Loading...“Harry, you can’t come and get me.” I sighed into the phone, while rubbing a clear patch on the fogging window to look at the near white-out conditions. “You’re not listening. I’m on a city bus and it’s stuck in the snow. This blizzard is the crown jewel in a winter that’s like the start of a new ice age.”
I waited a minute while my brother ranted. I looked at the posted bus map, following the coloured spaghetti of the routes.
I sensed a pause and jumped in. “Even if you and your wonder truck could make it without being buried until spring, it would take forever. Before this bus got stuck, we’d spent 45 minutes going as far as it normally went in ten. By the time you got here and then to the arena…”
I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “I think you’d better doublecheck that the concert is even on. The bands might not even be…you won the tickets, bro. It’s not like you’re out of pocket.”
I waited while Harry dashed off to check for any cancellations. Up and down the bus, my fellow passengers rearranged their lives. The wonders of mobile communications.
“It is a lousy deal. No, I’m not being funny. I am upset, but I can’t use that word. There are kids on this bus. But you can’t honestly be surprised. Have you looked out the window?” I lowered the phone and squeezed my eyes together, ground my teeth and counted backwards from ten in French.
“Listen to me, Harry. You know what would be even worse than missing the ‘Battle of the Bands Blowout’ on New Year’s Eve? Spending New Year’s Eve sitting on a stuck bus listening to you belly ache! Get a grip. Move on. Have as happy a New Year’s as you can make for yourself.” I rolled my eyes. “Thank you. Does that apply to the horse I rode in on, as well? Excellent. Have a good night, Harry.”
I hung up and shoved my phone back into my pocket. Sometimes, my brother…a deep breath and I followed my own advice. Move on. Actually, the worst way to spend New Year’s would be sitting on a stuck bus not talking to Harry. Sitting and waiting for a replacement bus or tow truck didn’t feel like fun. I pulled my toque fully around my ears, wrapped up my scarf snug and secured my mittens. I waved assurance at the bus driver as she let me out. The snow-filled wind slammed me, but Zach McAllister isn’t to be stopped by a measly once-in-fifty-years blizzard. Hunkering down, I started to hike.
My high and mighty confidence had been properly deflated when I lurched through the doors of Avalon Apartments. Between the knee-deep snow, and being a good samaritan helping push three stuck cars free, I had wondered if I’d make it in the same year I had left. Christmas lights twinkled in the full darkness by the time I had reached home.
I leaned on a lobby wall, soaking in the warmth and stillness. Especially the warmth. That had been a little closer than I had figured on. Deep in my parka, my body felt hard-used. I pulled my red toque off and unwound the ice-crusted, semi-solid scarf. Room temperature air went down like breathing a cozy blanket. The reflection in the streetside windows showed a whupped and weary yeti looking back at me. I should have tried harder to beat some snow off myself before tracking it inside.
My legs utterly forbade me to take even three flights of stairs. I pushed the button for the elevator. I rubbed life back into my face and fluffed my flattened hair.
It took a moment to remember what a “3” looked like. The button pressed, the elevator whirred me up closer to food, heat and dry clothes. My definition of a wonderful New Year’s Eve had simplified a lot since talking to Harry.
I turned left off the elevator, steps away from my apartment. I collided smack into Arno Mitchell turning from my door. His eyes went wide.
“Zach? Holy crap on a biscuit! What happened to you?” The man reached out a hand to steady me. The expression on his face balanced between deep concern and laughing.
“Oh. Just out for a stroll. Walking in a winter wonderland.”
I think that witty remark had more mumbling slur than snappy patter. Arno’s dark face settled on ‘concern’ and he turned me around. “Let’s get you up to our place. I was just here to invite you up.”
“I don’t feel much like a party, thanks.” I didn’t resist much as Arno guided me back on to the elevator. He pressed “5”.
“It’s nowhere near a party. The holidays and the weather have left Avalon near empty. A few of us are just going to hang out.”
“Okay.”
In to #501, where Arno’s cousin Errol and Kyle Poirer looked up with welcoming smiles. Which turned to alarm and they bounced off the couch to offer help. Jeez, did I really look that bad?
