with each other. That would help some. Marilyn took Lynda to a room and helped her with her make-up. She taught Lynda quite a bit in just a few minutes. Lynda was certain that she looked sixteen and even better than when she had arrived.
At five-thirty the plane with the team lifted off from Love Field and headed for Houston. Once in Houston, a helicopter would ferry them to Galveston. There, a rental car would be waiting on them. Things were happening so fast for Lynda. She was doing her best to keep it all straight.
The helicopter was waiting with its blades rotating when they landed. They all boarded it, and ten minutes later landed behind a hotel. They got out, and Billy ran for the bright red Dodge Challenger. He was in his element. He threw his bag in the backseat and motioned for Lynda to get in. They took off for Pier 21.
Billy was constantly looking at his watch.
They got to the pier quickly and located the cabin cruiser. Billy got in and unlocked the cabin door. Lynda went in and looked all around. There were two small cabins inside and a bigger cabin with a kitchen and a bathroom with a shower.
About fifteen minutes later, a black limo pulled up and two young “kids” got out. The boy looked to be sixteen and the girl about eighteen. Billy introduced Lynda to Pheelar and Felicia. The boy took Lynda’s hands and kissed them both. Billy did the same to Felicia.
The four “kids” got onto the cruiser and Billy started it up. Billy backed the cruiser out, and turned and headed for the sea wall. He cleared the jetty, and they headed out to sea. Lynda sat in the back with Felicia. Felicia spoke English fluently but Pheelar only spoke broken English. Pheelar stood right beside Billy and watched carefully everything that Billy did.
Felicia looked at Lynda and asked, “You are only sixteen?”
Lynda said, “Yes.”
Felicia said, “You look older for your age.”
Lynda said, “Thank you.”
Billy yelled back to Lynda, “Hey, sis, go fix those sandwiches for us!”
Lynda got up and went into the kitchen. She looked in the refrigerator. There were four foot-long sandwiches in it. She fixed some Cokes and then set the sandwiches out on the little table. She yelled at Billy, “They are ready. Come eat!”
Billy stopped the cruiser and they all went in and ate the sandwiches. They were all different, and cut into fourths. They only ate two of the sandwiches. When Billy finished eating, he said, “Thanks, sis.”
Lynda said, “You’re welcome, Billy!” He looked at her strangely. Had she made a mistake? Her heart leapt into her throat.
They went out about twenty miles and tied off to an oil platform. Billy turned on some music and brought out a bottle of rum. He and Felicia had drinks. Billy and Felicia went to the front of the cruiser and set some chairs up, and got fishing poles and started fishing. Pheelar sat down beside Lynda and waved at her. Lynda waved back.
There was something about Pheelar that Lynda just did not like. He seemed too pompous. She smiled at him, and asked, “Do you go to school?”
Pheelar smiled back and said, “No, I have special tutors. I will enter the University this fall.”
“Wow,” Lynda said, “that sounds cool. Maybe I would do better in school if I had a tutor.” Pheelar looked bored. Lynda went on, “What do you do for fun?”
Pheelar said, “The only fun that I have is coming to America. I really like Billy. He has been very nice to me. He has told me a lot about you. I am happy to be here with you!”
Lynda sort of felt sorry for the boy. She did not know what to say to him. It was starting to get dark. She asked him, “Do you want to fish?”
He said, “No,” and set there like a bump on a log. Pheelar was not highly motivated.
Lynda had forgotten what she was supposed to talk about. She finally asked, “Tell me about your family?”
Pheelar said, “Felicia and I get moved around a lot. We are not allowed to have friends our age. That is why we come here.” He spent the next twenty minutes telling Lynda about his father and everything he did. He did not mention his mother.
When he was clearly finished, Lynda said, “Do you like the music? We can put something else on, if you prefer.”
Pheelar went to the stereo, and thumbed through the CDs and finally said, “No, this will be fine.”
He walked back over and sat down by her. He said, “You don’t like me, do you?”
Lynda shook her head. “Pheelar, I barely know you. I like you so far.”
He smiled at her, and said, “Let’s dance.”
She got up and moved the chairs back out of the way. He took her hand and they began to dance to the slow music.
