slipped out to perform fillatio on Silvio behind the storage shed. It was just shy of noon and the two of them were taking one of their 'cigarette' breaks. Ernan was a body conscious Filipino in his early thirties armed with needles and pressure gages for "poking and prodding" Christoff's father would later complain.

"Mr. Van Ermen you are as strong as an ox. I can see why the ladies at family services go on about you."

"They mentioned me" Chris's father pined. "Who? What they say?"

"Well, I don't know if I should be telling, but Barbra and Kathleen both have an eye for you" Ernan smiled. He gently held Mr. Van Ermen's arm by the wrist and counted the soft pulses near the joints. He looked around the den and admired the fireplace with its collection of ceramic dolls. They seemed out of place next to a stuffed carcass of what appeared to be some type of road kill. Its teeth were exposed ready to defend a life long lost. The piercing gray eyes were startling. Ernan felt sucked into them and missed his count.

"Dad, doesn't like the family service center" a voice came soft over his shoulder. Christoff saw the subtle designs of a man in pastel scrubs slightly bent over his father who was sitting in the recliner. Ernan turned to meet Christoff's delicate face and friendly concerned smile that warned, be careful with my father. Ernan's deep brown eyes smiled back queerly.

Christoff recognized too well what made him uncomfortable in that instant, he'd let his guard down or perhaps there was a manly stain on his breath. The nurse gave his name and glanced briefly into the kitchen at Silvio who'd just walked in from outside, the door stalled and cold air dampened the room. Again with the smile, "nice to meet you. I was thinking I'd start your father off with a few light stretches today." Ernan scanned the little freckles of Christoff's blushing profile, the sandy bush of hair that looked perfect for making cornrows, his arms and hint of a chest were pleasing as well. A wavering need crept into the room beneath the father's nose, it was as though it had slipped in on the cold behind Silvio who stood eying the nurse.

"You overcharged me! The ad in the paper says $3.99!"

Maria tightened. She hated being moved to the jewelry counter, she hated feeling territorial about her usual station. The way the women fussed over fake diamonds on gold coated tin pissed her off. They barked at her and fumbled for little trinkets to wear around their wrinkled necks and wrist that drooped to support clawed nails. She had to pull things out then put them back, only to pull them out again pretending that each customer was Cinderella trying on a glass slipper.

The woman snatched the paper across the glass countertop and threw back the trinket along with a pair of earrings that Maria had thought better suited for a three-year old. "You are too old for pink" she'd wanted to say but didn't, instead she just said, "I'm sorry, but the ad has already expired."

The woman started, her voice a little louder with each digressive word. "Fine then use your power bitch,” she announced proudly as though a worldly crisis could be diverted, if only. If only Maria would go the extra mile to override the register, if only she could smile sardonically and not