“I like being tickled. But only in certain places.” She didn’t dare go into his obscene mind, as tempting as it was. “I have a question, spooky black magic woman with a pinch of nerd, drop of toad’s blood, spoonful of sex piston and dripping with the blood of Christ. Are you up for it?”
“Yup.”
“You said you had a brother over lunch. You two close?”
“Yeah. Why would you bring Landon up right now though?”
“Because I want to know if he is responsible for making such a remarkable woman.”
“If that were the case, you would’ve asked about my parents.”
“That’s too obvious. Our brothers and sisters shape us, too.”
“How would you know? You’re an only child and you can’t even observe this phenomenon you speak of because Aiden is an only child, too.”
“I’ve got eyes and a brain. I watch others… and I’ve seen it over and over again. I don’t have to be a priest or nun to understand Catholicism. Or a drunk to understand too much alcohol can rot your mind, or a child to understand some toys are just irresistible.”
“You’re more philosophical than you let on, Mr. Realist, not believing in anything you can’t see with your own two eyes.”
“Oh no, I can’t have that. I’ll work on maintaining my standoffish ways. Wouldn’t want to disappoint your expectations and my well-earned reputation of being a narrow minded prick.” She chuckled as they walked past a maze of trees. In the distance she could hear a choppy music tune.
“Ice cream truck.”
Driving slowly down the street was a large white truck with an oversized ice-cream cone display on the top of it, with sirens blazing the disturbing song. It was a strange blend of a sort of Jamaican Rasta beat and classical music. “Let’s get some.”
Before she could object, he tightened the grip on her hand and dragged her along the sidewalk. She laughed as they chased after the truck, catching up to it at a stop sign. Gasping for breath, she grinned, but was afraid to laugh. Her chest was burning from running so fast, and she didn’t want to waste her sweet oxygen on mere giggles. He pulled out his wallet.
“Hey, thanks for stopping,” Aries said. “We’re going to get some ice cream.”
The man wasn’t out of breath, despite the fast hike they’d taken up the road. An old man emerged from the front of the truck. She stepped back to see all of her options written on the side of the vehicle, and noticed that the brake lights beamed bright red. The horrible music was turned down, and yet, somehow, it made her happy to hear it.
“Take your time… look at the menu,” the old man encouraged. “Beautiful day for ice cream.”
Dressed all in white with his sparse hair tucked under a matching cap, he had such a peaceful, sweet face. Bright blue eyes were framed in crow’s feet and thin, long lips appeared to be in a permanent smiling expression. She could almost feel the man’s spirit as he stared at her. Patient. Waiting. Such an odd feeling washed over her. The day felt like a living, breathing postcard. Perhaps, though Aries had no living relatives in Druid Hills, the visit had been needed for an unknown purpose.
“Tiger Blood, pina colada, and blue raspberry snow cones, Choco-taco, orange push-ups, ice cream sandwiches, something with SpongeBob’s face on it, Mickey Mouse chocolate ice creams, fudge bars… bubblegum and superman scoops on cake cones…” Aries read off the list of choices. “What do you want, baby?”
He called her baby… AGAIN. Her heart beat a bit faster when he said it.
“Uh, the orange push-up sounds good.”
“One orange push-up and a Tiger Blood snow cone, please.”
The man in the truck prepared the snow cone first. After Aries slapped the money in the guy’s hand, along with a tip, he handed her the frozen sweet. The music began to blare again as the truck took off, leaving them on the corner with cars passing by.
“I haven’t had an orange push-up in years.” She was unable to curb her enthusiasm.
“Me neither. Let me try it.” She hesitated for a minute, then hated herself. As she handed it over, she couldn’t help but notice how damn long Aries’ tongue was! Freakishly so… Her panties were instantly baptized. Oh, Jesus… Mercy… Take the wheel. She swallowed laughter once again, and this time, her oxygen from the ancestors allowed her to exhale.