan’s little sister? No memories popped up from then. And now, I had no idea what her hair color was with the red wig covering most of her head, or what she looked like without all the Raggedy Ann makeup on. How could I recognize her again without it?
