Page 29 of Until Now
Oh shit. Did I just say that? The look on Dominique’s face and the open-mouthed shock makes us both crack-up.
“Shit,” I say. “It just popped out.”
She reaches over and kisses the tip of my nose. “I’m glad it did. I like the idea.”
“What I’m about to say, I mean in the most romantic way,” I tease.
“Yes?”
“I’m going to eat your pussy tonight extra good.”
She starts laughing. “Oh, really?”
“It’s only right. I’m your boyfriend, after all.”
Her smile is response enough. As we exit the car, and I grab ahold of an excited Cali, Dominique is smoothing her skirt. She’s so fucking cute. I like that she’s nervous. It’s the new “girlfriend of the brother” role that’s throwing her. She doesn’t realize Kim and I never interfere with our romantic choices unless absolutely necessary. Like with Donna. My sister made her opinion known that time.
But this is worlds different. When I told Kim about Dominique and me, she was not that surprised. Said we made a great couple and wanted her to come visit. That alone shocked me because she looks and mostly feels like shit. I don’t understand women. And really, there is only one I care about, and she’s walking beside me now. Cali is going ape shit, straining to get inside.
I give a few raps on the door, and when I hear Kim’s voice calling us inside, I swing the door open. Letting Dominique pass first, I bring Cali inside.
“Hi, people. We finally made it.”
Kim is sitting in the recliner I bought for her recovery. I know it’s not her kind of furniture, but at least I tried to get it as close to stylish as possible.
“Dominique! Hi!” she calls to her old veterinarian slash new friend.
“Oh! I’m so happy to see your face.”
They exchange cheek kisses. Dominique takes her hand and sits on the chair beside her. Bringing Cali to Kim, they greet each other like the old friends they are. Cali does a gentle sniff and doesn’t attempt to jump. Kim offers a bone that sits on the table.
“Let her loose, Maxen. She’s fine.”
I do, and Cali trots swiftly to the corner of the room with her treat. Food always trumps people in Cali’s universe.
“My God, what you’ve been through, Kim. How are you doing?” Dominique asks.
“Better every day. Well, maybe not every day. It took us about a week to get in our groove. But now we have a routine.”
“The Warden lays out the schedule,” I say, peeking around the corner to see where Arlene is lurking.
Kim shoots me hershut the fuck uplook by way of pursed lips and flared nostrils. It only encourages me.
“We are allowed one trip a day around the yard, and it’s lights out by ten.”
“Shut up. We are not! He’s exaggerating, Dominique. So you and Maxen, huh? You know he can be a big pain in the ass, right?”
The sudden turn in conversation takes both Dominique and me by surprise. But I’m interested in what her answer will be.
“I haven’t experienced that yet. But we’ve just arrived at the ‘I sure do like your ass’ stage.”
This tickles my sister to no end.
“I hear ya. He is kinda cute, and I may be slightly exaggerating about how annoying he can be. He’s a pretty good guy. A woman would be lucky to have him.”
“Okay. Let’s stop with the discussion of me as if I’m not here. I’m gonna make some lunch, and we can have it out back.”
I am getting better at this cooking thing. If you can call assembling sourdough bread, cheese, and turkey cooking. I included some potato salad from the deli, which I doctored with a little Parmesan, so that might qualify. Oh, and we have pickles too. I’m practically Julia Childs. If I could come up with a famous male chef’s name, I would, but for now, I’ll be Julia.
