Baby Doll Ch. 03

"I'm thinking of getting a new dog. Any suggestions?" He was finished with his meal.

Rebecca was nearly done, but she vaguely wondered if she could grab some fries at a drive-thru later. "Well, don't go to a pet shop."

"Puppy mills," he said, immediately understanding. "Animal shelters are the best."

She finished off her food and said, "Try a mutt. Pure breeds aren't as healthy."

"I like you."

"Huh?"

That imperfect, but clean set of teeth burned through her imagination as he spoke. "I like you, Girl."

Well duh. She could have told him that. The problem was, he was her fucking boss.

"You're very nice, you know." She gathered up her trash. "It's too bad I work for you."

He took his trash too, and they walked to a nearby trash can. He waited until they were finished and Rebecca was picking up the heavy bag of purchases to ask her, "If you didn't work for me, what would you do?"

Turning away, she shrugged. "I don't know, sit in your lap and snuggle?" She nodded her head at the exit. "I'll put your stuff in the back of your truck. Do you want the bag?"

"No, I think you need it more than I do. Want me to carry it?"

"No thank you, Sir. Most of it's mine anyway."

His fingers lightly touched her back, right above her poofy skirt, as they walked through the parking lot. His eyes were scanning the area. She was reminded of a female German Shepherd her father once had. Years ago, little preschooler girl was visiting her family's home, walking around the large yard. Adults had been watching, but not doing anything to stop her. The dog decided of its own volition to keep up with the little girl. Roughly the middle of the dog was at the child's side at all times, and the dog didn't leave the kid until her grandmother lifted her into her arms.

They paused at his vehicle. He let her fish out his items and put them on the back seat of the four-door truck. The heavy door was closed with a great click. That was it. It was time for goodbyes. They'd see each other again, no big deal, but a mournful chill was sinking into Rebecca's stomach.

His fingers spread out onto the metal of the truck. "So ... I'm sorry about the candy." His voice didn't have any regret in it. He was looking down at her again.

"Oh no! It was a nice thing you did!" Her right thumb caressed her purse's handle. She silently admitted to herself that she wanted to caress something else. Her left hand was struggling with the weight of the bag of books.

"I guess you're not a fan of chocolate?" His shoes ground against the pavement as he moved closer.

Her eyes went to her reddening left hand. "Uhm, it's alright. I just can't eat so much of it at once. I love fruity candy, though. Lollipops, Skittles, Jolly Ranchers, Gummy Bears, you know, stuff like that? But I need to leave all that alone, I guess. Bad for my teeth."

"Maybe you're right. Your teeth are too pretty to mess up."

And she was pushed against the sun heated truck. Her absolute hatred of picking objects up off the ground kept her from dropping her things, but she couldn't stop what happened next.

Cliff Miller bent down and he planted his mouth right on top of hers. A tall man kissed a grown woman dressed like a porcelain doll, her black hair in pigtails, her feet in Mary Janes. The unwavering heat of his hands pressed onto her cotton covered arms. The baked metal of the truck warmed her legs and back.

She was feeling small, not small as in petty. She was small as in ... something you cherish and hold close, something you cuddle and keep well. It was a familiar feeling, and it wasn't tainted with ...

Blood.

Flashes of blood splattering and oozing onto a previously pristine white carpet.

No. Don't think about that. Think about Mr. Miller. Think about how his tongue was swooping inside, inspecting the teeth, pressing around.

But he's the employer!

The hand that held the little pink purse tapped onto the man's waist. She wiped her mouth as he drew back and gave her a clouded stare.

"You're my boss." She pushed herself out from under him and looked for her car.

Her shoulder was patted. Rebecca turned around. Part of his hair had fallen over an eye. He needed a comb. "You won't get any special treatment," he told her.

"You let your sister punch you in the face." She decided to put the handle of her purse into the same fingers that held onto her shopping bag. With the newly freed hand she wiggled her fingers at him. "Imagine what you'd do for for a blowjob. I'm too dignified for a relationship like that." She left him alone and went to her blue car.

She was pretty sure he was following her on the drive back home, but it was highly possible that he happened to live in the same neighborhood. So, she ignored him. Once she was pulling into the yard of her residence, she noticed Mr. Miller's truck drive past the place. He didn't try to pull into the yard, as she did.

