Splitting Nines (1) Read online

Chapter 9. Partying with the Boys

  Disenzo’s recreation room was well-designed and enormous. Bottles of alcohol and liqueurs lay on shelves in front of a large mirror. Six unoccupied bar stools stood in front of a long bar. Three couples danced on the huge dance floor to Elvis Presley singing ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’.

  Dave, Abe Lincoln with a phony beard, danced with Cookie, Cleopatra with a rubber asp hanging around her neck. Lumpy and Rose were the Frankenstein monster and the bride of the Frankenstein monster.

  Jimmy, Dracula, pulled Linda, Lady Godiva (wearing a flesh like costume), hard against his chest. He whispered into her ear. “Play your cards right, and I’ll get you some good roles when I’m a big movie star.”

 

  “Are we talkin’ castin’ couch, fang boy?”

 

  “Nah, I just vant to nibble on your neck and whisper sweet nothings in your ear. That’s all.”

 

  “Ah, dishonesty! Does that usually work?”

 

  “With choppers like mine, all the time.” Jimmy showed his fangs.

  "It takes a lot more than long fangs or that other thing to impress me."

 

  "Ah, so I do have more than your hamster, unless your hamster is a horse."

  Dave danced Cookie away from the others. “You’re a great dancer, but shouldn’t I be leading?”

 

  “Sorry.”

  “Practicing with girls?”

 

  “Yup, call me Butch.”

 

  “You’re too beautiful. You ever notice lesbians are unattractive?”

 

  “Really! I read Greta Garbo was a lesbian. She was stunning.”

 

  “I read that she slept with her director.”

 

  Cookie laughed. “If a lesbian has sex with a man, she’s no longer a lesbian?”

 

  Dave put his arms on her shoulders and moved his face close to hers, their lips almost touching. “James Bond converts them all the time.”

 

  Cookie stepped back and gave a little tug on Dave’s phony beard. “What about honest Abe?”

 

  “Well, I read he wasn't much of a ladies man. Although he was honest and charming."

 

  “Very! You picked an appropriate costume."

 

  Dave pulled her against him. “Would you go steady with an honest, charming and very handsome guy?”

 

  “I don’t have the time for a relationship, now.”

 

  “When will you have the time?”

 

  “We’ll have to wait and see.”

 

  Dave looked at his watch. “I’ll give you a lifetime.”

 

  “Maybe ya ought to play the field, first.”

 

  “Done that. I’ll be waiting for you.”

 

  “Ya might have a very long wait. I probably won't be dating again until after my dad's problems are behind us.”

 

  "You're worth waiting for."