Hot Rod Nights - A Short Story (Part 8 of 9)
The next morning Donna prepared breakfast for her family. Donna's mother was the first to enter the kitchen.
"Morning mama," she said chipper.
"Good morning dear. Did you sleep well?" she asked.
"Yes mama, thank you?"
Her mother was not used to Donna so chipper in the mornings, not as of late. She became curious. "Donna, you were in a little late last night. Did you have car trouble?" she asked.
"I'm sorry mama. We were bowling last night and the last games were really close. I guess we got caught-up in the excitement," she replied. Donna began to hum as she continued to set the table.
Her mother watched her close. There was a marked difference in her daughter's demeanor. She was more relaxed than she had been for weeks. Donna turned around and set the silverware on the table. There, in an instant, her mother saw it. Donna was glowing! Oh dear,. her mother thought. She looked once more to confirm. Oh my, she thought as she stared at her happy, glowing daughter.
Her father was the next to enter. "Morning, kitten," he said.
"Morning daddy," said Donna as she continued her humming.
Her father noticed her humming and looked at her mother with raised eyebrows in acknowledgement of her good mood. He knew she had been a little distracted and sullen lately and was glad to see she must have worked out what was bothering her.
Timmy, her little brother, entered last. "Morning Sport," his father said.
"Morning dad," he replied. He noticed Donna's new demeanor as well as her humming. "Why are you acting wierd?" he said.
A look of confusion on her face, she replied, "What are you talking about, runt?"
"You're acting like Mom," he said matter-of-fact. Their mother stumbled with he coffee cup as she set it on the dish as it made an awkward audible sound.
"You all right dear?" asked father.
"I'm fine," she said as she contained herself.
After breakfast Donna washed the dishes and her mother came into the kitchen, grabbed a clean dry towel and began drying the dishes and put them away. They continued in silence for a few minutes then her mother spoke. "Bowling huh? In our day we called it something entirely different," she said.
Donna stopped washing with the realization of her mother's statement. "Mama how di..."
"How did I know?" she blurted then continued, "For cryin' out loud Donna, you're brother knew. He just didn't know he knew," she said.
"Is that what he meant by that I'm acting weird statement?" she asked.
Her mother dried her hands and went over to the table and pulled out a chair. "Donna, sit down," she demanded.
Donna dutifully sat for her mother. "Mama I..." she began.
"Ah" her mother cut her off as she raised a finger of attention. "Not a word young lady," she demanded.
Donna knew this tone and there was trouble ahead, and given the nature of the subject she was expecting to be grounded till after death. Her mother sat across from her. "Now Donna, have you ever heard of the term 'low-key'?" she asked.
Donna looked at her a bit strange. "Yes mama," she said with apprehension.
"Do you know what it means?"
"Yes, mama."
"Well I suggest you apply that to your attitude around here. You can't be waltzing around here on cloud nine humming away unless you want to have a conversation about this subject with your father," she was emphatic.
Donna's face went blank and she shook her head slow-like. "No, mama," she responded.
"If you're going to do adult things, you need to act like an adult. You understand dear?"
"Yes, mama," she nodded.
Her mother gave two light pats to her hand and stood. "You're a woman now and eventually your father will find out. Be ready, okay, dear?" she said matter-of-fact.
"Yes, mama," she responded.
As Her mother left the kitchen, she nearly had a nervous breakdown with the rush of new feelings, thoughts and responsibilities laid before her. This was worse than being grounded, she was now an adult!
Joey and Donna sat on the blanket staring at the lake. It was quiet and Donna spoke. "Apparently after what we did the other night qualifies me as an adult! I'm a grown-up!" she blurted out of nowhere. Joey studied her and saw she was in a quandary of having lost her youth. He chuckled, then he laughed which turned into a hearty laugh he continued for almost a minute. Donna had not yet heard his full-on laugh. She liked it, yet was not amused at the subject of which he was laughing. She gave a look of disapproval so Joey calmed. "I find no humor in this," she said.
Joey realized the sensitivity of this subject and replied with the appropriate response. "I'm sorry, darlin'," he said then paused. He continued, "I know this is a little confusing. It is for me too you know. I'm in new territory as well, and with you I believe I'm in a little over my head!" he joked as he gave her a loving gaze. Donna could not help but be disarmed by his look. After all he was charming and he was now hers. "I have some very bad news for you, though," he said.
