Scent of a Girl 44 Scent of a Girl - Episode 44 "Amen"
Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)
Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/Scent/Index.html
_--_--_--__--_--_--__--_--_--__--_--_--_--_--_--__--_--_--__--_--_--__--_--_--_
/\ {* ~ *} /\ CINDY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (FRANCIS PARK) ~
So here it is: Mintzler Prep vs. Middletown in the battle for the softball league championship. We're undefeated at 20 and 0 while Middletown is 19 and 1 and had it not been for the loss to us earlier in the season they would be undefeated. We are also very evenly matched as they also have a star pitcher in Lindsay Price (tonight's starter) and a rocket armed/power hitting right fielder named Candy Fanning. While we countered with Lisa (Wilcox) as our starter and Veronica and myself as the offensive punch. Which would lead you to think that this would be a very evenly matched game, right? Well... you're right. It was.
We had a packed house as we arrived for the game and looked around at the standing room only crowd. Both teams were represented pretty nicely, it appeared, as we warmed up and got ready to play ball. With an atmosphere like that and the girl I love (Shelby) in the crowd I was ready to play and seriously wanted to single handedly win the game just so I could show off for her.
"HEY!" Shelby screamed as I came onto the field with the rest of the team. I smiled as I met her by the mesh net that separated the field and the stands.
"What?" I asked as she smiled in return and motioned for me to come closer. I pressed my forehead to hers through the net and she kissed me.
"Win or lose, I love you," she whispered. Hana and Lisa behind me gave a chorus of "awwww" as I blushed. I kissed Shelby once more before I turned and charged onto the field.
I wasn't the only one who was hyped for this game as Lisa came out throwing smoke at the Middletown line-up and easily struck out the first two batters before Candy Fanning (the 3rd place hitter) laced a line drive base hit up the middle. Lisa then struck out the clean-up hitter (and first baseman) Jessica Click to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, the Middletown starter, Lindsay Price had some trouble finding the zone and walked Bre to lead-off the game. She then gave up a stinging line-drive into the gap to Hana Peterson that sent Bre flying to third. I stepped into the box and saw Shelby sitting beside Laney right behind our dugout and my heart skipped a beat.
"GET IN THE BOX BLONDEY," came the tease from the pitcher Lindsay. I said nothing in reply as she fired the first pitch for a called strike. The second pitch was a drop-ball that I barely missed for an 0-2 count. I was just about to cut down on my swing to hopefully just make contact when Lindsay rocked and fired a third time and I immediately recognized she'd hung her breaking ball. I simply swung with every muscle in my body straining and connected spot on and sent the ball sailing deep into the night. And just like that it was 3-0. I seriously thought at that moment that we'd blow them out.
That didn't happen.
Though for a couple of innings Lisa continued to mow them down. Even striking out the dangerous Candy Fanning in the third. But in the fourth, Middletown struck back with an error aided triple (Kelly Markee let the ball skip past her in right field) by their second baseman, Christine Jennings. That was followed then by a ground ball to Hana from pitcher, Lindsay, that scored the first run to make it 3 to 1. Then in the fifth with two outs Candy Fanning struck back with a shot into dead center field that may very well still be orbiting earth. 3 to 2.
"Guys my arm is going," Lisa said as she arrived in the dugout after the fifth inning. "I don't know if I have enough left to finish this."
"If she goes out we're screwed," Hana advised as she sat down by Lisa.
"How much you got left for sure?" Coach Rowe asked.
"I'm drained Coach," Lisa said. "I threw a bunch of pitches in that last inning."
"She's lost the zip on her fastball," Chi advised and she would know as she is the catcher.
"You don't have to strike everyone out Lisa," I said as she looked to me.
"Yeah, we're a team and if you just put it over the plate and let them hit it we can catch it," Cally said. "We've still got a 1 run lead and only 6 outs to get."
"Your drop ball and rise ball are still working pretty good," Chi advised again.
"OK here's what I want," Coach Rowe said as we all gathered around. "We've got their five, six, seven hitters up in the next inning and I want you dropping balls away. Don't come inside at all and make them hit it to the opposite field."
"That will take away their pull power," Lisa said.
That little talk gave us an energized start to the top of the sixth and with everyone wanting to make a play behind her, Lisa relaxed and started painting the outside corner like a brush and got strike after strike, actually striking out the first two hitters in the sixth before giving up a bloop base hit to Christine Jennings. Lisa, though, was not shaken as she went back to the outside corner and easily retired her counterpart, Lindsay, on two pitches as she got her to pop out to Veronica at first.
