BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....
"Ohhh....Ungh."
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....
"Ahhh... Unh... Yeah"
BZZZZZZZZZZZ...
"Ngah. Unh. Oh, God!"
BZZZZZ... BZZZZZ...BZ...BZZ.
CLICK
"Fuck!"
"April.... AAAAPPPPPRILLLLLLL!!"
Hannah's voice bellowed through the cramped two-bedroom flat. April rolled her eyes and dropped the travel brochure on the living room couch. Philadelphia would have to wait.
She squeaked open the bedroom door to find her aunt's beefy leg slung over a bare patch of mattress. Her upturned floral mumu revealed a sopping gash buried in a wiry thatch of gray pubes. A sky-blue vibrator lay dead in her fleshy hand.
April turned her head and closed her eyes.
"Geez auntie. Can you at least cover up first?"
Hannah narrowed her eyes.
"Hush your mouth child and look at me when I'm talking."
April unpeeled her eyelids grateful that her aunt had pulled a blanket over her waist.
"I'ma need you to go downstairs and fetch two D Energizers."
"I... I think we're out of that size."
"Bullshit." Hannah replied. "Nobody buys these. Should be 3 packs behind the counter."
April scanned the cigarette-stained carpet and spied a half dozen dead batteries next to the bed.
"No auntie. They're all up here."
April winced at the smell of sweat and stale pussy as Hannah thrust the dripping sex toy towards her niece.
"Crack it open and stick 'em in the freezer."
April sighed.
"I keep telling you that doesn't work."
"Well, something's gotta work goddammit. These toes won't curl themselves."
Hannah dropped the toy on her lap and reached for the water glass of whiskey waiting on her nightstand. The cheap amber liquid dripped down her chin as she gulped. She shuddered and turned her attention to the grainy 12" black and white screen on her dresser. Weatherman Tad Barnes declared a blizzard for nearby Frederick County. The camera cut to a chuckling frost
tipped anchorwoman.
"Snow in the middle of spring? You had me going there Tad."
Tad chuckled. "Aww shucks Kathy. You know what day it is."
Hannah's eye's widened as she set down the half empty glass.
"How soon til we open?" She asked.
"About an hour."
Hannah stroked her chin and eyeballed her niece. Far too squat and plump for a Victoria Secret model, but everyone has a type.
"April Honey" She began "Why don't you fetch me a man?"
"Excuse me?"
"How about Jeb? He'd do."
"That perv who's always staring at my tits?"
"Yeah, that one. We got the new issue of Folds yesterday. When he comes round for his magazine and Slim Jims lock up the shop, lure him up the steps, and get 'em in here."
April stared and the mount of crusty blanket smothering her aunt's massive belly. Her cheeky face more fit for a hog farm than a human bed.
"No offense, but I don't think he's going to go for..."
"He will if he thinks it's you."
"That sounds like sexual assault."
Hannah chuckled.
"Normally it would be, but today is April 1st, 1997. A glorious day when lies are jokes, vandalism is a prank, and assaults of all kinds become games and funzies. All you have to do is say 'April Fools.' Those two magic words make everything okay. "
"You expect me to whore for you?" April asked.
Hannah crossed her brow gulped her whiskey and thumped the glass on the nightstand.
"Child, have you forgot the day you showed up at my door swaddled in a bassinet with a note and a half carton of Marlboros? I raised you as my own and what did it get me? Waaah come feed me. Waaah change my diaper. Waaah I have an earache. Every time a man heard your shrill little whine they bolted before my panties hit the ground. Yes, I expect you to whore. It's the least you could do for the only person on this Earth who loves you."
April suppressed a tear as she headed to the door.
***
The morning sun glowed through the dingy windows of Hunky Hannah's Town Pump. April restocked the Brillo pads, flipped the sign to 'Open' and took her station behind the chipped yellow counter. Safe from the camera's view she reached under a stack of unstocked lottery tickets and retrieved her GED study guide. Algebra had been easy, but the reading comprehension was...
"Ding ding-a-ling ding ding".
Concentration broken; April raised from her books to see Mrs. Olinski stroll through the door. Her seraphic smile matched her peach pantsuit and a string of convincing pearls.
"Good morning, Miss April." She greeted
"Morning Ms. O"
Olinski steered towards the coffee pot and poured herself a bitter stale cup.
"How's your aunt Hannah?" She asked.
"Some days are better than others."
April sighed. Olinski tilted her head and slathered her brew in hazelnut creamers.
"Poor thing." She declared. "Shame about the accident. She's lucky to have you filling in."