Billy peeked over the top of the cabin, seemed satisfied, and came back to the cabin and turned all the lights on. Then he went back to the front of the cruiser.
They danced to six songs, and Pheelar seemed happy. He asked Lynda, “Want to go swimming?”
She said, “Sure, I will get my suit.”
He said, “No, I meant without clothes.”
Lynda smiled, thinking quickly. “Billy won’t let me, sorry. I have to wear a suit.”
He responded, “Okay, that’s fair.”
Lynda went in and changed into the little white bikini. When she came out, Pheelar had on trunks. He was waiting at the back of the boat. He smiled really wide at her. She tried not to blush.
They held hands as they jumped into the ocean. They swam around in the water for a good hour and then got out.
Lynda hurried to the shower and took her tee shirt and shorts with her. She got in the warm water and rinsed off and then dried off, and put her clothes back on. She saw Pheelar trying to get a peek at her, but she ignored him.
After she came out, he went in and took a shower. He used up all the hot water.
Lynda went into the kitchen and found some round tortilla chips, and some cheese. She got a plate and made them both some nachos. Pheelar seemed hungry, and really wolfed them down. They both had Cokes again. Billy came into the cabin with Felicia, and Lynda could smell alcohol on both their breath.
Billy whispered to Lynda, “Take Pheelar to the front of the boat and keep him there for a while.”
Lynda said, “Pheelar, come!” She held out her hand to him. He followed her like a puppy.
She took him to the front of the boat and they sat down in the chairs. Billy had left his bottle there. She took the bottle and offered Pheelar a drink. He took a sip. Lynda did too. It burned her throat. They both coughed and laughed.
She asked, “How many times have you been to America?”
Pheelar said, “Six.” And he began a long dialogue about each of his visits, and what the highlights were. Lynda had a feeling that he lived for these trips.
Billy stuck his head around the edge of the boat and said, “The coast is clear.”
Pheelar asked, “What does that mean?”
Lynda said, “I think he means there are no boats between us and the coast. It is all clear.”
They both got up and walked back to the rear deck. Felicia was adjusting her clothes. Lynda was not sure why, but she was jealous of Felicia.
Billy said, “The girls get the cabins, Pheelar and I will sleep in the big cabin.”
Lynda took this to mean that it was time to go to bed. She was tired but did not want to go sleep, but she needed a break from Pheelar. She got her bag and went into the first cabin. She put on a gown and got in the bed. She could hear Felicia and Billy arguing. She could not tell about what.
Billy opened her door, and smiled and winked at Lynda, and said, “Night, sis!” It seemed that everyone wanted to get a peek at her naked.
Lynda said, “Goodnight, Billy.” She could hear Billy and Pheelar playing a game. Lynda thought it was chess. Then she drifted off to sleep.
She woke up to the smell of breakfast. Felicia was cooking something with eggs and sausage. It smelled good.
Lynda
peeked out the door and carried her clothes into the bathroom. She noticed both boys were watching her closely. She got dressed and brushed her teeth and put her hair up in a ponytail. She came out and asked Felicia if she needed any help; she didn’t. Lynda went and sat down by Billy and messed his hair up worse than it was. He swatted at her.
She jumped up and ran over to the kitchen area. She did not have a brother, but assumed that is what she would have done if she had one. It was fun.
After breakfast they all fished but did not catch much. Lynda got the opinion that made everyone happy. At lunch they finished off the day-old sandwiches and then headed back to Galveston. On the way back Felicia stood by Billy and had her arm around him. She constantly kissed him on the neck and played with his hair. Lynda was even more jealous. She could not control it.
When they got back to Galveston and the pier, the limo was waiting on them. Two big black men loaded the two kids’ bags into the trunk, and escorted them back to the hotel. Billy and Lynda followed in the Challenger.
Once in the hotel, Billy and Lynda went to their room. It had two beds. Billy shrugged his shoulders, and said, “Well, we are supposed to be brother and sister.”
They had been in the room only about fifteen minutes when there was a knock at the door. Billy opened the door and the two kids hurried in. Billy hugged Felicia. She hugged him back. Billy opened the door and led them to the back stairs, and they hurried to the Challenger. Lynda and Pheelar got in the backseat. Pheelar put his arm around Lynda. Lynda could see that Billy and Felicia were holding