Drama Dolls: A Novel: [Dark, Suspenseful, Fast-paced, Exhilarating] (19 page)

The cemetery worker, looking across the green space, shrugged his shoulders. “Sure thing.”

It took three large hills and two road intersections to reach her husband’s gravesite. Sitting cross-legged in front of the tombstone, Lena said, “Hi Danny.”

The etching on the stone read LOVING HUSBAND AND BEST FRIEND. Weeds were growing around the grave and to avoid an interruption, Lena pulled the weeds out and threw them off to the side.

Speaking into the headstone, Lena said, “I’m sorry I haven’t been around. It’s not that I don’t miss you, it’s just that it’s too hard for me to deal with.” Sniffling, her body getting weak, she said, “I brought my friend Jeffrey. You’d like him. He’s fun. He’s an accountant.”

She laughed. “I guess that sounds funny.” Shaking her head, she said, “A fun accountant?” Looking in the direction of the sleeping Jeffrey, she said, “But really. He’s great.”

Extending out her legs, Lena kicked off her sandals. Wiggling her toes, she said, “I painted my nails your favorite color.” A teardrop formed under her eye. Another soon after.

Scratching some dirt off the tomb’s dates with her fingernail, Lena said, “I can’t believe it’s been a year and a half since you died.”

The sun beginning to set, the air still warm, Lena laughed and cried at the same time. “I think you’d be proud of me.” Twisting her ankles, her feet moving in a clockwise rotation, she said, “I learned how to downsize and not live beyond my means.” There was nervous laughter. “Not that I blame you for not teaching me. Why would you have? You gave me everything a girl could ever want.”

Standing to her feet, stepping up on her tiptoes, Lena looked to where Jeffrey was sleeping. Seeing that he was still passed out, she dropped to her knees. “My life is completely different now. I’m learning about old houses, crystal, I even went to a baseball game,” Lena said. A short laugh escaped her mouth. “I know, I know. You always told me to have an open mind.”

Pouring her heart out to her deceased loved one, she said, “I’m sorry I didn’t experience these things with you. And I really don’t know why I enjoy doing these things now.” Her eyes straying from the gravesite, moving toward the openness of the cemetery, she said, “I blame Jeffrey.”

Swallowing, the pent-up saliva disappearing down her throat, she said, “You’d be amazed if you saw me now.” A nervous laughter escaping her, Lena sat back down on the grass. Crossing her legs, she said, “Would you even find me attractive anymore?”

Lena’s husband, for the better part, was a white-collar executive who worked late hours and traveled the bulk of the year. His down time was spent golfing with his friends. He allowed Lena to buy whatever she wanted in order to keep her happy. Lena never once thought he was taking her for granted, but now, having met Jeffrey and William, she was beginning to realize what she had been missing out on.

The couple never had children. Partially because Lena wasn’t ready. He passed before she could ever change her mind.

Crossing her arms, Lena rocked back and forth. Silenced, she then placed her hands on her legs. Unable to get comfortable, and to reduce her nervousness, Lena began pulling on grass next to her. Keeping her fingers occupied calmed her nerves. The grass falling next to her as she pulled the blades out from the ground, Lena’s attitude started to lighten. The smell of the greenery mixed in with the atmosphere relaxed her.

Her body lifting in excitement, she said, “Oh my God. I forgot to tell you. At the baseball game, Jeffrey caught a homerun ball.” Raising her arm high, pretending that she caught a ball, she said, “It was sooo cool. I didn’t see it because I was hiding behind him.” Pulling her arm down, Lena said, “But the entire stadium did. We were on the big screen for everyone to see.” Smiling, her eyes became glossy from sharing the experience.

Removing the sweat from her forearms, Lena wiped her hands on the grass. She said, “I also met a man named William. He’s a trip as well. The three of us hang out together regularly.”

Her eyes moved left to right. Puckering her lips, forming a crooked smile on her face, Lena said, “I don’t want you to be mad at me for not coming that much.” A steady stream of tears down her cheeks, she said, “I will try to come out more often to see you.” Her face soaking wet, she said, “I promise.”

