Pinky Promises

When I opened my eyes the next morning, or should I say five hours later, I found myself tangled still in Jimmy's arms. He either didn't let go because he was REALLY afraid of dying off during the night or because he really didn't want to fall off the couch. I wasn't sure.

I laid there in his arms for quite some time not wanting to move and disturb him but the urge to pee was greater than my kindness.
I wiggled around and just before I was certain I could get out, Jimmy's eyes popped open.

He smiled at me. "Gotta urinate?" He asked.

"You bet. Pretty bad too."

"Sucks to be you. I'm pretty comfortable."

"Nooo. I'll pee on you."

"Ew. Don't do that. That's not a good idea. I wouldn't enjoy that at all."

"Then let me up." I said.

"No can do amigo."

"Uh, you better 'can do' because if not it's you who's gonna have to suffer. I'll pee and not care."

He grunted. "Yeah you would." Very slowly he rolled over and stood up. "Why'd you let me drink so much last night?"

"I didn't let you or not let you do anything. You're a big boy and I figured you could handle it." I said as I walked by him.

"That I am." He said and went to the kitchen to find something to drink.

I hurried to the bathroom and fixed what raccoon eyes I had due to my make up, then tended to my hair. It was freakishly long and the heat never helped out.

Jimmy appeared at the door as I was examining the scar next to my right eyebrow and he grinned. "You like lookin' at yourself in the mirror a lot do ya?"

I made a disgusted sound and looked at him. "No."

"That's why your face was pushed up against the mirror."

"I was looking at my scar."

He walked up closer to me and squinted. "You can't even see the damn thing. Unless you frown. Then I see it, which you're doing now. ALRIGHT! I get it." He backed up and I smiled.

I had gotten the scar when I was a child. My grandfather owned a lot of chickens and it was my job to go in and get the eggs. One day while collecting them I ran in to the notorious Bantam rooster. He was a mean little chicken and I would have much rather just kicked him across the pen like my grandfather sometimes had to do but instead I ran. He wasn't satisfied. He chased me, causing me to run face first in to a piece of the pen that was hanging low from the ceiling.

"So... I've been thinking." I said as we made our way in to the living room.

"Uh oh. I knew I smelled smoke."

"Har har. Are you sure that wasn't just your own brain frying? It's about due."

He narrowed his eyes. "You can only burn something so much."

"That explains the trail of ash you leave behind wherever you go." I said.

He shoved me, and to my dismay I fell over on to the couch. He then jumped on me and put his legs on either side of me, pinning my arms above my head.

"This is unfair!" I yelled but he wouldn't budge.

"It's not NOT fair. It's just a little bit unnecessary. That's all."

I wiggled around trying to break free but for a tall skinny man
Jimmy was freakishly strong.

He rolled off from being on top of me and sprawled on the couch.
"So, what were you thinking?"

I sighed. "Lubec is a long drive...I mean....long, and boring.
There's nothing but trees. I was thinking that maybe....you don't have to go. It's-"

Jimmy looked at me with a very serious scowl on his face.

"I'm not saying I don't want you to go!" I said quickly. "It's just..well I mean, maybe I gotta face this on my own. You know? Plus the drive is so-"

"I drove here from California. I think I can handle long drives." His tone made me frown.

"I know it's just-"

"Do you not want me to go? I mean, if you feel like you need to do this on your own then whatever."

"I just said it's not because I don't want you to go. I WANT you to come with me. I don't wanna go in there alone. To see him like that..."

"So don't then. You don't have to, I'll go with you. I told you I would. I promised you...so whether you like it or not I'm going. Even if I have to run and jump and get on the top of your car as you're pullin' away."

I smiled. "You don't have to do that. You can ride shotgun. I just.... it's bad enough that you'd have to face that kind of thing someday on your own....but why drag another person in to it? It's..sad."

Jimmy leaned over and touched my forehead with his finger. "It's sad, but that's why you have me. It'll be okay. I can handle it, I'm just worried about you."

I reached up and grabbed his finger and held on to it. "I'll be okay.
Stuff happens, and you can't do anything about it. I just wish I
could give my Uncle half of my body so he could recover..."

"I know you do." He said softly.

"ANYway! We better go get our stuff together and what not that way we can head out. I don't wanna wait until last minute and I have no idea when visiting hours end. I wanna spend as much time as I can there with him."

Jimmy nodded. "Alright, point me in the right direction and I'll help you out."

"Do you have a cooler?"

"What size and color?" He grinned.

