Thieves in the Temple: A Prequel to Purple Rain

CH.18 Kiss-Prince

The bike ride to Mona's house was long and hard. But Kid had to get there to give her his poem. It took them on a journey from Minneapolis to New York where Kid would get a record contract. They would get married and spend the rest of their lives on the road with him playing music and her reciting poetry.

He had not figured out exactly how he would approach her parents. Maybe he would make up and excuse for his father's behavior. Maybe he would tell them that Francis sent him to apologize. Kid decided to stay focused on his mission, to get the girl to leave with him one day. Even if he had to lie, it would be worth it.

He got to Mona's house. It looked large from the outside. He stood his bike in front of the detached garage. He looked inside the garage window to see if Burt's car was there. It was not. He looked around to see if anyone could see him, suspicious of himself. He pressed the doorbell button which seemed unusually loud. It was the quietness of Mona's neighborhood. He surveyed the grounds again. The houses were so spread apart. He heard small feet slapping close to the door.

Mona opened the door and sprang toward him. She clutched his neck tight. She had on a long gown, a robe and slippers.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, I'm sorry.

"My father is a boob."

"Mine is worse," Kid said.

"Come in. My parents went to market." Mona lead him inside and shut the door behind her.

The orange of dusk flowed in from the north, south, east and west. Kid had not noticed how many windows the house had when he had visited before. "Why didn't you come to school today?"

"It's my monthly."

Kid knew about "monthlies" but he had no idea it kept girls from going to school. His mother went to work to clean White people's houses on her monthly. Mona was different and special, he reasoned.

"I was worried you had left Minneapolis because of what happened," he said. His eyes fluttered causing her heart's antennae to bend toward his.

"Never," she said. "My mom read my dad the riot act. I think he'll behave from now on."

"He doesn't hate me?"

"Maybe. But who cares? He drank to much," Mona said.

"That seems to be going around," Kid said.

"What do you mean?" Mona asked, searching his disturbed face.

"It doesn't matter."

He pulled out his poetry from his back pocket and handed it to her. "Don't read it until I leave," he warned. Mona held it close to her chest.

"Don't leave and I'll never have to read it," she said.

"I want you to," Kid said. "I owe you."

"You owe me a kiss," she said and planted her mouth on his hard. Kid pulled back a little imagining he'd heard her parents drive up, but they hadn't. Mona pulled him closer, winding her head from side to side like in the movies and he relented. After a moment, the initial excitement waned, softening their lips to a slower, softer rhythm. When they opened their eyes they were pleased to find the other still there.

"I have to go before it gets too dark," Kid whispered.

"Think of me all the way," she cooed as she let him out.

Kid rode fast down the country road. The straws on his wheel spokes clicked in time. The wind flicked his skin and dried his teeth as he allowed a large smile to spread across his face. His first kiss had just happened. Wow. Thoughts of the sweetest moment of his life would make the empty house on Clinton Avenue a pleasant place to sleep that night.