Travis began banging his head softly against the wall.
Kacey looked like she’d started praying.
And then, all of a sudden, Grandma moved. Without pulling the mask up, she pulled a gun from underneath the cushion and pointed it directly at Travis.
“You sneaking out, son?”
Char’s mouth dropped open as Jake hurried back to their room and stood near safety.
“I, uh…” Travis closed his eyes. “Do it. Just kill me. I’m miserable enough as it is. Sorry Kacey, I can’t do it. I can’t make it; if that makes me weak, so be it.”
“Kacey!” Grandma scolded, pulling back her mask so she could see. “And to think! I was blaming poor Travis for this fiasco, but look at you! Halfway down the hall! You little hussy.”
Jake snickered behind Char.
“Both of you!” Grandma waved the gun around in the air. Travis eyed it tentatively while Kacey slumped against the wall.
“Now.” Grandma pointed the gun at Travis. “Back in your room. Go to bed. You’ll be married soon, and then you can have all the sex you want.”
“Grandma just said ‘sex’.” Jake commented behind Char. “I think this is my favorite night ever.”
“And you!” Grandma pointed the gun at Kacey. “Stop tempting him! He’s a boy! He can’t help his urges.”
“Just kidding,” Jake said. “ ‘Urges’, ‘urges’ trumps ‘sex’.”
“Now! The both of you, back into your rooms so you can put this fornicating business behind you!”
“There it is,” Char whispered. “The winner of the night.”
“Fornication.” Jake held out his hand from behind Char. She gave him a high five before they slowly closed their door.
Grandma called out their names.
“Quick!” Char yelled. “Get on the floor! This is not a drill!”
Jake dove for the pillow and face planted onto his blankets just as Char sprawled across her bed. The door clicked open.
Grandma sighed. “Such good kids, so well-behaved.”
When the door shut, Char exhaled loudly. “That was close.”
“I’m curious.”
“About?”
“She had a whistle this morning… and now she has a gun. I swear my dad locks the gun cabinet for that very reason. He even hides the ammo.”
“I’ve stopped asking why when it comes to Grandma.”
Jake laughed. The sound of his voice caused a warmth to drape over Char as she moved to her side and looked over the edge of the bed.
Jake glanced up. “What? Looking for more scratches? My offer still stands, you know.” With a wink he moved his hands to the band of his pajama pants and began sliding them off.
Char covered her eyes. “Keep your pants on.”
“Hmm,” Jake said. “I think that’s the first time a girl’s actually asked that while in the same room with me in the dark.”
“How’s it feel?”