"Let's get some runs," Kelly chanted as we came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth. But Lindsay had our number and we went down 1-2-3 without much of whimper and hoped Lisa had enough left to finish the game. And for the first two hitters of the top of the seventh it looked like she was gonna do it. I was just getting butterflies in anticipation of a championship win as Candy Fanning stepped into the box.
"Here catch this Cindy," Candy teased me just before Lisa delivered a hanging breaking ball right over the plate and Candy zipped a roped liner JUST over the tip of my glove and into the left field bullpen. A double. Lisa began shaking her arm and that signaled that she was out of gas. Her very next pitch, to clean-up hitter Jessica Click, was clear evidence of this. The ball landed just beyond the left field fence as Cally leaped in vain to get it, to no avail. We now trailed 4 to 3. You have no idea how mentally draining it is to go from being one out from a championship to being one run down and three outs from losing that championship. But that's where we found ourselves.
Lisa sat crying in the dugout after the inning as she watched her dream slip away. After mourning for a few moments longer I got pissed and felt like Middletown had cheated us out of the championship. So with that in my mind I tried my best to pump up Bre as she was the lead-off hitter in the bottom half of the last inning.
"I got this," Bre said confidently as she marched to the plate. Moments later she proved she did when she laced a single through the right side.
"I'm gonna go win us a championship," Hana said to me as I moved into the on-deck circle.
"Just get on base, Baby Ruth," I said as she grinned and stepped into the batters box. On the very first pitch to Hana, from Lindsay, I saw the girl swing as hard as she could at a pitch that was right at the knees. She connected spot on and the ball went sailing into the night in right field. Hana flicked the bat away, as I watched in awe, and jogged slowly down the first base line and pumped one fist in the air when the ball cleared the right field fence. I was stunned. Our dugout went nuts and the championship, as unthinkable as it had been just a few minutes earlier, was now ours.
The celebration went on for an hour after the game. What a way to end the school year.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ SARAH'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (FAST EDDIE'S EATS) ~
"Hey Marc," I said as he came through the door of the diner. Marc being Marc Summers as in the landlord of mine and Megan's soon to be apartment. "How are you?"
"I came to talk to Mr. Castle," he said as I poured him a cup of coffee. "Is he around?"
"He is," I said as I pointed next door. "He's helping Mr. Peterson next door clean out the shop."
"Well I was hoping to talk to him about just that," Marc said. "They've arranged with me to trade locations."
"I heard that," I said as Megan swayed by and joined me at the counter. "When do you think we can make the change?"
"Mr. Castle told me that he'd love to make the switch as soon as possible," Marc said.
"Speaking of moving, when can we move into our new place?" Megan asked. "The check we gave you has to have cleared by now."
"It has indeed," Marc said as he fished a pair of keys out of his breast pocket and handed one to each of us. We squealed as Harold came out of the kitchen and laughed as he watched us do a mini happy dance.
"You two beauties in need of a third roommate I hear," Mel said from his usual booth.
"Yeah and it can be anybody but you," Megan said as everyone laughed and Mel stuck his tongue out in protest.
"You ladies can move in immediately," Marc confirmed. "And I do have a business opportunity for you also."
"Yeah?"
"I've come across a DVD rental kiosk at a stellar price and am looking to turn it over to someone who would have more time to manage it," Marc confirmed.
"It's a dollar per DVD thing right?" Megan asked and Marc would soon confirm that.
"You're looking to sell it outright?" Harold asked.
"That's right," Marc said.
"I wish I had the money to buy it," I admitted.
"You can easily make three to five hundred dollars a week on one of those machines," Marc noted.
"What are you asking for it?" Harold asked.
"I'd take $3500 cash for it," Marc said. "A man could easily make that back in two months even with the operating costs factored in."
"I'm very interested," Harold admitted. "Can you throw in a good location as a part of the deal?"
"Come again?" Marc replied.
"Like guarantee me I can place it..."
"...in the space between Eddie's and our new place?" Megan asked. "Talk about a short run to the video store."
"I could do that provided you pay cash," Marc said with a hand extended to seal the deal. One that Harold gladly shook.
“AHHH Mr. Summer," Chin-Li (Mr. Peterson) said as he came in. Speaking in his best broken English as he was born in China before immigrating to the United States in the 1970's. "We need talk to you."
"You and Mr. Castle?" Marc asked. Chin-Li simply nodded and motioned for him to follow.
