Page 76 of Them Bones

She pushed the blanket away and glanced down at herself. Dustin wrinkled his nose at her. He hated when she looked like Ma. Her dress was more like a napkin than an outfit it was so tiny, a metallic snakeskin thing with spaghetti straps and a neckline that barely covered her boobies.

She stood up and pulled it off in one swoop, Dustin making a gagging noise and running out of the room because she wasn’t wearing undies, and she pulled on a t-shirt with a picture of Courtney Love on it. It said HOLE: Agora Theater December 2, 1994.

Dustin smiled when he saw it. Now she looked like Laney.

She ran up the stairs and grabbed the receiver.

“Shane?”

Dustin couldn’t hear what Shane was saying but Laney’s lip was trembling like she might cry. She was nodding, even though Shane couldn’t see that.

What’s going on?He thought.

She wasn’t listening.

Shane talked, and talked.

Finally, Laney whispered “Okay.” And then she hung up.

“Laney,” Dustin said, “what’s going on? Are you in trouble?”

“I don’t know,” she said. She looked at him. “Shane is on his way over.”

“He said Cary is back. And that you and Nick might be... Is it… a good idea? For Shane to come?”

“Jerry is coming, too. So that Shane isn’t here alone. He’s coming to drive you to school.” Dustin blinked.School.He’d completely forgotten. “Go get ready, okay Dusty? Please.”

“Are you going to school today?”

“Yes.”

Dustin was surprised. She’d hadmaybetwo hours of sleep, and her eyes still looked funny, her pupils too big. But he didn’t argue, just hurried into the shower and changed and grabbed his backpack stuffed with school supplies that Shane had bought him.

When he got to the front door, Laney was already there. She hadn’t showered, just pushed her hair back with a black satin headband and pulled on a pair of jeans. She was still wearing the Courtney Love shirt and was holding her backpack.

She looked exhausted.

They both turned at the sound of a car pulling in. Shane was out the passenger side before Jerry had even parked, bounding up the steps and busting through the door, scooping Laney into a huge, wild hug.

She collapsed into him, and they stood there like that as Jerry walked up the steps, eyeing them warily before catching Dustin’s eye.

“Hey, kid,” he said. Shane and Laney didn’t move. “All set for another day o’ torture?” Dustin’s mouth twitched. “Well let’s get goin’ then… you too, little Laney.”

“Don’t call me that,” she mumbled, the sound muffled as her face was pressed against Shane’s chest, buried in his shirt.

Jerry chuckled.

“Alright Shane, let’s wrap it up, she’s gonna be late…”

Dustin watched them reluctantly disentangle themselves, and they all headed to Jerry’s truck. Dustin took shotgun while Laney and Shane slid into the back seat together, holding hands, and she rested her forehead on his shoulder.

Jerry cleared his throat and fiddled with the radio.

“So, Dusty, have a good summer?”

Jerry filled the car with idle chit chat as he drove them the few minutes up the road to the high school. Laney lifted her head from Shane’s shoulder and heaved herself out of the car, looking worn out and resentful as she stared at the busy grounds.

“I don’t want to go,” she murmured. “I want to make sure Nick is okay, before...”

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