***

She didn't want that woman to be alone for a week. The very concept bothered her. Jenny perched onto her great bed and examined her painted toenails. The only lights came from a lamp on a nightstand and the adjoining bathroom, where her wife was brushing her teeth.

When Jessa emerged, turning out the bathroom light and closing the door, she looked at Jenny and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"The trip to the beach," she replied.

The mattress shifted as Jessa crawled over Jenny's side and to her own. As she pushed pillows against the headboard and rested her back against them, she gave another question. "Are you worried about something?"

Jenny was getting into a similar position as she said, "I don't want Rebecca to be here by herself."

"She's an adult. She can look after the house."

"Remember when you tried to teach her how to fry chicken?" Jenny said as she pulled up a tangled mess of blankets, her hand patting around in search of a remote control.

Jessa groaned. Rebecca had started a small fire on that day. She didn't mean to, of course, but damn!

"I don't think anyone would mind if she stayed in our RV," Jenny said once she had the remote control in her grasp. She turned on the TV in front of the bed. The air turned blue and yellow. Shadows played with the women. "And I know Cliff won't care."

"Come on, we both know he's been trying to tap Tiny's ass since her first saw her." Jessa took the remote from her and picked out a channel.

"You still mad about that?" Jenny really didn't like it when her wife was upset. The world seemed tense when Jessa wasn't at her best.

Jessa waved the remote about as she answered, "I don't care how hard he bangs her, as long as it doesn't mess up the cafe." She frowned at the TV screen. A ten year old rerun of a cake baking show was on, and Jenny knew that she hated old reruns.

"What if it does?" Jenny pulled her favorite blanket up to her waist. They always had at least two blankets on the bed because Jessa was a hog.

"I'll whoop his ass. He's the owner. He's the one responsible for how shit goes down." Jessa chose another channel. "So anyway, you sure Tiny should come with us?"

"Don't see why not."

And the morning after that conversation, during breakfast, Jessa was the one who had brought up the subject to Rebecca.

"So Tiny, you haven't been riding the bike on the road, have you?"

"Hm?" Rebecca didn't even look up from her scrambled eggs. "No. I think I did it once, but that's it."

"You need to get out more," Jessa said.

Jenny tried not to laugh into her food.

Rebecca rolled her eyes. "I get out just fine."

"Well, you need a vacation," persisted Jessa.

"Everyone needs a vacation," countered Rebecca.

Jenny's hand covered up her laughter.

"Hey," Rebecca said to her, putting down her fork, "what's so funny?"

Jessa didn't let Jenny respond, and Jenny was perfectly fine with that. "Tiny," Jessa proceeded, "a bit of family's going down to South Carolina for a week. Shopping, swimming, grilling, stuff like that. I was thinking you should come along. Cliff won't mind if you take a vacation. You live here, so you're almost family."

Jenny had heard that same stupid excuse when Jessa told her all about Cliff's silly attempt to get a hold of Rebecca. Jessa had been very dramatic as she gave out the details. "Almost family, he said! Almost family! Cliff's thirsty as fuck!" Jenny shook her head at the memory.

Rebecca took a swig of juice and said, "It's sweet of you to ask, but I shouldn't impose."

Jessa leaned over the table a little bit. "Look Tiny, I don't want you moping in your room all week while we're gone."

Rebecca frowned, her eyes narrowing. "I don't mope in my room. I hang out on the Internet and play games. Besides, you know I leave for work, and sometimes I even leave to have fun. There was a whole mess over your brother going with me to the bookstore yesterday, remember?"

With a rough sigh, Jessa said in a tired voice, "Just ... just go to the beach with us, Tiny. We're not going to sacrifice you to the Volcano God."

"Are there any volcanoes around there?" Jenny asked brightly.

Jessa ignored the question. "I'll buy you a bathing suit if you come."

"Look," Rebecca said, waving her hand, "I just started working, and I need to keep it up. I need the money."

"Don't skip out on your one chance this year for a legit vacation." Jessa pulled out her trump card. "I'll let you skip rent next month. There. Happy?"

Rebecca looked first to Jessa, then to Jenny. She looked back to her plate, muttered something about not being able to swim, and then she looked back at Jessa. "Okay, okay. I'll go."

***