The Pest is showering. He is lathering his hair at the moment, the water runs down his chest and legs. He rinses his hair, and wipes the suds and water from his eyes. A hand reaches for a bar of soap, the hand lathers the body. Water rinses it all clean. The water turns off, and the Pest steps out. A grabs a towel, and the body dries itself.

The Receptionist is standing in her shower, alone. The water rushes over her body. Her hair is up in a lathered ball. She turns her back, and gently lays her head back into the stream. The water rushes through the thick blonde locks, pushing the shampoo out. The Receptionist raises her head, and looks straight ahead. She reaches for a loofah, and adds body wash to it. Lathering her body, the abrasive surface meets her flesh, and pulls the dirt and dead cells from her body. The process takes too long. She turns the water off, and steps onto her bathmat. A towel finds her hand, and dries her flesh.

The Pest is sitting on his bed, in his underpants, and a plain white A-Shirt. He is looking at his closet, and deciding what suit to wear. He stands, and selects a red and blue plaid suit. He walks to select it. The plain white shirt finds its way to his torso, one by one the buttons close the shirt closed. He removes the pants, and places a leg inside them. And then another. He raises the pants, and tucks his shirt into them. The Pest walks to his dresser, and removes a pair of black dress socks. He pulls them over his feet, and up to his ankle. He then selects a plain red tie, and places it around his neck. The tie is tied in a Windsor Knot, before being straightened and tightened. A vest is placed upon the suit, and clasped shut. A gold pocket watch slides into the vest pocket, and attaches to the vest's button eye. The jacket is next, it finds his body, and holds it tightly. The buttons close, leaving only the top undone.


The Receptionist is standing in her bedroom, naked. She walks to her dresser and selects a pair of panties. They slide up her legs, pausing at the knees, and then up to hug the flesh of her hips. She selects a matching brassiere. There is a dress laid on her bed, she lifts it up, and examines it. Blue, with black lace around the neck, sleeves, and the hem at the bottom. She slides it over her head, and down to her shoulders. She reaches back, and attempts to cautiously close the clasp on the back. It does not close, a sigh is released. She leaves it be, but moves to her jewelry box, and retrieves a thin gold chain with a crucifix at the end. Dangling. She wraps the chain around her neck, and closes the clap before twisting it behind her neck. The receptionist moves to the kitchen to seek the assistance of her house mate. The mate closes the clasp, and the Receptionist returns to her room. She finds a pair of stocking. She brings them to an end up above each knee. Shoes, black, find their way to her feet. The heels raise her in the air 2 inches. She twirls in front of her mirror.

The Pest is kneeling in his living room. The boy is there. Throwing punch after punch into the Pest's hands. The Pest chuckles with every weak throw.

Pest:No, boy. Close your fist tight. Do not tuck the thumb. Try again.

The boy does as he is told, and throws another punch into the Pest's hands.

Pest:Better, but you are thrown off your stance easily. Try to readjust your feet for a better position.

Angela:James, he's ten. He doesn't need to be Mike Tyson.

Pest:The boy must learn how to fight. The boy will some day be tested, and when that day occurs, he will come out on top.

Aaron:Yeah, Aunt Angela. I need to win. Daddy says so.

Angela:Goddamn, dude. Really? Fuck.

Pest:Angela, get into the kitchen. Now.

The Pest and the Girl move to the kitchen, disdain pours from her as she walks. In the kitchen, she turns to face the Pest. A hand flies from his side, and slaps her across her face. Her own hand reaches up to hold the cheek in shock. His hand finds a mass of her hair, and grabs it tightly.

Pest:Do not speak of that in front of the boy. He does not need to learn those words.

The Pest releases his grip, before turning and walking away from the girl. She stands there in the kitchen, in shock at the events that had transpired. Her hand still affixed to her face, as if releasing it would cause it to float away.

The Pest makes his way to the living room, where the boy has migrated to the couch. The Pest kisses him on the head. He lowers and makes eye contact with the boy.

Pest:I am going out for a while. Your aunt has a means to reach me should you need me.

Aaron:Are you going to see that girl again?

Pest:Yes, I am. She has a name, though, son.

Aaron:What is it?

Pest:The Receptionist.

Aaron:Will she be my new mommy? I had one once. I remember her.

Pest:I do not know. I am pleased you remember your mother. I, too, remember my mother.

The Pest gets to his feet, and moves towards the door. His hand grips the brass handle, and he pauses. He turns back to face the boy, sitting on the sofa, watching a show on some children's television network. Angela, the girl, is still standing in the kitchen, a look of shock still upon her face.

