Out on the Sound

by R. E. Bradshaw

  Charlie got down on her knees in between Decky’s legs. “As God is my witness, I am done with Lynne. You don’t have to hit me over the head more than once before I wake up. She made her bed. She can wallow in it for all I care. My bucket is full. I do have to finish dividing up our lives from the last ten years, but after that, she is a fading memory.”

  Decky was smiling now.

  Charlie looked puzzled, but pleased. “What are you thinking Decky Bradshaw? You look like a Cheshire cat.”

  “You knew that line was from my favorite book.” Decky sat up closer to Charlie.

  Taking the cue, Charlie scooted up further into Decky’s spread legs. “What line?”

  “As God is my witness…that’s from Gone with the Wind. Scarlet says ‘As God is my witness, I’ll never go hungry again.”

  Charlie leaned in and whispered on Decky’s lips, “I know what she meant.”

  They kissed with a passion that unlocked new levels of intimacy between them. They were becoming one. Walls built by life’s experiences melted away. Doubts became no more. Decky knew for sure, she would love this woman the rest of her life. No doubt about it.

  Later, when they went upstairs to go to bed, Dixie was already laid up on her pillow waiting for Decky.

  “Uh, oh. I forgot to tell her you were staying.”

  Dixie looked at Decky and then at Charlie.

  “Sorry girl, you’ve lost your spot.”

  Dixie cocked her head and then slowly got off the bed and into the stuffed loveseat across the room.

  “She likes you. I guess you can stay,” Decky said pulling back the covers.

  Charlie slid into the bed and pulled Decky down on top of her. “Now let me show you what I had in mind when I packed this sexy nightgown.”

  Chapter Five

  For the next two days, Decky and Charlie played house. They spent part of the time getting the cottage ready for Charlie to move in. Decky called the twins. She needed the cottage cleaned out of furniture and Charlie’s things moved from storage to the cottage. She offered prime dollars for the twins to round up all the teenage young bucks to get ‘er done.

  On Thursday morning, they met the boys at the cottage. There were ten of the county’s lanky, deep tanned, washboard abbed young men sitting on the dock dangling their feet when Decky pulled up in the boat. Charlie had been dropped off at Brenda’s to retrieve her car and the things she had left there.

  “Howdy boys!” One of the twins, she wasn’t sure which, hopped on the boat and threw the bowline to his brother. Decky tossed the stern line to another boy. Dixie, who absolutely loved boys, was out of the boat making the rounds before the lines were tied. She wagged her entire body and smiled as she passed each outstretched hand, then turned back for another pass. Everybody loved Dixie. Decky got out of the boat, with a little help. As Dixie passed her on the way down the dock, running after the boys up ahead, Decky whispered to her, “Slut.” Dixie looked at her, grinned and skipped after the boys.

  Most of the boys headed for the U-Haul parked at the base of the steps; two, apparent representatives for the group, bracketed Decky on her left and right.

  “Decky, man, we can’t believe you are renting out the party pad,” the one on the right said.

  “Yeah, where are we going to hang out now,” said the other.

  “How about at home? Your parents will appreciate it.” Decky grabbed a lawn chair, which one of the boys took as he followed her.

  “My mother begs me to find somewhere else to be. She says she has enough to do without having to clean up after a bunch of nasty boys.”

  “I never cleaned up after you,” Decky said pointing where she wanted the chair.

  The shorter of the two boys squeaked out through adolescent vocal chords involved in big changes, “That’s because you said we couldn’t come back, if we didn’t clean up and take care of your stuff.”

  “Maybe your mother should try that at home.”

  The other boys had opened the back door of the truck and were nearing the bottom of the steps where Decky had decided to set up command. Josh, one of Zack’s friends, who was older than the rest, stopped at the base of the steps.

  “So Zack’s gone to Alaska and then off to Boston. It’s the end of an era. I sure had some good times here. Who’d you rent it to anyway?”

  “A new math professor at the University.”

  “Well I can tell it’s a lady from the stuff we moved. How old is she?”

  Decky acted as if she had to think about it, “Thirty-eight, I think.”

  “Boys, this is a sad day,” Josh said to the young men, who were all now listening. “The party pad is being turned over to an old lady math teacher. Let us bow our heads for a moment of silence.”

  They all removed the ever-present ball caps and bowed their heads, in mock prayer. As if on cue, Charlie entered the property, bumping through the ruts in the lane. She was driving a BMW 335i convertible stuffed with suitcases and some potted plants. She saw Decky, waved and smiled, then brought the car to a halt and got out.

  She turned her back to Decky and the now gaping lads. She was wearing an old tee shirt with the sleeves and neck cut out and running shorts. She leaned over into the backseat to retrieve something and an audible gasp came from the crowd. Decky wasn’t sure if she had participated, but no one noticed.

  “Jesus Christ,” one of the boys said.

  Another added, “That don’t look like no old lady math teacher to me!”

  The youngest one said, “Man, I’m going to start studying so I can take Math in college.”

