Douse (Book One: At the Edge of a Hurricane)

by June Hydra

  “You’re muscular too. I love it.”

  Bishop shows off the photos intermittently. Cords of muscle jut out like prominent rides on a crumpled paper bag. I am a lean Amazon.

  “Most girls do the entire ‘model’ thing on Facebook, those bathroom mirror shots. But you could seriously make real cash modeling. You are gorgeous.”

  I point to myself. “America’s worst liar?” I point to him. “You’ve just taken the title from the Queen.”

  “Not true. I only tell truths.”

  “Okay. Do I snore?”

  Bishop shrugs. “I’m a heavy sleeper.”

  “So that’s the truth?”

  “I still love you.” Bishop’s lips engulf mine in a rolling wave of tight muscle. I clamp my lips around his cinch his Adonis belt. “I’m glad you’re the way you are,” he says. “Fully. One thing different mean’s a different girl. To think that women don’t want to approach guys because of society. If you weren’t you, we wouldn’t even know each other.”

  “It took a spark. It took you. My friend. It’s like—and I’m not converting—but it’s like fate.”

  “You’re sounding spiritual there.”

  “No, seriously. It’s like fate drew us together. Everything working as one. Maybe the stars. Maybe chance. Maybe it was God. I don’t know. But I do know you now.” I push him against the cot, and it creaks as he bounces on the blankets. “I know you now.”

  “I want to know more.”

  “Totally.”

  “Everything.”

  “Tell me something then.”

  Bishop sits upright. He dangles a leg off the cot like he did off the billiards table. And it swings, the ball of his foot acting as a pendulum, counting down until he spills whatever’s pent up inside him.

  “I have thought about just leaving everything,” he says. “Going vagabond for a while. Bouncing from town to town. That’s why I kind of envy you. You have that business thing going for you. You could move back and forth wherever whenever. That would be fun.”

  “I’m only tangentially related to the business anymore. My friends keep at it, but I make enough to move out solo.”

  “What would they say though? You and your friends look like siblings when you’re together.”

  “We are. But we’re not conjoined twins here. We’re individuals. If they want to come, they can though. We can all grow together.”

  “You’re moving out. I’m moving out…You know what I’m suggesting?”

  “We move in together?”

  “Sort of. Vagabond lifestyle like I said. Open roads. Country. Cities. Town to town. Anywhere with you. You know? That bouncy life you could read about in Westerns.”

  “We can start small. Make a goal to leave the city first, like we left our homes.” The tent snaps at the seams as if heckling my idea, but I go on, ignoring Fate’s assumptions of failure. “I’ve saved money over the years. Scarcity mentality. It’s enough to leave. That could be our small start.”

  “Where to though?”

  “You pick. Anywhere as long as you’re there.”

  “Alaska. Maine. Spain.”

  “Across the international pond?”

  Bishop grabs a tuft of grass. He digs up soil and dirties his hands. “We can spread our roots anywhere,” he says. “Just us two.”

  CHAPTER 35

  Our local Barnes & Nobles hosts Caddy and I again, in the same tucked away Starbucks in the back. We chat over nothing, preferring to save our bank accounts from overpriced lattés. Months ago we exchanged info and dossiers and joked about the city imprisoning us.

  It no longer does.

  “You could come. We’ve already lived outside what society deems normal.”

  “Still do.”

  “You want to come?”

  Caddy ignites like a match, burning down my apprehensions. "Girl, we work minimum wage jobs at nowhere. Educated Inc. is what we have to our name but that's it. If we travel with you, we'll have an opportunity to get out there and see the world. Plus, we’ll all be together. Proximity, relationships, science, we did that spiel long ago."

  "You’ll be leaving entirely. Coming back might be a luxury. That’s not to dissuade you at all, but you should be completely in without hesitations."

  "As if I stay dateless in the land of No Gays or want to see my mommy and daddy. Homophobic mommy and daddy." Caddy makes two fists and beats the table with them. "I think Piranha's the only one who has a good relationship with hers. Look how she turned out." He pauses, the match spirit dying. "Never mind, she's probably the more adjusted of the three of us."

  "Where would you even stay?"

  "Where are you going to stay?"

