“No, but killing you and your Frankenstein bride might cure what ails me. I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I plan on testing my theory.”
He shook his head. “You’re going to die in that puddle of piss, sweetheart, and there’s nothing you can do about it. If someone removed you from your bindings right now, you wouldn’t be able to stand up, let alone kill anyone.”
“Get her to let me go and we’ll just see what I can do.”
“As you can see…” he looked down at himself, completely bound “…I’m not her favorite person either. I don’t anticipate her heeding my special requests to let you go.”
“Then go ahead and tell me.” Jillian closed her eyes, feeling a wave of nausea seize her stomach.
“Tell you what?”
“Make me see what my mother saw in you, because right now I hate you and that makes me hate her for loving you.”
*
Sunny
Knox met Sunny in kindergarten. Sunny’s bright smile matched her name, just like the ribbons she wrapped around her strawberry pigtails matched the dresses she wore with the same pair of red Mary Janes.
The disheveled ginger-haired boy followed the pig-tailed angel around like a puppy on a leash.
“Knox is a funny name.” She giggled.
He did too. “My mama’s grand pappy’s name was Knox. She says it’s a strong name because Grand Pappy was a war hero.” He spoke with a lisp from having his two front baby teeth knocked out by his drunken father.
“Sounds like rocks.” Sunny giggled more as the other kids chased each other around the schoolyard. Occasionally one would tag Knox or Sunny, not realizing they weren’t playing. They had more important things to do, like figuring out a better name than one that rhymed with rocks.
“If you let me give you a new name, I’ll let you kiss me.”
Knox would have adopted dog poop for a name if it meant he could kiss the most beautiful girl in the world. However, his mama taught him to stand up for himself, even if she didn’t standup to his mean daddy.
“I’ll let you give me a new name if I get to kiss you every day until I turn six.” He beamed at her with a toothless grin.
“When do you turn six?”
“My birfday is tomorrow.”
Sunny gave his offer careful consideration then she shrugged. “Okay.”
Before he could register her answer, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips and then it was over. He wasn’t ready. He was supposed to kiss her, not the other way around.
She giggled. He loved her giggles. His mama took him to church every Sunday, but not once did his Sunday school teacher talk about angels giggling. He couldn’t wait to tell her that he’d heard one.
“Mickey.”
“Mickey?” He lifted his shoulders.
“Your new name is Mickey. Instead of Micbra. Or Fox instead of Knox.”
Knox laughed, holding onto his belly. “You said Micbra.”
“That’s what our teacher said. Knox Micbra.”
“McGraw. My name is Knox Duncan McGraw. Not Micbra.”
Sunny twirled her pigtail around her finger, head cocked to the side. “I’m gonna call you Mickey because I kissed you.”
*
From that day forward Sunny and Mickey were inseparable. She loved his red hair that was darker than hers. He loved her red Mary Janes that she wore every day. They both loved the small block that separated their houses—a wonderful discovery that happened on the walk home from school the first day.
That one kiss turned into a daily occurrence. Just one. Always in the schoolyard. Never lasting more than one second. By the fourth grade Mickey made Sunny promise to marry him. She agreed. They were up to two kisses a day and holding hands when adults weren’t looking.
At the beginning of seventh grade, Sunny agreed to not question the bruises and occasional fat lip Mickey received from his father, if he promised not to say anything about the “period pads” in her school bag or the bras her mother insisted she wear. Their kisses lasted longer, at least longer than any of their friends who had started kissing. But in all fairness, for seven years Sunny and Mickey had been kissing and sharing food, germs, and colds, even the chicken pox.
“My parents are taking me and my sister to New York over Christmas break. My aunt and uncle live there.” Sunny grimaced.
“Sounds like fun. Can I hide in your suitcase and go too?”
Sunny shook her head. Her worried expression deepened along her brow.
Mickey laughed. “I’m kidding.” He leaned in to kiss her as they sat on the couch in her basement, studying, aka their time to make out.
She pulled away before his lips touched hers. “My parents know we … kiss.”
“You told them?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. But when my mom asked me, I didn’t lie to her. She’s not stupid, Mickey. We’re always sick at the same time with the same thing. We’re attached at the hip. Two plus two equals four.”