The weed whacker approaching, interrupting her moment briefly, Lena craned her neck to the direction of the motor. In her peripheral, she noticed Jeffrey was gone.

Standing, Lena pirouetted to find Jeffrey behind her. “Hi,” she said. Sincere in her words, she said, “You were sleeping over there so I—”

Butting in, Jeffrey said, “You don’t have to apologize.” Pausing so the cemetery worker could pass by, he said, “I know you miss him. I’m sorry that we had to meet because our spouses died.”

Sighing in relief, Lena said, “Danny would’ve liked you. William? Not so much.”

Smiling, his eyes half closed from the bright sunshine, Jeffrey said, “C’mon. I’ll take you home.”

The two walked the long stretch toward Jeffrey’s car. Both grievers were lost in their thoughts. Lena’s mouth curled into a grin as she walked side by side with Jeffrey, who was staring blankly toward the parked automobile.

Passing by a family plot of gravestones, the couple arrived at the ‘Vette. Once inside, the pair quietly drove off, never speaking the entire ride back to Lena’s house.

Arriving at the residence, pulling into the driveway, the Drama Doll said, “I’ll see you in a few.”

It could have been the afternoon in the cemetery with Her that caused Jeffrey to feel better than usual. Spending the day with Lena was always nice as well. Especially without William. Clearing up the Emily situation was also a breath of fresh air.

Sitting behind his vanity, staring into the mirror, Jeffrey observed his face. Turning his head left to right, his face clean and free of makeup from the shower, he could see the wrinkles around his eyes becoming more prevalent. Sun spots on his forehead, Jeffrey felt his age hitting him. Still a bit sore from the continual heavy lifting and non-stop action, the days of his youth were passing by.

Dressing up as a cheerleader still fulfilled him. To say that breaking into houses was as fun as when the Drama Dolls first started, that was not the case. It just appeared as if the same breakin was occurring each night. Pilfering the same types of jewelry, escaping down a similar path to freedom, and sorting through similar kinds of bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.

The voice of quality reason, silent for a while now, it was missing Her deeply. Visiting the gravesite only made it miss Her more.

Spotting the unraveled cheerleader uniform on the floor through the mirror’s reflection, Jeffrey smiled inside. The excitement building for the night’s heist brewing underneath his bitter exterior. Pumping himself up for another evening with his friends, Jeffrey breathed in heavily and then exhaled through his mouth. Pounding his chest like a gorilla, his lips smoking an invisible cigar, Jeffrey rose to his feet and grabbed his Drama Dolls outfit.

Sliding into the uniform, Jeffrey picked up his pom-poms and shook his wrists, fluffing the plastic stream of feathers.

In full getup, the adult cheerleader kicked his leg up high into the air. A pom-pom in each hand, his fists on his hips, Jeffrey alternated kicks into the air. Skipping in place, building into a rhythm, the Drama Doll’s theme song played into his brain.

Underneath the cloud of thoughts, the volume increasing as the music played, Jeffrey’s chorus of his current life rang into his ears.

Raising up a pom-pom to his mouth, using it as a microphone, Jeffrey sang the lyrics to “I Will Survive” into the vanity’s mirror. His reflection returned an uplifting image, an impression of hope that everything will be alright.

Jumping into a scissor kick, Jeffrey landed on his healing ankle. His ankle twisting awkwardly. The discomfort caused him to fall over onto the wood floor.

A record needle pulling off the groove, the music in his head stopped suddenly. Groaning in pain on the hardwood, Jeffrey grabbed his ankle and rubbed it.

The inner voice of sympathetic reason, it said, “Survive! Survive!”

Inside, Jeffrey was changing. He was feeling his age. Emotions still running wild, there was a different sensation. Jeffrey, he was accepting the situation.

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Sneaking into the window near the side entrance, Barb entered first. She turned, waved Brittney in with her fingers. Instead of getting her partner, Emily appeared, arms extended.

“Seriously,” Barb said. “You’re bringing her?”

“What do you want me to do with her?” Brittney said, urging Barb to grab the body.

Frustrated, Barb said, “I don’t know. You could leave her outside.”

“Just grab her.”

