Someone to Love(90)

Kenny shoots me an apologetic look, most likely because I have been supporting her, and I really don’t mind. Soon I’ll make her my wife and the mind-blowing sex won’t feel like such a tradeoff for room and board.

“I’m a graduate student,” I interject. “I’ll be working on my doctorate in the fall. I’ve been granted a fellowship and am currently in the middle of a teaching internship.” Why does it feel like I’ve just spewed out an interview for some tame boardroom position? More like bedroom, and being with Kenny is anything but tame as evidenced by the shiny metal choker cuffed around her neck.

Dad places his hand over my shoulder and gives a slight jostle. “A fellowship? That’s fantastic. I’m so proud of you, son.”

Son? He’s going for the gold tonight.

“So the wedding…” Karen drives us back to the subject at hand, and surprisingly she turns to my father. “We’ll finally be family.” She looks up at him with a startled smile as if she had always wanted to be “family” with my father. I’m feeling rather lucky this matrimonial mix-up didn’t happen years ago because I would awkwardly, yet willingly, be fucking my stepsister.

I give a sly grin at the idea.

“We’ve always been family.” He counters. “Would you like to take a walk?”

“I would love to.” Karen rises hypnotically, and they head toward the entry.

“What the hell was that about?” Molly snipes. She’s not one to be dragged off into the arena of the awkward, willingly. Her eyelashes are crusted over with mascara, and she’s got on way too much war paint in general. I would like to know what the hell that is about.

“They had this thing.” Mom swipes the air like it’s no big deal.

“What thing?” Kenny’s eyes and breasts both manage to provide a three-D spectacle. Not that I mind.

“They dated,” Mom whispers. “It was long after he and I disconnected. They were hot and heavy for a good long while, and then all of a sudden she took off to California, and he was with Jackie.”

“Bet he cheated on her.” Molly huffs. “Guys are assholes.”

“Mind your P’s and Q’s.” Mom swats her on the arm. “And what’s this wine guzzling business?” She swipes the glass out of her reach. Not that it matters. It’s long since been drained.

“Cruise isn’t a cheat.” Kenny picks up my hand and holds it to her chest as if I were a life raft.

“Cruise is an open cheat,” Molly corrects. “He sleeps around because his dick suffers from the need to be strangled nightly.”

“Molly,” I bark at her. All that talk about her needing a father figure filters through my mind, and I’m moved to bolt her in her bedroom for the next four solid years as a tribute to good parenting.

“You think you’re so perfect,” she shouts back. “You and that little hoe you’re shacking up with, when just a year ago you were peddling the fine art of abstinence and taking me shopping for purity rings. Boy, you sure stomped out that bag of ‘chastity’ shit like it was on fire.”

“You can go now,” I say it low because if I raise my voice I might lose it and flip the damn table over to keep her from babbling like an idiot.

“I will go.” She rises. “Just know I happen to respect your new girlfriend more than you because at least she’s honest and cool. Instead of trying to buy me a wedding ring for Jesus, she took me to the free clinic and got me on the pill.” She tosses down her napkin and bolts from the room.

“What!” Mom snatches at her crutches before hobbling after my apparently sexually promiscuous sister.

“I’m so sorry.” Kenny reaches over and lays her hand on my arm to soothe me.

“Don’t be. Molly has spun her last fucking lie—”

“I can explain everything.” Kenny blurts it out before I can finish.

I freeze a moment. Kenny wouldn’t take Molly to any free clinic and put her on the pill.

Kenny’s eyes elongate. She sucks her cheeks in as if alluding otherwise.

Oh shit.

“Does this have something to do with the fact she thought she was going to be an aunt?” I ask, but she doesn’t say anything. “Kenny?”

“Um…” She touches her hand to her chest just the way her mother did when she was nervous. “It was sort of an accident. She’s a lying little...” Her fingers fly to her lips. “I mean, I’m sure she’s a nice person once you get to know her. It’s just that I haven’t really seen that side of her yet.”