Chapter 14: Percocet

Chapter 14

Percocet

Friday was my first day without Percocet, and it was hard. I had no energy, and everything hurt, not that Tuesday through Thursday were a breeze. On the bright side, I found that my fantasies about Maria were more pleasurable than my actual experience so far with her. When I thought about Maria, everything was perfect. I was thinking about this when brunette Holly rang the doorbell. “This is a pleasant surprise,” I said.

“I just wanted to support you,” she said, hugging me. “You know this is the right thing to do. You could get a D.W.I., you could get in an accident. A lot of things can happen.”

“I probably should have gone to rehab.”

“Rehab is for people who either don't have loved ones or who abuse their loved ones. That's not going to happen with you. And don't get me started on the 12-step programs on which most of them are based.”

Blonde Holly arrived 15 minutes later, with her youngest, Edison, who Trout greeted by name. Blonde Holly, Trout, Edison, and I had planned to go to Sea World, as it is smaller and flatter than any of the other major parks in San Diego County. Brunette Holly said, “don't worry. We'll take care of you.” Blonde Holly hugged me, kissing me on the cheek.

Blonde Holly drove us to Sea World. I had never gotten a disability placard, and it was an excruciating, 15-minute walk just to the entrance. Holly said, “I should have paid for Platinum Parking.”

“Oh,” I said, “why didn't I think of that?” Brunette Holly would have insisted on it if she'd been there.

At the time, Sea World was owned by Anheuser-Busch, the producer of Budweiser, and they gave away free beer at the Beer Garden. I thought how much I'd desperately like a beer on that hot June day, but I put it out of my mind. We wore sunscreen, ate hot dogs, watched the kids play in the Sesame Street Bay of Play, and even saw a fish or two. After an hour and a half, we went back to my place, where Edison and Trout fell fast asleep. Holly and I cuddled on the sofa the way brunette Holly and I usually did.

“How are things with Trent,” I asked.

“He's not sure he wants to be married,” she said, looking away. “Holly told me about Maria. What's she like?”

“She's like anyone else, I guess.”

“That doesn't sound very special.”

“It's not supposed to be special, I guess.” The words rang in my ears as I said them. “Just a release, just fun.”

“I wish I could, I mean with something other than a vibrator.”

“Don't you do it with Trent?”

Holly looked pensive. “He is my husband, so it's right with God, but he doesn't love me, so it's not right by me.”

“How can he be in love when you won't make love?”

“If he talked like you, I probably would sleep with him.” She looked down. “So, does Maria really do all those things?”

“Yeah.”

“They seem kinda' gross, but I still want to do them. Does that sound weird?”

“Someday, you'll find the right man, and you'll do what's comfortable for both of you.”

“I had a dream about you and Maria after Holly told me about it. Actually, I've had it every night.”

“You wanna' watch us do it Monday morning?” I was joking, but she took it seriously.

“I have to work, and plus it isn't right. It's personal, I guess. And what if you and I get married some day?”

“There's that.”

“Can you send me pictures of her?”

“You mean of us doing it?”

“That's not what I was thinking of, but yeah.” She looked in my eyes earnestly. “God, now I'm all wet. Can I use your bathroom?”

I was going to say something, but I didn't.