Cherry Orphan

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Sleep eventually came around dawn. The rest of the night he'd lain awake, staring into the darkened room, listening to crickets outside the open window. Busy house sounds from below finally prompted him up and under the shower.

He'd left it too late to say goodbye to Sonia. Her taxi had already gone by the time he pulled on a tracksuit and ambled downstairs. Robert looked up from his newspaper and said good morning.

"Morning, Uncle Bob. Is Calley around?"

Robert glanced at his watch while answering. "Holy Jeez, is that the time? Yeah, she's outside doing her exercises and running. I must run too. I'll see you tonight and we'll talk about stuff. We haven't really done it since you came." With that he drained his coffee cup and grabbed a suit jacket that draped over a chair. James raised his hand, and as if by magic, Robert vanished.

From the vestibule he saw Calley waving at the disappearing Jaguar sedan while running on the spot with earphones in place. James went outside.

"Morning, lazy bones. Want to run with me?" She flipped the earphones back around her neck.

He tucked in beside her and they started off.

"I couldn't sleep last night," he puffed as they went up a rise into the tree line. "Too much going on inside my head."

"I told you I had it right about Sonia. She's not a nympho like me, but getting there. We'll be in LA by Thursday. Mom's place is perfect. Sonia will relax without Dad around and... well I don't have to draw you a picture. Think you're ready for the two of us?"

"I wasn't thinking about that."

"No? Jesus, you're weird sometimes."

"Can we stop for a second?"

Calley leaned against a tree trunk taking deep breaths. "Something's got you bothered, I can tell. Most guys would be woody-in-the-woods after a suggestion like that."

"Remember Sonia's friend, Joby Benson?"

"Forget it, stud. We're not making it a foursome. You'll have your work cut out as it is."

James kicked at the fallen pine needles. "Will you be serious for once? Did you know she's started dating the Latino boy who works for your dance instructor?"

"You mean Carlo. Good for her. What about it?"

"You went to see Carlo early last week—Joby told me." James looked at her stone-faced. He caught the quick reaction in her eyes even though she tried to hide it.

"So? It's a free country."

"Carlo repeated what you said to him. He told Joby then she told me."

Instantly her face flared. "Jesus H. fuckin' Christ! I'll kill the little spic shit."

"You lied to me, Calley. You've been lying all along. Joby used drug talk, but I know what it means. Carlo said you were 'strung out' because your supplier got busted. You heard Carlo had sold marijuana to the school kids and wanted to know if he could get something stronger—like cocaine. He couldn't, but gave you a phone number instead. Be glad Joby called me and not Sonia."

She turned and placed both forearms against the tree trunk and hung her head between them. "Alright I lied! The money is almost gone. Once I'm broke I can't buy any more. It's what you want, but there's a catch. Remember how I acted the week you thought I was mad at you? That's what I'm like when I can't get any—a mean-faced bitch. You like me more when I'm on the stuff... the way I am now."