Alex Talks Turkey

By

Melanie Brown

Copyright  © 2012

“You said what to him?!”

I looked up at Ashley and said, “I told him I loved him. Are you deaf?”

Ash threw up her hands. “You haven’t known him that long! And you just don’t give it up so easily. He has to earn your love. You don’t make it easy for him! He’ll just take advantage of you.”

“He’s not like that. I believe he truly loves me. And…and…I love him! We faced death together! He saved my life!” I said, waving my arms around for emphasis.

“Technically, that bitch Tamara saved your life with her shoe. And I really doubt that your life, or your virtue…” Ash laughed at that part. “…was in danger. Ed’s not a killer and he’s probably too stupid to know what to do with that thing between his legs.”

“You weren’t there,” I said. “It was scary as hell. Have you ever had a knife to your throat?”

Ash smiled enigmatically and said, “Do I leave out the times during sex play?”

“I’m serious!” I said. “That was a life changing event and it brought us closer.”

Ash plopped down in her chair and said, “You’re such a girly-girl with all your silly romantic fantasies. If you think you love him and you’re happy, I’m glad. I’ve just seen a lot of friends get hurt is all.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ve never felt this way about any guy before. I thought my crush on Zach would turn into love, but it didn’t.”

Ash looked wistfully out the window and said, “It’s way too easy to fall in love.”

*          *          *

“Hello?”

“Miss Hughes?” asked the voice on the phone.

“Yes. This is she.”

“Miss Hughes, this is Sgt. Anderson at the police department. I’m calling to let you know that Edward McLaughlin has been arrested and is currently waiting to be arraigned by the county court. You will need to come down to the station to sign the complaint.”

“I’ll be there with bells on!” I exclaimed.

“The bells won’t be necessary,” said Sgt. Anderson as he disconnected.

I quickly punched in Brad’s number. After a few rings, he answered. “Brad! Did you hear? They caught that scuz-bucket Ed! Isn’t that wonderful?”

“Yes. I just got a call from the police about it. We have to go sign the complaint. Want to go with me?”

“Sure!” I said. “Call me when you’re in the parking lot.”

*          *          *

“I didn’t think a hundred thousand dollar bail is enough,” I said as we walked back to Brad’s car. “All he has to come up with is ten kay and he’ll be out.”

Brad laughed as he pressed the button on his key fob that unlocked his car’s door. “I doubt that Ed has ten cents. He’s not going anywhere.”

“I sure hope so,” I said as I opened my door and slid into the passenger seat.

As Brad backed his car out of the parking space, he smiled at me and said, “Hey, while it’s not really over, at least we don’t have to worry about that douche and his minions any more. I was getting tired of always running into them.”

I laughed and said, “Yeah, now all we have to worry about is running into that other douche, Zach.”

Pulling into traffic, Brad said, “Meh. I can’t image him bothering you anymore. I mean, he’s the one that’s creating his own problem. It’s not like you’re going around bragging you had sex with him.”

Frowning, I said, “Do you have to bring that up? I’m trying to forget.”

Smiling, Brad said, “Sorry. But you know…I sure wouldn’t mind being on a South Pacific island alone with you.”

I grinned and said, “I bet you wouldn’t!”

Except for the radio, silence reigned for the next few minutes on our way back to the University. We might not have been together for very long, but it’s been long enough for me to tell that he had something on his mind.

“You okay?”

“What?” asked Brad, seemingly distracted. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Just…” his voice trailed away.

“Yes?” I prodded.

“Nothing. It’s just that my mom…um…she wants to invite you to Thanksgiving dinner at our house next Thursday on…uh…Thanksgiving.” I was a little surprised by Brad’s nervousness.

I laughed and said, “Yeah, that’s usually when most people have Thanksgiving dinner.”

“You are correct, sir! Um ma’am…uh Miss…damn!”

Shaking my head I asked, “Why are you so nervous?”

“I don’t know,” said Brad. “It just seems like such a big step.”

“I’ve already met your parents,” I said. “We’re past that already.”

Shrugging, Brad said, “I know. It’s still a big step in a relationship and I’m just afraid you’d say ‘no’”. He glanced over at me for a second before turning his eyes back onto the road and said, “You haven’t uh, answered yet…”

I smiled sweetly at him and said, “I’d love to come to your house for Thanksgiving.”

