Page 63 of The Man I Love

“Your restroom. Can I get the key, please?” Sam said again, using all her patience as she leaned a little closer, thinking this girl may be hard of hearing.

The attendant popped her gum, waited another five seconds,then passed a large red paddle across the counter. “Try not to make a mess,” she said before lowering her eyes to her phone again.

“Thank you!”

Fumbling with the lock, Sam opened the door, stepped inside, then slammed it closed and locked it. The bathroom was stark white and uncomfortably hot, but it was clean enough. A single toilet, a sink, and a small metal vending machine lined the far wall.

She yanked down her pants, grateful to be alone so she could get a good look at the damage. “What the heck!” She cringed. Red bumps covered her bottom from her lower back to mid-thigh. Her first thought went to her encounter with the deer, when she’d fallen into the leaves—but then her mind flashed to the little white flowers on the forest floor where she’d peed.

White flowers; rash.She entered the term into Google on her phone.

Poison ivy was the first return.

“No…” She shook her head. “No…” That couldn’t be possible. She knew what poison ivy looked like. “Leaves of three let it be,” she said aloud. But then she thought back to the flowers and couldn’t quite remember what the leaves looked like. As hard as she tried to imagine them, she couldn’t remember what their leaves looked like. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit.” She braced her hands on either side of the sink and looked into the mirror. She had no idea what to do. She was in a gas station bathroom in the middle of Nebraska, and she was pretty sure she had poison ivy all over her ass.

She thought briefly about texting Tristan and asking for help, but she couldn’t bear it. She took her cell phone off the counter and settled on the next best thing.

Samantha:Hey! I have a problem.

Renee:I’m here.

Samantha:Do you know any home remedies for poison ivy?

Renee:Where in the world did you run into poison ivy?

Samantha:I’ll tell you later. Can you help?

The three dots lingered on the screen for a good minute before Renee answered.

Renee:Did you ask Tristan? He was a Boy Scout…

Sam took a deep breath, knowing full well she’d have to come out and say it.

Samantha:Can’t tell Tristan.

Renee:Why?

Samantha:Because I peed in the woods, and I don’t really want to tell him I have poison ivy all over my ass.

Renee:O

Renee:M

Renne:G

Renee:You’re kidding.

Okay, now she was being dramatic.

Samantha:Can you help me or not!?

The phone rang, and Samantha answered it. “Hello?”

“You have poison ivy on your VaJayJay.”

Sam groaned. “I love you too! And no, it’s not on my—look—did you call to make fun of me, or are you going to help?”

“Okay, okay…” Renee said. “Does it hurt?”

---