Mending Bridges
By
Rebecca Anna Coleman

I took a deep breath as I walked into the dinning room of McDonald's. The air inside smelled of greasy french fries, freshly brewed coffee, random pieces of cow that had been ground up and smashed into hamburger shaped patties. And mystery parts of chicken that had likewise been ground up and formed into nugget-like shapes that had then been deep fried in three or four week oil at temperatures that would boil the skin from your bones. All in all it reminded me of my childhood.

Beside me stood my big sister, we kind of looked like two peas in a pod. We both had blonde hair, blue eyes, only she was a head taller than me and her breasts were slightly bigger than mine. On and my hand was in a cast. 

“Are you sure about this?” I said, taking a deep breath as I peered up at the menu. “I mean it's not like you to take somebody out to eat.”

Jamie blushed a little and then smiled.

“Sure, I owe you one anyway. Plus. I have the McDonald's App. I can get some really sweet deals with that app. Plus I get a hundred points for every dollar we spend.” Jamie said proudly as she held up her phone. 

I shifted my eyes away from the board and peered toward Jamie. A small smirk played across my face. She saw me smirking and she just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms under her breast and flipped her nose up in the air.

“But the main reason I'm taking you out to eat. Is because I feel that you and I need to talk about something. And plus,the older sister has to take the little sister out to eat sometimes. It's expected of her.” Jamie said in a defeated tone of voice.

“Good enough for me.” I said as I drew near the cashier taking orders. She was a brunette woman with brown eyes and she looked tired. She greeted me with a small smile and in a pleasant tone of voice said.

“Welcome to McDonald's.” She said, “Would this be dined in or carried out?”

“Dine in.” I said looking up at the menu. I want to tell you I was weighing my choices. But the sad truth of the matter was everything on the menu contained enough salt to pickle a wale and enough fat to kill you. So it was just a matter of picking your poison.

“Okay! Please go ahead with your order.” The girl said.

“Okay! I would like a twenty piece Chicken McNugget please. No sauce, just like five salt and pepper packets. A large coke-cola and large fry.” I said blushing a little. I was very much aware that I'd just blown my diet out of the water. In fact I would go as far as to say I shot it to Hell and back.

“Okay and for you?” The girl said peering toward Jamie was standing behind me.

“I'll take a BigMac with a large french fry and large coke-cola..” Jamie, like me, was blushing up a storm. She then turned to me and whispered. “I guess we've both cheated on our diets.”

I smiled and shifted my eyes toward her.

“I won't tell if you don't tell.” Jamie said in a slide tone of voice.

The girl blinked and just kept pressing a few more buttons on the machine. And then after about thirty seconds she said. “Okay! Your total comes to thirty dollars and fifteen cents. Would that be cash, credit, debit, or personal check..”

Jamie smirked and held up her phone. I'm sure she showed the clerk one of those fancy deals you get on the app. 

“Okay.. So with your reward app.. your total comes to twenty dollars and ten cents.” The clerk said. Her voice is still dull and lifeless. Her eyes seemed dead too, kind of like the eyes of a fish that had just been pulled from the water and tossed on the bank to struggle for the next ten to fifteen minutes of its life as it fought to flop itself back to its watery home and salvation.

Jamie nodded her head and reached into her purse and pulled out a bank card. She then tapped the card reader with her card and the clerk watched as the tiny little print spat out a long line of paper.

“Thank you for your order. Your order number is 666.” She said, smirking.

“What the..” Jamie's eyes went as wide as saucers. As she looked down at the piece of paper. 

“I think that's a sign from above.” I said, whistling a little. “Like maybe that should be your Halloween costume this year.”

Jamie blushed and shoved the piece of paper into her purse.

“So.” She said, hoping to change the subject. “Did mom ever get around to buying you a phone? Or are you still using that old flip-phone you had since you came down from Vicksburg?”

I flushed. 

“I'm still using my old flip-phone.” I said blushing a little. I quickly braced myself for the cutting remark that was too bound to follow. I mean Jamie had been civil up to this point but how long was that going to last.

Jamie blinked and then looked at the screen.

“Well. A certain somebody has a birthday coming up. And well, I know she is going to be getting a lot of clothing. A lot of make-up and a few hundred dollars in gift cards and a much needed update on her laptop.” Jamie said grinning.

I blinked. 
 
“So. Like I was thinking somebody needs a new phone. And I'm due for an upgrade soon and you can get a lot of trade in credit for my phone. And so.. one day what would you say if you and I head down to that new phone shop that just opened in the old Woolworths building on Main Street... and I'll get you a new phone..”

I blinked.

“I mean I can't have Lily hogging the fun.” Jamie said smiling. “Somebody has to turn you into a proper Southern Belle.”

I paused and peered toward Jamie. I was wondering where she was driving this change.

“I'm going to clue you in on Mississippi, all the middle-size towns are kind of connected. I mean think about it, each Friday night you travel in a big, red and white bus to towns both in the Delta Region and in the Red Hill region.” Jamie said. “I mean from Benton you many travel to Yazoo City cause our team is going to play Manchester Academy. Or deep into the delta to play Sunflower Academy or maybe to that mystical city in the heart of the Delta the home to the most handsome Southern Gentleman and the most alluring Southern Belles Washington Academy.” Jamie said grinning.

I nodded my head.

“And sometimes we go toward the coast to play at Gulf Academy or Stonewall Academy. And nine times out of ten, a handsome footballer catches your eye and you're hot, their hot, that skirt is short, the summer nights are hot and humid. And all you can think about is getting back on that bus so you snuggle up with a handsome boy and let him finger you while he plays with your tits with his rough hands and you both french kiss. I mean there are no lights on that bus.”

I blinked and blinked.

“Jamie!” I said turning around. “I'm dating Cerridwen?” I paused. “Or have you forgotten?”

Jamie smirked and peered toward the L.E.D screen. There were still three orders away from ours.

“I've not forgotten. I'm just saying. Some of them like to jerk off transgender cheerleaders. I mean. They can still go inside you, just gotta make sure they use some lotion. And the thing is.. in those hot, humid late summer nights. You might want them inside you. Makes falling asleep on a three hour bus ride home easier and more enjoyable.”

I paused.

“I mean.. Then once you ride him and he's fast asleep, you can move on. And before long in the three or four hours it takes us to travel back from Washington Academy, you've fucked the whole football team. I mean I'm sure you'll be sore as hell the next morning and dripping with you know. But hey! War stories.”

I shivered.

“Should a big sister really be telling her little sister this?” I said looking sideways.

“Yes and no. I'll let you decide that. But just because your hand is in a cast. Does not mean you can't ride them like a bonko bull.”

I peered toward Jamie. I could not believe what I was hearing. I would have never imagined in a million years that blonde haired, blue eyed, petite, and demure girl that was my older sister would even suggest such things. 

I did not have long to ponder because soon the cashier appeared again. This time she was holding a brown plastic tray that seemed overflowing with McDonald's fare. The sight of the golden fries and golden brown chicken nuggets made my mouth water. 

“Order 666 for Jamie Sarah Potter..” The girl called out.

Jamie smiled as she collected the plastic brown tray. She then peered toward me and smiled as she motioned toward one of the empty chairs.
“After you sis.”

To Be Continued