“I’ll get a hot shower going.” Kyle moved off. Errol nodded, “I’ll get that hot chocolate right away.” First, he set to helping Arno peel me loose of all my layers. Their concern did more to warm the cockles of my heart than the shower and coffee. Well, figuratively speaking. In the fun debauchery, I hadn’t quite clicked that these people were also becoming friends. Luckily, I just needed to be warm and dry. I felt fine by the time I was halfway down my second mug of steaming chocolate with a splash of rum. Wrapped up in a red and black blanket (none of the clothes in apartment 501 fit me) and with my feet up in a reclining easy chair, life became a good thing again. The only light came from the rainbow glow of their Christmas tree. The three guys relaxed around the living room, hoisting their own mugs. ”This is great. Not even counting the first aid effort. Thanks for the invitation.” ”You’re welcome.” The other two nodded.
“So, where’s Leslie Ann and Marita?”
Kyle shook his head. “Leslie Ann is still fighting her cold. I’m sure the worst is over, but she’s dripping and red and just wants to sleep. Her cough is much better.” He took a sip and looked to Arno. ”Marita went on a photo shoot to Mount Shadow Ski Resort. For ‘Angelica’s Valkyries’.” Arno shrugged and spread his hands. “She was supposed to be back this morning. But I guess the weather system hitting us kicked them yesterday. Harder, even. The whole resort is snowed in. No way to get to the airport even if the planes were flying.”
My attention had drifted a minute picturing Marita in the exotic lingerie and bikinis that were “Angelica’s” stock in trade. “That’s rough. But, if you’re going to be snowbound, a world class ski resort ain’t so bad.” ”That’s what I’m telling myself. She’s been keeping in touch through her computer and video chats.” He looked at his watch and set his mug aside. “As if on cue…” Arno reached over to the side table and brought out a laptop. He cracked it and did computer things. Errol passed me a plate of his homemade cookies. I took one and did a double take before biting. “This is a holiday penis.” No way to mistake that it was an erection with red and green sprinkles for pubic hair.
“My Christmas Cockies!” Errol beamed with cheeky pride. In the soft light, his white grin gleamed even brighter in his brown face. He had on a very festive knit sweater of red and green with a white band across the chest. I looked closer. Errol sat straight to oblige my interest. Very naked and very saucy elves cavorted around the white band.
I smiled, raised the cookie in salute and dunked it in my cocoa. Errol plucked a “cockie” and did likewise, very pleased with himself.
Arno’s computer did the welcoming chime as the video chat logged on. The wide screen TV on the wall flickered once and filled with Arno’s laptop. A camera’s green light peeped on just above the screen, capturing the whole living room. Marita’s name stood out among the contact list in boldface, showing she was online. The cursor flicked around, clicking options. The digital ring tone burred twice.
“Hello, my ebon stud! Can you hear me?”
“You bet, honeybum. Not just me, though. Errol, Kyle and Zach are all here.” Suddenly Marita’s nose and one eye filled the 120 cm screen. We were on the air. Marita sat back at her own laptop. Her lovely face made even more riveting with a happy smile that crinkled her lively green eyes. Unfortunately, she wore a red flannel nightie instead of “Angelica’s Valkyerie” product. Her ebon-copper mane of hair piled up on her head in an informal bun thing. I’d never seen Marita looking adobrable before. She pulled it off, of course.
“Hi guys! Happy New Year’s!” We chorused back a like greeting. Marita peered in at her screen. ”Why is Zach wrapped like a papoose in my canoodling blanket? Not that he can’t use it. I’m just curious.” I suddenly felt self-conscious in Marita’s favourite snuggle blanket. Her luscious body touching the soft wool. My imagination is sometimes too active.
“A humanitarian first aid effort. The lad spent half the afternoon walking in the blizzard.”
Marita’s widened in apprehension. I quickly spoke up. “These gallant knights set things right quickly enough. It’s all good.” I reached out to snag another Christmas Cockie and held it up for her to see.
Marita’s expression flitted between relief, happiness and then wistful melancholy. “This being stranded sucks. I want one of Errol’s cookies.”
“Nobody else to play with?” I spoke up. “I’d have thought the resort would be jumping with trapped revelers.” ”Oh, it is. About three floors down and a long corridor that way.” Marita shrugged. Her full breasts made the flannel bobble wonderfully. “I guess I had my heart set on being home.” She leaned in with a confidential whisper. “About two-thirds of the Angelica gang are total assholes. I’d rather chew glass than party hearty with them. The decent folk are down there, locked in the old, tired idea that New Year’s Eve has to be a frothing rave.”
