When We Touch

I carefully brush on mascara. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”

“Emberly, you know what happened with Cheryl Ann.” Her tone is ominous, and the tiniest warning goes off in my chest.

“Cheryl Ann can be a little flighty. He probably thought he was being flirty and he was really being inappropriate.”

“Is that supposed to make it better?”

“No! I’m just saying. His mother and I are friends. He knows this. I think it’ll be a good deterrent.”

“Bucky Pepper is an idiot, and I’ll be there to back you up if you need it. Don’t worry.”

“Hopefully, the date won’t last that long.”

Makeup done, we say our goodbyes, and I shake my long hair out with my fingers. I’m wearing a white romper short set with a long, floral black kimono on top. My sandals are flat, since Bucky is only an inch taller than me. Overall, it’s a very conservative look. I pick up my small clutch just as the knocking starts downstairs on the door.

“Coming!” I jog down the stairs and head for the front entrance. “Hi, Bucky,” I say, stopping right at the door.

“Hey, Emberly.” He steps back and smiles. His eyes widen behind his oversized glasses, and sure enough, he pulls out a box.

“I made this for you.” It’s a medium-sized, pink cardboard box.

It’s similar to what I’d pack one of my cakes in… and examining it further, I’m pretty sure it’s the box I used for Thelma’s.

“You didn’t have to,” I say sincerely, taking it with a sigh.

“Go ahead and peek. See what you think.”

Turning around in the doorway, I carry the heavy-ish item inside and set it on the counter. I’m glad Tabby’s not here to gloat as I lift the lid, squinting my eyes almost-closed.

“No!” I jump back from what looks like the teeth of an attacking squirrel.

Bucky laughs through his nose. It’s sort of an adenoidal, honking sound. He lifts the disturbing statue out of the box. It’s two squirrel torsos rising out of the base of one set of legs. The squirrel on the left is reaching forward while the squirrel torso on the right is holding a large acorn away, teeth bared.

“Are they conjoined twins?”

“Naw, I designed it to look like they’re fighting over that nut.” More honking laughter. “It’s funny, right?”

I force a terrified smile. “It’s… interesting.”

“You’d be amazed how many dead squirrels you can find.”

My smile melts into a grimace. “You don’t kill them yourself?”

“Sometimes. These two I found off in the grass near the highway.”

I quickly move the monstrosity from my counter over to the window. “I’ll just put it there. Better sunlight.”

When I turn around, I catch Bucky’s eyes going from my ass to my breasts, where they linger. “Ready for some seafood? I love eating tuna… all kinds of tuna.”

Do not gag. Do not gag. Do not gag.

“Let me guess,” I say, doing my best to smile and breathe through my mouth. “You’re taking me to the Tuna Tiki?”

“Where else?” He lifts his arm to put it around my shoulders.

“Oh!” I accidentally breathed through my nose. Trying to hide it with a cough, I step away. “I mean Oh! It’s my favorite place for sushi.”

He’s only slightly discouraged as I take the lead, rushing out the door to where his truck is waiting in front of the shop. Once he’s outside, I quickly turn the key. I don’t even bother waiting for him to open the truck door. I’m ready for this evening to be over and done with, and for me to be back home.