Annoyed, pulling the mannequin in through the window, Barb said, “Hell, you could’ve left her at the house.” Barb heaved Emily up to her feet and propped her up against the wall.

Sliding in, Brittney followed. Looking at Barb, pulling Emily in close, Brittney said, “See? That wasn’t so hard.”

With Emily in tow, Brittney scaled the flight of stairs, lugging the RealDoll behind her. A slow trot, Emily’s legs were dangling and her feet were kicking into the spindles of the railing.

CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK.

Barb was gaining distance on Brittney. Taking two steps at a time, she was already on the second floor. By the time Brittney reached her, she had already taken down an entire jewelry stand of goods. Clip-on earrings followed large hoops followed butterfly rings. Dumping drawers into the pillowcase, Barb didn’t care what she was taking or what the value was.

Dressed in a cheerleader outfit to the tee save for her mask, Barb still looked beautiful. When the two first met up for the heist, Brittney had inquired about the mask and Barb said, “I forgot.”

“How you forget to bring your mask but still dress up is beyond me,” the voice of detective reasoning said.

While Brittney perched Emily up against the wall, Barb continued to work. Emptying each drawer, each treasure chest, she gathered. Once meticulous, Barb rushed to unload the contents into her bags. Turning over drawers and then dropping them to the floor. Every opportunity Barb had, whether it was turning in front of the passed out Drama Doll or walking past her, Barb made a look.

As Brittney positioned her pillowcase to join Barb, Emily slowly slid down the drywall. Skirt hiking up the back of her, her clothing chipping the paint, she collapsed to the ground, falling over into a horizontal television stand. The flat screen tipped over, crashing onto the hardwood floor.

Brittney, running over to Emily, dropped her bag of loot. “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”

Barb, her neck whipping around to investigate the commotion, she said. “What the fuck?” Seeing the crashed electronic on the floor, Barb said, “Look at what you’ve done. There’s fucking glass all over the floor.”

Panicking, Brittney pulled Emily up and propped her up again. Turning to Barb, she put her finger up to her mouth, her lips pursed. Whispering “SHHH!” Brittney froze. Looking around to see if anyone was coming, she whispered again, “Shhh!”

Chattering outside stopped Barb short. Two kids, they stood outside smoking pot. The marijuana was coming into the window. Strong gusts filled the bedroom. In the dark, the cloudy fog began to surround Brittney and Barb.

Barb, she whisper/screamed, “Be fucking careful!” Peering out into the darkness, she said, “There are people outside.”

Replacing the television on the stand, the screen shattered from the fall, Brittney moved to the corner nightstand. Pulling open the lone drawer, Brittney’s eyebrows raised. There was a treasure trove of miscellaneous gems. Old watches and tiaras that were later replaced with newer items had found themselves stored away and forgotten.

There was a crash behind the Drama Dolls. Emily’s head was now face planted into the floor. Her body in a downward dog position, her cheerleading skirt flipped over her ass.

Barb sighed, her patience tested. The looting ceased.

Laughter entered the room, coming from the kids outside. The smoke, filtering into the room as well, was now consuming Brittney’s brain.

Dropping her bag, Brittney threw Emily up on the bed. Her neck craned to the left, her waist twisting to the right. Her legs open wide like scissors. To Barb, Emily was an artificial pretzel.

Ensuring Emily was in place, Brittney said, “Sorry.”

Headlights passed through the bedroom. The glow stopping on the ceiling, then fading into darkness. A door slamming enticed Brittney to look out the window. There was another friend outside.

Staring in the direction of the voices, only catching a glimpse due to the way the roof pointed, a smile brushed over her. Brittney reminisced about the joy riding with her neighbor and friend. The drive made her feel youthful again.

The smoke, now in Brittney’s lungs, was getting her high. Underneath her mask, the sclera of her eyes turned a veiny red. Her head getting light, feeling suffocated from the mask, Brittney was breathing in and out of the hole for a mouth.

The kids, they conversed, yelled in delight, and laughed at each other’s jokes. With the new addition joining them, the pitter-patter of voices became clear.

“When we meeting up with the girls?”