Wrench

2 - It was just as dream

Wrench

I end the call to my mother and make my way over to Dana’s nursery school. I smirk to myself; all the women waiting outside the door turn to look at me as I approach.

It’s always the same. Even the married women stare. I can, hand on heart, say that I have never touched one woman here. I promised my mother that I wouldn’t sleep with even one of these women. She didn’t want things to be uncomfortable for anyone when I inevitably give them the brush off the day after fuckin.g them. Plus, it wouldn’t be fair to Dana; this is where she comes to make friends. I’d hate for Dana to lose friends because of me.

Besides, I can keep it in my pants. I can say no; I’m not a total slut. Plus, my sister means more to me than one night with a woman. Nothing will ever mean more to me than Dana.

There’s no harm in these women appreciating a good-looking man when they see one. I have no problem being any woman’s fantasy. This lot probably haven’t been fucke.d by a real man in their lives. Then again, every woman loves a bad boy.

Who the hell wouldn’t look at someone like me and be instantly dripping in their panties?

I might be a cock.y bastard, but I’m a handsome fucke.r. It runs in the family. There’s no point pretending when I see myself in the mirror every day.

I look through the glass door and see my little sister waving excitedly at me. I wave back and wink. The door opens, Dana tries to escape, and I’m laughing inside. She never can wait to get to me.

“Dana, get back in line.”

“My brother.” Dana points at me, and her teacher shakes her head while telling Dana that she’ll have to wait her turn. “Wench!” She reaches for me. I step forward and scoop her up. I couldn’t give a fuc.k what anyone thinks. I don’t give a damn about the rules, either. If my sister wants to leave now, she leaves now!

“Mr. Anderson? Before you leave, I’d like a word with you.”

The last thing I want to do is wait around, but my mom would kick my ass if I didn’t hear this woman out.

“Wench?” I smile and stroke Dana’s back. I love how she says my name, even if it does sound weird. She pushes her dark hair back from her forehead. It’s falling out of her ponytail. “I been sad today.”

I narrow my eyes. “Why, Princess?”

Dana shrugs her shoulders before wrapping her arms around my neck and leaning her head on my shoulder. I heard a group of women talking about me. I’ve never seen them before, and I’m guessing they’re new. They think Dana is my child; I can hear them saying how much she looks like me. It’s not the first time I’ve heard something like this, many people have confused me for Dana’s father. She’s the image of me, aside from her skin being darker, probably because we both look like Dad. Hawk looks like Mom, brown skin and all.

“Mr. Anderson, if you’d like to step inside for a moment?”

I wouldn’t, but I do. “What’s this about?”

“I just wanted to inform you that Dana has been quite upset today. Your mother asked me to let whoever collects Dana know if there was ever anything wrong.”

“Okay?”

“Well, Dana has been weepy for most of the day. There wasn’t much that soothed her. She hasn’t eaten today either.”

I look at my sister. She’s staring at me with her fingers in her mouth and tears in her eyes. Dana is usually a happy little girl, and I can’t think of a reason why she’d be so upset.

“What’s going on, baby girl?”

“My tummy hurts.” She sobs and wraps her arms around my neck again. I hold her close and kiss her head.

“Has she thrown up?”

Ms. Lee is in her late fifties and looks like an ancient librarian. She smells ancient too. Her hair is falling from her bun, her glasses are on the bridge of her nose, and I swear there’s food in her teeth.

“No. If she’d thrown up, we’d have called her mother to collect her. Dana has been complaining of tummy aches for the past hour, but she said she was okay with staying until the end of the day.”

“I should get her home.”

“Before you go,” I force myself not to roll my eyes. “I think there’s a little more going on than just a tummy ache.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mr. Anderson, earlier today, Dana expressed her fears that she’ll never see you again.” My brow furrows because I’m confused as to why my sister would think such a thing. “She mentioned a nightmare and not seeing you for a few days, which led her to believe you were never coming back. I think this is the reason she’s feeling upset, and why she has a tummy ache.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “Is that all?” Ms. Lee nods, so I leave.

I feel sick myself. I don’t know what’s going on in Dana’s head, but I think it’s time we had a talk over ice cream.

I buckle Dana into her seat and drive us into town. She doesn’t say one word the whole way there, even when I ask her questions. I’m starting to worry about her. This isn’t her normal behavior.

Miss Daisy’s Ice Cream Parlor is busy as usual, but there’s a booth by the window.

“What would you like, sweetheart? You can have anything you want.”

Dana climbs onto the bench and looks up at me. “Can I have staby milk?”

I smile and thank the Lord I can understand what she’s saying. “You don’t want ice cream?” She shakes her head. “Okay. One strawberry milk coming up.”

I put in our order with the chick behind the counter, and wait while she fixes Dana’s milkshake the way she likes it. I turn to make my way back to the table when I notice the girl from earlier at a table near the front of the shop. She’s talking to Miss Daisy about something. Of course, I can’t hear their conversation, but I’ve got to admit that I’m curious.

Pretty girl notices me and raises her eyebrow before rolling her eyes. I chuckle under my breath and make my way over to Dana.

“Here you go, Princess.” I place her strawberry milk in front of her.

“Fank you, Wench.”

I take a seat opposite Dana. “You are most welcome. Now, why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

She swallows a sip of her milk and sighs. She’s two years old and sighs like a woman of forty having a hard time. It makes me smile to myself. “I had a nasty dweem.”

“A nasty dream about what?”

“Big man, make you die, and I not see you again.” She starts crying again.

I sigh and lift her out of her seat and into my arms. “Princess. No one is going to hurt me. I will never leave you. You know that, don’t you?”

Dana nods her little head. “Jus a dweem.”

“That’s right. It was just a dream. I’m sorry it made you so sad, baby girl.”

Dana snuggles into my chest, and I stroke her hair. “I love you, Wench. Don’t want you leave me.”

“Oh, Princess,” I chuckle and rock her gently. “I love you, too. Look at me, Dana.” She does. “If you ever have a nightmare again about me, I want you to ask Mommy to call me. I don’t want you to be this upset again, Dana, you’ll make yourself ill.”

She nods and snuggles into me again.

I don’t know if I’ve eased her little mind, but I do know that I need to speak to my parents about it. I have no idea why my baby sister would be dreaming about me dying. I didn’t even know two-year-olds knew about death. However, I won’t let her be this upset over something that won’t happen.

It could happen, Wrench, as well, you know.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean this baby needs to know that.