She let her championship dimples loose with an impish smile. “Sitting here with my favourite men, and the free bar fridge the hotel is offering by way of compensation, is really all I want.” She drew her knees up and raised a glass to us.
Idle small talk passed the time. We almost forgot Marita wasn’t actually in the room with us. I felt awkward once or three times when the conversation went over me. Arno was her husband, Errol lived with them and Kyle had known them all since they moved into his building. I sipped my spiked cocoa and fought down the feeling of outsider, just enjoying the companionship and coloured light ambience.
A loud knocking snapped me out of a doze. Somebody at the door? I struggled to sit up in the blanket. None of the other men stirred, eyes still fixed on the big screen. I rubbed my eyes and focused.
Nearly a time zone away, Marita twisted in her chair to face her door. “Who is it?”
“Two wandering idjits seeking sanity and shelter.” A female voice called out. “Cindy and Akiko.” A second, higher voice added, “We brought nibbles.”
Marita smiled crookedly, and got to her feet with a skip.
Arno made a sudden grunt and snatched up his laptop. He worked the mouse with wide eyes, tongue-tip protruding in concentration. I raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet. He sat back, a triumphant grin on his face. “I cut our camera. We can see them but not vice versa.” He turned to accept our praise. All he saw were politely baffled expressions.
“I know Cindy. She’s been on photo shoots with Marita many times. Marita mentioned this Akiko as a sweet new kid trying modeling. I just reckon that the three red hot lingerie models will be more relaxed and at ease if they don’t know four goomers are watching them.”
“Oh! Okay, now. This I like. I raise my glass to you, Mr. Arno!” We joined Kyle in his toast. Then we settled in to watch the show.
Arno waved his hands and brought his finger to his lips. He spoke in hushed urgency. “But I can’t mute the microphone and keep a live connection, so keep it quiet.”
Kyle and nodded. Errol followed suit. I gave a thumbs up. Arno returned the thumbs up along with a grin and sat back into the plush couch.
Involuntary yummy noises came out of me as Marita welcomed Cindy and Akiko with laughs and hugs. The willowy brunette Cindy and the cute little Japanese Akiko doffed heavy white terry cloth robes a hotel provides for heading to the pool. They dressed a little sexier than Marita in her flannels. Cindy had on a emerald camisole top and matching panties. Her legs went on forever. Akiko had white satin pyjamas that shimmered and jiggled just as enticingly as Marita’s flannels.
“We should have followed your lead from the start. The party was all idiot frat boys and boozy creeps.”
Cindy and Marita looked to be the same height, about 175 cm. The top of Akiko’s coal black hair just came to their chins. They all obviously had their sexy model licenses paid up in full. While the newcomers laid out a bath towel on the bed to make a picnic of their pillaged snacks, Marita looting the last of the mini-bottles of liquor from the fridge. They huddled together, examining and exclaiming over the hors d’oeuvres with giggles and murmurs.
Marita’s first class room came complete with a fireplace. We could only see it by the indirect flicker of flames. She selected a couple of logs and stoked her little crackling blaze. She jumped back up on the bed and dug into the picnic “Can’t have you girls getting a chill in those delicate things.”
Four grown men squirmed and fidgted like eight-year olds promised a trip to the pony ride.
Even the most spectacular women in the world can’t make “girl talk” interesting. Chattering and dishing dirt on coworkers we didn’t know, critiquing the new product line of “Angelica’s Valkyries” they had been wearing all week and discussing their favourite treatment for yeast infection. Even this collection of dangerous feminine curves and exquisite faces couldn’t keep my eyes from glazing over.
Patience, m’man, patience. I let my hand slip under the blanket and along my nude body to my flaccid penis. I petted and palmed it. Hopefully optimistic, like.
Several dead mini-bottles later, the girls giggled a lot. Gossiping about the photo shoot crew had turned to sexual analyses. Since they agreed most of the gang were creeps, they turned to past exploits.
“C’mon, Cindy. Give. What’s the biggest you ever had?” ”Shouldn’t we be spinning a bottle or something to do this?” Laughter as they tried to make one of the finger-size booze bottles spin on a magazine. ”There, are you happy? Truth or Dare?”
“Truth.” Cindy declared. Giggles. “What’s the biggest cock you ever had?”
“About 25 cm, give or take.”
“Wow.” Akiko’s eyes went wide.
“Pfff. No ‘wow’.” Cindy waved a hand in dismissal. “Schlongs like that are great to look at, but it’s like sitting on a fence post. This lady likes a nice compact model with plenty of power.”
