Regan Wolfrom - After The Fires Went Out - Coyote

“It’s an acquired taste,” I said. “Maybe you had to be there.”

“I can’t imagine you in one of those suits. Did you really dress like that?”

I laughed. “I’m not that old, Fiona. This is set in the 1970s. How old do you think I am?”

“Old enough to be born in the last millenium,” Kayla said. “That’s how old.”

“Fuck,” I said. “I am old.”

I noticed that the red-haired girl was glaring at me.

I decided to shut up for a while.

And I listened to them laugh, often at the wrong parts, like they found the idea of the movie trying to be funny a lot funnier than the actual jokes.

But it was still nice to hear Kayla and Fiona laugh.

The other laugh didn’t come back. The red-haired girl had withdrawn; she was still watching, but every few minutes she’d take a break from the movie long enough to give me an angry look.

She didn’t want me there.

But Kayla did.

She was making sure her body was pressed against mine, nuzzling her head against my shoulder.

Every so often I’d pull away a little, so that Fiona didn’t get the wrong impression.

Or maybe so Fiona wouldn’t figure out exactly what I was starting to feel.

Once the movie ended, the red-haired girl laid back down in Fiona’s bed.

Fiona seemed surprised by that, and stood up. “Aren’t we going to watch number two?” she asked.

“I’m tired,” the girl said.

“You can’t be tired, Gwyneth,” Kayla said. “Not when there’s more Ron Burgundy on the way.”

“Gwyneth…” I said. “So that’s your name…”

“I’m tired,” the girl said again.

“Maybe a drink?” Kayla asked.

“We can watch it tomorrow night,” Fiona said. “It’s okay.”

“I can make my famous nachos,” I said.

“I’m not interested,” the girl said.

“You don’t like nachos?”

“I’m tired…can everyone just let me get some sleep?”

“What’s going on, Gwyneth?” Fiona asked. “You were fine a few minutes ago.”

“No, I wasn’t fine,” she said. “I’m not fine. Can you get him out of here please?”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m not sure what I said…”

“Just get out of here!” she screamed.

“Calm down,” Kayla said. “Don’t yell at him.”

I got up off the bed and started walking out of the room.

“You don’t have to go,” Kayla said.

“I think you should,” Fiona said.

I left the room.

Kayla followed after me. All the way into my bedroom.

She closed the door behind us.

“I’m sorry, Baptiste,” she said. “I don’t know what that was about.”

“She doesn’t like me,” I said. “That’s okay. She isn’t the first person to take an instant dislike to someone.”

“It’s not okay.” She hung her arm over my shoulder. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Don’t…she’s been through a lot, Kayla. More than I think either of us could ever understand. If hating on me helps her…well, that’s fine.”

She nodded. “It’s too bad, though, eh?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s pretty cute…you know, in spite of the whole vastly underweight thing.”

“I wouldn’t know…”

“Come on…I’ll bet you were delighted to add another girl to the mix. One more flavour for your collection.” She wrapped her other arm around me and started pulling down on my neck. She gave me a quick kiss on the lips. “Don’t try and tell me you’re not interested in trying out a few new tastes.”

I took a step back. “You can’t do that, Kayla.”

“What?”

“You can’t just kiss me. You can’t keep touching me. You can’t do that.”

“Why not? You seem to enjoy it.”

“I’m still with Sara. That hasn’t changed. And I’m pretty fucking old, remember?”

“I don’t care…about any of that.”

“What about Matt? Can’t you molest him or something?”

“I don’t want Matt,” she said. “I want you.”

“I can’t.”

“We’re here, Baptiste. Just do what you want.”

“I’m not sure what you’re expecting.”

She kissed me. “Like that.”

“Oh.”

“Well?”

I gave her a kiss.

Then another.

I wrapped my arms around her and lowered her onto the bed.

I grabbed her shirt and pulled it up over her head. I threw it on the floor.

I kissed her again.

She unclasped her strapless white bra.

I yanked it off of her.

I kissed her left breast and gently bit down on her nipple.

I’d thought about doing that since that day I’d watched her dance.

I dragged my lips down her stomach, kissing as I went.

I undid the button on her pants. I pulled down the zipper.

There was a knock on the door.

“Baptiste?” Fiona said. “Can I come in?”

“Shoot,” Kayla said in a whisper. “Tell her to go away.”

“I’m in the middle of something,” I said. “I’ll be out in a little bit.”

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m fine.” I said it a little too harshly.

The door opened.

And Fiona saw us.

“Oh, no,” she said. “Oh, no…”

“Get out, Fiona,” Kayla said, her breasts still exposed.

“Oh, no…”

“I’m sorry, Fiona,” I said as I climbed off the bed.

“Why the hell are you apologizing?” Kayla asked. “She’s the one who barged in.”

Fiona was still standing in the doorway, her lips mouthing the same two words over and over again.

“You can go now, Fiona,” Kayla said.

Fiona didn’t move.

“ Gawd, ” Kayla said. She threw her shirt on and stormed out, leaving the bra on my bedroom floor.

“Fiona,” I said.

She didn’t answer.

“Fiona.”

“How could you do this?” she asked.

“I don’t know…”

“Do you even care about Sara at all? Do you even care about me?”

“What does this have to do with you?”

“I hate her. And Sara hates her. But you just couldn’t stop yourself. I can’t believe this.”

“I didn’t make a promise to anyone. Sara’s not interested in me anymore. She won’t even talk to me.”

“For how many days? You couldn’t even wait a week…”

“And you, Fiona…what am I supposed to do with this? You think you have any right to place some kind of veto on who I’m allowed to be with? Even if you were my daughter you wouldn’t have that right.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Fine.” She walked out of the room, leaving the door open.

I closed the door and laid down on the bed.

I leaned over and picked Kayla’s bra up off the floor. I held it in both hands for a minute.

I knew Kayla would let me try again if I wanted.

She wanted me.

A beautiful young woman who was barely in her twenties wanted this old guy with the bald head and the dying heart.

How could I turn her down?

Today is Friday, January 4th.

I got up to pee in the middle of the night. It happens more and more these days, but I’m just relieved that I still wake up before I let it rip. I won’t need to start scavenging for adult diapers just yet.

I noticed a light from downstairs as I walked toward the bathroom. It wasn’t from the overheads; it was more like a glare from a tablet.

I took my piss and washed my hands, and then I found my way downstairs.

You’re never too old to be nosy.

I expected it to be Fiona, actually, like she’d been struck with some kind of rage-induced insomnia, and I almost changed my mind and headed back to bed.