The Best Of Both Worlds

Copyright © HK Carlton 2014. All Rights Reserved, Total-E-Ntwined Limited, T/A Totally Bound Publishing. I woke up that way, masturbating alone in my bed. The deep dream-induced orgasm had woken me. I turned over onto my stomach and rubbed my mound trying to eke out every last delicious tremor. But when the waves of sensation had passed I sat up and punched the pillow repeatedly. “Well fuck!” Was that the only way I could get some these days? Through dreams? I wasn’t one to dwell, just as I’d proclaimed in my dream, so why was I still haunted by the threesome with Andi and Street. Yes, I was over Street—and Andi I would have pursued in a heartbeat, but she wasn’t interested and I was okay with that. There were more chicks in the barnyard, or studs in the pasture, so I knew I should just get right back up on my horse, so to speak, and ride. Getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom, I snorted at the analogy, my deep southern upbringing rearing its ugly head. It was being brought up on a hardworking farm that had prodded me to apply to schools across the country, trying to escape the small town scene. People I’d met here at the upscale university assumed I was bullshitting when I told them where I was from. I just didn’t fit into the mould. Exotic-looking, that’s how most people described me. Dark hair and eyes, high cheekbones—I guess I did look more like I was from Latin Miami than Georgia. My roommate Pam was in the shower. “Just me, Pammy, I gotta piss.” “Go ahead. Just don’t flush.” We laughed. That was an ongoing joke. We’d done that to each other often enough over the years. “Hey, Toni, while you were out last night, some guy phoned. He sounded older, ya know, like someone’s grandpa or something. It was weird—he asked for Miss Oakes. Said his name was Everett.” Why would Everett call me here? Everett was my high school boyfriend’s father. There would be no reason for him to get in touch with me unless something horrible had happened to Griffin. “Oh my God!” I finished up as fast as I could then ran for my address book. I flipped through it as cold stark terror roiled through my belly. My concern was for Griffin. “What the fuck am I doing?” I tossed the book across the room. I didn’t need it. Their phone number was permanently etched in my brain. I’d called it enough times. My hands shook as I dialled the number. It rang and rang. “Oh, please pick up!” I felt tears of panic prick behind my eyes. “Yello?” It wasn’t a voice I recognised. “May I speak to Mr Hollis, please?” “One sec, doll.” There was a muffled sound like he’d covered the phone with his hand, then a stifled yell. After a few more unbearable minutes, Everett answered with a clipped, “‘Lo?” “Mr Hollis? It’s Toni.” “Toni?” Shit! “Annie, it’s Annie Oakes.” “Antoinette?” “Yes, sir. My roommate said you called? Is Griff okay?” “Yeah, Griff’s fine. Ya can’t kill that boy with a stick.” I closed my eyes and sighed in relief, picturing him in my mind, the day that I’d left, trying so valiantly to hold back tears. “It’s your daddy, honey.” “My dad?” Well, now that brought up other feelings besides alarm and none of them were good. “What’s happened?” “He had a fall, Antoinette. He’s pretty bad.” I almost asked, What do you want me to do about it? But I didn’t. There were too many emotions running through me at that moment. And I’m sure none of them were what loving daughters would be feeling in this kind of situation. But there was no love lost between me and my old man. “When?” I asked. “About a week ago.”