Thou Shalt Not(92)

God, what had I done?

“I need to go,” Holly said. “Please. “

Before I could step away from the door, headlights turned into the neighborhood. My heart sank. I knew I wouldn’t need to see the make or model of the car to know it belonged to April.

“Shit,” I said. I reached a hand behind my neck and stared at the ground. Where was a fucking toothpick when I needed one?

Holly turned to see the car that was heading toward my driveway.

We both stood silently as April parked on the street. She lingered in the car for a minute, and I assumed she was checking to see if it was okay to come out.

“You should probably go,” I told Holly.

“No,” she said, standing her ground.

The tension was thicker than any Florida humidity I had ever dealt with, and April had no idea what was going on yet.

She got out of her car and took two steps before she could clearly see Holly’s eyes, and then she froze in her tracks. April’s eyes shot over to me, and then dropped to the bra still clutched in my hand.

“Luke, what’s going on?”

My thoughts were all over the place. I wanted April to leave so I could explain things to Holly. I wanted Holly to leave so I could explain things to April. I wanted to leave and let the two of them explain things to each other.

No, that would be bad.

“Maybe I should come back...?”

“Oh, no,” Holly said, dripping with over the top niceness. “You’re fine. Luke was just explaining to me that he’s been fucking a married woman. Which I’m going to assume is you?”

She gestured toward April like one of those game show models gesturing toward a prize. Toothpicks! Toothpicks! Where are the toothpicks?!

“I’m not sure who you are,” April replied, in a tone I wasn’t even aware she possessed, “but, I don’t think it is any of your business who Luke is fucking, as you so tactfully put it.”

When she said the word “fucking,” she added air-quotes. And her body straightened up. She was a bit taller than Holly. And she wanted Holly to know it.

“Then, it shouldn’t bother you if I introduce myself. I’m the girl he’s been ‘fucking’ (more air quotes) for the past few years.”

April laughed. It was a mean, spiteful laugh.

“Clearly, his taste has improved in recent weeks.”

It was a cold blow, maybe something you’d hear in a high school locker room, and Holly flinched. I did too.

“April, that’s enough,” I said, holding my hand up in her direction, as if that would somehow stop her.

“You picked a real classy one, Luke,” Holly said, no longer looking at April. I could tell she wanted to leave. I stepped away from her car door.

“Well, it beats picking from the White Trash Heap,” April said.

Holly spun around toward April, the look in her eyes changing from hurt to rage in a flash.

I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her toward myself and away from April, who had seen the look in Holly’s eyes and taken a step back herself.

“Stop, April,” I said in the most forceful voice I could muster. I had no doubt that if I let go, Holly could inflict some serious damage.

She stepped forward, showing a little more boldness now that her potential attacker was being harnessed.

That’s when I felt something. I wasn’t protecting April from Holly. I was protecting Holly from April. I wanted to put my arms around her to ward off April’s words.

“Your husband must be really proud,” Holly said, elbowing me in the ribs.

I let go and she quickly got into her car before anything else could be done or said.

I knew girls could be cruel with each other. Hell, I worked in a high school. But, I didn’t expect that from April.

But, how could I really know what to expect? I barely knew her.

Holly backed out of the driveway, spun her wheels to the left, and was out of my neighborhood in a heartbeat.

And I wanted to go after her.

“Geez, what a bitch,” April said, reaching up to grab my arm.

I blocked her with my hand, transferring the bra to her hand instead.

“She’s not a bitch.”

The first time I had touched her skin I felt electricity. This time, I wasn’t sure what I felt. Sick to my stomach was more like it.

“Okay. God. Sorry. I just wasn’t expecting to get attacked by a crazy woman tonight.”

Holly wasn’t crazy. And surprisingly, she had exerted copious amounts of self-control. I felt irritated with April. I wanted her gone.

“You should probably go home, April.”

I needed time to think.

“What? I just went and got my stuff.”

“I know. But, you need to leave.”

April took a step back, looking angry.