Author’s note: Well, a few people are apparently bothered by the fact that nothing has happened yet to justify the story’s inclusion under the Incest/Taboo heading, which leads me to think that perhaps it would have been better under the Novel heading, which is what this story will probably be length-wise. I can only ask you to be patient and assure you that when it happens, it happens. I appreciate all the advice and constructive criticism as well, so keep that coming. And, as of right now, I have written up to chapter 12, so if people are still interested, I’ll keep posting them. I’ll probably slow it down one I get closer to where I’ve written so that the waits aren’t too long. Anyway, enjoy.
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Chapter 5
Josh spent an uncharacteristically pleasant Sunday afternoon bonding with Dawn; or, more specifically, teaching her how to play chess. She picked it up easily enough but kept complaining whenever Josh captured one of her pieces. When he captured her queen, for the first time, she told him it wasn’t polite to attack women, and that he should attack the little pawns instead, seeing as he spent enough time around porn anyway. The remark wasn’t as sharpened as Dawn’s insults usually were, and Josh was grateful for her softened humour.
After six rather short games, they packed up the chess set and returned downstairs. Laura was outside pottering around in the garden, as she usually did in her free time; Alice was apparently in the study reading or writing or some such creative thing; and Jacquie was lying on the sofa watching a soap opera. She looked up when they entered the room.
“Where have you two been?”
“Playing chess,” said Dawn, as though the word ‘chess’ was new to her and required perfect pronunciation.
“Chess?” Jacquie asked incredulously.
“Uh huh,” Dawn replied, dropping down on one of the armchairs and swinging her legs over the side. “I won.”
“You did not,” protested Josh.
“Oh, he just says that ‘cause he hates being beaten by a girl,” Dawn explained to Jacquie. “I took all of his prawns.”
Jacquie laughed. “Prawns?”
“What?” said Dawn, genuinely confused.
“Never mind,” said Jacquie. “When did you two become such close friends anyway?”
“About an hour and a half ago,” Dawn replied. “I read Josh’s diary, he read mine...we played chess.” She shrugged elegantly, as though this were a perfectly normal sequence of events.
Jacquie goggled at Dawn. “You read his diary?”
“Yeah,” said Dawn, “but I apologised. So now we’re cool.”
That was Dawn all right, Josh thought, never one to beat around the bush – she said exactly what was on her mind and damned if it sounded odd. Josh had always admired her in that respect; he wished he had enough confidence to say whatever he wanted. Then he might have Valerie.
Jacquie stared at them as though they had both gone quite mad. “Well,” she said, sitting up and then standing, “I’m gonna make lunch.” And with that she vanished into the kitchen.
Josh took Jacquie’s vacated sofa and he and Dawn watched the television in silence. The programme was dull; a soap opera – Josh had no idea which one, but then, weren’t they all the same anyway? He watched as Fabio-look-alike number one pulled his lips off silicone-girl and stared contemplatively into the camera, somehow looking less like he were actually contemplating something and more like he had something pointy stashed up his behind.
“I don’t get these shows,” Josh commented.
Dawn leaned her head back. “He’s upset because she’s not being affectionate with him, which is because she’s actually sleeping with his brother, only he doesn’t know that. And the brother is married, but his wife is pregnant with someone else’s baby and he suspects she’s having an affair with that guy,” she pointed at the Fabio-look-alike again, “which she isn’t, but secretly wants to. Quite simple really.”
“Whatever,” said Josh, “I think it’s bonkers.”
“True,” Dawn replied thoughtfully.
Lunch was ready after another five minutes – ham and cheese sandwiches – and they all five sat around the kitchen table to eat. They were all unusually silent, which Josh attributed to the fact that their mouths were full of ham and cheese.
Josh was happily stuffing sandwich after sandwich into his mouth, whilst Dawn was nibbling on a single triangle and the others were eating at what could be considered a normal pace. Once all the sandwiches had disappeared – most into Josh’s stomach – everyone scattered like billiard balls, back to whatever it was they had been doing. Josh, however, stayed to help Jacquie with the dishes.
He collected them and piled them on the bench as usual, waiting for Jacquie to fill the sink. Josh frequently asked Jacquie why she insisted on washing the dishes after every meal, rather than at the end of the day, but was always given the same reply of “I like to be organised.” Josh usually shrugged, realised he had no problem with spending more time with Jacquie, and got on with drying the plates.
They settled into their usual mechanical routine, Jacquie washing and Josh drying. At length, Jacquie spoke.
“So you and Dawn are friends now?” she asked in a casual tone.
“I guess,” Josh replied.
Jacquie grinned. “That’s really weird.”
“It’s not that weird,” Josh responded defensively. He looked sideways at Jacquie, who was wearing an expression of intense amusement. “OK,” Josh conceded, “it is weird. But it’s not bad weird.”
“If you say so,” said Jacquie.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Jacquie said, “I know you guys, and I guarantee you’ll be at each others throats by the end of the day.”
