“You’re crazy. I approve.” Ner joined me and it hit me why he didn’t want to go alone.
He reached into his loose pants and pulled out his left mating tentacle. Even shrunken for the job, it still was longer than a forearm. He aimed the tip forward and sighed, releasing a stream on the grass behind the barrier.
Several men jumped out of their cars and did the same. Their groans of relief were almost comical but I paid little attention to them when I had Ner stealing all of it.
“You’re staring.” Ner’s voice held amusement but his shoulders were stiff.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know how it worked.”
“Everyone else is looking or trying not to. I can come from both but pee only from the left one. I don’t mind you watching or asking questions. Just so we’re clear.”
“I’ll remember that.” I shook off and zipped up. So did Ner and we both sat back in the car. “Better?” I closed the door but left the windows open. Floridian winter was sweater weather with a pleasant breeze, so it was the best timing to be stuck.
Ner reclined his chair and lay with his eyes closed. “Oh yeah, much. What songs did you sing on road trips when you were young?”
“I’d have to think but I’m sure I remember some.”
“Teach me.”
“The ones in English or Spanish?”
“Whichever was your favorite, but you’d have to translate Spanish for me.”
“Deal. Then you’ll tell me yours even though I don’t know Greek.”
The traffic moved, and I taught Ner “Down by the Bay” and several songs I had on a CD when I was a toddler. The rest of the drive was smooth, and we arrived at a suburban neighborhood outside of Orlando.
The house was the shape of a small town church but painted in shades of black with pink accents.
“Are you sure this is the place?” I asked, parking by the curb.
“Oh yeah,” Ner said and tapped his phone. “I saw it in their Insta pics. You should have seen their Halloween decorations. They go all out. Okay, I just texted them we’re here.” Ner jumped out of the car like a Jack-in-a-box and grinned at me, waiting.
I grabbed my gift bag from the trunk and followed him to the porch. The door swung open, revealing two strikingly identical yet different people. Both wore matching goth dresses with all the frills and lace to fill a craft store. Their high pigtails were the same color as their clothes. One, however, was fully dressed in black with heavy eyeliner to match, while the other’s attire and hair were starkly-contrasting shades of bright pink.
“Nereus!” They squealed in unison, hugged him, and turned to me.
“This is Paula and Penny.” Ner presented them with a wave of his hand.
“This must be Rick.” Paula raked her gaze over me. She wore the expression of a gatekeeper, judging if I was worth inviting in.
Fair enough. “Ner told us a lot about you.”
“Don’t—” Ner raised a finger which Penny grabbed and dragged him into the house by.
“Come on in.” Paula smiled at me and I handed her the bag I was holding.
She looked inside and raised neon pink eyebrows. “Wine and whiskey, nice. But you didn’t have to.”
“I wasn’t sure what you liked and Ner told me he bought something already. So I hope this will go with his gift.”
“Yeah, I got them Cuban treats from that pastry place. They’re in the cooler in the trunk.” Ner bounced up and ran back to the car.
“Yes!” Penny clapped her hands and unfurled bat-like wings that reached the ceiling, then folded them back.
“Dinner’s ready. Come on!” Paula waved me and Ner in as he rolled in the white cooler on wheels.
We walked through a short corridor and into an open space with a tall ceiling and stained-glass windows high above.
