hot passion

all wait. Mick even stands still, not knowing what's

ny hammer in front of h

"Who needs thei

ay. "It's reflex

es off the table and wal

woop, he leans down and h

guy's

ys, leaning down and put

rking!" Jersey yells, sm

hammer in the doctor's wa

exam

ood?" Doc

ey Mouse is

at him. He totally asked for it, offering to come to the doctor and lick cha

the questions," says the

. "You

ods and focuses on the

ay is it

Wednesday and the day

ursday all day lo

the people in this

er Harper Harper,

ouse a person

toon in Disney and he's

ster. I saw him looking a

I stare at the floor, kno

hen Jersey gets on a roll,

iant tantrum on thei

's smile in his voice.

ll me how o

sixth grade. I'm very s

s. Sister says I h

ve the slight urge to exp

the records as me being a

I'm use

nd what are your p

ure about anything e

hat?" the

hat chapstick or that flo

sh

od i

other things?

his is going. Jersey has the

?" the doctor asks.

e to lick something

and my throat goes insta

rother. Out of the corner of my

voice revealing none of the panic that I'm feeling.

od item, but that might be the

ide, staring at the wall f

? Would that be

hroat. "Um, no. That wou

re lots of bacte

e, breathing a sigh of relief. "Cuz they taste prett

r Harper. Have a nice day." After shaking the doctor's ha

place, my mouth hanging

ckin

ere with Jersey," Mick say

there with him, but I kn

culty and try to speak. "Uh

isten ... I know that n

.. well, let's just say ...

able and still needs quite a bit of superv

ed. "I know that. We al

ith it ev

y?" He bends at the waist a little and shoots me with his doe-brown laser b

gs a little and be out in t

ndent. But let's do thi

nuts." I grab my purse and throw it over my shoulder, disgusted with the

ile he's been systematica

I can only imagine what ad

eal w

don't

re than irritated now.

he door of my mouth, begg

l soooo g

would you h

don't know. Just ... k

er

o do that? Your

No

Yo

y chin out in challe

day you're going to wan

n of yo

g to stop that from hap

ving my head around in tr

as my ba

gether and sighs. "You

w difficult it would be to

he h

I've ever been angry at

suggesting about

and put my fingers on the

tually, I can imagine. I'v

fe. For twelve years. I've w

've dressed him in clothes

hed over him and kept him

cept for I guess that one t

ility. I'll make sure he's

u can count on that." I o

hance to respond. I'm too

ant to get home and forget

ajor gasket when she hea

g room listening to Jersey

ppreciation even when he

orth Dakota is South Caro

try to remember, but you

it. I belie

me," I say. I'm complete

e and take a tw

fight. "Come on, Mickey

nner," I say as we go out

d I start it up, looking

utting his

?" Jersey asks

Mick says, settling into t

other tim

. Does it mean he's regr

ates me? Or is he really b

othing with Jersey is eve

o assume the worst. I

sks, confused. I can see

as I reverse out o

ersey," Mick explains as

o

nt in the car, namely t

cking, but I'd rather die

'm glad he got the hint a

o much humiliation coming

snap, it's never pretty.

good for him to see me all

ghts of him naked as tiny

on with

r a car ride filled with l

. I realize then that I

n the steering wheel as J

d into the house, ye

he matter?

home." I want to cry. I