The Midnight Tour

“And what about your son? Is he a beast?”

Sandy laughed and shook her head. “No, of course not.”

“So, you see? That makes two of us who aren’t horrors. Granted, I’m as queer as the day is long. Still, I am a man.”

“Sort of.”

“Bitch.”

“So, basically, you think I should start going out with guys?”

“Couldn’t hurt.”

“Could hurt.”

“But it’s worth the risk. Let me tell you, my dear. I’m one who knows. The greatest hurt of all is loneliness.”

“I’m not lonely.”

“Oh, you are. You’re desperately lonely.”

“Am not.”

“You’re just too tough to admit it.”

Back at Blaze’s house, Sandy took a shower and got dressed in her old clothes.

She found Blaze waiting for her in the foyer. “These’re yours,” he said, and gave her the new shorts and shirt in a shopping bag. “I’m sorry we were obliged to ruin that marvelous dress.”

Sandy smiled. “Sorry, but not very. You knew what you’d be doing to it.”

“Nonsense.”

“Then why’d you bring the spare clothes?”

“Ah! True! Well.”

“It’s all right. I expect you to ruin the outfits. You only do it about two-thirds of the time.”

Blaze laughed. “Can’t help myself.”

“I sometimes wonder if you’re as gay as you pretend to be.”

“If I weren’t, my dear, I would’ve ravished your gorgeous body eons ago. I’d be doing it on every possible occasion.”

Smiling, she gave him a hug and kiss. “I might’ve liked that.”

“Oh, I would’ve driven you mad with ecstasy. But then we couldn’t be great friends, could we? And we’d both be dirt poor, because ! I would never be able to finish any paintings. You’d no sooner strike a pose than I’d be overwhelmed with urges of the flesh and leap on you.”

“Lech.”

He gave her rump a swat. “Now, leave if you must.” He opened the door for her.

“See you later.”

“Not nearly soon enough, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, don’t pout,” she said, stepping outside.

“Ciao, babe!”

She gave him a wave, then trotted down the porch stairs and went to her pickup truck. As she opened the door, she looked back at Blaze. He still stood in the doorway. He waved at her, and she waved again. Then she climbed in, turned her truck around, and drove down the long, curving driveway.

As usual, she felt sad about leaving.

Blaze was her only friend. Driving away, she felt as if she were returning to solitary confinement.

It’s hardly that, she told herself. I’ve got Eric.

I love Eric.

But he wasn’t much of a companion. Sure, she could talk to him and he seemed to understand much of what she said. He couldn’t talk back, though.

Maybe that’s a blessing, she thought.

No, it’s not.

Besides, Eric was hardly ever around the cabin anymore.

And that made her sad.

We’ve got to spend more time together, she told herself.

Doing what? Running through the woods?

She used to do that. When Eric had been younger, Sandy would often spend hours with him. They’d explore the wooded hills together, run side by side, chase down wildlife.

Correction, he would chase down the wildlife. Leaving me behind.

But she remembered how he always brought the fresh kill back to her. Far from home, she would cook her meat over a campfire while Eric, crouching at the other side of the fire, always devoured his portions raw.

Those had been great times.

But they’d pretty much gone away.

Kids grow up, she thought. Before you know it, they stop letting you be their best buddy. Even if you haven’t changed, they suddenly see you as a nuisance.

But I did change, she reminded herself. I made myself into a nuisance.

Starting with the time Eric went chasing after a deer but brought back the boy instead.

Maybe I shouldn’t have made such a big deal out of it

Frowning, she drove slowly down the hillside road below Blaze’s house.

I didn’t make that big of a deal out of it, she told herself. It’s not like I smacked him. Just calmly told him not to do it again. Hell, I even let him go ahead and eat the twerp. That was pretty damn understanding, you ask me.

But I wouldn’t eat any. That’s what got to him. I already had the fire built and everything, and be brings back the prize for me—chased it doum and killed it all by himself—and I won’t touch it, won’t cook it up, won’t eat any.

She remembered how he’d crouched there, all bloody and silent, devouring a thigh and staring at her—a hurt look in his eyes as if he couldn’t understand why Mom had turned against him.

She felt her throat tighten.

I should’ve just gone ahead and eaten the little shit.

Even now, she doubted that she would’ve been able to stomach such a meal. But she wished she’d given it a shot.

Nothing had been quite the same after that.

He damn sure never brought me any more dead people.

Sandy felt certain that Eric loved her no less than before, but she’d lost some of the closeness and trust.

Once that’s gone, can you ever get it back?

Maybe. Who knows? Might be worth a try. Maybe if I go running with him again?

Hey, kid, how about letting the old mom tag along?

Nah. He wouldn’t want me around. Afraid I might disapprove of something.

Which I might, too. God only knows what he does all day.

At the bottom of Buena Vista Parkway, Sandy eased her pickup to a halt and waited while a string of cars rushed by on Fort Platt Boulevard.

Maybe I should bring Eric into town with me one of these days, she thought. He’s been wanting to do it for years. He would love it. If I did that, maybe we could be buddies again. I’d have to cover him up really good. Make some sort of outfit for him^?

God, it’d be so risky.

Introduce him to Blaze.

What if Blaze freaks out?