"So we start moving tonight?" Megan asked excitedly the moment Marc and Chin-Li had left.
"We sure do Albertina," I said as she looked at me for a moment and then poked me in the ribs as her response.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ MOLLY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (KELLER-MONTGOMERY HALL, MOLLY'S ROOM) ~
"Hey Molly... what are you two doing?" Chloe asked as she came to the door of my room and saw Mindy sitting on the floor with her back against the bed and me laying right behind her as we played a game (Need for Speed) on XBOX.
"Playing XBOX with my bestie," Mindy announced as I grinned. "Duh!"
"That was so funny, Scooby," I giggled and that caused me to go careening off the course and into a spectacular crash. Mindy squealed as she took the lead and quickly pulled away and rounded the last turn... and crashed herself, allowing me to sneak in for the victory. "YES! Molly wins again."
"You cheated, Punky," Mindy said with a mean look.
"How did I cheat?"
"You made me think I was gonna win and got me all excited," Mindy said as I laughed. "You cheated."
"You're a big baby," I said as she grinned.
"I'm gonna miss you," she said as I rolled over and hugged her as Chloe watched.
"Me too Scooby!"
"OK, now can we get on with the packing?" Chloe asked as I looked and saw that she had three large bags stuffed completely full sitting in the hallway.
"Get on with? You're done," I said as I pointed to the bags.
"And you're not even started," she said.
"She's already done," Mindy said as I grinned victoriously. "Her bags are downstairs by Maggie's office with the other students."
"Only thing left here is my laptop," I said as I picked up the bag it was in. "Looks like to me that you are the one who is behind."
"Oh shut up," Chloe said as I laughed.
"Are you guys really spending the summer together in Kansas City?" Mindy asked as I helped her unhook her XBOX.
"Yeah, right next door to the Harper's of Raytown," I said as Chloe groaned. Mindy laughed.
"Will you knock that off," Chloe complained. "It's a nice town."
"Well I'll bet Hazard, Kentucky is too and people still know that the Dukes of Hazzard had the same name," I said.
"Isn't that where all the people walk around barefoot and toothless?" Mindy asked as I laughed.
"You forgot the cigarettes and coffee cups for the women," I said as we both laughed.
"And getting pregnant at like 12," Chloe added. "But that's not what's it like."
"How do you know?" I asked.
"I have family there," Chloe said. "I do."
"Too bad," Mindy giggled as I laughed along.
"I'm gonna meet you two hyenas downstairs," Chloe said.
"Hold on, we're coming too," Mindy said as Chloe stopped reluctantly. "Dakota said she'd meet me downstairs anyway."
"I'm gonna miss this place," I said as I closed my door for the final time on the year and locked it. "Place seems like home after being here all these months."
"And some people I guess made it a lot nicer than others," Chloe said as we walked to the end of the hall.
"They sure did," I said as I slipped an arm around Mindy's waste and grinned at her as she giggled. Chloe warned me with a finger point. We were just about to walk down the steps when a dinging sound signaled the arrival of the, apparently, now fixed elevator. The three of us watched as it popped open and revealed Maggie and Holly giggling on the other side. "When did the elevator get fixed?"
"About 20 minutes ago," Maggie said with a smile. "Your sister is very handy."
"You fixed the elevator?" I asked Holly.
"I sure did," Holly said with a smug smile.
"How?"
"Found the power switch in the basement," Holly said as everyone laughed.
"I didn't say she fixed it with tools," Maggie said as her and Holly grinned at each other.
"So you two planning marriage yet?" I asked.
"Noooo," Holly growled at me. "Molly has always had a big fuckin mouth."
"And I take that from you," I said as we exchanged glares.
"Are they always fighting?" Maggie asked Chloe.
"Always," Chloe said with a tired look.
"Well she always starts it," I said as I pointed to Holly. "Can't keep her mouth shut or her legs closed."
"Baby sister, the only reason I haven't pulverized you yet is I'm trying to turn over a new leaf," Holly warned me. "Shut up."
"Oh, so it's me that has to shut up after it's you that embarrassed me all those times?" I asked as Holly gave me a death look.
"You are embarrassing," Chloe said to me.
"So what's more embarrassing? Me doing this or Holly fucking a goat with a strap-on?" I asked.
"You're dead," Holly said as she took off after me and I squealed and went tearing down the hall, leaving everyone else laughing. I thundered down the steps and circled around the outside of the building and was panting for breath as I passed the Keller-Montgomery Hall sign and headed back inside... to find Holly relaxing on the love seat. "Hi!"
