1.12.2011

"the afternoon after the night before..."


Sunday morning came and went. I sat on the couch, drinking coffee, half-heartedly reading the paper and wondering what would unfold this day. Karen was sleeping in, I guess working and the encounter with big sister had worn her out. Good thing, at least for me, I wasn't looking forward to what I envisioned was to come. I thought about putting on the radio and listening to some music from the Mexican station from Tijuana, XETT-AM, raping the airways with fifty thousand watts, Mariachi, brass and something new they were pushing, Tex-Mex, but didn't want to chance waking her up. I got up from the couch and started into the kitchen to get another cup of coffee, when I almost collided with her walking out of the bedroom. I stopped in my tracks and searched for something to say... "Good afternoon", was all I could muster. She just stood there, looking at me, her hair all a-tangle, her eyes puffy and red. God damn, in spite of it, she was so beautiful. She took a step forward, wrapped her arms around me and put her head on my chest. I folded my arms around her and leaned my face down into her hair. She had the Breakfast Special thing going on, Jake was a great cook and her hair was as good as a menu as the greasy papers that served that purpose on his tables. She was making me hungry.
"Are we ok?", she half whispered to me.
"Yeah, sweetheart, we're fine. How 'bout you?"
"Yeah, I'm ok. How's Del?"
Damn.
"Well, apparently, she's left and gone home. She left a note. She asked me to say goodbye to you for her. I'm sorry..."
I could feel her stiffen and her arms around my waist pulled harder. She jerked a little sob and shook her head in my chest.
"Fuck."
"It's ok. You wanna talk?"
"No. I don't want to talk right now. I want you. Come back to bed. We can do it and then we can talk. Ok?"
"Ok... I guess. You sure?"
"Yeah."

So, we did it. And then, we talked.

"Where's this note she left? Can I read it?"
"Nope. She asked me to get rid of it, so I burned it."
"God, I fucking hate her sometimes. So tell me, did she really tell you things about me last night, or did you two just end up fucking on the beach?"
I let go of her and sat up in bed. It was dark. Sunday night. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up.
"No, I didn't fuck her on the beach, why would you think I'd ever do that? You're really on the edge of pissing me off. All she did was tell me things I didn't want know and still don't want to know. God, I can't believe you asked me that."
"Sorry, but I know her better than you do, it wouldn't surprise me."
"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but nothing happened. I wouldn't do that to you, especially with your fucking sister. God, what do you take me for?"
"I didn't think you would, really, but I had to ask. She's done it before."
"Yeah, well that's between you and her. What's between you and me needs to be what we talk about."
"Come back her and lay down. Please?"
I thought about that for a minute, then got back in bed, lay behind her back and pulled her to me. Now or never, dude.
"I'd never do anything like that, especially to you. I know you told me never to tell you this, but I love you..."
Fuck. Summon Gabriel. It's the end of times...
She rolled over to face me. She brushed my hair out of my face and put her hand behind my head and looked me with those dark brown eyes of hers. I expected the worse.
"Yeah, I did. But I never said you couldn't love me. You need to listen better. You know I love you, don't you? I mean, God, you know that, right?"
I didn't want to tell her I found out through Della, so I sort of lied. I mean, sometimes, a little lie is a good thing, right?
"Yeah, I had a suspicion..."
"You're so perceptive... Look, what happened with Del never happened. Despite what she told you about me, she's really the psycho in the family. I might have been the family nympho, but I'm over that, but she's not really right. I'll leave it at that, if it's ok with you. So, you still love me, even though you know I fucked my way through Pie Town and beyond?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. That was then. One of these days, someone will tell you about my sordid past."
"Heh, I can't wait. I want some coffee."
"Yeah, me too. I'll make it."
"No, I will. You know, we need to get away from here for a while. Why don't you think of someplace we can go while I'm slaving away in the kitchen? Someplace different, someplace quiet and dark, where we can be all alone for a while."
"Del left you her car. I forgot to tell you."
"She left it to I can pack it up and go back to Pie Town, she was railing about that to me yesterday. Maybe one of these days. But not right now. Now I want coffee and I want more of you, if you're up to it..."
"I'll give it my best..."
"Yes, you will."








0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home