-

By the time we got everything that we needed together there was a slight breeze in the air which made the stifling humidity a little more manageable. I was dressed in my normal attire, a tank top and shorts, but Jimmy took it upon himself to look a little nicer than usual. He was wearing a semi decent shirt with no profanity on it, and his jeans were nice and clean, almost brand new.

"You didn't have to dress up you know." I said as we started to head out.

"I know. I'm not planning on wearing this shirt for much longer, I'll tell ya. It's still too fuckin' hot to function."

I laughed and put my car in drive then pulled out of the parking lot to the road. "I wish I were a guy."

He looked at me. "I'm glad you're not."

"Why?"

"Because, I don't think I would've viewed cuddling on the couch last night the same."

I laughed. "Alright, fair enough, but I still wish I was a dude."

"Why?" He asked seeming really confused that I would even bring it up.

"Because, you can just take your shirt off whenever you want! You don't have to deal with sweating to death even with just a swim suit top on. Or the pain in the ass it is to have boobs at all!"

"Okay, for one, boobs? NOT a problem. In fact I like yours, so keep them. Two, what? You can go topless you know. I won't tell anyone, and I sure as hell won't complain."

I glanced over at him and he winked. I was used to Jimmy saying things like that, and I never took them to mean anything more than him just saying words, but the butterflies returned. I tried to fight them off but what was the point? I was really starting to have feelings for him.

"You look a little lost, may I make a suggestion?"

I nodded.

"While driving your eyes should be on the road."

I broke my stare and realized we were on the other side of the road and I yelled. "SHIT!"

Jimmy simply laughed.

We made it to the store without crashing and went inside to get items to fill our cooler. We had stuff from home but to me it just wasn't the same. If you were going on a trip you needed to buy new stuff.

"I'm thinking energy drinks...." Jimmy said as we rounded the beverage corner.

"I'm not supposed to have them, remember?" I asked.

"That's stupid. Your heart makes me mad sometimes."

I laughed. "Jee, thanks. I thought I had a kind heart that you adored."

"I adore you. I don't like your physical heart. It ruins a lot."

"How does it ruin a lot? The only difference is I'm not supposed to have caffeine."

"Or let your adrenaline get to high. Or get too worked up over stuff, or stressed which by the way I will babysit you around the clock if this stuff gets to be too much on you." He opened the door and grabbed four energy drinks all of different flavors and then let it slam behind him.

"I appreciate it." I said and then grabbed a few bottles of Sprite. The only soda I actually liked without having to worry about my heart exploding.

We made our way to the counter and the guy standing there, who was rather good looking, smiled at me.

"Good afternoon."

"Afternoon." I said.

"Hot enough for ya?" He asked, eyeing me between ringing in each item.

"Sweet Odin's beard, yes."

He laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Odin's beard? Never heard that before."

Jimmy crossed his arms and remained silent.

"Eh, it's something I picked up. You must be real enthused that you gotta work in this shit."

"Yeah, well it brings on the paycheck. Right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I know how that goes."

"Do you work around here?" He asked as he punched the total button.

"Uh, actually I travel for my work. I go wherever people hire me."

He seemed interested but Jimmy cleared his throat. "Can I get a pack of Marb one hundreds?"

The guy looked at him then back at the smokes. "Yeah, sure can bro."

Jimmy scowled even harder and I couldn't help but laugh. The scowl then pointed at me.

"What?" I mouthed.

He just shook his head then stuck his nose in the air.

"Here you go." He added them in. "Alright, total is twenty six, thirty."

I handed him the money and his hand brushed up against mine. At first I wondered if it were on purpose but then I told myself I was simply dreaming because he was good looking.

"Out of thirty." He said.

"Yes sir."

"Oh come on, my name's Will."

I grinned. "Alright, then. Will."

"Do you have a name?" He asked.

Jimmy grabbed the bags from him and then headed for the door, pausing slightly to wait for me.

"Yeah, it's Layla."

"Layla? I haven't heard that name before. I mean, I have, but not anyone I've met in person." Will said.

"Eh, you know how it is. Parents wanna name their kids something unique."

"And I got William." He grinned.

"Right. Well, Will, it was nice meeting you. Did you just start working here because I-"

"I don't mean to be rude and what not, but we do have a long trip ahead." Jimmy said from beside me. I looked at him and I could tell he was ready to get out of there.

"Sorry." I said and looked at the clerk. "Anyways, have a good day."

"Yeah you too. Layla." He winked and I smiled.

When we got out to the car I helped Jimmy put things in the cooler then we finally got in the vehicle and headed for the long road to Lubec.