Chapter 10

MIMOSA MAKES A DECISION

"Did you have a good rehearsal?"

Mimosa was curled up on his bed.

"Life is a rehearsal," Billy replied. "Get the fuck out of my bed and into your own goddam room!"

"I am not in your bed," responded Mimosa, "therefore, I cannot get out of your bed. I am on it instead."

"Well, then, get off!"

"Don't be abrasive," Mimosa sat up. "Your voice sounds like a squirrel when you screech. Good actors must be resonant. like a pool cue. Why don't you dust your throat?"

"Funny, funny, funny," Billy snapped. Collapsing beside her and stretching out, "What are you doing here anyway? Hoping you'll get laid by mistake?"

"Silly Billy," Mimosa quipped. "You know you're the horny old goat trying to climb into my ass. Stop trying to pass the blame on to me."

"That'll be the day," he muttered "I'd rather jerk off in the bathroom reading the label on a box of sanitary napkins."

"Try the illustrations," Mimosa suggested. "I'll give you some crayons and you can color them in."

"What brings about this display of wit at two o'clock in the morning?" Billy asked. "And in my bed, no less," he added.

"Of all places!" Mimosa giggled. "Thought you might be comforted to hear that I was sniffing your sheets. That wouldn't be true, so don't bother to think that."

"I won't!"

"I was practicing my witchcraft."

"In my bed?"

"Of course, in your bed, Billy. A good witch has to be in contact with the environment of the person she's busy witching. That stands to reason. It helps the concentration. Here in your room on your bed all I can do is think of you and that helps me focus my powers."

"Your powers?"

"My powers!"

"What am I?" Billy snorted. "A little clay doll you intend to stick up with pins?"

"Oh, no, Billy, dear, don't make yourself more important than you are," Mimosa said disdainfully. "I only needed you to get through to another person along the line."

"Oh," Billy muttered, "I'm just a transfer point."

Mimosa nodded. "Exactly. Useless yourself, but necessary for me to fulfill my objective."

"Who were you bitching?" Billy asked. "Oh, I'm sorry, who were you witching?"

"Leo," she replied pertly. "The fat genius of the American Theatre."

Billy laughed. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"He should!" Mimosa emphasized. "My efforts will probably keep him from harm."

"What are your efforts and what's the harm? Or do they both go together? That's what I would think! A brat like you is a menace to the world we live in!"

"Probably true," Mimosa agreed.

Billy grinned. "Wow! At last! One thing we agree on!

He yawned. Stretching his arms. He was enjoying the banter. It was a pleasant way to relax after six hours of intensive rehearsal. "What's your interest in Leo?"

"Sexual."

Billy laughed.

"I don't think that's so funny," Mimosa said sharply. "It happens to be the first adult decision I've made in my life and I would like it to be treated with respect."

"Adult decision!" Billy held his stomach until the fit of laughter subsided. "You're a crazy loon!"

"I intend to participate in sexual intercourse. I think that happens to be an adult decision."

"From anyone but you!" Billy exclaimed. "What brought you around to your decision? Leo hasn't been here in a couple of weeks. Not since Andrea threw him out."

"She was jealous."

"What do you mean?"

"Nincompoop! Andrea wants to see you on television and Leo wants you on the stage. They're both at cross purposes. Naturally, Andrea is jealous."

"Upset, sure, but not jealous!"

Mimosa snorted.

"Anyway, that's beside the point," Billy said abruptly. "How come you picked on Leo? His dirty play get you all hot and bothered?"

"No," Mimosa replied. A sly grin flickered at the corner of her mouth. "The play is trivial."

"The body of a fat genius?"

Mimosa shook her head. Physically, I don't expect much. Not that Leo won't try. I'm sure he will. But I don't think his mind is up to any sustained effort. And he's certainly not in any physical shape to do a good job of it."

"Now you've got me interested," admitted Billy. "If all that's true, Mimosa, why'd you decide on him?"

