The Summer Reunion (unedited version)

43| The Bathtub Chronicles

She ran to door coughing and screaming out curses. Thinking the skunk was running after her, she ran across the yard faster than I'd ever seen her move. I hurried to the back entrance and locked the door just as she jiggled the knob.

"I'm sorry," I said through the glass.

"Did you see what that fucker did to me? I got sprayed by a skunk Andie. A skunk! The beer can wasn't enough. G, get the gun."

He laughed and walked up beside me. "I don't have a gun."

"Grayson!"

"I know," he clicked his tongue. "The one time I forget to bring my skunk gun."

"I'm not Joking! Do you smell me right now?"

The stench of her was seeping through the door, engulfing the entire first floor in an overwhelming stench. We both took a step back.

"Yeah, it's almost as strong as Drew's cologne," I said, pinching my nose.

"Can you guys help me please?"

I pulled out my phone and searched up how to get skunk smell off of someone.

"Okay," I scrolled through the different home remedies. "For starters you need to go to the side of the house and wash yourself off with water before you can come inside the house."

We waited as she ran to the side of the house. Both of us were holding our laughter in as much as we could.

"She'll need to use your bathroom," I pointed out.

"That's fine." He didn't seem upset at the inconvenience. 

Tosh came back a minute later, soaking wet. She looked like a drowned rat.

"Kay, I'm going to unlock the door. But do not come in until we're across the room because if you get skunk smell on me I'm going to find a way to sick that thing on you twice, got it?"

"Got it," she stayed reluctantly on the other side of the door.

I unlocked the door and Grayson and I backed up all the way across the living room until we were as far away as we could be. Tosh opened the door and scurried across the floor in her damp tank top and shorts. We both laughed as she slammed the door to the bathroom shut.

"This just made my day," I told Grayson.

"Best thing to happen all summer. Well, maybe not the best thing. Second best. "

I pretended not to hear him and walked into the hallway outside the bathroom.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Tosh asked.

I scrolled through more websites. "Honestly I'm not really sure. Some people say to wash yourself off with soap next. It won't get rid of the smell but it might make it better."

"Don't worry Tosh. If you think about it, nothing we do can make the smell worse. So, it's only uphill from here."

"That's really encouraging G, thanks," she said sarcastically.

"Just start a bath and get in. I'll figure out what to do next," I said. 

I heard the faucet running in the bathtub. Even from here the smell was overwhelming. Grayson walked away and after a few minutes returned with something small and colorful in his hands.

"It's a nose plug. I got them from the swim shed."

I plucked it out of his hands and put it on. My voice turned nasally and high pitched as I said, "Thanks."