"Oh boy," I said nervously.
"You really embarrassed me up there," she said simply.
"So? You've..."
"Whatever Molly," Holly said as she cut me off. "I really like this girl. She's nice and doesn't drive me crazy about my past. And she's not a whore like Megan."
"So?"
"You taking out your revenge for the way I treated you is taking a toll," Holly said. "She's gonna think I'm a horrible person..."
"You were," I countered. "And you'll screw the pooch on this relationship in a few weeks."
"I don't think so," Maggie said as her, Mindy and Chloe emerged from the elevator. "Because we don't have a relationship. Yet..."
"I thought, we kinda did," Holly said with a heartbroken look.
"We might have if you ask me out on a date," Maggie said as Holly grinned.
"One word out of your big mouth..." Chloe said and Mindy finished, "...you're gonna be in serious trouble with both of us."
"WOW!" Holly said. "First time I've ever seen Molly let someone tell her what to do."
"If you really love someone it's different," Maggie said. "Sometimes they're just trying to protect you from being stupid."
"AMEN!" I said as everyone laughed.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ SHELBY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (OLIVER-STANTON, MINTZ SUITE) ~
"So what's the first thing you gonna do when you get home?" I asked Laney as she came into the living room and dumped her massive suitcase and two stuffed (completely full) duffel bags on the floor beside mine and Cindy's.
"I am gonna get some shark and taties," Laney said.
"Have what?"
"Fish and chips," Laney said. "In New Zealand they call it shark and taties."
"Why are you going to New Zealand?"
"Because I live there," she said. "OHMIGOD I can't believe I never told you that."
"You don't have an accent so how could you be from New Zealand?" I asked.
"My Dad, Captain Bryant is stationed down under for the time being," Laney explained. "And he sent me here to go to school because of its reputation."
"The champ is here," Cindy said as she came in the front door with the final mail of the year. "Anyone wanna kiss me?"
"I do," Laney giggled as I pushed her as a protest. "What? I'd kiss you too. I like a little brown sugar."
"So we're gonna do that threesome before we go?" Cindy asked.
"I don't think Shelby has the guts," Laney said as she poked me and made me laugh.
"Let me go find Cally and get one of her strap-ons and we'll do it," I said as both giggled. "It's funny is it?"
"Not really," Laney admitted. "I'd probably do it if you two wanted it. I trust you."
"What a way to lose my virginity," Cindy said as she kissed my cheek.
"Why didn't you friggin bring this up two or three weeks ago?" I asked in frustration.
"We wanted to torture you," Cindy and Laney said in unison and then laughed.
"So neither one of you were serious?"
"I was serious," Cindy said. "Laney?"
"I'd do it if you both wanted me to," Laney said. "Both!"
"Maybe we can pick this up in the fall?" I asked as I slid a hand across Laney's back and down to her cute little butt.
"MMMMMMMMM," Laney cooed as I grinned and we rubbed noses for a moment (Eskimo kiss) and then giggled. "And yes we can. And I'll get that?"
"Yes you will," Laney confirmed as a thrill ran through me, when a knock came at the door.
"Probably my Dad," I said as I tugged all the bags across the room to the door. But hearing Laney squeal and jump into a man's arms after opening the door let me know it wasn't my Dad. Matter-of-fact this guy looked like the Captain from The Love Boat. Full military dress blues.
"Daddy!" Laney said as she hugged him for dear life. "How did you find the time?"
"My little sweat pea wants me to come then I come," he said.
"Shelby, Cindy this is my Dad, Captain Philip Bryant of the United States Marine corps," Laney said as she hugged his arm.
"Sir," Cindy said with a salute as Captain Bryant laughed.
"My best friends in the world, that's Shelby," Laney said as she pointed to me. "And that's Cindy, my other bestie. They're dating."
"You could have left that part out," I said as she giggled. "But she's right, we are."
"And who are you dating?" Captain Bryant asked Laney.
"I didn't think you'd approve of me dating a girl, so no one," Laney said.
"I don't honestly care who you date as long as they're respectful to you and your family," Captain Bryant said.
"Very modern of you, Captain," Cindy said as he laughed.
"Is that Captain Philip Bryant? The worst excuse for a commanding officer the USMC has ever known?"
"Who said that?" Captain Bryant asked as he turned and saw my Dad (Harold) standing there grinning. "Private Parker drop and give me twenty."
