Trouble Triangle (Tyler's Trouble Trilogy) (12 page)

Mark looked at his watch again.

"You going somewhere?" I asked.

"As it happens, yeah. While you were poking around the Holly bush last night, Debbie stopped by. I got a date."

I sprang to my feet. "With Debbie?" My heart fluttered an
d I immediately felt betrayed.

"Whoa. Touch a nerve, did I?" He waved a hand in the air. "Relax, no, it's not with Debbie." He motioned a sit down gesture. "You got a bit worked up, almost jealous like. God, I don't want anything to do with the women you get involved with. None of them seem too mentally stable, much like their boyfriend." He smirked. "She's got a girlfriend, straight, before you ask, who wants to meet a nice guy. She said she thought of me. She probably figured you were too busy."

"So you're taking one
of Debbie's friends on a date?"

He nodded.

"Good, I'm pleased for you. Where
ya
goin
'?"

"Museum. Debbie said she's a good laugh and she showed me a picture of her. She's quite a looker. She works in Payroll. I'm picking her up at her dorm at one this afternoon, then we're taking a bus down to the museum, and then dinner. I'm hoping she's nice."

"Museum, huh?"

"Yeah, Debbie says she a real art and history buff, and I'm pretty much into that stuff myself. It should be cool."

"Well, good luck, buddy. I hope it works out for you." I stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Thanks." Mark gave himself the once over in the mirror and left, on his way to what sounded like an intellectual date. But I wasn't jealous. My dates were screwed up but fun.

I walked over to Debbie's dorm, hoping she'd be in. As I got to her building, she came out.

"I didn't expect to see you this weekend," she said, "I thought you were staying with Holly."

"Long story. You going anywhere in particular?"

"No, just down to the
geedunk
bar. I like sitting there looking over the harbor at the ships and subs."

"Mind if I join you?"

"What if someone sees me walking and sitting with Miss Knight's boyfriend?"

"I'll tell you all about it when we get there."

We walked down to the
geedunk
bar which was nothing more than several vending machines and half a dozen picnic tables sitting on a slightly raised concrete patio. Being the weekend, we were the only ones there.

Debbie bought a couple of candy bars, known as
geedunk
in Navy slang, and I splashed out on the cokes. We sat down and admired the haze gray vessels moored on the other side of the harbor, and the black sails of the subs, menacingly sitting
above the surface of the water.

"So, you set Mark up, huh?"

She popped her can of coke and took a drink. "Yeah, I think Mark's a really nice guy. My friend, Lori, wanted to meet someone, so I hooked them up. I think they'll like each other."

"I hope it works out for '
em
," I said while I unwrapped my Three Musketeers bar.

"So, you
wanna
tell me why you're here and not wit
h the lovely Holly?" she asked.

"We kind of had a fight. Well, I didn't do much fighting. I thought she was dropping hints about having a kid and I
kinda
freaked." I took a bite and enjoyed the texture of the soft nougat on my tongue.

"Please tell me you didn't ask her if she was sure that you were the father." She lowered her head, raised her eyebrows and looked at me from the tops of her eyes. "Women hate that,
ya
know. May as well call '
em
a slut."

"No, I didn't." I softly thumped my fist on the table. "I'm not that stupid." I took another bite of my candy bar. "And I don't think she is pregnant. Not yet anyway. But I think she wants to be, and I was afraid she might want me as the father. I don't do it very often, but I just blurted out what I was thinking at the time."

She put her index finger under her chin and looked up. "Gee, I used to think I was a pretty smart girl, but when it comes to the workings of the mind of Tyler Chambers, well, it would be like asking Stevie Wonder to identify a suspect out of a line up. Spill. What magical line did you spin?"

"I
kinda
asked her if she was gay."

Debbie's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open like she had just seen a flasher. "What? Oh, for crying out loud. You can't be serious." She scrambled for her cigarettes, pulled one out, and lit it. She took a deep drag and sighed as she exhaled the smoke. "For the love of Pete, Tyler. You would have been better off asking her if she was sure it was yours. Oh,
nooo
, you wouldn't do anything as stupid as asking who the father is. But asking her if she's a lezzy, well that's okay." She shook her head and took another drag. She waved her finger toward an imaginary line-up. "Yes, you were right, Mr. Wonder, it was suspect five. For your next trick, guess what the fuck Mr. Chambers is going to say next. Can't do it, can
ya
?"

I held my arms out. "I was freaked. I wondered if she gave up being a lesbian so she could have a baby." I shook my head and sighed. "I didn't know she was going to go off her head."

Debbie put her hand under the table and felt my crotch. "Doesn't feel like she cut it off, which does surprise me." She put her hand back on top of the table. "No doubt she dumped you."

I nodded. "After a slap."

She took another puff. "Well that doesn't do us much good does it? She'd be very suspicious if she saw us together now. You asking her if she's gay, and then she sees you knocking around with her former lover." She dropped her head in her hands for a moment. She raised up, took a drag of her cigarette and stubbed it out. "I still can't believe you. She'll probably think I put you up to it to get back at her. So did she fess up? 'Yes, Tyler, I'm only screwing you until I find someone with bigger tits.' Is that what she said?"

"I'm really sorry, Debbie. I could be in a world of shit, all the way 'round. I'm going back to my room. I need to think. I'll catch you later."

I left Debbie sitting at the table and went back to the room. One little slip up, and everyone's going ape shit. I figured I better give Holly some space. She seemed pretty pissed. God, I hoped I didn't blow it with her.