Donna displayed a look of concern and felt a tightness in her stomach. "What?" she said apprehensive.
"The other night did not make you a grown-up," he said as he paused with dramatic flair. "No, afraid not. I'm afraid you were a grown-up long before that. You know how I know that? he asked playful.
It was obvious he was playing with her so she played along. "How?" she said blushing.
"Because I don't go with girls, no, not Joey. I go with women. Women are adults. And seein' as how you got me better than any of the others, that makes you a woman - an adult. That's right, only a woman could get me the way you did. I'm not easy you know," he smirked then continued, "Only a woman could do what you did. So you see, you were a woman - an adult, long before the other night. Pure logic it is!" he said in a playful matter-of-fact fashion. He paused then looked deep in her eyes and said, "You are a woman my sweet Donna and you are my woman forever and always," he dripped.
Donna's heart was racing, she leaned-in and gave him a passionate kiss then pried away before she lost herself and said. "I think that's the sweetest thing that anyone ever said to me," she said with tears in her eyes and had forgotten what she was concerned with just moments earlier.
Joey looked at her and said, "I want you to meet someone."
She became alert. "Your mother?" she replied.
"Nope, someone infinitely more important," he said and smiled.
Donna, a little thrown, was a bit perplexed. Who is more important than mom? she thought. Joey stood and held out his hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up. They gathered their things and headed toward The Deuce. He offered no answer and she was not going to ask.
The Deuce pulled in and Joey cut the engine. They were at his home. Donna was still a little confused as to who was more important than mother. Bonnie came out the front door and waved to Joey. It hit her—his sister Bonnie. It made sense now. Joey waved back. "She's a great kid. She's still a little shaken from the Neecy and Frankie news though."
"Oh, Joey I don't know if this is such a good time to do this," she said concerned. She continued, "To bring a new person into her life now. I don't think that's such a good idea. And to have to share her brother with another girl, I don't know about this Joey," she said.
"It'll be fine. Just be yourself—you know a woman grown-up," he joked and smiled.
Bonnie observed as Donna stepped from the car. She assumed the person next to Joey was another boy. Something was wrong as Joey never brings girls he is seeing home—never. Maybe he wasn't seein' her. Maybe she's here for another reason. That must be it, she concluded.
Joey and Donna approached the foot of the porch steps. "Bonnie, this is Donna," he introduced.
"Hello Bonnie," said Donna with her best manners.
"Hi," she said as she recoiled a little.
"Oh, hey, I need to take care of something. I'll be right back," said Joey and he walked from the steps and disappeared to the side of the house. Bonnie and Donna looked in desperation as Joey disappeared. He really needs to stop doing that, she thought. Their eyes turned from where he was to each other. Donna, now the woman grown-up, as Joey was so eloquent in his description, decided to take the reins and break the tension.
So, Bonnie, are you gettin' ready for the new school year? she asked awkward.
"I guess so," she responded introverted.
Donna refused to be put in this awkward situation by Joey, so she decided to do something about it. It was obvious Bonnie was uncomfortable and this would not do. "Can you believe what your brother just did?" she said in mock anger as she put her hands on her hips in an animated move. "He just left us here alone! You don't know me from Eve. and I don't know you. How rude!" she mock ranted in a comical manner. Bonnie eased her apprehension. Donna continued, "I don't know about you but I'm gonna give him a good tongue lashin' when he gets back. I mean fair is fair—right?" she encouraged as Bonnie expressed a slight nod. Donna continued, "But anyway that's neither here nor there. It occurred to me, since I'm here, that I have a little problem—a girl problem and I figure maybe if I tell another girl it might help. Are there any more girls around here I can tell that can help me?" she inquired.
Bonnie's ears perked a little, "I'm a girl, you can tell me," she said tentative.
"Oh, I don't know Bonnie. It's about your brother. I got a problem with him," she said as she became animated as if to get an idea. "But wait, maybe you could help. You know him pretty good, huh?" she said searching.
"Yeah, we fight all the time. But he's really good mostly," she said.
"That's kinda the way I see it but, I don't know. He's always thinkin' about cars and stuff. We're women we need to be thought about too, you know?"
"I know but he's really good at cars..."
Donna and Bonnie were involved in conversation when Joey rounded the corner and saw the two girls as they chattered like old friends. That was a dicey move, he thought. As he approached they attacked him with a flurry of things he should do or could do better. Schemes sometimes backfire, he realized. He smiled at Donna, she smiled back.
