Elmer jerked his head in the direction Hank had disappeared. “How’s he doing?” he asked Arissa.
Her focus was still on the door. “You know, Hank. He keeps it all together, but it’s definitely getting under his skin seeing his mom struggling like she is. It can’t be easy for him, but not knowing what’s really fueling her behavior, it’s hard for him to find a way to help her.”
“Jo called me,” Millie started. “After all her yelling about how she wasn’t included, told me her and Hank had a talk and that she told him not to worry about the station. They had it covered. Maybe easing that stress will help him.”
“She coming tonight?” Sal asked.
Millie shook her head. “Meeting her mom for dinner but I think Mike and Rob are coming.”
“They said they’d stop by,” Arissa said. “And as far as Jo…” She smiled. “I owe that woman drinks and not just because it’s my turn. I think that will help Hank. He can focus on his mom a bit more.” Arissa reached for her beer. “I don’t have a relationship with my parents but being in a small town, your life, your kid, and that kid being someone as devoted as Hank. I kind of understand Catherine’s behavior, but she’s hurting more than him. She’s hurting herself.”
Maureen looked at Hya who was deep throating the neck of her bottle of beer while eyeing Elmer. “My God, please stop.” Maureen shivered.
Hya pulled the bottle she had down her throat. “What?”
“If I drank beer, that would have turned me off it for life,” Millie said before she kicked back another shot of vodka.”
“You two disappear into the barn again, he’s going to set it on fire with you in it,” Maureen said. “Keep that in mind.”
“I brought marshmallows,” Millie chimed in.
Sal muttered paying no mind to the conversation around him. “I love marshmallows.”
Maureen glanced over and grinned. “Oh, that was good thinking.”
Millie tried to rest her head on her hand again, but her coordination was off and had to slam her hands down to keep her head from hitting the counter. “Yeah, it’s good odds they’re going back to the barn.”
“What?” Hya said loudly. “You all never sucked cock before?”
Hank had just walked through the door, heard Hya, looked around the room and walked back out. Yeah, he was burning down not only his shed, but the house too.
Maureen lifted one manicured hand, pointed a red nail at Elmer and said, “Never sucked his cock and never will.”
Arissa followed Hank outside. Walked up to him, leaned against him, and looked out at the view. “They’re nuts, the lot of them, but they love you.” She glanced up at him; he looked down. “Before you burn the barn, you still owe me the dart lesson. Though I will confess, I had hoped it would end with us getting naked. Knowing Hya and Elmer already did, I’m all for burning that shit.”
Hank put his arm around Arissa and pulled her into him. Her arm moved around his waist, her head coming to rest on his chest. “You owe me for this,” he whispered and jerked his head toward the house. “As for the barn, yeah, it’s gotta go cause that shit is tainted now.” Hank took a pull from his beer and added, “I’ll hang the dartboard outside the barn for now.”
* * *
It was hours later, food and drinks consumed. More drinks than food. Hya was singing along to “Proud Mary”, her arms and legs flailing like Tina Turner. Elmer was watching her and throwing obscene comments.
Maureen was tucked away in a chair with her nose to her cell, texting someone. She said she was texting her mother, but with the small mischievous grin her lips formed into, it was clear she wasn’t texting her mother.
Sal gestured with his bottle to the barn after the rounds of darts. “Good thing you’re burning that down cause it’s going to leak like a bitch when it rains.” Millie laughed and Mike chuckled, agreeing with Sal.
Hank had his arms wrapped around Arissa’s waist and whispered in her ear. “Keep your feet planted. You keep lifting your leg when you throw it like it’s gonna give you leverage, Babe, it ain’t.” He pointed to the dart sticking into the barn door, a foot away from the dartboard. “See.” He chuckled and kissed her neck before he stepped back.
Arissa was having a hard time focusing because every time Hank got close to offer her instruction, her thoughts drifted to this lesson in the barn with the two of them naked. It was very distracting. She didn’t share that at the moment, but kept her feet planted and tried again. She went wide but on the other side of the board this time.
“You got that close to me, Hank, I’d be throwing wide too, Sugar,” Hya shouted.
“If we ever have a ladies’ dart league, don’t ask your girl, Hank.” Sal deadpanned before he drained his beer and got up to grab another.
Hank walked to Arissa, took the rest of the darts from her hand and dropped them to the ground. He scooped her up into his arms and swung her around, kissing her hard on the lips. “No darts for you.”
Her eyes went both soft and hot. “I prefer watching you play anyway.”
Hank was about to move him and Arissa into the house when Hya bellowed, “Naked darts, who’s in?” Her hands went in the air along with her glass of Jack causing half the contents to spill out.
Maureen jumped from her spot. “I’m in!”
Elmer was already undressing and as Hya passed him, she slapped the back of his head. “No, you idiot, it doesn’t work that way.”
“Just getting a head start,” he muttered as he pulled his clothes back on.
Sal hadn’t said a word but he was picking up the darts that Hank had dropped on the ground.
“I think that’s a cue for me to go,” Mike said, and stood.
Hya