"Not in this lifetime," Dad said as I hugged him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to bring my Laney home for the summer," Captain Bryant said. "And I'm glad we bumped into each other. Are you planning on attending the reunion in Los Angeles in a few weeks?"
"I got a letter about that," Dad said as mine, Laney's and Cindy's ears perked up. "I think we can swing the airfare."
"Well the hotel is offering a really good deal on accommodations,” Captain Bryant said.
"Can Laney come too?" Cindy asked.
"Yeah can I Daddy?" Laney asked.
"Add me to the list that wants her there," I chimed in. "Hey wait, I better make sure I'm going. Can I?"
"How can I say no to that face?" Dad asked as I kissed his cheek.
"I suppose you'd disown me if I said no?" Captain Bryant asked Laney. But got no reply as Laney crashed into me with a hug and knocked both of us to the floor. Both of us giggled as we celebrated.
"You can both stay with me," Cindy announced as Laney and I stopped for a second. "Mom and Dad won't mind."
"YES!" Laney and I squealed as we pulled Cindy down into the celebration. This is gonna be the best summer EVER.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ MINDY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MAIN GATE) ~
"What am I gonna do for the next two and half months?" Dakota asked before she kissed me. I simply cooed my approval and kissed her back. We were standing by the bus stop at the main gate and waiting for the school shuttle to pick us up for the LONG (85 miles) ride to the airport (Bemidji Regional Airport).
"Missing me, I hope," I said with a grin.
"Or missing the satisfying things you do to me?" Dakota asked as I blushed.
"We've always had good chemistry," I admitted.
"We sure have," Dakota said as she kissed me again. "But what are we gonna do?"
"You're gonna call me every day on that cell phone," I said. "Or I'll call you."
"And we figure out what we're gonna do in the future?"
"No figuring out what to do," I said with a kiss. "I am with you and that's where I wanna be."
"Me too," Dakota said as I smiled. "You know I was walking by your door right after the shit the fan with Bre and I wished so bad I could just go back in time and not let what happened tear us apart."
"You got your wish," I said with a kiss. I heard a clearing of the throat and looked to see, of all people, Bre was watching us from a feet away. She grinned and waved for a moment as both Dakota and I became confused. She then flipped us off and walked off with her bag into the mass of students now collected around us in every direction. "She's a bitch."
"She's really hurt at the way we ended," Dakota commented.
"Still she could act like she's 15 and not 4," I said.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ MOLLY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (MAIN GATE) ~
"Bre?" I asked as I looked back and saw her sitting there, alone, and seemingly wanting to avoid seeing everyone.
"Yeah?"
"I haven't seen you in days," I said as she rose to meet me.
"Too bad for you," she said coldly.
"Not really considering every time we talk we end up fighting," I said as I spotted Chloe swaying back this way from getting a soda. "Look, why don't I give you my number and you can call me some this summer and we can talk. Maybe in the fall things will be blown over?"
"First, I don't want your number and two, I'm not coming back in the fall," Bre announced as she picked up her bag. "I hate this place and everyone in it. If I never see it again it'll be too soon."
"Good news," I said to her back as she walked off. "I hope you get run over by a train you fire breathing, bitter bitch."
"Talking to me?" Chloe asked with a smirk as I turned back around. "Yes I was."
"Then fuck you," Chloe said as she kissed me. "Bre having another tantrum?"
"As always," I said. "I don't care anymore."
"Hey Punky?" Mindy said as she came up behind me. I turned and smiled as Chloe checked on our bags.
"Hey Scooby," I said as she smiled. "You looking forward to going home?"
"No," She admitted. "Cindy has her two girlfriends coming to visit, but I'll be lonely."
"I'm so sure," I said as she giggled. "And you got a phone so when you're lonely call me."
"You sure? I can be annoying," Mindy said as I laughed.
"I'm used to it by now," I said as she giggled in return and hugged me. A long moment passed as I hugged her back and then touched my forehead to hers. "If you don't call me every day I will call you. Ya hear me?"
"I love you, Molly Harris" Mindy said as I smiled. "You're my best friend in this world."
"I love you too, Melinda," I said as she showed her surprise at my mentioning of her full name. "My best friend too."
"The bus is here," Mindy said with one last hug and a kiss that was headed for my cheek but caught partial lip. "MMMMMM!"
"I'll say," I giggled. Dakota came over and hugged both me and Chloe as Mindy hugged Chloe and we all said our goodbyes. Cally and Alisha made it to the stop just before we departed and we made final plans to see them in Raytown in a few weeks. Cindy and Shelby came by as Chloe and I took our seats and said their goodbyes as the bus pulled away from the corner and we headed for the airport.
