Girls’ Night    

Right after school, Tess dropped her books and walked over to the apartment building where Cassidy lived, the cool air refreshing and invigorating. She was glad Tom didn’t blame her. One more day. Arriving at the glass security door, she rang Cassidy’s buzzer and entered when the door clicked, making her way up to the nurse’s apartment.

Rapping gently, she waited, the sounds of Cassidy’s approaching feet audible through the door just moments prior to it being opened.

“Tess,” Cassidy greeted, welcoming the girl.

“Hi,” she said, smiling and entering the apartment, spotting Janine seated on the chesterfield, Tom perched on her lap watching television.

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were here,” Tess said, surprised but smiling and nodding at the blonde girl before peeling of her coat and shoes.

Janine returned the smile, “I just wanted to see and make sure Tom was okay after yesterday,” she replied.

Tess could tell immediately by the way the blonde girl averted her eyes, Tom was not just okay, he had been intimate with her. “I see,” she chuckled. At least his libido certainly was suffering no ill effects from his fall.

“Tom said your mother is coming to town?” Janine commented, reaching over to the remote control and muting the sound on the television.

Tom turned his head and made a face, “I was watching that.” When it was obvious no one was paying attention to his complaint, he shook his head and crossed his arms.

Coming in and taking up a seat on the couch, Tess nodded, “Tomorrow,” she replied and that day could not come soon enough for her. She knew she was going to get scolded for not telling her mother sooner, but it was a small price to pay to see to Tom’s safety and unburden herself of the responsibility of trying to fend for him.

“I suspect she is going to go ballistic when she sees him,” Janine said.

Tess nodded, that was true. How do you prepare someone for what had happened to Tom? “There is no, ‘Oh by the way, your son has had an accident and now he is the same size as a girl’s little finger,’ card from Hallmark with which to gentle someone into the knowledge,” she said glumly, envisioning her mother’s head spinning around at the sight of tiny Tom.

Janine chuckled, “Probably not,” she agreed.

“Do you want anything? Tea?” Cassidy asked.

“No thanks,” Tess replied, making a declining motion with her hand before looking at her brother. “What about you Tom Thumb?” she asked.

“Um, hi Tom, how are you? You’re looking well today considering your recent ordeals,” Tom said, wobbling his head from side to side.

Tess grinned, “Hello itty bitty brother,” she said.

Climbing to his feet, he stretched his arms out toward his sister, much like a child begging to be picked up.

Placing her hand down, Tess let the tiny youth climb aboard before bringing him up near her smiling face. The wound over his eye still looked a little ugly, but at least it appeared to be healing.

Grinning wickedly, Tom pointed to the side of her head.

Frowning, she turned her head and drew him close to her ear.

Moving to the edge of her hand Tom ran his fingers lightly over the skin along the side of her neck while simultaneously blowing in her ear, causing her to scrunch her shoulders forward.

“What are you doing?” she asked, choking on a giggle and bringing him back in front of her.

“I call it the Tess-tickle,” he replied smartly.

With her free hand, she reached up and promptly captured one of his legs and picked him up, holding him inverted in front of her face, “Really?” she stated flatly.

“Really takes balls to pull off a maneuver like that, balls, the Tess-tickle,” he boasted, swaying gently from side to side.

“I’m not sure someone as infini-Tess-imal as you should be cracking off in that fashion,” she cautioned, puckering her lips and blowing on him.

Janine brought a hand to her face and turned her head to conceal the smile she couldn’t prevent from appearing.

“Not bad,” he grudgingly admitted, acknowledging her quick witted response.

“So with mother coming here tomorrow, I bet you didn’t take a moment to think how she was going to get you home,” Tess replied.

Tom’s eyes widened and his smile faded. He hadn’t thought about that.

Tess nodded slowly, “Mom boob,” she stated, widening her eyes and grinning.

“Egad!” Tom exclaimed, a mortified expression on his face, that wasn’t going to be awkward.

“Bet you don’t fiddle around with her nipple quite the same the way you did with mine on the trip here?” she accused, followed by an ominous chuckle.

Shaking his head, he was unable to find a counter to her so he stuck his tongue instead.

Victorious, she set him back on Janine’s skirt and looked to Cassidy, “What did you have planned for tonight?” she inquired.

“Not quite sure yet. Thursday, tonight is supposed to be hot yoga night for Katie and I,” Cassidy said.

“Katie?” Janine queried.

“Better known as the exceedingly lovely Miss Harwood,” Tom supplied, nodding slowly.

Janine frowned, looking from the youth on her thigh to the nurse then back, “Did you, you know?”

“It is ungentlemanly to speak of such things in the presence of ladies,” he replied formally, lifting his nose in the air.

Cassidy cleared her throat and looked away.

Turning to face the dark haired girl, Janine put her hands atop Tess’s, “I sort of stuck around Cassidy’s on purpose hoping you would come here and I wanted a chance to speak with you,” she confessed.

“Why?” queried Tess, puzzled expression on her pretty face.

“Well, two reasons, one to just apologize for pushing you, you know, like that day in the hall before Miss Addison appeared, and second to thank you for being a friend,” she explained.

Tess smiled and shook her head, “No, it’s okay,” she replied.

“You’re very gracious,” she returned.

Tom put the index and middle finger of his left hand in his mouth and cocked his thumb before snapping his head back, bringing his right hand up to the back of his head and pulling it away like he had been shot in the head.

“What?” Tess asked frowning.

Tom shook his head, “Chick speak,” he scoffed, “next you’ll be smooching.”

The two girls exchanged looks, Tess shaking her head, “Maybe an hour in the freezer will cool your jets,” she teased.

“Why don’t I order us some Chinese?” offered Cassidy.