“Maybe I should try to do this myself, you and Indy…” Daisy shook her head and with what I was noticing was her customary brutal honesty, she said, “I can’t have babies, Sugar, Marcus and me been tryin’ for two years.
But I got a motherin’ instinct, believe you me, and this Mama Bear ain’t lettin’ her new cub get eaten by the big, bad lions, comprende?”
I wasn’t sure al that went together but I wasn’t going to say anything.
“It’l be fun,” she said in a swift change of mood, though being eaten by big, bad lions didn’t sound fun. “We’l get dressed up, make a night of it. You two got somethin’
spangly to wear?” Her purply blonde head swung from Indy to me.
I shook my head, thinking this may be our way out but Indy said, “You remember Tod?” Daisy nodded. “Wel , he’s a drag queen and generous with his wardrobe.” Wonderful.
These two had an answer for everything.
Daisy sucked back half of her martini. My throat burned in sympathy.
When she was done, she said, “Perfect. We’l do it tonight.”
I choked on my martini.
Tonight?
“I think I have a problem with that,” I said.
Indy and Daisy turned to me.
“Eddie isn’t thril ed about me going after Dad and I’m kind of living with him. We’re going shopping for coffee makers tonight and then I don’t know what we’re doing. I’m not sure I’l be able to get away.”
“Ooowee, coffee makers. Sounds like this Eddie is serious,” Daisy said.
I gave her a look and she giggled.
Indy sat back.
“This is where I come in. I used to get grounded al the time. I might be a little rusty, but I was the queen of the escape plan. Leave it to me.”
Daisy’s laugh tinkled again, “This is soundin’ better by the minute.”
Not to me.
To me it was sounding scarier by the minute, but I had no choice. If I didn’t want to get raped (eventual y), shot at anymore and owe a posse of new friends for saving my life and my somewhat-tainted virtue, I had to kick in.
So, we lifted the dregs of our second martini and toasted our plan; Daisy with a giggle, Indy with a grin and me with a bel y clutch.
* * * * *
It was an hour later and we were slowly nursing our fourth martini (because two was enough, four was just plain crazy) when Daisy’s eyes locked on something over my shoulder and she sucked in breath. “Oh sweet Lord, if I didn’t have Marcus, I’d get me some of that.”
I looked over my shoulder and saw Eddie scanning the room. His eyes hit me and he started coming our way.
My bel y curled in a happy way.
I ignored my bel y, turned back and told Daisy, “That’s Eddie.”
Daisy’s eyes dropped to the badge Eddie wore on his belt.
“Eddie, as in Eddie Chavez?” she said to me, her eyes getting wide.
I nodded.