A year (well almost) had passed since I'd fucked my sister (lol) and ended up sparking the end of my family as a unit. But things were certainly better than they had EVER been before I did the deed with Holly (and Megan). I'd found my soulmate (Chloe), a best friend forever (Mindy) and a group of friends (The Mintz) who always have my back no matter what comes down the pipe. I laced my fingers with Chloe's as we rolled farther and farther away from Mintzler, knowing I'd be back but happy to be getting away, and hoped that the good luck streak I'd seemingly been on would extend into the new year.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ SARAH'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (FAST EDDIE'S EATS) ~
"Howdy stranger," I said as an older gentleman came in looking like the stuff the cat dragged in. "Long day?"
"Long few months," he said as I poured him a cup of coffee. "I'm just trying to put my life back together after an incredible series of screw-ups by me."
"I'm sure it's not all that bad," I said and smiled when I spotted Holly and Megan coming down the street and headed for work. But the smiles on their faces instantly vanished when they came in and saw the stranger sitting on the bar stool. Holly's eyes went wide with shock and Megan's went blood red with rage.
"Dad?" Holly asked in shock.
"YOU PIECE OF SHIT FUCKING BASTARD!!!" Megan screamed as she marched over and delivered a thunderous, bone rattling, head snapping slap to the stranger before he crashed to the floor in a heap. Thankfully the place was deserted at that hour.
"Megs, stop, what the fuck?" I asked as I set the coffee down and ran around the counter and pulled her back into my arms as the stranger looked up at her in shock.
"He's the one that held Molly back while his psychotic bigot of a wife beat the living hell OUT OF ME," Megan screamed in a rage. It took every bit of strength in my body to keep her at bay. "Let me loose, Rae Rae, I'll go to the electric chair for killing his ass."
"I'm not gonna let you hurt him Albertina now calm the fuck down," I said as Megan's rage was zapped when she looked back at me.
"Stop calling me Albertina, Fae," she said as I laughed.
"What in the living hell are you doing here old man?" Holly asked her father.
"That piece of shit is Eugene Harris, Molly and Holly's Dad," Megan said as I forced her into the booth first and sat down by her.
"Getting my brains smacked out for one thing," Eugene said as he rubbed his bearded cheek.
"If she lets me go I'm gonna do more than that," Megan threatened.
"He could have you arrested," I said to her.
"And I'll swear on the bible that he raped me," Megan said aloud.
"No ones gonna believe that," Eugene fired back as Megan tried to get past me.
"They will if I tell them you escaped from the looney bin and did it," Holly said as Megan grinned.
"They released me," Eugene said.
"What did they run out of drugs to give you?" Holly asked.
"They released me on good behavior and the fact that your mother has recovered, somewhat, and dropped the original charges," Eugene said. "And I'm ready to take back custody of my daughter."
"Over my dead body," Holly said.
"I'm an adult, Holly," Eugene said. "It's not your decision."
"There's is no judge in this country that would give a wife beating low life like you back his child," Holly said as Eugene glared at her. "Molly is happy at Mintzler and for once me and her have actually, almost, well kinda, become friends."
"I'm on my way to see her now," Eugene said.
"Feel free but you won't find her because she's on her way to Kansas City with her girlfriend for the summer," Holly said.
"You let her go 800 miles away with some girlfriend of hers?"
"I sure did," Holly said. "And in a few days I'm going down for a week to visit them."
"And you call yourself a parent?"
"I'm already more of a parent than you'll ever be," Holly said. "At least she can be in the same room with me without trying to kill me."
"She is my daughter..."
"And she is my sister, you bigot," Holly said. "And I'll kill your ass over her."
"And I'll gladly bury you under the bridge," Megan chimed in. "You're not wanted here Eugene. So get to steppin'."
"So what? Just leave town and never come back?" Eugene asked. "Would that make you two happy?"
"Driving off a cliff would be much better," Holly said as she held the door open for Eugene. "Get the fuck out."
"And take that GOD DAMN BIGOT OF A WIFE WITH YOU!!!" Megan screamed as loud as she could.
"Don't feel the need to come back, Dad," Holly said as Eugene stormed out. Megan crashed into Holly and hugged her in excitement. But what happened next was even more shocking. Megan kissed Holly. A soft, sweet kiss that took both of them by surprise. I had a feeling that, as I watched the two part and quickly walk away, that neither of these stories had seen their end. See ya next year.