Page 44 of Juicy Pickle

Then, finally, she lets out a breath. “That was awful.”

“It’s not everyone’s favorite. Why didn’t you spit it out?”

“I need the food. I have to eat it.”

“What was bad about it?”

“It tasted like old seawater!”

I bite my lip. The salty ocean flavor is what most people like. “Did the pickle juice help? There was hot sauce and other options when they had them out earlier.”

“It did.”

She stares down at the tray of oysters. “I might have to get a lot hungrier before I eat any more of those.”

“We can’t wait too long. They’re raw?—”

“They’re what?”

“Oysters on a half shell are usually served raw.”

She presses both hands to her neck like she’s about to choke. “I ate raw food?”

“I take it you’re not much on seafood. Didn’t you grow up in Florida?”

“I ate burgers and pizza like everybody else!”

I pick up a shell and slurp it back.

“Is it okay? Did they go bad?”

I set the shell next to Bailey’s on the table. “They were better with the sauces, but it seems fine.”

She squeezes her eyes shut. “Ooooh! This sucks! Why didn’t they leave tacos?”

“Fate.”

“Oh, just give me a pickle. A big one.”

I hold back on every improper response and pluck a pickle from the bucket.

Bailey holds it with both hands. It’s a particularly girthy one, and as she opens her mouth to take a bite, I intend to look away. It’s too much. Too suggestive.

But my eyes refuse to focus anywhere else. Her pink lips part, showing a flash of teeth. Then she bites down with a crunch.

Okay, I’m able to avert my gaze for that part. I slurp down two more oysters, then set aside the trays for a moment to consider the ice.

It won’t last long in this heat. I lift the bag, considering the water pooling at the bottom. We have to drink it without losing any.

“Did you notice any cups in the cabinet you were in? We only checked my side earlier.”

Bailey shakes her head, chomping another big bite of pickle. Then she says, “But there were boxes. They might have disposable plates and cups.”

I carefully repack everything in the cooler and latch it closed. “We’ll want to take care of that water and stay out of the sun. Getting through this is the name of the game.”

“Oooh, I know how to desalinate water with plastic bottles,” she said. “We did it in seventh grade science.”

“Nice idea, but do we have water bottles?”

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