Fan Girl (Los Rancheros)

by Brandace Morrow

  I take one final swipe of his back and toss the paper towel in the trash bin next to me. “You ready?” I ask him.

  “You bet your ass!” He jumps up, goes to the back wall of mirrors, and turns around looking over his shoulder.

  I laugh and pull out the large hand mirror I have. “Hold on, you’ll see it better with this.”

  He grabs it and just stares for a few minutes. Then he looks at me, and he has tears in his eyes. The bald eagle on his back has wings spread, talons out. He’s wearing a combat helmet. The eagle is pissed, sharp beak opened wide, and ready to annihilate. Below the talons is a skeleton splayed out, and actually in the sharp nailed talons grasp is the red dripping heart that the eagle had just ripped out.

  It’s a good piece. It turned out really well, and I’m so glad he likes it. He reaches over and kisses my temple saying in a gruff voice, “You did good kid.” He walks past me back to my station and I follow.

  “Do you mind if I take some pictures for the shop’s website?” I ask him.

  He pulls a phone out of his pocket, too. “No, no please, can you take one for me too?”

  I tell him, “Of course I will.” I take two with his phone and give it back. He takes it and immediately starts pressing buttons, while I take one picture with my phone, and one with my HD digital camera. After that, I smear his back liberally with ointment before wrapping it in clear plastic wrap.

  After he puts his shirt back on and we’re walking to the front, I go through the same speech by rote. “Remember no direct sunlight, no direct contact with water in the shower. Wash with a mild antibacterial soap and saturate as often as possible with the ointment. Do not let it dry out. Call me if you have any questions.”

  He turns to me at the reception desk and shakes my hand again. Then he signs the receipt that was already charged before we started, and grabs the bag with the new ointment in it. I stand by the desk until he’s out the door, then I cover my mouth and make a beeline for the bathroom in the back of the store.

  Once that’s done I brush, wash my hands, then go back to my station and clean that up. Rockelle is just arriving and putting away her stuff as I’m leaving. She’s got mocha skin and says she wants to be a Monster High girl when she grows up, though she’s already twenty-five.

  I grab a bottle of water, and walk to the back of the shop into the work rooms to return some calls and get some designs on paper. I’ll have to hit a fast food joint on the way home, since I have no food at my house. I was gone three days, so my voicemail is full. I make sure to return all of the calls, so that no one gets mad. I’m tapped out after that. I can hardly see straight to grab dinner and go home. Those five hours of sleep, time change, and jetlag are catching up to me. I eat in the car, so when I get to the house, I fall face first onto my bed and am asleep before my head hits the pillow.

  Chapter 18

  I wake up at in the morning and find myself feeling much better. I do my yoga, make a cup of hot tea, and shower to get ready for work.

  Today I’m wearing a hot pink spaghetti strap shirt with a black bra underneath, distressed bootleg jeans, and hot pink, peep-toed heels. I braid my side bangs, hiding the pin in my hair behind my ear.

  I let myself in at ten to get to work on some design changes from the calls last night, file those in the office, and sit down at the computer. First things first, I check my cell phone and see there are a few messages from Deklan.

  RedyGo: Hey babe you sleep okay?

  RedyGo: I hope you didn’t work all day, you’ve got to be as exhausted as I am.

  RedyGo: I was right my mom wants to meet you. She’s in thralls over the thought of me settling down. Call me when you get a second. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. 555-7532

  The last one was late last night. I call, since it’s mid-morning already.

  He answers with a distracted, “lo?”

  “Hey Deklan, it’s Ali. Sorry, I just got your messages,” I say somewhat formally. I’m feeling a little bit nervous even though he asked me to call.

  He answers in a bright voice, “Hey, baby! How are you feelin'?”

  I sit back in my chair and spin around. “I’m better today. Yesterday I did all of the shading on a back piece in one sitting. It took the whole six hours. By the time I got home, I just passed out.”

  “Are you eating or skipping meals? My mom said it’s really important you take prenatal vitamins, especially since you’re so nauseated. She knows a good OB by the way, a Dr. Martin. I have her number here if you have a pen.”

