Her Bone Structure (Screams Touch Her, Touch Her)
an excerpt

"You didn't have to pack so soon you know," said Alice. "You aren't leaving for another week."

Trudy shrugged. "What is there to wait for? It had to be done. Besides, Andrea thinks she's getting some, so I wanted to be sure it was out of her reach."

Alice laughed and even Lance smiled at this. Nodding, Alice said, "Good call."

"I had a girl once who took everything I owned," said Lance. He looked at Alice. "Ah, there you are."

***

Broderick was a tall, well built African American man, single, caring for his elderly parents. He was one of seven or eight children, Trudy could never remember, and he had two standard poodles at home. He had a long time girlfriend whom he would probably never marry, or so Trudy's father used to say, but no children.

"I have children," Broderick had said once to Trudy's father. "They just happen to be four-legged and furry."

***

"I guess we could talk about how my parents met," Trudy said. "They were both at the college campus. My mom was one of the only women there."

Alice smiled. "That's our girl; I'd be surprised if it had been any other way. Did she and your dad have a class together?"

"No," said Trudy, "it's much more cliché than that."

"Oh, a scandal!" Alice's face lit up. "Was he her professor?"

"No." Trudy smiled. "You'll have to do better than that."

"Hmmm..." Alice pursed her lips, her brows drawing together. Trudy often wondered if the elasticity of Alice's face was why Alice didn't have any facial piercings. Alice had never volunteered the information, and Trudy didn't feel right asking. She sipped at her tea and waited for Alice to offer up another possibility.

"I've got it," said Alice, so enthusiastic that Trudy was surprised Alice didn't jump right off the couch. "He was her poolman!"

Trudy laughed, the pleasure of it ebbing away at the pain that threatened to overcome her. "No, no. First of all, she lived at home and her parents didn't have a pool. Second, to the best of my knowledge, my father was never in the pool cleaning business. You were right about one thing, though - they met in a work environment."

"I knew it," said Alice, "he was her electrician."

Trudy cocked her head at Alice. "If you knew that, why didn't you just say it?"

"I had to get all the other possibilities out of the way first."