Just Think Happy Thoughts
Ch. 10: Lullaby
“It took you children long enough,” Melody grumbled, lighting her fifth cigarette of the day while leaning against the van.
“Sugar, your lungs are gonna be blacker than your wardrobe if you keep smoking like that,” Elena said softly, taking another out of the open pack and lighting it gingerly. “Not to mention we’ll have to buy more before we get over the Mississippi.”
“I’m an adult now, scrunchkin, I do as I like with my lungs.’
“Didn’t stop you before, either.”
“Damn straight.”
Manny rolled his eyes and closed the back hatch. “Let’s just get going, you dirty chainsmoking bitches.”
~.
The sun set slowly over the open highway as they gunned their way west, Danny in the driver’s seat this time while Mel spread herself across the backseat. The only noise in the car was the constant click of cell phone keys from Rosie’s incessant texting.
Tony groaned into his travel pillow. “RoRo, what could you possibly have to discuss with Nicholas that would occupy three hours of driving?”
“Stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Love stuff. You’re a loser, so you’ll never understand.”
“Dear sister, putting up with your shit doesn’t mean he loves you, it means he’s a glutton for punishment.”
“Bite me, Manny.”
“That depends. Are you kosher?”
Rosie clocked her brother upside his head with her purse. “Can I never have the last word, you unwashed social reject?!”
“Nope. It is my task as a brother to annoy you every chance I get.”
“I give the fuck up…And for the record, freakwad, Nicholas does so love me. And I love him. He’s hot, he’s the captain of the lacrosse team, and he’s got a trust fund.” Rosie refocused on her texting.
Elena shot a cross look at her friend. “Rosie, I may not know much about the subject, but I know that doesn’t sound like love to me.”
“Oh, don’t give me your idealistic bullshit, scrunchkin, you wouldn’t recognize love if it was sitting next to you…” She smirked gently, knowing she’d catch the subtext.
“Sugarpop’s right, RoRo,” Tony grumbled, wrapping an arm around the small girl’s shoulders defensively. “It shouldn’t matter whether the guy’s got money or not. Real love has nothing to do with that kind of superficial details. Haven't you ever listened to the stuff our dads play?”
“Iero, as much as I hate to burst your idealistic bubble, love is not ‘Early Sunsets Over Monroeville.’”
Tony gasped. “Parish the thought, RoRo. That song is exactly what love is. Tell her all about it, sugarpop.” He smiled down at his counterpart, causing her to blush slightly.
“Late dawns and early sunsets…” Elena sang quietly, snuggling closer against him. “Just like my favorite scenes…”
“They’re holding hands, and life was perfect…” Tony joined in. “Just like up on the screen…”
“And the whole time while always giving…counting your face among the living…”
Manny drummed out the beat on the window, himself and Danny joining in for the second verse.
“Broken down escalators…pennies and colder fountains…elevators and half-price sales…trapped in by all these mountains…”
Even Melody couldn’t resist humming along.
“Running away and hiding with you…I never thought they’d get me here…not knowing you change with just one bite…I fought them all off just to hold you close and tight…”
Rosie slammed her phone shut and pouted, resting her head against the window. “You’re all a bunch of sentimental sons of bitches…Now stop singing that fucking song. Mama used to sing that as a lullaby to us…”
“Sugar, your lungs are gonna be blacker than your wardrobe if you keep smoking like that,” Elena said softly, taking another out of the open pack and lighting it gingerly. “Not to mention we’ll have to buy more before we get over the Mississippi.”
“I’m an adult now, scrunchkin, I do as I like with my lungs.’
“Didn’t stop you before, either.”
“Damn straight.”
Manny rolled his eyes and closed the back hatch. “Let’s just get going, you dirty chainsmoking bitches.”
~.
The sun set slowly over the open highway as they gunned their way west, Danny in the driver’s seat this time while Mel spread herself across the backseat. The only noise in the car was the constant click of cell phone keys from Rosie’s incessant texting.
Tony groaned into his travel pillow. “RoRo, what could you possibly have to discuss with Nicholas that would occupy three hours of driving?”
“Stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“Love stuff. You’re a loser, so you’ll never understand.”
“Dear sister, putting up with your shit doesn’t mean he loves you, it means he’s a glutton for punishment.”
“Bite me, Manny.”
“That depends. Are you kosher?”
Rosie clocked her brother upside his head with her purse. “Can I never have the last word, you unwashed social reject?!”
“Nope. It is my task as a brother to annoy you every chance I get.”
“I give the fuck up…And for the record, freakwad, Nicholas does so love me. And I love him. He’s hot, he’s the captain of the lacrosse team, and he’s got a trust fund.” Rosie refocused on her texting.
Elena shot a cross look at her friend. “Rosie, I may not know much about the subject, but I know that doesn’t sound like love to me.”
“Oh, don’t give me your idealistic bullshit, scrunchkin, you wouldn’t recognize love if it was sitting next to you…” She smirked gently, knowing she’d catch the subtext.
“Sugarpop’s right, RoRo,” Tony grumbled, wrapping an arm around the small girl’s shoulders defensively. “It shouldn’t matter whether the guy’s got money or not. Real love has nothing to do with that kind of superficial details. Haven't you ever listened to the stuff our dads play?”
“Iero, as much as I hate to burst your idealistic bubble, love is not ‘Early Sunsets Over Monroeville.’”
Tony gasped. “Parish the thought, RoRo. That song is exactly what love is. Tell her all about it, sugarpop.” He smiled down at his counterpart, causing her to blush slightly.
“Late dawns and early sunsets…” Elena sang quietly, snuggling closer against him. “Just like my favorite scenes…”
“They’re holding hands, and life was perfect…” Tony joined in. “Just like up on the screen…”
“And the whole time while always giving…counting your face among the living…”
Manny drummed out the beat on the window, himself and Danny joining in for the second verse.
“Broken down escalators…pennies and colder fountains…elevators and half-price sales…trapped in by all these mountains…”
Even Melody couldn’t resist humming along.
“Running away and hiding with you…I never thought they’d get me here…not knowing you change with just one bite…I fought them all off just to hold you close and tight…”
Rosie slammed her phone shut and pouted, resting her head against the window. “You’re all a bunch of sentimental sons of bitches…Now stop singing that fucking song. Mama used to sing that as a lullaby to us…”