The smell of her hair, the warmth of her skin and her bright smile consumed Brandon’s thoughts as him and Dylan scanned over the various pieces of meat in the local butcher’s section of the grocery store. The permanent smile plastered across his face let everyone around him know that something very special and probably unmentionable had just occurred to this chipper young man. The two piled a few steaks and 2 racks of ribs into their cart and Dylan pushed it to one of the aligning registers.
“So, things have taken an interesting turn with you two, I see,” he smiled at Brandon as the line slowly moved ahead. Brandon nodded back to him, “You could say that,” the glow on his face took over, “She is one amazing woman.” Dylan couldn’t help but agree, “That she is.” Soon they had made their way through the line and piled their bar-be-que supplies into the trunk of the Mustang and zoomed their way out of the parking lot.
A comfortable silence fell over the two as they continued their two minute trip down the road toward the two lovely ladies that now awaited their arrival. The top down and breeze blowing seemed to be the perfect accompaniment to a satisfying day. The house soon came into sight as Dylan picked up the view of the unidentified black BMW parked outside. He searched his mind trying to think of whose car it might be and was having no luck with coming up with an answer, until he looked over to see the front door open exposing the young lady now holding out something to whoever the owner was. A glint of sunlight sparked off the object in her hand and the suit of the man in front of her told him everything he needed to know. He screamed from the approached vehicle, “Stephanie, don’t do this!”
Brandon was quickly lost as to what was going on, but soon figured it out as his attention was grabbed by the scene that was now frame by the front door. Stephanie was holding the pistol from the night before on what he could only assume was Peter Sloan. Uncle Pete. He slammed on the brake as he parked, but Dylan had already shot out of the car and was making his way toward the house. “Stephanie, this is nuts.” Brandon trekked up to Dylan’s side at top speed as he made out Brenda’s voice coming from inside, “I’ll call the police. He’s trespassing, they arrest him. You don’t need to do this.”
All three watched as the cold stare turned into a bright smile, “It is trespassing. So that means I could shoot you right now and be fully justified.” Random thoughts blazed through Brandon’s mind trying to think of some way to reason with her. “You don’t know why he’s here. If you shoot him, you’ll never know.” This seemed to spark some interest and Stephanie’s cold manner seemed to drop to a calm one. “Alright, why are you here?” Pete just froze in his spot looking as if he hadn’t even realized a question had been asked of him. It was until he felt the movement behind him from the two boys that it hit him to answer, “I came to discuss this interview you want to do. Are you sure it’s something you are ready to deal with?”
“Oh, playing the caring Uncle Pete? You lost that privilege the night you raped me. My guess is you didn’t plan on being so nice, so why not tell me why you’re really here?” Dylan watched as the conversation turned in a direction he was hoping could be avoided, but figured that if she is talking, she isn’t shooting. He watched Peter Sloan turn from scared little man to an unhappy well dressed lawyer, “Fine, if you let this bring this information out, I will make sure you are smeared all over the place. A little girl begging her Uncle for me sounds more like a little whore than the victim.” This sent Dylan’s blood boiling and Brandon into a mental frenzy. Dylan made a move to grab Pete, but was stopped by Brandon who was now afraid Pete gave her every reason to put a bullet between his eyes. To his shock, her smile got wider.
“So I finally have you running scared old man? It’s about damn time. I spent the last three years of my life running from you because I thought I was disgusting and worthless just like you made me feel, but guess what, that little girl is gone and your big words, don’t scare me anymore. I’m not the one sweating now am I? Get in here!” she pulled back from the doorway sure to keep the gun aimed firmly at his head and motioned for him to come in. The three onlookers watched as Pete hesitated, but eventually walked his way inside. Once he cleared the doorway Brandon and Dylan followed inside. “Now, sit!” Stephanie demanded. “This is wrongful detainment. I will have all of you in jail once this is over.” Stephanie continued to glare at him as he finally took a seat on the futon opposite of the television. Dylan, Brandon and Brenda made sure to stand off to the side out of range of the possible gun fire all three feeling completely helpless.