Pest:I love you. Both of you. You are the only family I have left.

Aaron:Are you ok, dad?

Pest:Yes. But, I needed to say that. The last time I headed out of this door, I almost died.

Aaron:WHAT?!

Pest:Yes, some fool pointed a gun at me. And Angela, I do know that you smoke.

Before she can respond, the Pest has made his way out of the house and into the car. He places a key in the ignition and turns it. The engine revs to life, and the Pest drives into the night. Traffic is a minimum, allowing the Pest to make his way to the the Receptionist's apartment with haste. He finds a spot, and parks his car, in between two cars. He exits the vehicle and climbs the steps to her door.

The Receptionist hears the door outside, and rushes to her room. She does not want to appear that she's been waiting for the Pest. The roommate answers the door. She has heard stories of the Pest, and his prowess at protecting the Receptionist. She does not expect the Pest to be the Pest. She steps back.

Roommate:Hello?

Pest:I am here looking for The Receptionist.

Roommate:The Receptionist? You mean Christine?

Pest:Yes.

Roommate:You're James?

Pest:Is that how she refers to me?

Roommate:It's your name, isn't it?

Pest:One of them. Is she here?

Roommate:Yeah

Pest:Is she in her room?

Roommate:Yeah. Want me to get her?

Pest:No. I shall find her.

The Pest moves into the door, and begins to walk down the hallway. The Roommate calls out. The Pest does not hear the words clearly, but he knows the tone. She has marched behind him, and places a hand upon his shoulder. A quick turn, and a hand around her neck. She is in the air being held by her throat. The Pest's face is moved closer to hers, and his words come out in a growl.

Pest:Never again lay your hands upon me. I am not one of your juvenile friends. You will not treat me as such.

He drops the girl, and she curls into a ball on the floor. The Receptionist comes barreling out of her room at the sounds of the commotion in the hallway. She finds the Pest standing over the roommate. A monster frightening a child.

Christine:James, what are you doing?

Pest:She laid hands upon me. You know how I feel about that.

Christine:Did you touch him?

Roommate:Yeah, I touched his shoulder. He just barged in here and started heading down the hall way.

The Roommate gets to her feet, and the Receptionist moves in between them.

Christine:You two, make up. Now. Kelly, James is important to me, and I want you to like him. James, Kelly is my best friend. I want you to like her.

Pest:Kelly, I will, one time, apologize, but do not touch me again.

Christine:Good, Kelly, can you apologize?

Kelly:Yeah, I guess. I'm sorry, James.

Christine:James, go to my bedroom, and wait. I'll be there soon.

The Pest moves to the Receptionist's room. He finds himself upon her bed, and sits down. The Receptionist takes the Roommate to the kitchen, where the roommate sits and the Receptionist pours the roommate a cup of tea. The girls sit, and talk briefly.

Christine:He has flashbacks to Vietnam or some shit. The Doc told me to avoid him, something about PTSD.

Kelly:How old is he?

Christine:Sixty. But, he looks so good for his age. And believe me, he hasn't lost anything there.

Kelly:Eww. You fucked him?

The Receptionist nods her head. She is pleased with herself.

Kelly:Gross. Great grandpa balls. Shit, I don't think my grandfather is sixty yet.

Christine:Eh, his dick game is out of this world. I'ma go get me some.

The Receptionist gets stands up and goes to her room, where she finds Pest standing there, staring at himself in the mirror. His eyes are glazed over, and he is in a trance. The Receptionist places a hand on him. He snaps back, and throws her to the bed, and pins her to the mattress, with one hand placed around her neck. The grip tightens, and her arms move to fight free. Words form, but cannot escape. The hands fight at the wrists of the Pest, and eventually find their way to his palms. Her nails dig into the Pest's hands, and cause him to release the grip. He pulls back, readies for an attack, and finally sees her. Hands fall to their side, and she raises to her feet. Arms wrap around him, and she brings herself in tight.

Christine:Flashback? Where were you?

Pest:Hue.

Christine:What's in Hue?

Pest:I choked a man to death in front of his wife. He attacked me, and slashed at me. I choked him to death while Clover laughed.

Christine:Are you back with me?

Pest:Yes. Would you care to go out now?

She points to the red marks forming on her neck.

Christine:I can't go out with these. How about we order Chinese and stay in? We can have a session until the food arrives?

Pest:That will suffice.

The Pest removes his belt, and begins to wrap it around his wrist. She removes her necklace, and places it upon the dresser.