  Decky was enjoying this. Josh tapped his hand on the stair railing. “Boys, a smart woman who looks like that, who obviously has money, is a dangerous thing. Damn exciting, but dangerous.”

  “Damn she’s hot,” slipped from somebody’s lips.

  “Yes, she is,” Decky replied and immediately regretted it. The boys all turned to look at her. She tried to cover, “Well, I’m not blind and she is attractive. Now, go on and get that stuff unloaded. I’m paying you by the hour.”

  Charlie approached the group. She smiled at the boys, “I really thank you all for helping out.”

  The boys nodded acceptance and continued their work. Charlie stopped by Decky’s chair. Dixie, who was now a sopping wet dog, sidled up and rubbed her body against Charlie’s leg.

  “Hey sweetheart, have you been swimming?”

  “She doesn’t swim, she wades. Good thing the sound is so shallow.”

  “I thought retrievers loved the water.”

  “Dixie is not a retriever, she is a princess. They may look alike, but they are very different breeds.”

  “And a very pretty princess at that. I see you have made yourself comfortable. You want some water or anything. I think I can find the box with glasses.”

  “No, I’m fine. There’s water in the cooler over there. Hey,” she grabbed Charlie’s arm in a conspiratorial way, “you can’t come up here dressed like that around these boys, not to mention me.”

  “Dressed like what? It’s just an old tee shirt and shorts. I am hot and sweaty.”

  “Didn’t you see the way they were looking at you?”

  “Don’t be silly, they were looking at the car. I shouldn’t have bought it, but I sold the house for much more than I had asked for. It is sexy isn’t it?”

  “They might think the car is hot, but you are way sexier than that car.”

  “There is nothing sexy about the way I look.”

  “Oh, but I beg to differ and there are ten boys running around here that would agree with me.”

  “My God, you people are hopeless. Is everybody in this county some kind of sex crazed maniac?”

  “No, that’s just me, the rest are suffering from raging hormones.”

  “Do I need to go put on my old robe so I can get moved in?”

  “No, I think your outfit might actually move things along, when I think about it. They’ll be up and down those steps so fast, just to get
a look at you, we’ll have this done in no time.”

  “Well, I’ll keep this little outfit around then, in case I should ever need any heavy lifting. I’m going up now. You coming?” Charlie started up the steps.

  “No, I’m going to hang out here with Dixie. I’ll come up after the traffic slows down.”

  Decky waited until Charlie was busy upstairs and then set her plan in motion. Earlier she had arranged for the boys to pick up a new sleigh bed and mattress set from town. When Charlie’s old bed came off the truck, she instructed the boys to set the mattresses on the old bon fire pit by the water. The frame, head and footboards were placed in the aluminum shed, just in case they turned out to be a family heirloom.

  She waited until the boys had taken the new bed up to Charlie’s room then produced a can of lighter fluid, with which she proceeded to soak the mattresses. She stood poised lighter in hand until the moment Charlie stepped out on the deck.

  “Decky, there’s been some mistake. This is not my bed in here.” Charlie came out on the deck. She began to take in the situation unfolding on the ground below her. “Decky Bradshaw, what in the hell are you doing?”

  The boys began to join Charlie on the deck. They did not understand what was going on, but they knew a big fire and possible explosion was imminent. They wanted in.

  Decky lit the piece of paper she had been holding and tossed it on the mattresses. With a whoosh, the whole thing went up in flames.

  “Charlene Warren, your demons have been exorcised. You may now proceed to a happier life.”

  The boys were shouting and slapping hands. There’s nothing like a fire to a boy, no matter how old he got. Charlie made her way down the steps and over the lawn where Decky stood, just out of reach of the flames.

  “You know you are insane don’t you?”

  Decky grinned. “The voodoo princess said this would help.”

  “Well, I appreciate your heartfelt efforts on my behalf; however, I gave my old mattresses to Good Will months ago. Those were new.”

  Decky and Charlie began laughing. The boys laughed too, even though they could not hear what had been said.

  The rest of the day went well. By early evening, the U-Haul was gone and everything was in its place except for some boxes here and there. Decky and Charlie were sitting out by the now smoldering mound of mattresses and discarded boxes.

  “I know exactly what would make this day perfect,” Decky said, smiling at Charlie.

  Rubbing her calves, Charlie mumbled, “An elevator.”

  “Well, that would come in handy later, but right now, how about we roast some marshmallows over these coals and make S’mores.”

  “I can’t believe you burned those mattresses,” Charlie giggled.

  “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Decky was a little embarrassed.

  “I’m just glad you didn’t burn up my grandma’s headboard.” Charlie giggled some more.

  Decky pulled the S’more ingredients out of the cooler they had moved between them. She had even procured some hangers.

  Charlie watched Decky put the marshmallows on the wire. She was tired and could not suppress the giggles. She gasped out, “Well, on the positive side, this is the most expensive bon fire I’ve ever been to.” The giggles took over. Charlie laughed so hard she fell out of her chair.