  "We're planning on renting here and then living out of car. Staying in different places. We'll be creative. My new job has me telecommuting so it works. I never interacted with any customers face to face anyway."

  "Are you running away from him?”

  "It was like that at the beginning. But now it's fifty-fifty-fifty. Too many reasons. But I've stayed here so long, and I want to leave. Spade is probably out there still, but he doesn't scare me anymore. It's Bishop I'm worried for. He seems tense sometimes. Unsure. He had plans to move out of his house but now after seeing what could be, I want out of here. Getting robbed was just a catalyst. This is what I need: to leave again. And if you come, then remember I can't help you with everything. Not until Bishop and I establish a routine. Else we'll all kill one another over Piranha's music in the morning."

  "Her music."

  "Yeah. Every morning. On the road. Long, long, long roads. You know she'll play it. Can you take that?"

  "How many mornings have we faced now? Girl, yes, I can take the music. I'll even dance. You know she's been meaning to teach us some patriotic moves. It’s taken the white girl five years, but I think she’s got the electric slide finally down pat."

  "We’ll need those skills.”

  “So important.”

  “I'm just outlining the trip parameters. If things go off course, I can't save us. This won't be a one-woman show."

  "Of course not. It'll be all four pitching in. If you’ll have us."

  "Then you get it. You can come. Bishop’s okay with the idea. You’ll tell Piranha?”

  “Sure.”

  “We move soon. Three weeks soon. Two weeks even. Just have to gather our things and go.” I scan the crowd around us. All these people talking and yawning while I only want to walk and run. “Tomorrow,” I say, “we pack. It could be one week if we move fast.”

  “Whatever. I’m with you.”

  “And you were actually angry at me.” I knock the table once. “Caddy, you’re one of my best friends. Thank you for everything.”

  “You’re welcome. But you don’t ever have to thank me for my friendship. That’s a given. Always.”

  CHAPTER 36

  Piranha and Caddy load the car. Bishop and I pack. We’re in my bedroom sorting through clothes, piling empty hangers on top of rapidly filling plastic bins. A neighbor’s complaint about loud music has the apartment silent save for our bumbling footsteps and occasional conversation.

  “You sure?” Bishop asks.

  “It’s time to leave.”

  Bishop snaps shut one last box. “You’re fixing to get out fast.”

  “I feel like I have to pack and up go, go. Though I feel bad about leaving your stuff at your place.”

  “Well, you’re definitely not going back there, and I think it’s too risky if I go alone. My contact network is shot. In other words, yeah, fine by me.” Bishop skips over the packed box and lands grabbing at my waist. He lifts me once and kisses my belly. “You’re what I’m taking away from this city. That’s enough.”

  Piranha waltzes in the room—literally, she waltzes—and lowers a tray of snacks onto my bed. “You’re working so hard up here. Eat something I made, I’ve been working hard too.”

  “Thanks,” Bishop says. “What’s your name again?”

  “I�
�m Piranha. Good to know you.”

  “You’re an excellent chef.” Bishop chomps on a mini-lettuce wrap. “It’ll be good to have you on the road.”

  Caddy knocks at the door but walks in too without stopping. He vacuums up the tray with his insatiable hunger, and he deserves every bit. He’s carried out more than any of us and organized us, the small crew of four, to its maximum efficiency. You get that coming from an International Relations major who loved military histories.

  “The car’s ready,” he says. “Are you?”

  “Totally,” I say. “Let’s take the rest down and finally go.”

  Each box out is like a stone skipping across a pond. Nobody knows how far they’ll travel or where the ripples will eventually stop. They might fizzle out immediately. They might combine and form a greater wave, banning with others of similar lengths.

  I just hope the ripples reach the bank of life on the other side.

  Acknowledgements: Me.

  Just kidding.

  I’d like to acknowledge my wonderful beta readers and editor, all of whom shall remain anonymous.

  I know some very private people. And no, they’re not embarrassed to be associated with me, they’re just private people. Really.

  As for DOUSE, I’d like to thank everybody who’s ever put up with me in a relationship, platonic, romantic, or otherwise! I’m sure it was like standing at the edge of a hurricane!

  Contact June!

  By email

  On Twitter

  Visit June’s blog

  You can also sign up to the June Hydra Newsletter. Receive info about future releases, sales, promos, and more!