Free Layover by Peaches The Writer Page A

is.”
    It was no longer safe to talk in the house anymore. Kenny was on to us in a big way. I felt badly for Allen because I feel that I somehow got him into this mess. It just reminded me that we could not continue the way we were going. We had to make some decisions. Either we were going to be together or we were going to leave it alone. One thing was for sure, we couldn’t keep lying because we were terrible at it. I wish we could come up with a really good explanation as to why we lied about seeing each other in Colorado. If we could explain our behavior in a satisfactory way, then we would be back to square one, being straight with everyone - being straight about everything except how we feel about one another.
     
    I sat there quietly in the living room with Allen not really knowing what to say, if anything. He asked me for the newspaper and I handed it to him. I wanted to just touch him in some way. It just seemed so unfair that we couldn’t be together. I wanted him so badly that if I had three wishes, I would wish for him three times. There was nothing I wanted more than to wake up in the morning and look at his face. I sat there and stared at him as he read the newspaper. He looked so studious and intense. It made me wonder if he was intense about everything, like making love. He looked like the kind of person who took his sexual performance very seriously. I wondered if he approached it like it was a job or something. If he was packing what I thought he was, then he wouldn’t have to do much work. He could probably make me reach my climax upon insertion. I felt like just going in that room and telling Kenny I loved his brother and there was nothing he could do about it because we were going to be together. I thought about it many times. I just don’t want to do anything to hurt Allen. I only want to make him happy.
    My mother-in-law walked into the living room and seated herself on the sofa. She looked at Allen and then at me. She gave an approving smile as she spoke,
    “My two early birds are up, I see.”
    It was clear to see that she liked the idea of Allen and me, for whatever reason. If and when anything ever became of our relationship, she would be the least of our worries.
    “I was thinking this morning. Have you all given any thought to what we are going to do for Kenny’s birthday? Every year we do the same thing - we sneak around and try to plan a surprise for him and every year he catches us and finds out what we are up to.”
    I looked at Allen and he looked at me with a devilish smile. It was like we were playing cards again and I knew exactly what he was thinking.
    “Actually, mom, that’s what Allen and I were just talking about. We have been trying to plan a surprise for Kenny ever since I went to Denver a few weeks ago. But I think Kenny is on to us now. I told him I didn’t see Allen and Lisa when I was there, but he found out I lied about that.”
    “So does he suspect anything?”
    “Yeh, he suspects that Allen and I are fooling around on him,” I told her.
    “Oh, but he doesn’t suspect anything about a birthday surprise, right?”
    “Mom! Which one is worse?” I asked her.
    “Oh, Ny. Don’t be silly. Let him think what he wants to right now, I’ll straighten everything out later. Just don’t give away the surprise. I’ll tell him it was my idea for you all not to tell him you saw each other. Besides, Kenny is always going to think something is between the two of you because deep down, he thinks you two make a good couple. So what was the surprise?”
    “Well, Allen’s company has these leather coats. We were going to buy one for Kenny but he doesn’t like them because they don’t have a name brand on them.”
    “Does he need a leather coat?” she asked me.
    “Yes.”
    “Well, why don’t you go to the city today and buy him a brand name coat. I’ll put some money with yours. I’ll go buy a cake and we will have a little party or something.”
    “But his