Brad grinned broadly. “I was hoping you’d say that!”

I laughed and though I knew I’d regret it, I said, “Besides, where else am I going to go? Dad’s on another of his deep woods camping trips.”

“Look, if you really don’t want to come, it’s okay,” said Brad as he stared straight ahead.

“I do want to come!” I said. “I can’t wait. I mean, really.”

Brad gave me a half smile and said, “Okay. Oh, and just in case you think we dress up for dinner, we don’t. But don’t wear sweat pants and a holey t-shirt.”

*          *          *

Ash’s car rolled to a stop outside of Brad’s house. I looked at the house for a long moment. This was a milestone in my life. I was about to go into my…dare I say it?...boyfriend’s house to have dinner with him and his parents. As a girl! What a difference a year makes. A sudden nervousness washed over me.

“Relax, girlfriend,” said Ash in a soothing voice. “You’re not going into the lion’s den. You already know his parents and they love you. You’ll do fine. And you look absolutely adorable.”

“Thanks, Ash.” I looked down for a second to make sure everything was right. I was wearing a short, tan, sweater dress, hose and really cute high-heeled boots. As I started to open the car door, I turned back to Ashley and said, “Are you sure you don’t want to come? Brad said you were more than welcome.”

Ashley flashed a quick smile and said, “Thanks, but I don’t think so. My piercings would probably clash with their décor. Don’t worry about me. I have some friends I was going to hang with. Hey, don’t give me that look. I promise we won’t knock over any convenience stores.”

I laughed and said, “Don’t roll any drunks either, okay?” Ash nodded solemnly. “Talk to you later! Bye.” I made a quick check of my make-up in the visor mirror.

Just before I closed the car door, Ashley said, “Give me a call to pick you up if he doesn’t offer to bring you back home. Have fun.”

Ash drove away as soon as I shut the door. I stood there and watched her drive out to the street from the wide, circular driveway. I turned around and started walking towards Brad’s house. It was a beautiful two-story dark brick house surrounded by tall trees and shrubs. The house took on almost a gothic look under the dark, cloudy November sky.

I rang the door bell and waited nervously for the door to open. I didn’t have to wait for long before the door opened and I was greeted by Edith, Brad’s mother.

“Welcome, dear. Please come in. Everyone is in the living room,” Edith said as she touched my arm lightly to lead me through the house. “And you look adorable, hun.”

“Thank you,” I said as I started walking beside her towards what I assumed was the living room. “You look very nice too, Mrs. Wellington.” She was wearing a nice, dark brown dress with a pleated skirt and matching low-heeled shoes. I was glad to see her wearing a dress. I had had a sudden fear that they were all going to be wearing sweat pants and holey t-shirts.

“Call me Edith!” Brad’s mom admonished me.

A few moments later, we entered the living room. And what a really nice room it was. Brad and his father had been sitting on a leather couch watching their sixty inch flat screen TV. Both got up when we entered the room.

Brad’s dad surprised me by giving me a hug. “Welcome hun to our modest little home.” As he hugged me close, he whispered in my ear, “You look adorable, by the way.”

I smiled and said, “Thank you Mr. Wellington.”

“I told you, call me Skip.” He then walked away towards something that looked like a kitchen entrance.

Brad took a step towards me and gestured wide with his arms. “Alex! You look…look…”

“Adorable?”

“Exactly!” Brad said as he leaned into me for a quick, soft kiss. He pointed at the large couch and said, “Sit down. Watch the game with us. The turkey should be ready about the time the game ends.”

I sat down on the couch, not really all that excited about watching a football game, but happy to be near Brad. About then Skip returned with a bowl of chips, a beer for him and he set down on the coffee table a soda each for Brad and I.

As they watched the game, I snuggled into Brad’s shoulder and closed my eyes as his scent filled my nostrils. Brad couldn’t keep his arm around me as he kept leaning forward to grab some chips. With my head on his shoulder, the crunching noise from the chips was actually getting annoying. I heard clanking of dishes coming from the kitchen and I felt a sudden pang of guilt. Edith was alone in the kitchen making the meal.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” I said to Brad. He didn’t notice as something with the game made both him and Skip jump up and shout. I made my way back to the kitchen and poked my head through the door.

“Hey, Mrs. Well…Edith,” I said as I looked through the kitchen door. “I was wondering if you could use some help in here?”

