My Kind of Town
>> Portlock Full moon surprise
Mickey assumed he had the house to himself. When he was casing the place yesterday he hadn't seen anyone coming or going other than the babe who drove the teal Beamer. No other vehicles. As he toweled off, he thought about heading back to the kitchen to see what else she had to drink, the corked bottle of white wine he'd found in the fridge being nearly empty. Mickey wasn't exactly a chardonnay guy, but this stuff wasn't bad. Surprisingly good, in fact. But he wasn't as surprised as Lily would be when she got home and he greeted her. He wrapped the bath towel around his waist and headed down the hall to the kitchen.
>> In the cottage behind Lily's home
Rosalita Ressurreccion leaned down to feel her daughter's forehead. Still too hot.
"When is Auntie Lily coming home?" Elizabeth said weakly. "She said she'd bring me Popsicles."
Rosalita wanted to know what time her employer would be home as well. She was running late in getting Miss Lily's fresh-dried sheets off the line and onto her bed.
"We'll call her cell phone after I put a cold press on your head. Mama will be right back, I just have to get some ice out of Lily's refrigerator."
>> Foodland-Aina Haina
"Uh, you don't think six dozen Popsicles is over-doing it?" Quinn said as they left Foodland. He was carrying all six dozen in a double bag.
"OK." Lily shrugged, still clutching Quinn's muscular arm because she was drunk. He was so strong, it felt good. "Maybe I do spoil Elizabeth. But she's the only kid in my life who I get to play auntie for."
"What about your brother?" Quinn said, trying not to notice how good Lily's hip felt moving against him, how nice her head felt against his shoulder, how breathtaking her breast felt pressed against his arm.
"Brothers," she corrected. "Oh wait! You don't know about Lance!"
"Who?"
"He was born after our fathers ... Hey, what happened to make them quit talking?"
"Something to do with money."
"Same thing mine said."
"That's all he'd ever say, though." Quinn sounded like he wasn't so sure.
"Neither brother has kids?"
"Laird is about to graduate from Stanford Business, he's unattached. And Lance won't be making me an auntie -- he's gay. Kid-wise, Elizabeth is it."
It was wrong, it must never happen, but Lily suddenly wanted Quinn's baby.
Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek.
His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin
with weekly summaries on Sunday.
He can be emailed at dchapman@midweek.com