Blended TML Chapter 15

The cabin is still standing, and the codes and keys still work. The lights are on.

Mary’s a little stiff as they go inside, but that’s the only sign she gives of being upset. Piper is relieved. There are no surprises here. The rental agreement forbids using the property for large-scale parties, but there’s always a segment of the population that won’t be deterred by that. Mary can keep the deposit and charge an extra 200 bucks to the card, but that’s breaking even at best.

Without a word, they split up and walk through. It is a disgraceful mess, but nothing seems destroyed except some throw pillows. Piper almost laughs when she steps on a bikini top in the great room, and a discarded thong in the upstairs hallway.

They meet up downstairs.

“How bad?” Mary asks.

“I think not bad at all. We just have to clean it up, not rebuild it.”

Mary nods. “Could be worse.”

“I think we should pick it up tonight, change the bedding, then take it easy and do the rest tomorrow.”

“That’s a good plan.”

“How many condoms do you think we’ll find?”

“Oh, Jesus. Do we have gloves?”

“I brought some.”

“Thank you, Piper.”

Piper tosses her hair. “If you strip the beds and find some trash bags, I’ll bring the stuff in, and we can knock this out.”

“I don’t think they slept here.”

“I don’t think so either, but I think the beds got used.”

“Ugh.” Mary puts her purse down. “Let’s do it.”

They get to work. It’s late, but neither of them can relax in the presence of such a mess. Bottles, cups, drug paraphernalia, food waste, and indications of sexy times—it all has to go. Soon, neatly tied trash bags are piled outside while dirty bedding is thrown into the laundry room to be tomorrow’s problem.

Piper heroically deals with the bathrooms, which are mercifully free of anything egregious except for one condom that missed the trash can. Piper focuses on how much worse it could have been, gives it all a once-over with Clorox wipes to make it usable for the night, and calls it good.

“OK, you win,” Mary says as they sink onto the sofa. The house smells like citrus wipes, and a more thorough cleaning is still to come, but the situation is far from dire. “That went a lot easier with two.” She twists the top off her cider.

Thumping on the door makes Piper sit up, and Mary almost spills her drink. They exchange a wild look.

“What the hell?” Mary lurches upright, and Piper follows her.

They open the door and are almost knocked flat by the wave of perfume and boozy breath from the two women on the welcome mat.

It’s that glittery lady from the gas station with the boobs and the heels and the piercings. With her is another woman, dressed in a similar fashion, although a bit less flamboyant with jewelry. They are hammered beyond belief, but clearly in high spirits.

The one with the piercings lights up at the sight of Piper. “I know you!”