This is a collaboration with the amazing SiteNonSite, who has been co-posting it under Novels and Novellas.
As always I encourage you to take the time to read all of SiteNonSite's stories if you haven't already.
This is Chapter 6, by now you've surely got the hang of how chapters work.
I hope you enjoy this Chapter, that you will continue post comments.
Special thanks to HaltWhoGoesThere for proof reading this chapter for us.
Of Annunciation
"What are you doing?" I asked a blameless stack of clean panties; accused really. They stared back at me lifelessly.
I was putting away my clean laundry while a chili simmered on the stove, playing the weekend back in my mind. The madness of it made me blush, starting with the fascist dandy and only getting crazier and crazier, until all the madness seemed to crescendo last night with Claire ordering me to eat her pussy, swearing at me and calling me a "whore" and a "slut".
'And I loved it.'
My phone rang and I almost jumped out of my skin.
"Mom!" I answered.
"Sarah Beth? Is that you?" she asked sarcastically, but she didn't sound mad.
"Sorry, I've been meaning to call," I explained. "How was your weekend?
"Exhausting, it's the parish festival next weekend. I don't know how I let myself get roped into these things, but I'm organizing it this year. It's a disaster..."
I listened while she told me about all her drama. Touched my lips. Fingered my mouth. The little web of flesh beneath my tongue was tender where I'd cut it on my teeth licking Claire's pussy.
"So, your brother applied to the NYU film program," she said, switching tracks abruptly. "You can imagine how excited your father is about that."
"Wes has the grades," I pointed out defensively. I hadn't realized he was even interested in movies, much less making them. "Why dad
wouldn't
be excited is beyond me."
"Well, be that as it may," she said, shutting me down, "he's been invited to do an interview and they have an open house next weekend. He's determined to go."
"He should!"
"I'm glad to hear you feel that way, because he's been saving up and has bought himself a bus ticket."
"Wow." I'm impressed. I love my little brother but never pictured him having the grit to stand up to our dad this way.
"I know," my mother agreed, but her voice sounded tired. I imagined there was a lot of drama and stress behind that weariness. "Sarah, I know you're busy and I'm sorry to drop this on you this way but I can't go to New York next weekend. Can you host your brother?"
"Yeah," I said instantly. "Yes, of course, I'd love to."
I started doing logistics in my mind, he's way too tall to sleep on the love seat... maybe I can stay with Claire and he can stay here?
"Promise me. I need you to pick him up and keep an eye on him," she said seriously. "It's only two nights, but it's important. He's not at all ready to be in the city by himself."
I wasn't sure I agreed, but I held my tongue.
"I mean it Sarah Beth, promise me!"
"I promise mom."
"Good morning!" I told Ben as he arrived. He just looked at me over his sunglasses and sipped his coffee, cradling it like it was a lover.
"Someone had a nice weekend," Keith explained as if he was commiserating with Ben.
Keith had arrived early but I'd still beat him by a half hour. Definitely not my usual Monday morning MO. We were at his desk planning the week - discussing the piece on Afghanistan we'd been working on with the foreign bureau and the editors, it had been approved for this coming weekend.
"Grab your socks," I told Ben with no small amount of glee, "because we are SO fucked."
Keith exploded with laughter; he loves when I'm crude. Ben just pushed his glasses back up and turned to his desk. We went back to what we were working on while Ben booted up his computer and girded himself for the week, but the truth is we were fucked. We'd been working on gathering the data and had a lot of imagery, but they wanted to put the piece above the fold on the front page Sunday with a double-page spread inside. Meaning it had to be filed by Thursday night.
Fucked.
Keith had done a bunch of preparatory sketches already, so we began building out models right away. I was lost in Illustrator minutiae when I heard Kip.
"Keep it down nerds, people are trying to work."
The three of us were working in silence. Keith and Ben were blinking in confusion, judging by Kip's grin, so was I.
"Don't be an asshole, Kippin."
"OK
Sarah Beth
... How's my best gal? Hi guys."
Keith and Ben both greeted Kip. He was one of those people everyone seemed to know and like. I'd been so pleased when he decided I was going to be his work wife.
"Are we still on for lunch today?" He asked me. "Because I'm hangry... Or are you all balls deep in..." he waved his hands in the air like he was conjuring smoke, "nerd stuff?"
"Kip!" I said as I looked over to Keith doubtfully. "Are we too balls deep in nerd stuff?"
Keith laughed but shrugged and waved me off.
"Let's do it," I said, grabbing my little trench coat.
"Bring us back something!" Ben howled behind me.
I had already grabbed my jacket and was practically out the door.
"Fine, text me what you want," I called back.
"Get us whatever Kip's having!" Ben yelled after me.
Kip took me by the arm looking pleased with himself.
Kip was tall, fit, and handsome in a generic way. He favored a self consciously 70's hairstyle that made him look for all the world like a life-size Ken doll. I'd told him that once.
"An anatomically correct Ken Doll," he'd informed me, with a prissy, "I'll thank you very much."