The tiny bottle spun. “Okay, Akiko. Truth or Dare?” Akiko tapped her bottom lip with a finger, thinking. “Dare!” ”Ooh, a bold choice.” Cindy thought. “Any ideas, Marita?”
Marita grinned ear to ear. “If you have a tattoo, show it to us now.” She winked at Cindy.
Errol spoke up, leaning to whisper to me. “I see what our girl is doing. She’s seen all these ladies wearing next to nothing all week. She’s gambling if Akiko has a tattoo, it’ll be somewhere very private.”
Akiko squirmed, then blushed, then pulled down her satin pantaloons. Creamy white buttocks and tight, curving legs. She crawled on to the bed and spread her legs. Unfortunately, the camera couldn’t catch the big reveal. Cindy and Marita leaned in for a closer inspection of Akiko’s exposed quim.
Smiling quietly, I felt my penis gaining interest at the sexy gynecological inspection.
“It’s a little bunny! It’s adorable!” Cindy and Marita laughed in appreciation. Marita kept focused on the art, so Akiko stayed spread and open. “Is there a story to it?”
“I used to have a stuffed rabbit toy. It’s sort of my mascot animal.”
“A mascot animal, eh? I have one of those, too.” Marita gathered up the hem of her flannel nightie and pulled it up and over her head. She sat there in her nude golden perfection. Her large breasts jiggled as she resettled on the mattress. Every man watching had had the supreme pleasure of seeing her naked glory before, but still a chorus of soft groans went around the room.
The other two women looked at her.
“Well?” Marita looked blankly at them. “Well what?”
“I thought you were going to show us your tattoo of your mascot animal.”
“I don’t have a tattoo. I was just too hot in that thing.” She stretched out and reached under a pillow.
Errol pointed and giggled, “Look at Cindy watch Marita. There’s a woman who plays for both teams!” Zach distinctly heard a soft zip sound in the dim living room, but he didn’t take his eyes off the screen.
Marita brought out a black gorilla doll. Ferocious of face and fluffy soft, she cradled it between her breasts with happy affection. “This is ‘Chimp'”.
Zach would give anything to swap places with that furry monkey. His erection tented the blanket. The tent pole seemed a bit unsteady, as his fondling made it wobble back and forth.
Cindy lay on her back and extended her wonderful legs upwards. It looked like they might touch the ceiling. She whipped off her green panties and rolled to show her own tanned ass to the girls. This time, the camera could not be positioned better. Her cunt lips compressed out from her closed legs. Her derriere had the full roundness that begged for licking and bouncing off of.
Zach’s hand slowly jerked on his cock. He brought his other arm out into the open. He was working up some heat under there.
Marita and Akiko, who hadn’t bothered retrieving her PJ bottoms, leaned in close. ”Can’t you see it?”
“No.” Akiko and Marita’s faces looked to be touching Cindy’s suntanned butt.
“It’s a little train that goes TOOT!” A little fart chirped out. The other two women reeled back.
“Cindy! You’re gross!”
The brunette cackled. “My uncles did that all the time, only without showing their asses of course. ‘Cindy wanna hear a train go by?’ and hold out their fingers.”
Marita tossed her fluffy buddy aside and grabbed up a pillow. She swung like a champ and caught the guffawing Cindy upside her brunette head. Akiko grabbed another pillow and joined in the pummeling. Cindy shrieked with laughter and tried to protect herself from the feathery soft onslaught.
“Gawdamn.” Arno’s words and groan were so heartfelt, Zach couldn’t stop from having a look around at his fellow peeping toms. Arno reclined back in the deep couch, pants around his ankles and working his boner with a steady hand. Kyle had his sweat pants completely off and likewise jerked with happy holiday feeling. Errol, right next to Zach, had somehow slid pants and festive sweater right off and lay totally nude, stroking his thin cock and playing with his own nipples.
Zach snorted and turned back to the pillow fight, matching Errol with an easy flip of the blanket. The soft wool had protected him well. The air hit his nude body fresh and cool.
In the soft coloured light of the decorated tree, the sound of breathing came faster.
“No fair, you floozies! There are only two pillows!” Cindy wailed in protest.
