Toxic Us.

: C :

“Curtis” I stuck out my hand pausing waiting for the man who insisted I call him Carter to take it, he grasped it firmly putting his own hand over his and mine as he shook it wiping sweat of his forehead with the trimming of his apron with his other hand “I tried to commit suicide” I securitized the green eyed man’s faced.

“I don’t blame you, your generation is shitty” He nodded, shaking Mike’s hand before leading us through to the backyard.

It expanded further back then the land their house sat on, lush grass between my toes. I watched through my sunglasses Eve scream as a younger man pushed the tyre swing she sat on, her arms flailed and her legs spun in odd directions that she couldn’t prevent.

“Dude, her mom is watching  you check her out, avert the eyes if you don’t want to be shoved in the fucking ground” Mike hastily whispered as if he told a joke, he laughed and I laughed along with him. The women sitting in the lawn chair who was clearly Eve’s mother from the resemblance that could be seen by a blind man, shook her head smiling as she stood.

“You must be Carmichael and Curtis” She nodded looking from him to me.

 I chuckled.

“Yes ma’am, this is Carmichael” I put my arm around his shoulder shaking them slightly smiling as Mike forced a cringe down into the depths of his emotions.

“What a –“ She stopped, her nose crinkling as she thought.

“Handsome, dashing, charismatic name?” Mike suggested laughing.

“I was thinking more on the lines of abnormal, I’ll call you Car, seems much easier don’t you think?” I saw him force a smile as she pulled him into a hug. His father called him Car, it wasn’t pleasant to here it on another’s lips.

“He prefers Mike” I interjected as she pulled away from him, standing in front of me. I was a good head taller than her; she reached my shoulders and just reached Mike’s.

“Mike” She repeated nodding as if to remember it “So your Curtis?” She asked, her hands clutching on another in front of her stomach.

I nodded.

“Eve hasn’t mentioned either of you before today”

“Well she must be trying to hide us, we are a bit of an embarrassment” I shrugged.

“Two handsome young boys like you, doubtful. So which one of you is dating my Eve?” She smiled one of those smiles it was hard to say anything but yes too.

“That would be him” Mike chuckled, pushing me forward.

“Actually – neither of us are?”

She laughed.

“I know, Eve was never the boy crazy one – her sister on the other hand was awful”

“Sister?” I asked.

“Joy moved soon after finishing school”

I nodded.

She smiled, gesturing for us to go to Eve.

I walked over; Mike had already made his spot on the grass in the shade since whenever the sun touched him he tanned.

He hated it.

“Hi Mcfly”

“Curtis” She smiled, red faced and sweaty.

“God – it’s hot”

“It’s just the suns rays punishing you for swearing” She shrugged, the trace of a smile still there.

“It’s punishing me that’s for fucking sure”

The man sitting next to her laughed, both swaying on the tyre.

“Kevin” He said, a voice deep yet warm like Carter’s.

“Brother?”

Yes” He answered.

“Thank god” Mike responded.

We laughed.

I wiped sweat from my forehead.

“I’m turning into Cheese” I muttered.

“God I feel bad for that guy” Kevin shook his head chuckling.

A burning smell rose in the air as the sun went down.

We all smiled.

Mike no longer looking broken.

Eve didn't tremor once.

Kevin played the gutiar.

I sat there watching it all happen.