Pete became more aggravated with this whole situation and obviously felt there was no need to refrain from making it known, “What are you going to do? Keep me here at gunpoint for the rest of your life?” Stephanie shook her head in response and walked over to the television, placing one hand on the power button and keeping a firm grip on the revolver, “Nope. I just wanted to see the reaction on your face as I screwed you.” She pushed on the button allowing the screen to flip on in front of him. Luckily the channel was already flipped to 13 news in preparation for the occasion. Pete’s attention turned from the barrel to the picture tube that was now illuminated. Through the whole house the vindicating message rang for all to hear, “California Supreme Court nominee accused of child molestation. Interview with the victim, next on 13 news at 5.” His eyes stayed glued to the screen as he watched his whole career fall apart.
The three watched as the self assured lawyer now became the frightened little child who couldn’t move and no longer had his title to hide behind. It was finally out for everyone to hear and nobody could run from it. Stephanie looked over at the small huddled mass, “Brenda, you can call the cops now.” Brandon walked toward her as she dropped her arm handing him the gun, “What about him?” They both turned their attention shocked man still unable to turn his attention to anything else. “Let him try to run from this. Everybody knows his face, he won’t get far.” Brandon nodded as he placed his arm around her back and onto her shoulder. Dylan quickly came up behind Brandon and took the gun, “I need to get rid of this before the cops get here.” He turned in the direction of the awaiting back porch with the pistol in hand. Uncle Pete said absolutely nothing from that point on as the sound of the sirens filled the street outside. Soon, he was taken into handcuffs and hauled off to jail.
Brandon returned from the front porch to the house to find it had become empty. He searched the room and kitchen having no luck in finding small group. His attention turned to the back porch as his feet followed. Outside he found Brenda making herself comfortable on a law chair as Stephanie was pressed up against the house siding. Dylan was now attending to the coals that he had lit just before the police arrived. Brandon took a seat beside the now calm and collected young woman resting against the wall. “If he had made a move, would you have shot him?” She looked over at him as she placed her hand on his leg, “Yup,” she nodded adding to her response, “but it felt much better seeing his face when he realized nothing he said anymore mattered. He’s nothing anymore, even if just in the eyes of the public.” Brandon nodded placing his hand on top of hers, “I liked the screw you line you added into it,” he jokingly commented to her. She stared deep into his eyes, “I thought the moment needed something.” The two let out a little chuckle as the tension was now lifted and they could finally enjoy themselves as they had planned to all along. The earlier scene in the kitchen played out again.
Stephanie leaned in kissing Brandon’s cheek, “What was that for?” She smiled at him, “For not stopping me from shooting him,” she joked with him. “I would never get in the way of a woman on a mission,” he joked right back as he leaned in kissing her softly on the lips. A kiss she quickly returned as she grabbed his hands pulling him to his feet. She pulled him over to the now flaming pit, “Smells good,” she stopped as Brandon wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Feels hot enough,” he pointed out his observation as Dylan added, “Bren, could you go get me a steak to throw on here.” Brenda got up from her seat and headed inside.
Stephanie turned to Brandon, “I need to go finish with the extra stuff.” She quickly kissed him and followed Brenda inside. Brandon took this opportunity to ask the burning question, “What did you do with the gun?” Dylan let out a little smirk, “Let me put it this way, if the meat tastes a little metallic, you’ll know why.” They both looked down at the flaming coals and laughed as Brenda parted through the back door with steak in hand, “What’s so funny?” she asked the two now hushed cooks. “I’ll tell you later,” Dylan assured her as Brandon turned his attention from his sister to the door parting company with the couple. “Do you think Stephanie’s going to be okay?” Dylan shook his head while keeping his sight on Brandon as he disappeared toward the kitchen realizing that all they had suffered through in these past few weeks had worked itself out, “Yea, I do.” He smiled as Brenda threw the steak onto the flames, “We’re all going to be fine.” He placed his arm around her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He thought to himself, ‘Let the celebration begin.’
No comments:
Post a Comment