Words & Dreams (Book 1 of Smithers Family Saga)

Chapter 34

Danny's car was decent, at best, and Dollie did everything she could to make sure she betrayed no sign of discomfort, lowering her window when he said the AC was broken.

A half hour later they got to the highway, headed into New York City, having chatted about a little of everything: dogs, cats, good and bad friends- spurred on by Yvette's presence at the tall townhouse- and what they might do in the city.

"Huh," Danny said. He turned in the car and looked her over.

"What is it?" Dollie said. She felt self conscious.

"Do you like dancing?"

"Yes," Dollie said.

"I just figured- I'm never sure what the right way to dress is, for dancing. Every girl is different."

"Do you like dancing?" Dollie said.

"No," Danny said, "but with you? Yes, definitely," he said and turned to smile at her. "Do you mind if I smoke? I'm a little edgy," he said.

"Not at all," Dollie said, and she knew he wasn't trying anything; to assert some power by doing it, even as he said:

"Because you don't smoke, right?"

"No," Dollie said. "Not cigarettes."

"I figured you didn't," he said. "Maybe something else though, eh?"

"Maybe" Dollie said with mischief.

"Maybe we might smoke that other thing sometime," Danny said and smiled.

"Maybe."

"But as to cigarettes, don't. It's stupid. Don't ever do it," he said, as he lit a cigarette and began to smoke, blowing it out the window. "Maybe-" and here was where Dollie knew his brain was working hard, of whether to say or not to say a thing. In her experience, it usually ended in a man's embarrassment. Sometimes, something slick and prepared. "Maybe you'll help me quit someday," he said, and the comment hit her in the right place, as she turned to smile at him.

"When did you start smoking?" Dollie said.

"Geez," Danny said. "Ten, I guess."

"Wow," Dollie said. "My sister was a teenager when she started."

"That's the way it usually goes," Danny said. "My older brother put me onto it."

"Are you close with him?"

"I was then," Danny said. "But then I- we drifted apart. He got into- drugs. And other things. I got- I made it out. But my little sister is a sweetheart, though I wish she'd quit smoking, too."

"What's her name?"

"Abby," Danny said. "The only bright bulb of the bunch. She's a manager at a bank. Went to college, but didn't go as far as she wanted. She had a baby, and needed money."

"Oh," Dollie said. "But is she happy?"

"I certainly hope so," Danny said. "But you know how that stuff is. Especially- I hope this doesn't offend you- with women. They have to put on an act. I hope she's not doing that. Because she knows I want her to be happy. And she got me a niece! What luck, right? Here I am, a janitor, a screw up in a family of screw ups and my sister- she does it all right. Somehow. I hope she's happy. That a person can be. She's been through a lot."

"Like what?"

"I can't- I can't tell you that, Dollie. In the future. Future," he repeated looking out the front windshield, tossing the cigarette out of the car and sighing. "But I'm happy now," he said. "With you."

He's adorable, Dollie thought, and in her mind flashed a picture of her own belly, swollen. It went away quick, the type of folly that crosses many a woman's mind. She wanted to hold him, and for him to hold her. Dancing, she thought, and smiled, thinking of it.

"Yes," she said, "we should go dancing."