'Truth or dare?'
Max considered his options. So far over the last few months, he had done all that Roberto had dared him to do; steal someone's undergarments to send up the flagpole (boxers ahoy), spike Inés' coffee with Tabasco (nearly got caught), drive by that Mancuso guy's ground floor flat and egg it. Roberto made sure that he had been in on the last one. Highly satisfying, the way that egg splattered off the sharp suit just as Mancuso walked past. He'd just got in the way. Having ridden passenger in Roberto's clapped out car, Max ducked down and hoped that the guy wouldn't file a complaint. So far so good. But the thought that he should rein in the risk, crossed his mind.
He picked truth.
Which was a mistake, once he had heard Roberto's question. To everyone's surprise, Max started to look a bit shifty. He cursed his honesty but felt bound by the rules of the game.
'You wanked off in church?!'
'Say it a bit louder Miranda, I don't think the whole of China heard you' hissed Max in irritation. Roberto giggle snorted. If asked, the strangest place he'd masturbated was on a balcony but this one was better.
'If you saw Marjorie, well...' explained Max futilely.
'I don't care what the poor girl looked like, how could you be so crass?'
'But it was Marjorie' added Roberto unhelpfully, envisioning Max's teenage pin-up. He received a smack from Miranda.
'I hope nobody saw you.'
Max confirmed that he had been hidden pretty well almost behind a pillar. Nobody had noticed him engaged in lewd conduct. Even in the midst of a congregation.
'Hope you kept it quiet' commented Roberto.
'Hope you went to confession afterwards' said Miranda.
Max paused. It was long enough of a pause to make Miranda decide that she wouldn't sit in a pew in church again.
'Actually I never went back to that church' he admitted.
That was a no then.
Once again Miranda wondered what was wrong with playing a game of cards instead. Maybe she'd find a pack of Mikado sticks and make them focus on that instead. She shuddered. She wasn't going to get that image out of her head anytime soon.