Under Her Skin

Chapter 16

The sidewalk on Vinerdale street was sparkling particularly bright as the golden flaxen sunlight down-poured on the city during the early afternoon. The cement was dampened into a darker shade of grey and the edges reached upwards into the piles of snow lying peacefully on the lawn. A perfect batch of salt was sprinkled on the transparent ice which protected the rough concrete. Sunny could tell that this street had been taken care of with attentiveness.

Sunny dipped her yellow-bleached converse into the white powdery snow as she stepped out of a Toyota highlander. Before her, stood a white two-garage house with large spacey windows. She took a breath, lightly patted her sneakers on the welcome mat, and rang the bell.

 A chubby woman opened the door with a welcoming enthusiasm. Sunny couldn't help but look at her coconut-sized breasts. The woman immediately reached forward and wrapped her thick arms around the guest. Sunny had never experienced such intimacy with a stranger before, and it made the impression that the woman was an affable host.

"Mrs. White," said Sunny. "It's n-n-nice to meet you."

"Phhh. Call me Demanda," said the woman, after which she grabbed Sunny with great solidity into the living room. Demanda poured Sunny a glass of a mysterious potion-like liquid called Demanda's caffeine-loaded homemade soda and began to prattle about the grandeur events of her daily life, like visits to Walmart or Home Depot. 

Demanda explained that though she often enjoyed and found it relaxing to do the menial chore of folding laundry, it was nice to have company, an audience. She handed Sunny a basket of T-shirts and asked if she could help out. Sunny didn't know how to act but to just go along with the woman who seemed to enjoy her presence. Sunny smiled awkwardly. She didn't sign up for a play-date with Selena's mother. Where. Was. Selena.

As they folded the dry polyester, Demanda kept asking about summer even when the windows were frosted with ice.

"Where'd you go?"

"Huh?"

"Well, you must've gone on some vacation or trip over the summer. I can see that tan of yours. Sunny is getting too much su-u-n! Ha-ha-ha." The woman had checks that resembled apples and her laugh was remarkable.

"I hope you don't mind that I say, but it's almost too yellow... like mustard. Ha-ha-ha." Sunny, referred to such an un-tasty condiment, looked offended. Mostly because the only traveling Sunny had done over the summer was an eight-hour drive under the protection of a car roof.

"Aye girl, don't worry. I just bought this whitening cream for my Patel friends. Want some?"

"Whitening cream?"

"You see my tan?" She asked, pointing to the transparent skin resting on the bridge of her neck. "That's the good stuff. I go to Sensations Tanning. Perfect. Never comes out so... mustardy." Sunny, slightly uncomfortable, turned her eyes away. The pleasant conversation suddenly began to veer off in a troubling direction.

Just then, Sunny saw Selena, leaning on the door frame that separated the living room and the kitchen, nibbled on a red twist, a smirk on her face.

"Ask any one of our visitors and they'd tell you the harmony in our family," continued Demanda, her smile so full of delight. She loved her husband Atlas's strength, that he made all the important decisions, was the 'man of the house. Atlas loved her cooking and he just couldn't his eyes off her wavy curves.

Just then, the Kitties rang the doorbell and overwhelmed the lady all at once. They dragged her into Selena's room, shut the door, and situated themselves in a circle on the floor. Selena's room was painted a dark green. She had a monster television, a walk-in closet with all her clothes waiting patiently on hangers. Sunny made note of it all. She was here. It was surreal.