  I’m frozen again. Deklan talked to his mom about the pregnancy already? Isn’t that weird? “Carmen already gave me Dr. Martin’s number, but thank you. What do you mean you talked to your mom about me?”

  He says matter-of-factly, “Well she knew about DD online. You were pretty much the only friend I had besides the guys that didn’t want something from me. She was worried about you meeting me since she knew you were a fan. I told her how everything went down and she gave me the doctors’ number and said she can’t wait to meet you.”

  What day are we on? Three or something, isn’t that too soon to bring up a person to your parents? “Deklan, what are you doing?”

  Instead of answering he asks, “Can I see you tonight?”

  I think about it, and I’m rested up, so I should be out of here by seven after I return calls. “Yeah, dinner tonight?”

  His answer is immediate. “Perfect, I’ll cook.”

  “You cook?” I ask, incredulous. I cannot picture that big man in a kitchen and apron.

  “Not very often but I am capable of it, yes,” he says sarcastically.

  “Okay, sounds good. Text me your address and I’ll see you about seven thirty,” I tell him.

  He says, “Okay, see you tonight.”

  After disconnecting, I call the doctor’s office and set up an appointment for the following Monday morning. Then I look online for a juicer for my house, and order what looks to be a good one off of Amazon, along with some baby books. Just as I’m finishing my transaction, Stacie comes into the office. I worry that I’m late and check the clock, but we still have fifteen minutes before opening.

  ‘What’s happenin’ girlfriend?’ I ask her.

  She hands me a cup from Orange Julius before sitting on the white leather chair on the other side of the desk, and smiles. I relax since she’s not pulling my hair out.

  “I’m so excited you’re pregnant! I don’t know if anyone has told you yet, but congratulations!”

  I get tears in my eyes because she is the first person to tell me that. “Thank you,” I tell her sincerely. She smiles back warmly and says, “Well, I did some research yesterday and already ordered a juicer for the shop. I also found a company that delivers organic fruits and veggies once a week, so I signed us up. Pretty cool, huh?”

  The wonders of the twenty-first century and an efficient woman! “That’s amazing, thank you! I just ordered one for my house, but that’s even better. Can you add my house to the route?”

  “Sure, I’ll do that.” Stacie makes a note in her ever-present iPad. “Did you call the doctor?”

  “Yes mom, I have an appointment on Monday,” I say jokingly.

  “Did you want me to go with you?” she asks. I would love to have someone there, but I think I should ask Deklan first if he wants to go.

  “Thank you. You know I appreciate it. I think I need to ask Deklan, first. You’re being super nice. Does this mean you’re over your mad?”

  She stands up. “I’m still hurt you kept it from me for so long, and that you lied. But I can see where you would think it would be an awkward position to be in. Let’s just move past it.”

  I stand up too, and give her a huge hug. “Thank you, Stace. You know you get to be an auntie right?”

  She squeezes me back and jumps a little. “Shit, I better be the freaking Godmother! How cool is that?” We pull back and look at each other with little smiles on our faces for a long minute before she says softly, “You’r
e gonna be a great mom, Ali. Come on, we better get down there.”

  My work day went a lot faster than yesterday. I’m not tired. I do four smaller tattoos that took my whole time and I get to see Deklan tonight.

  After work, I put his address into my GPS and am surprised when the directions take me right by my house and up into the hills. My house is at the bottom of the hill with no view, and apparently his is at the top, if the navigation is to be believed. I pull up to a gate and text Deklan.

  DirtyDozen: I’m here… I think. Now what?

  I tap my phone on the steering wheel for a minute, then see the gate open. I drive through some trees and up a steep hill to a small one story house, and park by an awesome white Camaro convertible as the front door opens. I get out of the car and look over the hood at Deklan. Our chemistry is instant when we lock eyes. My heart trips over itself every time I realize he’s looking at me. I’m still not used to being noticed by him.

  “Hey stranger,” he says smiling, his brilliant white teeth blinding.

