Dan was still upset. “I don’t understand it. They didn’t have to trash the place.”
Truth was it could have been a lot worse. I have rental houses that were left in much worse shape by tenants. Whoever had been there had broken the window, letting the weather and animals in, and had left a lot of trash around, but hadn’t gone out of their way to damage the place beyond that. They were just slobs.
The storm was picking up intensity outside, which also didn’t make sense. The forecast had been for possible showers. Friggin’ weathermen.
Robin had done her best to make the beds, with help from Jill, and had complained bitterly that the home invaders had torn down her privacy curtains which separated the two beds and the back of the house from the front. Once she mentioned it, I looked up and saw the evidence of the missing curtains and the busted tracks.
Jill, on the other hand was still bound and determined to make the best of things. “Leave it to Alex to make sure we at least have tequila, vodka, and rum. I suggest we break out the bottles, and just thank our stars that the place is still standing. What if they’d burned it down or damaged the roof? We’d be out in that slop, trying to get back to civilization.”
She was waving a bottle of tequila, a salt shaker, and a squeeze lemon. “What do you say, gang?”
Robin plopped down on the couch, in the seat nearest the fire. “Pass it here. I sure as hell need a drink.” The couches were in a bit of a V shape, further apart nearest the fireplace, and only an arm span apart at the opposite end.
Within a few seconds we were all gathered in the sitting area, tired and ready for a break, listening to the storm continue outside, and maneuvering for a place to sit. I ended up next to Robin, with Sheri by my side. On the other couch Jack was opposite Robin, Dan opposite Sheri, and Jill was firmly ensconced in the middle. I looked her over, anticipating a great view, but she had her legs demurely crossed.
Robin sprinkled some salt on her hand, licked it and took a drink from the bottle. You could see the surprise on her face. “Wow! That’s the best tequila I’ve ever had. I swear it’s like a single malt scotch!”
“El Tesoro Anejo, it’s been sitting on my shelf for the last three years. Not the best but pretty damned good.” I informed her.
The bottle made a circuit of the room, with the salt leading the way, followed by the tequila, with the squeeze lemon following behind. Before it had completed a second trip, Jill started in again. “This isn’t really that bad. I’m just thankful that we have a roof over our heads.”
That got a conversation going and it was decided that each person had to say one thing they were glad of on this trip.
Dan had the bottle, and was about to lick the salt off of his hand. “I’m glad that only one window was broken, and Jack was able to close it.” He licked the salt, took a swig from the bottle and leaned over to pass it to Sheri, who had just passed the salt to me.
As she leaned forward to take the bottle, her towel fell open giving everyone paying attention, and Dan in particular, a full on view of her chest. She set the bottle down on the table, re-did her towel, and grabbed the bottle again. “Didn’t I tell you?” she told Dan who gave her a smile. It was his first smile in a while.