“Tough cheese, you obnoxious clown!” Akiko swung another downy roundhouse. ”Oh, yeah?” Cindy took the offensive, diving under the pillow and began to tickle Akiko. The smaller woman went over in gales of protesting laughter, dropping her pillow to fend off Cindy’s wiggling fingers. The thrashing legs and bouncing flesh of this fight made Zach gasp for air. Marita towered over the two on her knees, raising the pillow over her head to smite them indiscriminately. Each raise of her arms gave a breathtaking display of her round hips, her flat stomach, and her full breasts along a streamlined curve that brought a new round of groans from the masturbators.
Cindy yelled in victory. She rose to her knees, a lighter-skinned bookend to Marita. She held up Akiko’s white pyjama top like a captured flag. The younger Japanese girl floundered up and after her top. Her skin had a porcelain quality next to Cindy’s all over tan and Marita’s butterscotch beauty. Her boobs bounced as big as Marita’s, but seemed even larger on her shorter frame. Cindy held her prize easily of reach, so Akiko went after Cindy’s camisole top, the only garment remaining. Marita tossed her pillow and dove to help. The large breasts of the two attackers rubbed over the tanned skin of Cindy as she struggled to keep her her clothing. The soft globes mashed into her face as she lost her grip and her arms extended up. Cindy’s tongue lapped out across Akiko’s nipple. Good thing there was no ref in that match. That might be against the rules.
The wrestling match made me wince with desire. Female flesh bouncing and jiggling. Muscles in bunching and enhancing perfect curves. Hands and arms caressing and squeezing. My head fell back. I closed my eyes for a second, overwhelmed. I felt a hand on my knee. I opened my eyes to see Errol reaching across to glide his hand over my leg. He turned a querying eyebrow at me. I licked my lips. I nodded. His white grin flashed. I climbed out of my chair to sit on the wide sofa arm next to him. Now he could reach my cock easily. His warm, long fingers loosely gripped my erection and teasingly stroked me. Gawd.
Down the couch, Kyle and Arno slurped away at each other in the goofiest 69 I could imagine. Like the convoluted poses actors hold in porno movies, both men slurped away at each other’s cocks while keeping the view clear to keep watching the big screen. Which reminded me.
Cindy lay in her bronzed sleekness across the width of the bed. Marita’s bun had come undone and her copper mane spread across Cindy’s hips as she assaulted Cindy’s pussy. At the other end, Akiko and Cindy indulged in some breast 69, positioned so Akiko’s fat globes hung in Cindy’s suckling mouth while Akiko lapped feverishly at Cindy’s sun-toasted rose nipples. Shrieks and squeals and long, slow moans avalanched out of the TV.
Try as we had promised, similar sounds were building in the sausage party. Errol, whose bisexuality definitely puts men as the majority shareholders, had forsaken the gobsmacking action of the dirty angels on the screen to kneel in front of me. I slipped down into the couch proper and he followed me, his mouth suctioning my crowbar hard cock. Wet and sloppy, he lashed around my foreskin and tickled the hole with his tongue tip. I gripped the sofa cushions hard enough to risk tearing the fabric. Kyle now sat in Arno’s lap, his ass full of lean black cock. He squatted up and down, fucking himself. Arno reached around with both arms, letting Kyle jerk himself off with Arno’s fist. Arno’s other hand was a vivid black on Kyle’s pale chest, massaging and nipple tweaking.
Marita and Akiko hugged each other close, gleaming bodies slipping and sliding up and down each other. Big tits mashing together, and gliding apart. Marita’s neck craned down to mash her full lips into Akiko’s in a biting, dueling kiss. Hands lifted and gripped and spread oil on their partner’s buttocks until the fine globes shone in the fire light.
Cindy lay spread wide on perfect display, letting us see her pumping a purple dildo into her sweet pussy as she savagely pinched her own breasts. Her perfect feet clenched the rumpled sheets with red-painted toes. The muscles in her forever legs tightened and flexed. Her fluttering eyes looked off into some erotic space above the fireplace.
Baby oil? Dildo? My sex fogged brain wondered how these things just happened to be on hand. Mostly I tried to forestall an early orgasm. Tradition held with thinking about baseball. I didn’t know diddly about baseball, so I tried naming all the aliens the starship Enterprise ever encountered. That didn’t help. A lot of female aliens didn’t wear a lot of costume.
Arno lifted Kyle clear and they stood up. Their erect cocks angry hard and gleaming by the light of the orgasmic sluts on the TV. Errol stopped and we stood as well. My own cock felt like a grenade about to explode.
