Smiling, I hurry to the front seat and lock the doors. My mom’s praise always makes me stronger. I focus past my worries and drive home without killing anyone. She reads to me on the way, just in case I need calming. Once home, I let her get back to the book. I sense a fuck scene is coming up, and I can’t listen to people with such bad hygiene screwing. I’ve suffered enough today.
Inside, I find Shane in the kitchen with Iggy. Max stands at the stove, making them cheese quesadillas. My brother sees me and instantly knows I’ve been crying. I’d like to say he figures it out because of our psychic bond, but I probably just look blotchy.
“What happened?” he asks.
I look at Shane and remember the fear I felt in that trailer. How I thought only my brother could help me. When I was in a bad place years ago, he was the one I turned to. Not my parents but my little brother. Shane’s my safe place.
He must see the fear in my eyes now. His snarl doesn’t comfort me, though. I’m in a panic as I grab his wrists. Running between us—and completely oblivious to our wild emotions—Iggy giggles with delight.
“I’m going to kill him,” Shane growls.
“No, bruv. You need to listen to me.”
“Screw feelings. I’m going to tear his limbs off.”
“Ramona!” I call out because I don’t know how to make my brother calm down. I used to have that ability. Maybe I still do, but I’m on edge, and he’s losing his shit. Our crazy feeds off each other.
“What’s wrong?” asks the little rocker chick, appearing from the TV room with Ozzy in her arms.
“You need to make him listen.”
Ramona doesn’t ask questions. She just places her hand on his arm and says his name. As if she flipped a switch in his brain, Shane actually sees me rather than the carnage he wants to create.
“Did he hurt you?” my brother asks in a low voice.
Tears biting my eyes, I shake my head.
“Did you get scared?”
Nodding, I start crying. I’m safe at home with my family and friends and the ghosts and my dogs. I can let my girly feelings run amuck without worrying about dead squirrels and giant dickheads.
Shane hugs me to him and says that he understands. I know he doesn’t. He isn’t wired like I am, but he loves me enough to lie.
Ramona and Max stand around, confused and worried. Iggy still thinks he’s at Mardi Gras, dancing and singing to the song playing in his little head. Soon, Max’s niece, Desi, stands in the kitchen, watching me cry. I put on a show for everyone.
But eventually, I run out of tears and decide I should change my clothes. I don’t shower because I want Goliath’s stink on me. I don’t care if that’s weird. I need what I need.
Now comfortable in my loose-fitting pajamas, I end up on the couch in the TV room. I cuddle under another of the million blankets we store in the house for some future apocalypse that’ll lead to a lack of heat. This one is plush with butterflies on it. I claimed the blanket after River bought it as a gag gift for Shane.
“We’ll watch ‘Club Dread’ tonight,” Ramona suggests, knowing I need babying since I’m high maintenance. Is that why Goliath doesn’t like me? Well, fuck him! I’m too old to change. If he wanted me to be different, he should have gotten out of prison sooner. Having been on earth for over a quarter of a century, I refuse to change. My current personality is now set in stone. Them’s the rules!
“Thank you, sweet sister-in-law.”
Ramona smiles at me as Shane starts the movie. Iggy brings me another pillow since he thinks my giant head needs more support.
“Such a good boy,” I tell my nephew, who looks at his parents and lifts his itty-bitty hands in victory. “This kid rocks.”
That’s how the rest of my night goes. We watch movies. Iggy plays, mostly with Desi. I hide under my blanket and think about how my pussy will never be the same after Goliath’s giant dick made it beg. People eat in the TV room. Shane seethes silently. River tells him to shut up.
Then Max and Ramona disappear upstairs to put Desi and the boys to bed. River leaves next because he wants sex. Men are all the same.