Twister in Blue Jell-O Part III
“You really have cancer?” Gitt asked.
Gitt watched Kimmie startle for an instant as if she had been discovered in her camouflage as Julio’s coat. The music was cranked up loud, screaming amusement park loud and Gitt couldn’t hear anything Kimmie said but she did see Kimmie’s head bob up and down like an annoying boggle doll.
There was something Gitt didn’t like about Kimmie and her whole body language, the way she draped over Julio for most of the party as if she was comfortable acting like a jacket instead of a girl.
"Is that what chemo does?" Gitt asked. Kimmie didn't jump this time, but she still didn't answer. And it was humorous for a while to watch Adrianna get wild over the situation. Everyone knew Julio got around. Gitt paused her interrogation and turned the music down.
“Will Julio let you play Twister?" He might get cold while you're away."
“I’m not dressed for it,” Kimmie said. Gitt agreed. But what was it about Kimmie’s clothes that made her want to turn away as if a sneeze was coming on and as if she might catch whatever fashion disease Kimmie had contracted.
Kimmie’s jeans bothered Gitt the most. They had holes all over them but not the kind that come from a designer, those cool machine made tears. Kimmie's holes and rips came from wear, from not having enough money to buy new jeans. But it was the shoes that made her ask, “Did you borrow those sandals from your mom’s closet? I’m amazed you can even walk.”
“I wore them to look tall,” Kimmie said.
Gitt shook her head. “They just make you look fat.” The thick heels reminded Gitt of everything else about Kimmie’s outfit that didn’t pass, principally that she seemed attached to Julio and appeared so connected with him that they looked thick together.
“Leave her alone,” Julio said.
Gitt ignored him and pointed to where Bev stood by a big, crystal bowl of wobbly blueness. It had moved next to the Twister mat to float around the living room on an elegant buffet table. “When you’re done watching Helen and Bill, come play the real game with us,” Gitt said. “We’ve already sent one home.” She winked at Kimmie.
Gitt noticed how Kimmie stared at her and at her house, at all of the things in her house and this made Gitt’s nose twitch as if last night’s pizza take-out was still in the room. She knew she was being ridiculous but she didn’t care and she wrapped one arm around Kimmie and said, “Do you like what you see?”
Gitt zoned out through most of Kimmie’s answer — practice, Wave routine, and something about joining next year which almost sounded like a question but Gitt couldn’t be sure (her attention caught by Bev and another guy hanging around the Jell-O that looked like he wanted to see if he could surf on his face too). She tuned in only when Kimmie said, “Julio tells me you take care of your friends.” She glanced at Kimmie’s clothes again. Julio was experimenting. Maybe preppy meets grunge didn’t make her nose itch too much.
Gitt trotted over to the bowl and told the would be surfer to go home. Then she scooped out Jell-O and dumped it in a big Styrofoam cup.
“Here,” Gitt said. She handed the cup to Kimmie. “Your cure.”
Gitt watched Kimmie startle for an instant as if she had been discovered in her camouflage as Julio’s coat. The music was cranked up loud, screaming amusement park loud and Gitt couldn’t hear anything Kimmie said but she did see Kimmie’s head bob up and down like an annoying boggle doll.
There was something Gitt didn’t like about Kimmie and her whole body language, the way she draped over Julio for most of the party as if she was comfortable acting like a jacket instead of a girl.
"Is that what chemo does?" Gitt asked. Kimmie didn't jump this time, but she still didn't answer. And it was humorous for a while to watch Adrianna get wild over the situation. Everyone knew Julio got around. Gitt paused her interrogation and turned the music down.
“Will Julio let you play Twister?" He might get cold while you're away."
“I’m not dressed for it,” Kimmie said. Gitt agreed. But what was it about Kimmie’s clothes that made her want to turn away as if a sneeze was coming on and as if she might catch whatever fashion disease Kimmie had contracted.
Kimmie’s jeans bothered Gitt the most. They had holes all over them but not the kind that come from a designer, those cool machine made tears. Kimmie's holes and rips came from wear, from not having enough money to buy new jeans. But it was the shoes that made her ask, “Did you borrow those sandals from your mom’s closet? I’m amazed you can even walk.”
“I wore them to look tall,” Kimmie said.
Gitt shook her head. “They just make you look fat.” The thick heels reminded Gitt of everything else about Kimmie’s outfit that didn’t pass, principally that she seemed attached to Julio and appeared so connected with him that they looked thick together.
“Leave her alone,” Julio said.
Gitt ignored him and pointed to where Bev stood by a big, crystal bowl of wobbly blueness. It had moved next to the Twister mat to float around the living room on an elegant buffet table. “When you’re done watching Helen and Bill, come play the real game with us,” Gitt said. “We’ve already sent one home.” She winked at Kimmie.
Gitt noticed how Kimmie stared at her and at her house, at all of the things in her house and this made Gitt’s nose twitch as if last night’s pizza take-out was still in the room. She knew she was being ridiculous but she didn’t care and she wrapped one arm around Kimmie and said, “Do you like what you see?”
Gitt zoned out through most of Kimmie’s answer — practice, Wave routine, and something about joining next year which almost sounded like a question but Gitt couldn’t be sure (her attention caught by Bev and another guy hanging around the Jell-O that looked like he wanted to see if he could surf on his face too). She tuned in only when Kimmie said, “Julio tells me you take care of your friends.” She glanced at Kimmie’s clothes again. Julio was experimenting. Maybe preppy meets grunge didn’t make her nose itch too much.
Gitt trotted over to the bowl and told the would be surfer to go home. Then she scooped out Jell-O and dumped it in a big Styrofoam cup.
“Here,” Gitt said. She handed the cup to Kimmie. “Your cure.”
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