Chapter 13 – It All Comes Out in the (Car) Wash
Daria usually only inspected and dressed up her hair before she went out of her room. On this warm Friday afternoon after school, however, found her standing before her full length mirror with the door securely locked to prevent anyone from catching her turning this way and that in self-assessment.
She tugged down the backs of her cut-off jeans and performed the nearly impossible judgment of her own backside in her single mirror.
"Yes," she thought. "This will do, I only spent an hour researching the best way to cut off my two-year old jeans. Besides, I remember from pool time that boys like to watch girls tug down swimsuits. I think Bri-our visitor-will notice me too."
Finally satisfied Daria emerged to the hallway and immediately found Quinn coming out of her room. Quinn's eyes and face went through a gallery of expressions from appraisal and approval to shock and consternation.
"Daria! You cut up your Oskar de la Bentissis jeans? Those are vintage. I could have gotten you seventy-five bucks easy on the vintage clothing exchange."
Quinn stomped her foot, "I know you never appreciate the important things but this is too much."
Quinn paused and took another critical look at Daria. "And last spring when we were forced to do that charity car wash for a new PA system at school you wore your baggy green one-piece. God, Daria what a monstrosity! I'm surprised you could find something like that without ruffles.
"Quinn, how much could you get for that two-year old, now tight in all the right places, bikini? I guess that is your favorite lucky shade of coral, sis. For all the good that luck is going to do you."
Daria mumbled, "This is more important than some scam event for Ms. Li to get money to install listening devices all over school."
"Daria! Quinn!" Jake called from the front door. "Brittany's here! Let's get those cars washed for the big race!"
"Friday afternoon washing Fords," Daria thought, "And Dad's not ranting about his father. I guess something good is coming out of this."
Daria found herself strutting past Quinn to give her sister the full effect of slight and toned frame in the now valueless designer jean cut-offs with newish green bikini top. Both teen-agers exchanged barbs down the stairs and out to the Morgendorffer's drive way at which point the sight of Brittany emerging from her Mustang had both sisters grinning like a possum eating honey.
The near inevitably of Brittany being dressed in the school colors did not take anything away from the pleasure and excitement the Morgendorffer sisters felt on seeing Brittany in a tight blue-and-yellow bikini.
"Hi girls! Oh, you both look ready for a good car washing! Daria, those cut-offs really show off your legs. And Quinn, you always know the best clothes to set up your features."
"Thanks, Brit," Daria said, dragging her eyes up to meet Brittany's. "And I have just enough material left to make a cute denim mini."
"Oh," Brittany enthused. "Let's do that on Sunday. I know Quinn can help us alter and sew."
Quinn made a small 'Eep' as Brittany turned and bounded to the cleaning supplies by the garage door. Daria put two and two together and turned to her sister with a happy, evil smirk on her face.
"Now," Daria said to Quinn. "I know why you were so excited to change the dressing on Brit's butt. Quinn! I never would have pegged you for an ass girl."
Quinn wrenched her eyes away from the sight of Brittany bending over pails of soapy steaming water in the Morgendorffer's driveway. Daria smirked as she could actually see her sister's eyes track the flex and flow of the blonde's leg muscles.
Quinn regained her legendary self-composure and fired a riposte at her sister, "Sure, Daria, like I don't notice your eyes practically licking up her front in that tight bikini."
Daria stuck out her tongue at Quinn and added, "I admit to enjoying the whole package, sister of mine: soul, mind and ever so beautiful body."
"Hi girls!" Jake Morgendorffer bounded out of the house followed by Helen.
Jake's flip-flops slapped happily on the driveway. Daria took in her father in board shorts and mother in a body-hugging red one-piece. Both sisters were happy that the unseasonably warm Friday afternoon allowed everyone to dress down for the car wash.
"All right!" Jake enthused. "Let's wash these babies. Every ounce of crud off is more top speed. And with this special wax I got from a new client our cars will slip through the air."
"I hope we fly off the road into the wild blue wonder," Daria deadpanned.
"Oh, Daria," Brittany blinked and speculated. "I don't think flying over the finish line is allowed."
Brittany reached behind her head to twirl her blonde hair in its tightly scrunchied pony-tail. "But I guess street racing doesn't have many rules, except 'don't run over the starter person'."
