'Oh, yeah. Well, Daddy had them all set to come to one of his shows, and I guess they did, but the night before that I ran off with Earl Hockfuss who was this boy with the cutest strand of hair that fell across his forehead in a certain way that made you just want to cry or scream or grab hold of something soft and squeeze real tight.
When Earl would reach up and push that hair away, I used to tighten up my butt and press my thighs together, you know what I mean, Rae? 'Course, I was only sixteen, remember. I must have thought hair made the man in those days. Probably from hearing Daddy preach about Samson and Delilah or something.' Aural laughed. 'I was given to easy impressions back then.'
'You ran off and got married?'
'No, honey, I just ran off. Earl and me went to a motel in Black Ridge and stayed there for three days until Earl decided he was too sore to continue.'
'My goodness.'
'I know. But it was educational. At least it was for me.
If old Earl learned anything in them three days, he never let on, except maybe who was the stronger sex when it came to sex. But I learned a lot, most of it disappointing.'
Aural grinned in a way that made Rae feel that she ought to blush. 'But not all of it, honey. Not all of it.'
'What did your daddy do when you ran off?'
'I don't know. I ain't seen him since. He prayed, I imagine, then looked around for someone to beat up on.
That's how I know he missed me. I wasn't there for him to beat up on.'
'But he was a minister,' Rae said.
'Hon,' Aural said, touching Rae's arm. 'Hon.'
The Reverend Tommy R. Walker found himself alone in his trailer with Aural, a blessing to be savored and consumed. The Apostolics were striking the tent and Rae had taken herself off to town to buy groceries, which usually took quite a while because Rae was an ardent coupon clipper and comparison shopper. Rae could turn a half hour in the supermarket into a half-day excursion, and for once, Tommy R. was grateful for it.
Aural was looking exceptionally good. She had dropped the beatific pose that worked so well onstage, and was showing excitement and agitation.
Tommy assumed it was about him until he realized she was asking for more money.
'You know I'm worth it,' she said. 'You've doubled your receipts since I been in the show.'
'Now… doubled…' Tommy hated money discussions-with employees. It was enough to dampen a man's ardor.
'Easy. I can judge a collection plate good as you, and they just keep getting fuller, don't they? You don't suppose it's because your miracles are getting better, do you?'
'That's why they come, missy. To see the power of the Lord revealed through my hands.'
'Them people had glue in their pockets before I showed up. I seen you work alone, remember?'
'That was a bad night. That happens.'
'It ain't happened lately, though, has it?'
'Lookit here,' said Tommy. 'It's not like you wasn't appreciated. Didn't I put your picture on the poster right next to mine?'
'Right under yours.'
'Under, over, alongside, what difference does it make?
I'm making you a star, honey, you ought to be grateful.
You got your beautiful face on every telephone pole and shop window in Pikeville.'
'I didn't ask to have my picture on no poster. What I'm asking for is a cut of the cash.'
'The Apostolics don't get a cut, and they been with me five years, give or take a member. Rae's been with me seven, she don't get a cut.'
'I'm not studying Rae. I assume you got your own deal with her.'
Tommy rose and crossed the trailer in three steps to stand beside her.
'I got one deal with Rae that could easy be yours,' he said, looking down at her. She was such a little thing, once you stood next to her. It was just her pep that made her seem bigger. Tommy greatly admired pep.
As long as it was properly channeled.
'Let's stick to business,' she said.
The Reverend Tommy put his arms around her. He was no giant, but she barely came up to his chest. It made a man want to protect her.
'This could be business, if you want to look at it that way,' Tommy said. She turned so that her back was to him, but she didn't push him away.
'What kind of business you call this?'
Tommy pressed his groin against her back. His arms slid round her waist.
'The best kind,' he said, his voice growing husky.
'I'm talking about money, Reverend. I didn't come in here for no salami.'
'That's all part of the service,' Tommy said. He thought he felt her push back against him, thought she wiggled her ass just a little bit for him. 'I offer salvation and salami at no extra charge.'
Aural slipped her hand behind her and touched his fly.
Tommy leaned his face onto the top of her head.
'Shit, Rev, that ain't no salami.'
'You guessed.'
'That's more like one of them cocktail sausages you eat with a toothpick.'
Aural tapped him once sharply with her knuckles and Tommy released her, jumping back.
'You forget who you're talking to,' he said, drawing himself up and trying to reclaim his dignity.
'And you don't even know who you're talking to,' Aural said. 'I ain't one of them starry-eyed little things who comes up to you after a show, her little mind all whirly with the thought of sin, 'Oh, save me, Reverend Tommy, save me,' and you slip 'em salvation standing up against the back of the trailer.'
'You ain't, huh? The way I heard it, you been boasting about how you can wear a man out.'
'I told Rae that in private,' she said, her face suddenly hot with betrayal.
'And that's how she told me,' he said. 'In private.'
Tommy read the emotions on her face and realized he had found a weakness.
'She oughtn't a done you like that,' he continued.
'That was a mean thing to do. You didn't deserve that.'
'I guess I'll survive it.'
'You could get right back at her, you know.'
'With you?'
'No better revenge, honey. And I promise you, I know a whole lot more than that teenager with the funny hair.
I can please you good and at the same time you'll be having your revenge.'
Aural smiled. For just a second it seemed almost inviting. She looked into his face, where the eyebrow rode across his forehead like a fuzzy black caterpillar. When he squinted his eyes with his seductive look, the caterpillar appeared to crawl.
She wasn't that hard-up, Aural thought, not nearly that hard-up. But the fact that she'd even considered it indicated that she had better find herself a man, quick, while she still was calm enough to do the choosing herself. If it turned out that the man picked you, God knows what you'd end up with.
Tommy put a hand on her cheek. His palm was already sweaty.
'Come on, sweet thing,' he said, his voice husky again. 'You know you want it.'
'But what do I want?' Aural asked, still smiling sweetly.
'Well, suppose we experiment till we get it right?'
Tommy put his other hand on her breast and watched her eyelids quiver.
He knew it. Some of them just had to say no first, that was all. There was nothing like persistence, it beat charm all to hell.
