Page 46 of Them Bones

“What’s the big deal with Linette?”

John laughed. “You’ll see when we get there.”

“Older women aren’t really my thing,” he grumbled.

“Linette is every man’s thing.”

“Tired, used up old cunt just isn’t my idea of a good time. Doesn’t he have a sister or something?”

John grabbed Nick by the shirt collar and slammed him up against the wall.

“Cary’s got a sister,” John said, his voice deadly calm. “But I strongly suggest you not be using the word ‘fuck’ as a verb around her. You feel me?”

Nick nodded, a little taken aback. John was notoriously upbeat, a cheerful keeper of the peace liked by all, with a square wife, two kids, and a minivan. He was a button-down looking motherfucker, easily mistakeable for a substitute teacher. If itweren’t for his raging coke habit, he’d probably have been a volunteer at hospice or some shit.

He’d never seen John so much as squash a spider, let alone shove someone against a wall. Well except for that one time he shot someone. But that was totally a misunderstanding.

Linette might be the one crawling into their beds, but he had a feeling he knew who they all secretly wished they were dicking. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t suddenly much more interested in party attendance.

LANEY

Laney was nervous.

The house was a whirlwind of activity. Ma had pulled the house apart at least three times throughout the day in anticipation of the party, Laney trailing after her to put it back together. Every room was now stuffed with bodies.

Cary had been noticeably absent since Christmas day but had returned that morning. No way he’d be missing one of Ma’s parties. Nobody did.

Her arms ached from carrying dozens of boxes of two-fours up the stairs. The freezer had been emptied and filled entirely with bottles of vodka. And there were several candy dishes full of pills and powder littering the side tables throughout the house.

Ma hadn’t provided food, but Pizza Hut kept arriving in large quantities every few hours. She didn’t know who was paying for it. Ma had slapped a piece of pepperoni out of her hand, telling her tostart the new year offright.Dustin had smuggled her a piece when Ma wasn’t looking.

Voices and laughter blurred together in an incessant buzz.C U When You Get Therewas blasting on the stereo. The constantphhhhhhtsound of lighters being flicked set her teethon edge. The house would stink of cigarettes and pot for months after this, long after Ma disappeared again.

But even Laney had to admit, Ma was in her element. Linette’s parties were notorious – she somehow always managed to keep everyone right on the edge of a fight or an orgasm. She could work a room like nobody else, magically preventing fisticuffs and dissolving tension while draped across the laps of men who spent the rest of the night with blue balls.

Laney was hiding in her room.

She missed Shane.

He’d called twice since her birthday, but Dustin answered both times. He hadn’t asked to speak to her.

She knew that he wasn’t mad, was just trying to give her some space. She’d instinctually protected them, Dustin and herself, wrapping a blanket of privacy and distance around the house to shield outsiders from Ma’s maniacal behaviour, save herself the embarrassment. But Shane wasn’t an outsider, and it was a mistake to cut him out.

Once again, she cast aside her pride, and picked up the cordless phone, dialing Jerry’s number.

“Hello?”

It was Shane.

“Hi,” she said.

The phone crackled.

“Hi,” he breathed.

“So, um, I’m really fucking stupid?”

He exhaled. “It’s okay Laney, you don’t have to explain.” There was rustling, and the sound of a door clicking shut. “I figured you’d call me, or something, when you wanted to talk.”

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