I'll Be Holding on to You

poolside

Freddy returned with sodas in an ice bucket and set it in the shade. We played in the pool and Cam called for Evie to quiz us on random trivia. It was something we did for fun, and we did like to show off.

I wished it was socially acceptable to ask someone how smart they were, because I was curious. Anyone that could ink like that was creatively gifted, certainly. 

Evie moved to a wide, wooden chair on the edge of the shaded area. "Who drew Felix the cat?" She had her little red camera and began taking pictures. She didn't like us to pose for them or anything, unless we so desired or she requested.

Cam knew all things art related. "Pffft. Otto Messmer. I meant some hard trivia." He was feeling pretty good, one of the best days he'd had in a couple of years. 

It made me so glad, there was a little Dory dancing gleefully inside every time I saw his smile.

"Shush it, or I'll do sports trivia," she threatened, tilting her head back to drink some of her strawberry soda. "What color is a Himalayan poppy?"

Freak threw the ball at Freddy because he was watching Evie with his mouth open a little. He grinned, embarrassed.

"Shit." Cam said finally. "I have no idea."

"They're blue," Mara supplied, holding up her floral sleeve to show us the blue flower. She was on a floating crocodile, Coke in a bottle in hand, wearing cat's eye sunglasses. She caught me looking and flicked water at me, showing her dimples. "And really cool."

"Nice," I said. Ours were orange in California. I had wiped off my makeup, as had Erika, so we could go underwater and swim; I was all wet and really hoping I didn't look like a drowned rat.

Evie had a few more before she would have to look them up. "What did George Bernard Shaw describe as, 'a perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire?'"

"Dancing," several of us chorused.

"But of course," she said.

Freddy used the steps to get out and immediately pulled his shirt on. It was red and said Big Freddy's Used Cars. He was always self conscious about being a bigger guy, which was dumb, because why would we care. And if our guests did, fuck them. They weren't the right kind of people for us if that were the case. He sat down in a chair by hers and got a water.

"Which character spoke for the first time in a Bugs Bunny cartoon?" Evie went on in her mild voice.

"The roadrunner," Freddy answered almost immediately.

"Good job, Freddy," Evie told him, and he beamed. She ate a strawberry and continued.

He made a nose of derision. "Right, I know that stupid stuff like that, but don't know you guys. Fuck--" he shot a look at Evie, whom he was fast realizing didn't love swearing. "I mean, freaking awesome, brain." He shook his head.

Evie patted his knee, which was damp, and then dried her hand on her towel.

"You'll be fine, Ginger," Cam assured him. He flicked water at Evie, though not close enough to actually touch her. "This game is bor-ring, Evieeeeee." He yawned exaggeratedly.

"You know this is a trivia game, right, Cammy? Not known for being super exciting? Maybe you're thinking of skydiving?" Evie looked at him quizzically with a look that would have been perfect if she was still dressed as Chiana. "Okay, then, whiner. In Japan, letting a blank make your baby cry is considered good luck."

"What is a sumo wrestler," he said, satisfied. "Better."

"Wait, letting a sumo wrestler scare your baby is a good thing?" Mara wondered.