Edith looked up and smiled at me as she said, “You’re such a dear! I would love to have some help. The boys would help, but I won’t let them in the kitchen ever since a few years ago when the turkey exploded.”

“Exploded?” I asked, incredulous.

“Don’t ever put a frozen turkey in a hot oven,” Edit said matter-of-factly. She opened the door to the lower oven and peeked under the tinfoil. “Would you like to make the pies? We’re having pumpkin and cherry.”

“Wow,” I said. “My mom switched to store bought pies years ago.” Edith had already rolled dough and lined the pans with it. Nearby were cans of pie filler. I was worried for a minute that I was going to have to gut a pumpkin and cook that first. Fortunately, her stove had two ovens with the turkey in the large one on the bottom.

“It always tastes better when you make it yourself, I always say,” said Edith.

Smiling, I said, “I have to agree with that.”

As she started peeling potatoes, Edith said, “You know, Alex, I have to tell you…” She paused speaking and peeling, but didn’t look over at me. She continued, “I have to be honest, hun, I really don’t understand this trans-tranny-whatever stuff. I used to watch Sally Jessy, Phil Donahue…all those shows for years and I still never could understand it.”

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, I said, “It’s confusing for everyone, Edith.”

Edith put the potato down that she was working on and turned towards me. She said, “I just don’t see how a boy, or a man would choose to be a woman.”

“I didn’t choose this, Edith,” I said. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. But it is who I am. Despite how I may look, I know I’m a girl.”

Edith smiled and said, “Well, you look adorable. At first, Skip and I had no reason at all think you were anything other than this very pretty, sweet girl. We started questioning everything when we found out you weren’t really a girl. Since Brad knew from the time he first met you that you were one of those two boys marooned on that island, we wondered if Brad was gay or have questionable judgment if he’s not.”

I stopped scooping pie filler into the pan and just stared at the spoon I was holding. Tears welled up in my eyes, and with a cracked voice, I said, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Wellington. I wasn’t trying to fool you. Or turn Brad gay…”

“Alex…”

“…or embarrass you…”

“Alex…”

“…and to me I am a real girl. I can’t help how I was born…”

“Alex, please…”

“…and you can’t help who you fall in love with. I…”

“Alex! Alex,” Edith interrupted. “Skip and I were wrong. Brad fell for a girl named Alex. You’re all he talks about…well, and computer games.” Edith paused a moment, looking out the kitchen doorway to where Brad and Skip were watching the football game. She turned back to me and said, “I may never fully understand the whys of who you are. But Brad is happier than he’s been in a long time. And I have the lovely, young woman who is standing in my kitchen to thank for that.”

*          *          *

Skip shook his head as he said, “You two were just kids. I don’t see how you survived living on that island for almost three months.”

I swallowed the piece of turkey I was chewing and said, “My dad’s a hunter and outdoorsman. I would go with him on camping trips and since Mom rarely went with us, it’d be my responsibility to cook dinner. We’d eat a lot of fish so I knew what to do. Once we established sources of water and food, I really think we could have survived for years there.”

I paused and chuckled before saying, “I really think Zach would have starved on that little island of plenty.”

Skip pushed his plate away from him and leaned back. He tried to cover up a belch, looked at me and said, “You’re a resourceful young woman. I like that.”

Brad smiled at me and said, “Yep, she’s pretty amazing.”

Edith added, “And adorable.”

Skip put his hands on the table to help him rise to his feet. “Mother, that was a wonderful meal. Everything was perfect.”

Edith nodded and said, “Thank you. And Alex was a big help in the kitchen. I don’t think it would have all come together on time without her.”

I felt my cheeks redden as I quietly said, “Thanks.”

As we were leaving the table to relax in the living room, I heard a phone ringing in the kitchen. Edith redirected herself back to the kitchen as Brad and I plopped down on the large couch.

Brad put his arm around me and said, “You really are beautiful.” He started to lean in towards me and my lips parted.

“Brad?” said Edith from the kitchen door. Brad stopped just before he kissed me and looked up towards his mother. Edith continued, “Brad, that was your friend Ray. He remembered you told him Alex would be with you today.”

Brad sat up a little straighter and said, “Mom? Is something wrong?”

Edith looked pale as she turned towards me and said, “My God, I’m so sorry Alex. Your roommate, Ashley…she’s been shot.”

*          *          *

End of Alex Talks Turkey