Once inside the car, I lean in and gently kiss her. “Ok, but I think you are forgetting something, though, princess,” I say with a playful smirk.
Confused, Tessie looks at me, waiting for me to explain. “I won the bowling game,” I remind her, raising my eyebrows.
She bites her lip, realizing her mistake. “You did. We better go to that hill then…” she says seductively.
MIKE
Nate and I make our way into the store and I can't help but notice the curious glances of a few ladies in the aisle as they whisper and giggle. I catch the eye of one of them, who winks at Nate. With his baseball cap and flannel shirt, Nate looks quite attractive. Despite the attention, we continue through the store, focusing on our task at hand.
Nate and I stand in front of the meat fridge, contemplating what to grab for dinner. We hear the soft hum of the refrigeration unit and the faint buzz of the store's fluorescent lights. Nate turns to me and asks, “Tessie will like burgers, right?” I ponder for a moment and reply, “I think so. Although, she might not be hungry since she and Cain went out for a picnic.” We grab a pack of burgers and buns, continuing down the aisle.
Nate still seems puzzled. He says, “You know, I'm still shocked. Cain has never done anything like that before he told me he was going to take her bowling.” I smirk and shrug.
We turn the corner and realize we're in the ladies' aisle, surrounded by period pads and tampons. Suddenly, an idea pops into my head. “Dude, what if we put together a box for Tessie? I've seen them online.” Nate looks at me, confused. “What box?” he asks. “A period box. So when her monthly comes along, she will have everything she needs, like pads and chocolate,” I explain.
As we both gaze at the shelves, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of period items on display. Nate seems to be feeling the same way as he mouths out an uneasy, “Uhh.” I scan the various boxes labeled with vague phrases like heavy flow and light flow. I can feel my anxiety rising as I try to make a decision. Nate and I exchange a worried glance, both of us unsure of what to choose from the endless options.
“We can get one of everything,” I propose.
Nate stops picking up items and asks, “What are feminine wipes?”
I pause for a moment, then reply, “I'm not sure, but let's grab them just in case. We'll also need to get her some chocolate, a hot water bottle, and painkillers.”
We pay for all the items, getting a strange look from the cashier.
Stepping out of the store, our hands are full of every type of period product available on the shelves. We approach Nate's truck parked right outside. As we settle in, I can't help but comment on the exorbitant prices of female products in the market. “It's been ages since I've lived with women,” I say, yearning for a sense of familiarity.
Nate takes a deep drag from his cigarette, then rolls down his window to let the smoke out. He nods in agreement, “Yeah, period products are pricey. And honestly, I didn’t grow up with a sister…” Suddenly, Nate's voice trails off, and he apologizes, “Shit, sorry, dude. I forgot.”
I place my hands on my knees and take a deep breath. The air inside the vehicle is thick with tension and silence. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. After a few moments of awkwardness, I speak up. “It's cool, dude,” I say.
For a moment, the silence remains unbroken. Nate keeps his eyes fixed on the road ahead, but then he turns to me, his expression softening.
“I told Tessie what happened,” I continue, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nate's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly looks back at the road. After a moment, he speaks up. “That took a lot of courage, man,” he says, his voice filled with respect. “Speaking about that–”
“I told her about the gardener,” I say, sheepishly looking around the truck. Nate's expression turns to surprise as he processes what I just said.
“I think we found a good one,” I continue, trying to reassure him. “She seemed unfazed by what I had done to him.”
Nate finishes smoking his cigarette, sending it out the window with a careless flick of his wrist. He takes a deep breath of the crisp air and turns to me with a smirk.
“If she's stuck around this long, she must be a keeper,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.
I chuckle. “We just need to make sure she never wants to leave.”
Nate nods in agreement, “She'll be so locked up she won't even have a chance to think about leaving.” We both share a laugh at the thought.
TESSIE
The dim moonlight cascades over the Jeep as the golden sun dips below the horizon. I find myself nestled onto Cain's lap in the backseat, our lips kissing passionately as our bodies generate heat and intensity making the car's windows fog.
Cain whispers in between intense kisses, “I’m going to fuck you so brutally. I will put everything into it and you'll be screaming my name before the night ends.” His eyes lock with mine and I can feel the heat emanating from his body as he pulls me closer.
Cain starts to unbutton my jeans and the tension in the car becomes palpable. Our breaths begin to quicken when suddenly, my phone starts ringing, breaking the charged atmosphere. I glance at the screen and notice that it's my brother calling.
I let out an exasperated sigh and mutter, “Ugh...Timmy.”
I jump off Cain's lap, pick it up, and answer casually, "What's up, Timmy?" However, Timmy sounds worried and asks if I can come and help him. I let out a sigh, but I can’t ignore a call for help from my brother. I tell him I am on my way and hang up the phone. I turn to Cain. “Raincheck, I'm sorry. My brother needs me.” Cain understands and jumps up from the backseat, rushing to the driver's seat of his car.
As we approach my mother's house, my eyes catch my brother sitting on a garden chair outside, lost in a cloud of smoke. As our Jeep pulls up, he stands and looks in our direction. I'm about to jump out of the car, but my Cain stops me and says, “Wait, Tessie.”
I don't listen and I rush towards my brother. “What's up, Timmy?" My brother seems restless and paces back and forth, his eyes scanning Cain, standing behind me.
“Who's he?” Timmy asks, his tone is inquisitive and his gaze fixed on Cain.
“Timmy, this is Cain. Anyway, what's up?” I respond, trying to divert his attention and bring the focus back to our visit's purpose.
Timmy takes the last drag of his cigarette. Carelessly, he throws it on the ground, crushing it with his shoe. I study him cautiously, noticing his messy brown hair and dirt-stained hoodie and jeans. He looks like a crackhead. I feel ashamed, knowing that Cain is seeing my unkempt brother.
Timmy pulls me aside, away from Cain's view. “Do you have fifty dollars That I can borrow?” he whispers in a low voice.
I roll my eyes in disbelief. “What? Seriously, Timmy? You said you needed my help,” I reply in a firm tone.
“I do need your help,” he insists. “I need the money to buy some food.”
