Chasing White [Draft 1]

Chapter 10: There Are Over Eighty Million Germs in One Kiss

Torres House. August 2, 2017.

"Why do I feel hungover?" I whisper to the sky.

"Mommy? What's hungover?" Iz looks up at me from her place on the floor.

"It means a really bad headache, sweetheart." I set my hand on her head, massaging it with my nails. "A headache that you won't get till you're older."

"Why not till I'm older?"

"Because I said so."

"Oh..." I smile at the childlike disappointment of not being able to try something new in Iz's voice. Iz turns to me, a big question on her face.

"Where's Aunt Rachel?"

"Taking a shower."

"But I thought Uncle Sam was taking a shower."

The realization dawns in my chest. "Oh... uh- he's done with his shower."

"Why isn't he down here?"

"Cause he's taking a nap." I say quickly.

This seems to make sense to Iz. "Oh, okay." She turns her attention back to the television, engrossed in the episode of Doctor Who.

"Anika?" I yell, leaning my head back, trying to get a good look at the little girl.

"What?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm drawing a dog for Tori." I push myself up and turn around to face Anika, my eyebrows knitting together.

"A dog?"

"She said that she liked dogs so I'm making her a dog."

"A dog?" I repeat.

"It's of Hulk and Sadie!" Anika holds up the crude crayon drawing, smiling proudly at her newest creation. "Look it!" She runs over to me and holds out the picture.

There's a picture of two badly drawn dogs, both of them with fluffy black tails curling a lot higher than they should.

"That's very good! But you know what needs to be added?" Anika starts to look unusually concerned. "Your signature! Every great artist has a signature!"

Anika's face lights up. "Okay!" She takes the paper from me and goes back to her small desk in the corner. I slouch back on the couch and focus my attention back on the television. Someone pounds down the stairs, their footsteps muffled by the carpet.

Rachel stops at the bottom of the stairs, pulling her bathrobe further around her small body.

"Mommy!" Her eyes widen in shock as her head snaps over to her little spawn. "Look at what I made!" Anika runs over to Rachel, waving the paper in the air.

Rachel looks down at Anika, realization spreading across her face. "That's very..." She lets out a small squeak as Sam comes up behind her in a state just as sweaty and red as his partner in arms. "Nice. It's a lovely photo. Terrific. Molto bene."

"Did you have a nice shower?" I smile.

Rachel glares up at me, her thin lips pursing. "As a matter of fact, it was terrific. The best shower ever. A shower that you will probably never get to experience because you are a stinky old fart."

I scowl, glaring at my only friend. Anika giggles, wrapping her arms around her mother's legs. "That was funny, Momma."

"It's because I'm hilarious." Rachel picks up Anika, walking towards me. She plops herself on the arm of the chair, her attention almost immediately focusing on the show.