Arno gave a snarly smile at me and crooked his finger. “You’ve fucked my wife, buddy. It’s only fair you fuck me.” He tossed me a bottle of lube, then got down on his hands and knees in profile to the screen. I gulped. My bisexual experiences had been intensely fun but rare. This would be a first. I lowered myself behind him, squeezing and fondling the ebony buttocks with wide spread fingers and thumb. I took my penis by the root and gave the black muscles a slap with my pink cock. Arno wiggled his ass at me.
I squirted a dollop of lube into my palm. Errol’s hand came over my shoulder and I passed the bottle to him.
The lubricant felt cool on my overheated plunger. I applied it thoroughly and then the leftovers to Arno’s asshole. I slipped my first finger down a hole. Arno clenched and gurgled. I gave my finger a wiggle. Arno hissed happily.
I took a ragged breath and positioned my fat purple cock head to the little opening. I took him by the hips and slowly began to push. Arno nodded, “Good, good. Slow. Feels good. Keep going.”
Feels good? I popped my head inside. The tightness almost hurt. Then his muscles accommodated my thickness and it merely felt great. I eased further inside, my eyes rolling in my head at the sensations exploding out from my groin.
I readjusted my knees and feet and began to fuck him, holding on to his slim hips and pulling him back. Arno began to grunt loudly. We hadn’t been keeping too quiet. I looked up at the screen.
Marita and Cindy lay in a scissors lock. Their long legs entwined to allow their nearly bald cunts to mash together. They reached and took hold of each other’s hands to keep the pressure firm. Wet and sloppy sounds slurped over their squeals. Their hips writhed and bucked, rubbing each other clit to clit, labia lips to labia. The fine female forms shuddered and spasmed from toes to nose, orgasmic tremors shaking them. Their tits jiggled like insane jello with fat, juicy nipples distended on top.
Akiko ran horny hands over both the trembling bodies, caressing, pinching, squeezing. She hunched over, letting her oiled boobs slide over the flawless bronze and cocoa skins.
Again, I noticed that, when the women could focus on anything, some thing over the fireplace that we couldn’t see captured their attention.
No. I grinned sideways at the random idea popping into my head. Yes. One easy way to find out. I raised my arm and gave the TV screen a friendly wave.
Akiko laughed and waved. Cindy freed a hand and blew a kiss. Marita’s eyes were tight shut as she screamed an orgasm, driving her buttery cunt against Cindy’s. This was all Cindy needed and she howled out a cum, her sweat-shiny body rigid as marble. ”You cheeky pair of monkeys!” I gave Arno’s ass a slap and really started to fuck him. My chubby slipped in and out with piston power.
“You and Marita,” I jerked out the sentence with gasps of breath. “Planned this. ‘They can’t see us’ my left nut!” Which, along with the right one, exploded. I volleyed three hot eruptions into my first male ass, fingers clutching his hips, holding firm against him as my cock thrummed.
Arno laughed as his own strokes let fly below.
He fell forward and rolled on to his side, regarding me as he leant on one elbow. Puffing for breath, he smiled. How could I forget this was the man instrumental in once making me walk the halls of this building naked for a practical joke. This shenanigan barely ranked in comparison.
The grunts and shouts behind told me that Kyle and Errol dove off the happy cliff.
We three looked down at our host. We then regarded the screen featuring his co-conspirator. That would have to wait. Marita worked her magic tongue on Akiko’s pussy while Cindy attacked the girl’s nipples and earlobes and everywhere else her pointed tongue could lick.
We looked back at Arno, now lying flat on his back with his hands behind his head, looking intolerably pleased with himself. His softening cock drooled on his thigh.
“Maybe I didn’t give you guys enough credit. It just seemed to jibe with my observations of male nature that a formal announcement of a mutual show would make you feel awkward. Even shy. Tell me I’m wrong.”
I couldn’t speak for Errol or Kyle, but Arno probably had me pegged accurately. An abrupt and loud squeak sparked from the TV. Akiko froze for a long moment, hands clenched on Marita’s skull. Then she flopped like a doll. Marita slunk up beside Akiko’s body, face shiny, licking her lips. Cindy stretched her length with them. Their gazes flicked from laptop camera to the, obviously now, TV above the fireplace.
The women waved and shouted in unison, “Happy New Year’s, guys!”
We stood, held hands and raised our arms high. We bowed as one to the camera over the TV, standing erect again.
“Happy New Year’s!”