With five sets of hands working on the exteriors of the two pony cars, the preliminary washing was done quickly. Brittany popped her trunk to take out two red cans and several clothes.
"Oh, Mr. and Mrs. M, I have this extra-special wax for extra-special protection."
"All right!" Jake enthused as he perused the instructions.
"Daria, Quinn," Brittany motioned them away from the can of wax. She handed them each a soft, clean green micro-fiber cloth. "I know just how to wax my beauty. I'll teach you sometime else so why don't you two just get inside and wipe every smidgen of dust off the interior?"
"Every micro-ounce of grime gone increases the speed by a micro-mile-per-hour." Daria theorized drily.
"That's right!" Jake and Brittany supplied together.
Quinn quickly chose shotgun in Brittany's beauty figuring that Daria would have the tougher task with the steering wheel and instrument panel to wipe down. Both girls got busy and took little notice of Brittany waxing on and off at the rear of her vehicle.
The teen-age sisters took little notice of their friend as they concentrated on finding microscopic bits of dust on the spotless interior, took little notice until Brittany stretched up and close to the passenger side as she began waxing that side of the roof.
"Eap!" Both sisters pronounced prominently as Brittany pressed a prominent part of her body against the nearly invisible glass on Quinn's side. Daria gripped the micro-cloth tightly on the bottom of the steering wheel. Quinn closed the glove box decisively.
"Quinn," Daria said through a dry mouth as Brittany moved to her side. "When we get done here and Britt's gone, let me introduce you to about five minute's worth of a movie titled "Cool Hand Luke."
"Bare chested men and, and" Quinn could not finish as Brittany stepped back and put her face nearly against the glass to smile happily at them.
"We both have excellent taste, sis—"Daria could not finish as Brittany turned and innocently bent over to retrieve supplies from a red bucket.
Brittany took up position once again close by the windows of her blue Mustang. Daria carefully wiped away obscuring fog from the inside in time to see Britany again bend down and grin at the Morgendorffer sisters. For a few more precious minutes Quinn and Daria wiped away at dust in the car while closely following the blonde's movements.
"That's it, girls!" Brittany sang happily. "My baby's never looked better inside and out. Come on out. Mr. and Mrs. M are done too."
Daria got out of the driver side and almost fainted as she looked over at Jake and Helen standing by their own red Mustang. Her parents eyes were open wide and mouths open too as they looked at the three teen-agers standing by Brittany's car. Her father was holding a red garden hose with the nozzle straight up and slowly spewing water onto the driveway.
Helen broke the silence, "You know, Jake, all this cleaning out here reminds me that our bedroom and bath need sprucing up too, you know, Jakey, the 'master's suite'."
"Yeah, Helen, I think we should see to the master's bed—I mean bedroom. And I think, we both need showers too."
As her parents beat a retreat into the house, Quinn moved to turn off the hose to prevent wasting more water.
Before Jake closed the door he announced over his shoulder, "Girls, we'll make lemonade and some treats ready for you in oh, about thirty minutes."
"Make it forty-five," Helen shouted over the forceful shutting of the front door.
"Quinn, Daria." Brittany's address startled both sisters. "Your parents are so great. They've been so nice to me. It's going to be exciting racing and beating them!"
Brittany looked down at the rivulets of water still slowly coursing down the driveway and heaved a heavy sigh from which Daria had to pull her eyes away.
"Ashley-Amber's great and all, like a big experienced older sister, but, but I miss my Mommy. I wish my Mommy and Daddy were together again."
Sobs shook the cheerleader's body. Quinn and Daria looked at each other. Daria shrugged and the two moved in for hugs, uncharacteristic for both. Daria gently wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck from the front. Before she fully closed in she felt Quinn's hands coming between her and Brittany's tummy. Daria had to get on tiptoes to fully embrace Brittany as the sisters sandwiched her with comfort.
"There, there." Daria said drily with as much emotion as she could muster.
"I wonder if Brittany can feel my heart beating." Daria thought as she and Quinn gently rocked Brittany to and fro. "Hell, as hard as it's throbbing I think Quinn must be able to feel it through Brit."