'This and that.'
'Oh, you have secrets, do you?'
'Lots of them.'
'I'll just bet,' she smiled again. 'See you later, sis,' she said, bending forward to give Fancy another kiss. She went out the way she came, swaying her hips, not wiggling. A threat, not a promise.
I reached over to the table for a cigarette, caught Fancy in the edge of my vision. She was nibbling at her lower lip, face bathed in sweat.
'What is it?' I asked her.
'She always…thinks she knows. You're very good. I didn't know things were going to be like this. I mean, I knew you'd meet her. That's why I showed you the video. I thought it would be a good trick. On her, for a change. But you didn't show a thing on your face. Didn't you recognize…?'
'Sure I did.'
'Oh. Burke? Can we…go somewhere?'
'Where?'
'Anywhere. Away from here. Could we?'
'Let's go,' I said.
She climbed into the front seat of the Miata, strapped herself in without a word. I started the engine, drove off. She held her silence, looking down at her lap. I headed toward town, found a place to park.
'Stay here,' I told her. She didn't reply.
I was about a half hour putting together everything I wanted. Nice thing about rich towns— the deli displayed a massive selection, and the art supply shop had just what I needed. I carried it back in a couple of environmentally correct paper bags with store logos plastered on them, put it all in the trunk.
Fancy was just where I left her, still looking down at her lap, her seat belt still buckled. I opened her door, reached across her and unsnapped the belt. 'Come on,' I said, taking her hand, pulling her up. 'Give me a hand with this,' I told her, pointing at the canvas top to the Miata.
She dutifully unhooked her side of the top, helped me fold it back behind the seats. We climbed back inside and took off. Out of town, meandering until I found the back roads that led to Crystal Cove. I played with the Miata on the curves a little bit— the little car seemed happier higher up on the tach.
Fancy still hadn't said a word. We were on a smooth straight stretch of blacktop. 'Unbutton your blouse,' I told her.
'What?'
'Unbutton your blouse, bitch,' I said again, smacking my hand lightly against the side of her thigh.
She undid a couple of buttons, not speaking. 'Do another one,' I said, reaching inside her blouse as she obeyed, feeling for the clasp. It was in the front, a solid notch between her heavy, thick breasts. I popped it open and they came free.
'Very nice,' I said, reaching my hand under her loose skirt. She looked straight ahead. I found her plump sex under the cotton, pinched hard. She made a little squeal. I pinched harder, feeling the wetness come.
'You gonna behave yourself?' I asked her.
'Yes sir,' she said, still looking down.
'You gonna do what I want?'
'Yes, sir. Oh!' she yelled as I pinched her harder.
'What I want, I want a bouncy, merry girl to go on a picnic with me, see?'
'Yes.'
'Then
She closed the bra, buttoned the blouse, twisted in her seat and kissed me on the cheek. I patted her knee, kept driving until I found the same spot we'd watched the hospital from. I pulled the Miata off the road. If anyone ever asked me another time, I'd been there before, legit.
I opened the trunk and took out some of the stuff I'd bought. There was no blanket back there— I guess rich kids didn't use them.
We walked away from the car until I found a spot under a tree. I took off my jacket, spread it out on the ground. 'Sit, bitch,' I told her. 'I hope this is big enough to keep your fat butt off the grass.'
'Close enough,' she giggled, some color back in her face.
I unpacked the big paper bag. Handed Fancy a thick, stuffed croissant.
'What is this?' she asked.
'Halibut salad. The guy at the deli assured me it's the latest craze.'
'Ummm,' she said, taking a deep bite. 'It's delicious. What did you get for yourself?'
'Roast beef and chopped liver' I said, biting into my pumpernickel bread sandwich.
'Ugh. Cholesterol City!'
'Shut up— it's good for you.'
