Page 125 of Them Bones

Sometimes Cary fell asleep in the theatre, slumped in his seat, his feet propped up on the row in front of him. He’d fallen asleep duringBeing John MalkovichandThe Green Mile.American Beautyhad held his interest, but she suspected he just thought Mena Suvari was really hot, even if she was quite young.

Cary favoured action movies, and scary films, forcing her to sit throughThe Sixth SenseandThe Matrix.She’d felt nauseous duringThe Blair Witch Project,but he refused to leave so she stared at the seat in front of her for most of it.

He fucked her hard, and often, with an almost vicious edge that sometimes left her so sore she could barely walk.

But she loved him.

“Would you like to come home with me, for Christmas?” she asked, feeling shy. “Maybe… meet my family?”

He wiped his milk moustache with the back of hand, and then wiped it on his t-shirt that saidLACTOSE INTOLERANT.

“Okay,” he said.

And that was that.

She’d phoned her mom, to tell her she was bringing a man home for the holidays.

“When are you coming, dear?” her mom had asked, excitement in her voice.

“Christmas morning. I’m working Christmas Eve.”

“Again? Didn’t you work Christmas Eve last year?”

“I did, mom. But it is what it is. I don’t have control over the shift rotations.”

“What about using some vacation time? Surely you have some holidays built up!”

Kim didn’t want to tell her that she’d used alotof her vacation days calling in sick to stay in bed with Cary. And sometimes to recover for a day or two after he left, her ass and vagina sore and her arms and thighs covered in purple bruises.

“We’ll come early, okay? In time for breakfast. I promise.”

Her mom sighed. “Okay, Kim. Well, we’re looking forward to seeing you both…”

Kim eyed the present she’d put under the tree for Cary. It was a t-shirt with two crows on it, that saidAttempted Murder.

She knew he’d love it.

LANEY

“I want to give you your birthday present,” Shane said, picking Laney up off the couch and tossing her over his shoulder.

“You can’t give it to menow!”she squealed as he loped down the hall. “My birthday’s not until tomorrow!”

He slapped her ass and she laughed as he tossed her onto the bed. She bounced, and he prowled over to her, pulling her legs towards him while he stood at the edge of the mattress.

“Well ifthisis my present then it’s okay I guess…” she said, as he ran his hands up her thighs.

He flashed her a crooked smile and then went to his dresser, rummaging around. His drawers were full, now, her wardrobe taking up half of them and most of his closet. She’d slowly started bringing more and more things home with her, and at some point she realized that her bedroom at the house was more or less empty.

“Here,” he said, his eyes shining, tossing her a long thin envelope.

She opened it greedily and pulled out two concert tickets.

“The Tragically Hip?” she squealed. “Tomorrow?”

“Happy birthday,” he beamed.

“Oh my God Shane, you’re the best! The best the best the best! Thank you!” She kissed him loudly and sloppily all over his face, like a dog.

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