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But then he put his hand on her butt, before lowering it to the back of her thigh and sliding it up and under her skirt. She gave a little yelp, and slapped his hand away, but he put it back, resting it on her leg, just below the hemline.
Without really thinking about it, Mary took out her phone and held it up, the camera pointed at them. She took a photo, then another, then lowered her phone.
As she did, Dylan turned and looked at her. He tilted his head to the side, his expression curious.
He didn’t see that I was taking a photo, she thought. The phone was down before he saw me.
She gave a small wave, and started to turn the cart around. Dylan raised his hand in acknowledgement, then held up both hands, his thumbs and index fingers making a rectangle in the air. He mimed lifting it to his face, and pressing a button on top.
He mimed taking a photo.
Mary turned away, and headed for the exit.
An Older Sister
Ryan was standing near the corner of the hockey field reading something on his phone. Mary tapped him on the elbow.
‘Not watching the action?’ she said.
‘It’s a bit of a blow out,’ he said. ‘I was checking the news.’
‘We’re winning?’
He shook his head. ‘Blow out in favour of the bad guys.’
‘Oh. Sally’ll be pissed.’
‘Then maybe she should do something about it, instead of standing around scowling.’
Mary bristled, briefly, at the criticism. It was something she’d had to get used to; Ryan was not Otis and Sally’s biological father and when he was critical of them it felt a little like it did when someone unrelated to them at all was critical of them. Less so, these days, but it was still there.
They may be assholes, but they’re my assholes.
‘That’s not the only bad news she’s going to get today.’
Ryan raised an eyebrow and Mary took out her phone. She selected the photo and showed it to him.
‘Dylan was at the store.’
‘Who’s that?’ he said. ‘An older sister?’
‘Not unless he likes making out with his sister,’ she said. ‘He had his hand up her skirt in the middle of the store.’
She showed him another photo. Ryan made a puking face.
‘They were buying alcohol. It must have been the woman. He’s only seventeen.’
‘Unless he has fake ID,’ Ryan replied.
‘People know him in Barrow.’ Mary caught Ryan’s eye. ‘But either way, he needs to stay away from Sally.’
‘He certainly does.’
‘And now I have this’ – Mary held up the photo – ‘I can show her what he’s really like.’
‘You’re going to show her?’
Mary nodded. ‘I think I am.’
