Page 72 of A Little Twist

“That’s great, sweetie!” Alex calls from where he stands beside me, getting me started. “First you have to bait the hook.”

He lifts an old coffee can full of soil, and my nose wrinkles. “What do I do with that?”

It’s an overcast morning, and it’s warm as an armpit. The humidity must be 100 percent. I sprayed bug repellant on all of us, otherwise we’d be running a free blood bank out here.

I had no idea when I said yes to fishing, it meant we’d have to be in the marsh before 6:00 a.m. Now I’m standing here in a tank top and jeans with my hair braided back, and sweat trickling down my neck and sides.

“Reach inside and take out one of these guys.” He pulls a fat earthworm from a can, and my throat tightens. “Then you thread him on the hook.”

Without even hesitating, he stabs the squirming piece of goo, and a thick stream of dark-red blood slides down his finger.

Holding out my hands, I take a step back. “Whoa, whoa, time out. You didn’t say anything about mutilating worms.”

“It’s not mutilating.” He holds out a fat one to me.

“Oh, no.” My hand covers my mouth. “I’m going to be sick.”

“What’s happening?” Pinky cries from her perch across the shallow pool. “Why is Mama Cass going to be sick?”

“Also, I’m not so sure about that nickname.” I nod to where Pinky is watching us with her little face scrunched.

Alex only snorts, but Pinky puts her fishing pole down like she’s about to run to me. “Stay there, baby!” I call, swallowing the knot in my throat. “Don’t come over here.”

“I did not expect you to be so dramatic about this.” Alex slants his eyes at me, his mouth drawn in a disapproving line. “It’s just a worm.”

“It’s disgusting, then you stabbed it, and it freaking bled everywhere. That’s just cruel.”

“I’m pretty sure they don’t feel pain.”

“I’m not.” He steps up behind me, and the warmth of his body eases my twisting stomach slightly.

“Well, it’s done now. Time to cast.” He slides his hand up my arm, lifting the rod behind my shoulder. “Now, just draw it back like this and toss it. Press the button when it gets over your head. It’s very intuitive.”

Following his direction, I cast the rod, sending the poor impaled earthworm sailing out into the brackish water.

“Good one.” He smiles at me, speaking softly. “See, you’re a natural. Now dial it back until you hear a click.”

“I had no idea fishing was so gruesome. So much gore, and these fish hooks? They’re just an accident waiting to happen. Didn’t you seeThere’s Something About Mary?”

“Yes, and it scarred me for life when his dick got caught in his zipper. And the jizz in her hair…” He starts to laugh.

“And the fishhook in the face.”

Shaking his head, chuckles softly. “You change the oil in cars, change dirty diapers, cut matted turds off dog butts.”

“That dog-butt thing only happened once.”

“It’s still too many times.”

“I’ve never brutally murdered a poor, unsuspecting worm.”

“I’ll bait your hook for you. It can be our thing.” The warmth in his voice tingles in my stomach.

I really love being with him this way, bantering… Pinky on the bridge pretending to fish, him taking care of me. We sit beside each other on the bank, and he casts his line so easily. I watch as the invisible strings wait in the quiet waters. It’s hot as fuck, but it’s peaceful with the bugs humming and the water lapping.

“Do you really think we’ll catch anything?”

“Maybe.” He nods to where Pinky is dancing around, misspelling words to the tune of “Fergalicious.” “If my daughter doesn’t scare everything away.”

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