Trifecta (25 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Saturday activities were always determined by the type of vehicle Jason borrowed from his parent's dealership.  Visions of a beach ride in a convertible even though it was fifty-eight degrees out, or driving to a fancy lunch in a German sedan vanished when he pulled up in a huge crew cab truck. 

This wasn't the monster cartoon truck the boys took on their infamous first night together.  Instead a utility truck filled their driveway.  A mode of transportation that combined all the conveniences of a minivan coupled with an eight-foot long bed designed for the home improvement store.

Now as they drove up in front of the oversized lumberyard, she put her head in hand.  She wanted to love this store, the name alone denoted building a home, but somehow they only ended up here when Russell needed to build shelves or get something for his hobbies, or Jason needed paint.  No actual home improvement took place.  The only two words that came to mind in front of this mecca of parts and pieces were boring and depressing. 

"Ready for hardware?"  Jason jumped out of the truck and opened up the little back seat door for her.

Maybe if she told Jason she was ready for something hard if they could get back in the truck and get a different car for a different task.  Maybe Jason would go for it, but she had a bigger enemy to fight on her quest not to shop for wood and screws, and it came around the truck in the form of Russell Sinclair reading a list. 

She pointed at him. "He has a list, that's not fair."  This wasn't a little list written on a piece of scrap paper, it was a full sheet from a yellow pad.  It may have even been legal size. 

"Come on, this may take a while."  Without glancing up from the list of horrors, Russell offered her his hand.

She hugged herself and scooted back.  If Russell said it would take a while, this meant they would be here until closing time, and that didn't include the three trips back when he realized he forgot some vital nut, bolt or widget.  "What are we getting?" 

"Get her."  He elbowed Jason and pulled a screw out of his pocket.

Jason reached inside the truck.

She tried to fight, slide away, move out of reach, but Jason caught her shin and dragged her until she was at the edge where he grabbed her waist. "He has a comparison screw, that’s not fair either."  That meant twenty minutes while he held up the screw to every bag of screws, and even if it were the same screw he would deem it unworthy.

"I'll give you a comparison screw."  Jason raised his eyebrows and got her out.

"My life is a comparis
on screw.  Don't forget that." She narrowed her eyes at Russell who was now in full home improvement mode.  Since Thanksgiving the men were different.  They kept staring at her and she caught them talking in hushed whispers more than once.  Either she was getting a wonderful case of paranoia or the end was near. "What are we getting?"

"At least everything on the list."  Russell took her hand.

"I have a list as well."  Jason pointed to his head, grabbed her other hand, and they led her directly into hell. 

Russell attacked the home improvement store much like other people attacked the grocery store, traveling up and down every aisle as if not to miss anything. As she pushed the cart and nursed the bottle of water Russell handed her, she didn't even have Jason's prodding and complaining to support her as he had gotten into the act by buying three different colored paints, a bunch of brushes and a drop cloth.  Actually, over a year ago they stopped taking her here.  For a second her heart raced, maybe something was on the horizon and she scanned the contents of the cart.  Nothing inside smacked of anything homelike, no bathroom items or something for the kitchen, just a mish-mash of the normal bizarre things Russell purchased.

Multiple times she tried asking why they were there, but the men never answered.  That didn't stop her from trying again.  "What are we here for?"  She figured maybe varying her word choice would work.  Her only wish was to know what was going to happen.  She needed to ditch the never-ending sinking sensation in her stomach.

Russell held up his finger and chose a 2X4 piece of wood.  She only knew it was a 2X4 because the sign above the mountain of wood said so, and before Jason dashed off because he forgot something Russell told him he would be by the 2X4's.  Russell put the wood on its end, shook his head, put it back and chose another one.

"What was wrong with that piece of wood?"  Every piece seemed exactly the same.

"Hold on."  Russell repeated his action three more times and finally chose the two pieces he deemed worthy of the cart.  "I need a couple more."

Maybe she didn't like the home improvement store because no one answered her.  In any attempt to keep her mind from dwelling on horrible things, she wandered down the aisle, stopping at some different wood.  These pieces were rough and dark, and much more interesting than the wood Russell was assessing.  She poked at a piece.

"Careful." 

With a frown she glanced over her shoulder, Russell wasn't even looking her way.  Maybe she didn't like the home improvement store because they treated her like a baby.  "I like this one better."  She picked up one of the planks and was greeted with a sharp searing pain in the center of her palm.  "Ow."  She released the weapon, the splat of her enemy falling flat on the concrete floor echoing through the aisle.

"Lauren!"  Russell tossed his 2X4 aside and ran to her. 

She opened her mouth, was about to tell him she was fine, but she wasn't, it hurt and then one blood droplet dripped to the floor.  "Russell." 

He grabbed her wrist.  "Let me see."

"No."  She resisted and another droplet fell.

"Lauren you're bleeding.  Let me see!"

"It hurts."  She winced as he turned her hand over, whimpering at the huge, jagged splinter that stuck up out of her skin.  More than a splinter this was it was practically an entire log imbedded in her hand.

"Let me get it out."  He positioned his fingers like a tweezers and went in for the kill.

"Russell!  Russell!"  She tried to pull away.

"Lauren you can't live with a splinter in your hand."  He attempted to hold her steady.

"Yes, I can.  It's okay."  She bit her lip.  "I want it there."

"No."  Russell laid down the law.

"Yes."  The blood now trickled down the side of her hand and she swallowed, trying to wash away the bile in her throat.  Suddenly, the whole home improvement store became a fiery inferno and she broke out into a sweat.

"Lauren!"  Russell raised his chin and looked right in her eye.  "I am going to remove it."

