She didn’t respond and hoped the subject would quickly change.
A young waitress in a low cut blouse brought their appetizers. She plopped the mozzarella sticks and Buffalo wings on the table without much interest. Her attention was riveted to a table of young men who’d been flirting with her.
As the waitress moved away, Lauren took the opportunity to steer the conversation away from her father. She said, “Do either of you know Kevin Fuller?”
“I do,” Gina replied.
“What do you think of him?”
“Cute. Badass. A major jerk at times. Why?”
“Stephen’s been hanging out with him.”
Gina frowned. “That means trouble.”
“I was afraid of that.”
Carrie turned to Gina and lifted her eyebrows. “How do you know this guy?” she asked.
Gina shrugged. “Met him at a party awhile back. We went out a couple of times before I smartened up.”
“So he’s our age?” Lauren asked.
“Twenty-three,” Gina said. She took a bite from a mozzarella stick. Cheese oozed out and she wrapped her tongue around the stray piece. “He deals for a living. Weed. Coke. Pills.”
Lauren sighed. “Perfect.”
“You think Stephen’s doing drugs?” Carrie asked.
“I know he’s into something,” Lauren said. “But I’m not sure what. He just hasn’t been right lately.”
“We could find out easy enough,” Gina said.
“How?”
Gina’s smile was full of mischief. “We’ll go over to Kevin’s and see for ourselves. People hang out there almost every night.”
Carrie said, “I’m sure this Kevin guy would be thrilled to have us show up at his door.”
Gina twisted her long hair around her finger. “Kevin won’t mind a bit,” she murmured.
Lauren frowned. “But Stephen would be furious.”
“He won’t know we’re there to check up on him,” Gina said. “He’ll think we’re there to party like everyone else. Hell, he might even think his sister is cool after all.”
“I guess,” Lauren muttered.
“We’ll go tomorrow night,” Gina said.
“I have to work,” Lauren said.
Gina sighed. “How about Wednesday night?”
Lauren hesitated. “Okay.”
“I’m in,” Carrie said.
“Good,” Gina replied with a clap of her hands. “Then we’ll find out for ourselves what the little shit is up to.”
***
Lauren slipped into her shimmering gold Dolce & Gabbana dress and matching heels. She walked to her mirror and peered at her image. Her well-practiced smile peered back at her. She was as ready as she’d ever be.
Downstairs she found Stephen slumped in a wing chair in the living room with a beer in his hand. “What the hell are you doing?” Lauren said.
Stephen barely glanced at her. A tiny ring of blue was all that was visible around his enlarged pupils. “What the hell does it look like?” he said.
“Have you lost your mind?” Lauren kept her voice low, despite her desire to scream. “If Dad catches you, he’ll -”
“I don’t give a fuck what he does.”
“Stephen, you can’t -”
“Don’t start preaching at me.”
Lauren let out an exasperated breath. Stephen had a wild look in his eyes that came from more than alcohol. And an arrogance that was sure to get him in trouble this evening. Lauren changed her tactic and softened her voice. “What about Mom?”
“What about her?”
“How do you think your condition tonight is going to affect her?”
“Give me a break, will you?” Stephen rose, took a moment to get his balance, then strode to the kitchen. Lauren followed close behind. He drained the remainder of his beer, tossed the bottle in the trash, burped. “You didn’t expect me to go to this thing sober,” he said, “did you?”
“I just think -”
“You think too damn much.”
“Would you mind letting me finish a sentence?”
Stephen’s eyes flashed with anger. They were that same shade of steel blue as their father’s. His jaw was tight as he ground out the words, “Why don’t you mind your own fucking
A young waitress in a low cut blouse brought their appetizers. She plopped the mozzarella sticks and Buffalo wings on the table without much interest. Her attention was riveted to a table of young men who’d been flirting with her.
As the waitress moved away, Lauren took the opportunity to steer the conversation away from her father. She said, “Do either of you know Kevin Fuller?”
“I do,” Gina replied.
“What do you think of him?”
“Cute. Badass. A major jerk at times. Why?”
“Stephen’s been hanging out with him.”
Gina frowned. “That means trouble.”
“I was afraid of that.”
Carrie turned to Gina and lifted her eyebrows. “How do you know this guy?” she asked.
Gina shrugged. “Met him at a party awhile back. We went out a couple of times before I smartened up.”
“So he’s our age?” Lauren asked.
“Twenty-three,” Gina said. She took a bite from a mozzarella stick. Cheese oozed out and she wrapped her tongue around the stray piece. “He deals for a living. Weed. Coke. Pills.”
Lauren sighed. “Perfect.”
“You think Stephen’s doing drugs?” Carrie asked.
“I know he’s into something,” Lauren said. “But I’m not sure what. He just hasn’t been right lately.”
“We could find out easy enough,” Gina said.
“How?”
Gina’s smile was full of mischief. “We’ll go over to Kevin’s and see for ourselves. People hang out there almost every night.”
Carrie said, “I’m sure this Kevin guy would be thrilled to have us show up at his door.”
Gina twisted her long hair around her finger. “Kevin won’t mind a bit,” she murmured.
Lauren frowned. “But Stephen would be furious.”
“He won’t know we’re there to check up on him,” Gina said. “He’ll think we’re there to party like everyone else. Hell, he might even think his sister is cool after all.”
“I guess,” Lauren muttered.
“We’ll go tomorrow night,” Gina said.
“I have to work,” Lauren said.
Gina sighed. “How about Wednesday night?”
Lauren hesitated. “Okay.”
“I’m in,” Carrie said.
“Good,” Gina replied with a clap of her hands. “Then we’ll find out for ourselves what the little shit is up to.”
***
Lauren slipped into her shimmering gold Dolce & Gabbana dress and matching heels. She walked to her mirror and peered at her image. Her well-practiced smile peered back at her. She was as ready as she’d ever be.
Downstairs she found Stephen slumped in a wing chair in the living room with a beer in his hand. “What the hell are you doing?” Lauren said.
Stephen barely glanced at her. A tiny ring of blue was all that was visible around his enlarged pupils. “What the hell does it look like?” he said.
“Have you lost your mind?” Lauren kept her voice low, despite her desire to scream. “If Dad catches you, he’ll -”
“I don’t give a fuck what he does.”
“Stephen, you can’t -”
“Don’t start preaching at me.”
Lauren let out an exasperated breath. Stephen had a wild look in his eyes that came from more than alcohol. And an arrogance that was sure to get him in trouble this evening. Lauren changed her tactic and softened her voice. “What about Mom?”
“What about her?”
“How do you think your condition tonight is going to affect her?”
“Give me a break, will you?” Stephen rose, took a moment to get his balance, then strode to the kitchen. Lauren followed close behind. He drained the remainder of his beer, tossed the bottle in the trash, burped. “You didn’t expect me to go to this thing sober,” he said, “did you?”
“I just think -”
“You think too damn much.”
“Would you mind letting me finish a sentence?”
Stephen’s eyes flashed with anger. They were that same shade of steel blue as their father’s. His jaw was tight as he ground out the words, “Why don’t you mind your own fucking
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