"Because he's dirty," she explained. "He's got such a dirty mind. Hell love it! To Leo the very idea of screwing your sister is practically enough to make him come in his pants!"

Billy burst into laughter.

"Isn't that true?"

Billy nodded.

"That's right," Mimosa continued. "I think it was a very wise choice on my part."

"So that's what you've been doing here on the bed all night? Sending out zap rays to lure Leo back to your bed? Gee, sis," Billy added with mock concern, "you should have told me this earlier and I would have done my share to help you out! Maybe invite him home for dinner? Is that what you want me to do?"

"No, thank you," Mimosa replied. "I'm quite good as a witch. I don't need your help."

"Nothing I can do?"

Mimosa smiled and shook her head.

"Okay, squirt, lift your fanny in that case and drag your ass off to bed. I'm very tired. It was a tough rehearsal, and now I'm ready for the sack."

"Rehearsal?" Mimosa asked sharply. "But you said tonight was an audition. That's what you told Andrea."

Billy nodded. "It seemed like a rehearsal because it took so long. Your fat genius of a boy friend can sometimes be a long-winded bore!"

"Billy," grinned Mimosa, "you are so full of shit it stinks in the hall!"

Billy laughed. "Right! You know better than me. Okay, since it was a rehearsal, go to bed and let me sleep. Okay?"

"I know it was a rehearsal, darling brother, not because of your slip of the tongue, but through the use of my ear and extension telephone in the kitchen. Shall I repeat the address Leo gave you, and his instructions about the donkey and the goat?"

Billy lashed out, aiming a slap at her head, but Mimosa ducked. She slipped past his reach, rolling off the side of the bed and stood triumphantly on her feet.

"Fuck you, Billy!"

"You bitch!"

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me," Mimosa sang out.

"Shut up!" Billy hissed. "If you wake up Andrea, I'll kill you!"

"Wake her up?" Mimosa chortled. "She's not even home yet!"

"What?"

"Little brother," Mimosa crooned. "How innocent you are! Our big sister has female glands. Every now and then she has to use them. It wouldn't be fair if you had the monopoly!"

Billy took a deep breath. "What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I said, sweetheart, I'll see you on the morrow, my little angel lamb," Mimosa prattled as she ducked out the door.

Just in time too, to avoid a book Billy hurled through the air. The book hit the door and bounced on the floor. Billy glanced at the title: SEX & WITCHCRAFT. He scratched his head. Dimly, he remembered having seen a copy of this book before.

Andrea ... that was it!

She had bought it for herself. A long time ago, as Billy remembered, back before the accident that summer when the speedboat overturned and drowned the adults in the family. In those days, Andrea had carried the book everywhere. It was sort of a bible to her, which Billy would scoff at.

"I wonder where the hell Mimosa dug this up?" Billy muttered aloud, a frown of concern on his face. His younger sister has enough trouble as it is. He hoped she wasn't entering an occult phase.

Andrea...

That was the problem. Billy didn't want her to learn of the rehearsals. Not yet. When her wrath was aroused, Andrea was like a hurricane. Ready to destroy anything in her path. The best thing, Billy had decided, was gradually to let the "circus" ripen in her mind.

As long as Andrea believed Billy was sincere about looking for a TV job, then she could be reluctantly persuaded to accept the reality of Billy acting in an off-Broadway play. The "faggot" angle was a good one.

Billy had noticed that. Andrea was probably out with Dick Finch now. "I wonder if he is queer," Billy said aloud. Realizing for the first time that he had been taking for granted a lot of rumors that might not have any basis in fact. like Dick Finch. Everyone always said he was queer. But what if he wasn't. . . ?

Billy sat up.

A perturbed expression crossed his brow. Billy had always assumed Andrea was naive. Incapable of spotting the subtle distinction between a "closet queen" and a simple, shy guy. He glanced at his watch. Ten after three.