I laid on the bed with my crossword book. Contrary to what I told Debbie, the last thing I wanted to do was think. I needed some escapism. Hmm…eight letter word for 'A person who ducks responsibility.' Starts with 'd'. Sixth letter 'e'. Seventh letter 'a'. Umm…Something - head. Nope, got it. 'Deadbeat'.

I dozed off doing the crossword and fell into a light sleep. A knocking woke me at around five o'clock. I rubbed my eyes, walked over and opened the door. To my surprise, there stood Holly in white hemmed shorts and a
pink and white striped blouse.

"Holly? What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" I stepped aside and extended my arm. She marched over to the table and sat down. Her Chanel Number Five brought a fresh fragrance to the room. It was her favorite perfume and I had learned to recognize the scent. I followed her over to the table and sat, remaining silent. I figured it would be best if she spoke first.

She drummed her fingers on the table, looking into my eyes. She cleared her throat. "That was like so hurtful what you said. Why on earth would you ask me if I was a lesbian? Am I like a disappointment in
the bedroom?" Her lip quivered.

Reaching over, I picked up her hand that was resting on the table. She looked so vulnerable and sexy, I suddenly forgot what it was that bugged me about her. "No, not at all. You're a screaming little vixen. Sex with you is fantastic."

She broke my clutch and slapped the table. "Then why would you call me a lesbian?" Tears formed in her eyes.

"Holly, I'm really sorry. It's just, before I came over to your house yesterday, Mark came in with a Hustler, you know, the girlie magazine." I dropped my head like a shamed schoolboy. "He showed me this layout with two girls going at it. They were pretty hot
pics
. I just wondered if you ever did anything with a woman. You know, guy thing." I raised my head and caught her gaze. "I got ca
rried away, and I'm sorry."

"Tyler, I might forgive you, but I'm not sure. To answer your question, and just so we're honest with each other, no, I never did anything gay after puberty."

"Oh. Some people just experiment, and I—" Holly's face tightened with anger. "I believe you. It was a stupid thing to say, and I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

"Well, if you're really, super sorry, I might forgive you. This time." She shook her finger at me. "But if you ever…
"

I grasped both her hands and nodded. "Yep, I'm really super duper sorry." I thought it best to speak he
r lingo to get out of this one.

She smiled, broke out of my grip and rummaged through her purse. She dug out her glasses and rested them on the tip of her nose. "You know you deserve this," she said.

"I know I do, but how about a different game this time?"

She looked at me, leaned in with widened eyes that held an expectant look. "What you got in mind?"

"You remember I said my d
ad owned bicycle repair shops?"

She nodded.

I got up from my chair and bounded over to my bunk. I took a big jump and landed on my back on the bed. "It's the bicycle game. It's best if you're naked."

Holly giggled. I watched as she threw her shorts and blouse on the table, followed by her matching white mesh bra and panties. "Here I come, Mr.
Schwinn
," she said, wearing nothing but a big smile.

We spent the next four hours making up in my dorm room. If Debbie wasn't such a good friend, I would have thought she was a liar. Holly didn't seem to have a gay bone in her body. She was on fire. I'd have to upset her more often if this was what the make-up sex was like with her.

We laid in the bed exhausted. She kissed me. "I
gotta
go," she said. She got out of bed and walked toward he
r pile of clothes on the table.

I got out of bed followed her. We both stood naked in the middle of the room, kissing. My hands held each side of her head while my tongue searc
hed for the back of her throat.

"Thanks for giving me another chance, Holly. Tonight was amazing."

"You were amazing," she said. "Wow, I'm so glad your dad taught you about bikes. That was like the best ride ever." We continued our naked kiss when the door opened.

"Mark? What are you doing back?"

Mark's bulging eyes stared at my nude girlfriend. He looked Holly up and down like he was on an unguided tour. Holly did nothing to cover herself up, just stood there with her hands on her hips. He had a long look at her immaculately trimmed pubic hair. "Thanks for saving me the trouble of having to undress you with my eyes, Holly."

Holly stared back. "Are you like mentally masturbating in your mind?"

He chuckled. "Where else would I mentally masturbate?"

Since Holly didn't doing anything to protect her modesty, I grabbed the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her. I grabbed a towel and tied it around my waist. Holly held the sheet over her shoulders briefly then let it drop to the floor. She reached over and slid her white mesh panties off the table and slipped one leg through, then the other. Slowly, she pulled the panties up her thin, brown legs, stopping just before her neatly manicured bush, leaving it on show. "Well, I hope you got your little jollies, Mark. If we were in an Arab country, you'd get your eyes gouged out for looking at my
bibble
box." She eventually finished pulling up her panties.

Mark shrugged and spread his arms. "Hey, this is my room. I just walked in, and I certainly didn't expect to see your…
bibble
box
on show."

She finished dressing. She turned to me, put her hands on my chest, then leaned in and kissed me. "Bye,
loverboy
, see you tomorrow." She stopped in front of Mark. "By the way, you don't need to show him any more of your nasty little porno magazines. As you can see, he doesn't need them. He's got the real thing." She threw her head back and walked past him, letting herself out.

Mark momentarily stood there with his mouth agape. "Wow, Tyler, I see your dilemma. She definitely has the hottest body I've ever seen. But,
bibble
box?”

I grabbed a cigarette and lit up. "Yeah. New one on me too. Glad you approve of my girlfriend's nakedness."

"She certainly didn't seem in a hurry to get dressed or cover up." He rubbed his hands together. "I think she enjoyed that as much as I did. But what was that crack about porno
mags
?"

I batted my hand at him. "Ah,
nothin
', just another jam you got me out of. I think she's got a bit of an exhibitionist streak in her. Anyway, how'd your date go?"