Her body trembled as Russell made the pincher fingers again and Jason came down the aisle. 

He held a ton of rolls of something as well as a bucket, but the moment he spied them he sprinted toward them, throwing his items in the basket and rushing over.  "Whoa!"  Without any fanfare or pretending he was some sort of shellfish he reached over and plucked the piece out.

"Ahhh."'  She screamed and both her and Russell stared into her wood free but bloody hand.

"I was going to do that." Russell cradled her hand in his.

"You can have it."  Jason presented him with the shard of wood.  "You can't warn her before you do it."

She shook her head. Apparently she was a baby.  Maybe she needed to sit in the front of the cart and be wheeled around so she didn't touch anything else.

"We need to wipe this up.  Go get a paper towel."  Russell took control, or gave it his best shot.

"No need." Jason took her bottle of water, poured some of the liquid on her palm and retrieved some sort of rag out of his pocket, pressed it on the wound.  "You okay even though you had to see blood?"

No, she wanted a lollypop too and she always wanted both of them there to take care of all her boo boos.  Maybe rather than moping and being sick she should talk to them. "Yes." 

"What are you a one man first aid kit?" Russell lifted the cloth and inspected Jason's handwork. 

"I try."  He pinched her cheek.

"Well, I guess she's no worse for the wear."  Russell put his arm around her.  "I got everything, we can leave now.  Why don't we reward Lauren with a trip to the warehouse store for not burning the place down."

She hung her head down.  Her behavior didn't warrant a reward, a bottle of apple juice and a pacifier maybe, but not a reward. Why they lasted even this long she would never know, and the warehouse store held that same bittersweet place in her heart as this store.  While she loved all the humongous items, they were made for families.

"Do you want to know what we got?"  Jason took control of the basket.

She didn't deserve to know what they got. "Yes."

"Well, we're not ready to tell you yet."  Jason led the way to the registers.  "After the land of gluttony, we will all sit down talk."

"Yes, talking is definitely in order."  Russell patted her shoulder.  "It's time."

At last they were going to let her in on the secrets.  "What do you need to talk to me about?"

"If you were paying attention you would already know."  Jason took a sip of her water. "But first we will go to your favorite place."

"Yes, we're already here so let's get it all done." Russell scooted ahead of them to pay.

Yes, get it done.  She only hoped when it was time to really get it done someone was around to kiss the boo boo.

***

"I have to go get something."  Russell tiptoed to Lauren and bent down to her ear to basically ask for permission.

"What do you need?"  She held up a huge bag of apples and didn't look at him or Jason.

"It's a guy thing."  He kissed the top of her head and swore she frowned. 

"I need a guy thing, too."  Jason kicked the basket and held his hand up.  "Can I go with Russell, can I?" 

"What do you need?"  She narrowed her eyes at nothing.

"I said, guy stuff."  Jason crossed his arms.

At last she faced them, her gaze darting between them.  "What kind of guy stuff?"

"I'll be right back.  Just keep going up and down the aisles and we'll find you."  He spun on his heel and made sure to walk, not run toward the section he needed.

"Hold up."  Jason followed.

"No tools and no toys!"  She yelled after them.

Fine, turnabout was fair play.  He stopped short, causing Jason to trip.  "No one will eat that many apples, and no, you won't make apple pie with them."  He peeked behind him expecting to see a smile.

Instead, she walked away shaking her head, disappearing behind a mountain of crackers.

"This is perfect!"  Jason hit him in the arm.  "Let's get tools and toys."  He picked up a tub of cookies.  "This should throw Laurie for a tizzie."

"I think we've already done that."  He shooed Jason away and sped toward the front of the store. 

"What I need is this direction."  Jason ran ahead of him, picking up one thing or another and putting them down. 

While his best friend became distracted with a display of framed art, Russell darted down another aisle and took the long way around to the pharmacy department.

Women with children strolled the aisles of cold remedies and vitamins and he backed up toward the guy section.  He nodded at another male, and they spoke the silent language of not speaking while he perused his choices.

"Let's get these."  Jason appeared behind him and pointed to one of the boxes of condoms.  "That's the brand you use." 

A shudder ran down his spine, and the man next to him made his selection and left.  "Jason."

"Look at this."  Jason moved him down and lifted a canister.  "Now this is a variety pack."  He held it up.  "Eighty condoms, different colors and textures.  Sweet.  We can surprise Laurie with different sensations."  He chuckled.

"Why do you know what brand condom I use?" 

"Dude.  I've watched you bang our girlfriend a bunch of times now.  You are very consistent."  He put the canister of condoms under his arm.

"She's not our girlfriend yet."  Russell shook his head.  "We need to officially ask her."

"Yes, yes. I know you like everything done up all nice and tidy." Jason patted him. "Tonight she will be.  Everything is in place." 

"She was nervous enough.  I think dragging her to the store she hates and telling her we had to talk to her may make her rethink her decision."  Somehow he always ended up in this mess.  After he and Jason talked, he wanted to make it official that night, but he listened to Jason and decided to turn this into a multi-day, multi-faceted ceremony.

"Oh the little black rain cloud appears."  Jason thrust the canister at him.  "She likes the ribbed ones, I'll have you know."

"She does?"  He did notice Jason always had different condoms.  He wished he didn't notice, but he did.  

"If she puts it on me she always smiles, like it's our secret." Jason elbowed him.  "But since you are my best friend and soon to be more, I'll reveal all."

More?  They still had no real words for their relationship but it was a relationship, one that needed to be recognized. He really had no words for this conversation.  He pushed his glasses up and tried to study his options.