Red River Blue
Chapter 63
Beth watched as Harley kicked Wren and Mika out of the bedroom they were trying to claim. The one with the two double beds. She made them take the room across the hall that was smaller and had a set of bunk beds inside. Harley had more than her fill of trying to fit her lanky body on a bunk back at the prison.
"Look what I found in that welcome basket downstairs," Beth exclaimed, holding up bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Harley scurried over, flipping one of the bottles open and smelling it with her eyes closed.
"Let's get the room set up and then let's hurry up and shower before those dingbats use up all the hot water," Harley suggested. Beth nodded. The room looked like it was already set up, but she was fine helping Harley arrange things how she wanted them. They pushed the beds against the walls so there was more room in the middle of the room. Harley said that way they would have room to set up all their music shit. Beth smiled. She found she was excited to be Harley's roommate. Beth never shared a bedroom with anyone before. She thought this might be sort of like living in a college dorm. Except without the homework.
After her shower, Harley leaned against the doorframe in the living room with a hairbrush in her hands. She was heading out onto the front porch to comb her hair out. It was in braids for so long, she knew balls and clumps of it were going to shed out. And she didn't want that shit all over her room. But she stopped when she heard her mother and Carol laughing like crazed hyenas on the couch.
"It's not that goddamn funny," Merle told them. This only served to make the two women laugh even harder. River had her legs clenched together, trying no to pee her damn pants she was laughing so hard.
"I dunno," Daryl offered, "it's pretty fuckin' funny." In fact, not only was the situation hilarious, River and Carol laughing themselves silly over it was even funnier. River was gasping for breath and clinging to Carol, whose face was beet red.
"What's funny?," Glenn asked, appearing in the doorway next to Harley with an apple in his hand. Harley snatched the fruit, taking a big bite before handing it back.
"That… ole… lady… gave us jobs," River huffed out between giggles. She couldn't even finish what she was saying before she collapsed against the couch. Carol pointed at Merle, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed giving them both a death stare.
"There's our new town sheriff," Carol announced.
"She said I was working SECURITY," Merle corrected, "I'm NOT a fuckin' sherriff."
This only served to make both women laugh even harder. And now Glenn was catching the gist of what was going on. He took one more look at Merle before he started laughing too.
"He has a fuckin' cop suit!," River cackled, "and Rick's got one too! THEY HAVE MATCHING OUTFITS!"
"And he still doesn't get a gun," Carol added, "Only the cop suit."
Glenn couldn't hold himself together anymore. He wasn't sure what was funnier. The idea of Merle as a cop. How hard River and Carol were laughing about it. Or how irritated Merle looked standing there getting laughed at. Glenn sunk to the floor, holding his stomach as his body shook. It felt so good to laugh. He couldn't remember the last time he really laughed.
River suddenly popped her head up like a prairie dog, her laughter contained for the moment.
"You didn't get a gun but do you have handcuffs?," she asked, her voice overly hopeful.
"No," Merle told her. Actually he did have handcuffs. But they could talk about that later. When they were alone. This only served to bring on another chorus of laughter from everyone in the room except Merle. This time even Daryl, who managed to hold himself together until River started getting all horny over some handcuffs, was laughing.
"For fuckssakes mom," Harley cursed, shaking her head at the woman before she continued on her way out to the porch, slamming the door shut behind her. She could still hear her mom and Carol laughing inside the house.
Harley's hair was a total mess. Not only was it already tangled into matts and horrible knots, she didn't help herself scrubbing the shit out of it in a hot shower. It felt amazing at the time, but now that she was trying to brush the mess out she was irritated with herself for tangling it up worse.
She tossed her hair over one shoulder and started at the bottom. The brush made ripping noises as it snagged over the larger clumps of tangles. The brush got caught and Harley yanked at it, ripping out some of her hair and jerking her head to the side.
"Need some help?"
Harley turned towards the voice. When she saw it was just Eric she gave the man a nod.
"I think I need some scissors," she lamented.
"Come on," Eric said, gesturing for Harley to come with him. "We're going to have some snacks and get ready for the party. Why don't you come over and I'll help you with your hair? We can stop at Jessie's and get a better brush and borrow her flat iron."
Harley shrugged. Her hair couldn't get any worse. And there was no way she was going to get the tangles out herself. Plus she was hungry and Eric said he had snacks. Harley pulled the front door open.
"If anyone cares I'm going to Eric's house to get ready for the party!," She hollered. Harley slammed the door shut without waiting for an answer. Then she headed down the porch steps and followed Eric across the street to Jessie's house.