  Dixie came over and started kissing Charlie all over her face, which made Charlie giggle even more.

  Decky laughed at the two of them, then said, “Easy there princess, that’s my girl.”

  #

  Decky did make it up the steps. When they had finally showered and crawled into bed, they had been too exhausted to do anything but sleep. They woke early. Charlie rushed Decky out the door claiming she would never make it to her meeting if she let her stay. Promising to go straight to Decky’s after she finished with school business, Charlie walked Decky and Dixie down to the boat.

  Charlie stayed on the dock until Decky was out of sight. Decky knew this because she had turned repeatedly, looking back, a pain in her chest. How long would this pain last? Would she feel it every time she parted from Charlie for the rest of their lives? Would the longing subside? It was going to have to, if she were ever going to get back to all the things she had put aside, when Charlie came into her life.

  That morning, Decky actually got some work done and even managed to get in a workout. She had been getting a workout, just not in the gym. She grinned to herself. Around noon, she dug around in some old CDs and located a dust-covered case. She looked at Dixie, “Made in 1988. The last time I listened to this I was still in Chapel Hill, I think. I got a feeling it will sound a bit different now.”

  She popped the CD in the player. Turned up the volume and went off to the kitchen with Dixie for a quick lunch. Melissa Etheridge came out loud and clear. “Come on, close your eyes, imagine me there. She’s got similar features, with longer hair…” Decky caught herself stool dancing and singing along.

  “Yep, I got a whole new perspective on this now.”

  Dixie barked, putting her paw on Decky’s leg. Decky handed over the bread edges she had peeled off. Dixie gobbled them down, checked again for the possibility of more, and then headed outside for her afternoon inspection of the grounds.

  Decky took a book, containing some research she was already supposed to have looked at, over to the couch. She tried to read the book, but Melissa wouldn’t let her. Decky played little videos in her mind for each song. This wasn’t unusual for her. She liked songs that told stories. Reba was one of her favorites. Melissa’s stories were not like Reba’s at all. In her mind Decky saw the longing, the pain, the rage as Melissa poured out her soul. Only the characters in her video were Lynne and Charlie. Decky and Charlie didn’t have any pain and angst in their past, so she followed the end of Lynne and Charlie’s relationship in vivid color, in her mind.

  By the time, Melissa sang the last lines of ‘Somebody Bring Me Some Water’ Decky could take it no more. She used the remote control to change the music to Jimmy Buffet to lighten the mood.

  Where was Charlie? When would she be here? Why did Lynne have to bring the cat? Couldn’t she to put it in a box and next day air it? Stop talking to yourself. Pick up the book and read.

  Decky had to command herself to do something constructive. The book didn’t work so she and Dixie went down to the dock and worked on her next plan. The last plan hadn’t fared so well, although she had pulled it out in the end with the S’mores. The second thing Decky marked in her book of women’s behavior was that they could be bought with chocolate.

  Around four o’clock, Decky heard footsteps on the dock, high-heeled steps. Alan Jackson sang “…it’s five o’clock somewhere,” on the radio, which was perfect because Decky was sprawled out in a lounge chair, fishing pole in one hand and a Corona with lime in the other. The sun was sinking behind the person coming toward her. Even the sunglasses did not cut the glare. Decky shielded her eyes to see Charlie, being escorted down the dock by Dixie.

  Charlie was dressed in a black summer sleeveless dress. She wore pearls around her neck, which appeared to glow against her tan skin. The dress was the kind every woman had in her closet, but not every woman looked like Charlie in it. She came straight over to Decky, kicked her black heels under the chair and planted a big kiss on Decky’s forehead. She sat down in Decky’s lap, took the beer and drank it down. Decky had still not said a word.

  “Decky, you really have to work on this being stunned by my presence.” Charlie looked good and she knew it.

  “Well, every time I see you, you look like a different person. You’re not like evil triplets or something, are you?”

  “Different faces for different places. You’ll learn how to adapt.” Charlie slid her dress off one shoulder. “God it’s hot.”

  Decky had a bite. The pole shook and then bent as the line was being pulled out. It was the sound of the little reel feeding line out that caught her attention.

  “I got a fish on. You want to
reel him in?” She handed the rod to Charlie.

  Charlie took the rod enthusiastically. “I love to fish. I fished all the time growing up. Wow, this thing is fighting.”

  “Might be a little bass,” Decky said.

  Charlie stood up and moved to get a better angle on the fish. She reeled the line quickly against the straining creature. Suddenly, and as Decky saw it, without warning, Charlie screamed, “BASS, MY ASS!”

  What happened next was somewhat of a blur. Charlie came by Decky’s chair on a dead run. She still had the pole grasped tightly in her hands. Behind her trailed fishing line with a short fat green eel attached to the end. Dixie hopped behind the eel barking all the way. Every time Charlie turned around, she saw the eel and just ran faster. The stunned eel bumped along the dock behind her as Charlie tore ass for land.