Page 97 of Love is Strange
“Can I ask you a question Lisbet?”
“Of course.” I encouraged her.
“What is that on your shoulder?” She said trying really hard not to crinkle her nose and also trying to talk above Joseph's howls.
“Roger.” I said matter of factly. “He is my stuffie.”
Celeste looked at me quizzically for a moment and then said, “I know this really good place where they can stuff Roger for you and you can keep him forever.”
“Really?” I had tears in my eyes. Why this woman cared so much I didn’t know, I guess from one broken soul to another, we had to take care of each other.
“Yes.” She smiled. “And I have been lonely recently so you are welcome to come stay with me as long as you like.” Celeste embraced me like the friend I always wanted. In the depths of tragedy, I had found a glimmer of hope.
Celeste
There wassomething about this girl I needed to protect. He hurt both of us but we could rebuild. Yes I suppose I was acting motherly or was I? How was I supposed to know? My mother was always gone.
All I knew was I never wanted to see her sad again and she needed someone to look out for her. The dead animal thing was bizarre but if she allowed her to take them to the taxidermist then she was welcome to keep her hobby as it was.
What kind of parents abandoned their daughter in an asylum and never visited? Poor thing. And she had to put up with him all on her own.
I let her know I was going to take Shasta out back so she could be away from the fire.
Lisbet
I never really had a plan whenI came here. Revenge. That was it. Some would say that taking his eyesight was revenge enough. Myrtle had done us a justice. While I'm inclined to agree that some justice was served, it wasn't nearly enough.
Peeling his flesh strip by strip and putting salt on the wound wouldn't be enough. He was a sadistic evil man whose only goal in life was to hurt people. He didn't deserve to breathe in the same oxygen as them.
I needed him to feel as much pain as possible. Celeste walked back in and picked up the matches. This was our end game. He would burn for his choices.
She lit one. “Blow.” She ordered him as she threw it at him. He gave a half hearted blow. It was funnier for us because we knew the flame was going out as we threw it. He would be trying to blow out an already blown out match.
She did four more to my amusement watching his head bob. He then decided to get nasty.
“You both are nasty filthy cunts. If I hadn't taken you, no one else would've. You should be kissing my feet right now. Fucking degenerates.” Then he spat on the floor.
I wasn't listening to his vile mouth anymore. Without thinking, I grabbed a funnel and a can of drano. I shoved the funnel down his throat and emptied the can. He tried shaking his head back and for but I bashed his nose so he had to swallow.
“That's it. Swallow for me my special boy.” I sneered as the acid ripped through his throat. It bubbled out of his mouth with chunks of tissue.
Celeste grabbed the gas can and went around the house spreading it everywhere. She turned the gas on the stove up high and grabbed my arm to get me out of the house. We grabbed Shasta and ran to her car.
As we pulled out of the driveway we heard the first explosion. The house went up in flames. We both looked forward and when the police came to her house that night to notify her, she thanked them for letting her know, dried a few rehearsed tears, then sat back down on the couch with me and Roger and finished watching the horror show we had on.
Celeste
It has beenfour months since theincident.Lisbet and I have become closer. She spends half her time with me, and half her time at her own house. We are working on getting her her own driver’s license so she can drive a car but for now she relies on me or a taxi.
Our relationship has become more personal. A touch that lasts longer than it should. A kiss that lingers. I’m letting her decide which way it should go. I don’t want to push her. She has brought wonder to my life and a sense of renewal.
Of course we have had to put Shasta in an obedience class. He seems to think it’s ok to hump anything that walks. I bought him a girlfriend though. I thought it was only fair.
Lisbet
I thinkI have fallen for Celeste. There is no rhyme or reason for it. I never thought I preferred men or women. And I’m guessing if I analyzed it now, I still wouldn’t have a preference. She just makes me feel good. Is that bad? I’m not sure. I know I cannot imagine my life without her.
She has helped enroll me in taxidermy classes so I can immortalize all my stuffies. They have become quite a collection.