  I scoff. “It’s been less than two days.” I’m a step down from the porch when he wraps his arms around my head and shoulders, and sticks his nose in my hair. I wrap my arms around his waist and breathe him in too. His cologne is so yummy.

  Deklan finally releases me several minutes later and smiles sheepishly. “Sorry, I needed a hit. I’ve been going through withdrawals.”

  Aw, I have to admit I’ve been missing his smell as well.

  He pulls me up the stairs and into his magazine worthy house. It’s small, one bedroom one bath, but it’s been totally remodeled and the furniture is all space age weird stuff.

  “Wow… this is…” What’s a non-offensive word? He throws his head back laughing. “You hate it,” and pulls me into another hug.”

  “Not hate! It’s just, very...”

  “Sterile? Non-inviting? I know. I hate this house. I bought it with our first paycheck for the view, but I can’t live on the porch. I’ve called a realtor already. He’s coming tomorrow to get it listed.”

  I’m stunned. “Wow, do you know where you’re going to move to?”

  “Something bigger and more welcoming, that’s all I know.” He takes off his beanie and I’m shocked again.

  “You’re hair!” I wail. Deklan looks over at me surprised at the outburst and then smiles again.

  “Yeah I had to cut it. I hate putting all the product in it and having it get all over my sheets and stuff, so I just shaved it off. Less hassle.”

  Less hassle? It was so thick and beautiful! I’m just staring in horror.

  He looks amused, “It’ll grow back, Ali. I can’t surf with all that hair in my eyes, and I’m not putting it in a poof on my head like a little girl.”

  “I like the poof idea,” I pout.

  He comes close to me and bites my bottom lip, pulls back and says, “I like when you pout, give me that lip.” After that the kisses get so hot I wind up on his kitchen counter with both of our hands under each other’s shirts.

  He pulls back, eyes hot, with both hands over the cups of my bra. “Are you hungry?”

  I nod, dazed and panting.

  “Me too.” Then he pulls the material down my breast and sucks. I shutter, wrap my hands around his head and my legs around his hips pulling our cores together. Deklan pulls back with a pop of his mouth, looks at my nipple then reaches down to flick the hard bud with his tongue ring. I whimper, and he moves to the other, doing the same thing. I’m rocking against him with my hips, when he finally stands back up and licks his lips. He replaces the bra, pulls my shirt down and gives me a small kiss on the lips.

  “I need to feed you some food.”

  I nod. Things are going too fast… or not fast enough, I don’t know. My head and the rest of my body are in a battle right now.

  I unlock my ankles from around him, and he takes a deep breath through his nose before pushing the hair back from my face. “Have I told you you’re beautiful?”

  I shake my head no slowly. He leans down and rubs his nose with mine as he whispers, “You’re so beautiful, you make my heart hurt.”

  I close my eyes for a second and absorb this moment.

  He steps back and looks down to the noticeable bulge in his jeans and says wryly, “Among other things.”

  I give a shaky laugh. “Do you want me to do anything?” I ask.

  “No just sit there and be pretty while I do this.”

  He grabs covered dishes out of the fridge and cuts a lemon over asparagus. Next is salt and pepper, then he holds out a hand to me. “Hop down and we’ll go out on the deck where it’s not so offensive.”

  When we gets outside, I can see why he stayed here so long. You can see the city down below with twinkling lights, and beyond that the ocean. “It’s beautiful,” I say as he heads over to a grill that is made for a man’s man. It’s big and chrome, that’s all I know. There’s a table and chairs set up beside it, and I take a seat. The table is already set. He grabs a pitcher of tea beside the table and pours a glass for me.

  I smile and say, “Thank you.” I sip my tea and watch him cook in his tight black t-shirt and blue jeans.

  “So what did you do today?” I ask, as he uncovers a dish and sets two steaks on the grill.

  He looks over his shoulder and shrugs. Looking back at the steaks, he says, “I wrote for a little while, talked to the realtor, looked at some listings online.”

  “Did you find anything?” He turns back around and sits in the chair next to me. “Some. I don’t really know what I’m looking for yet. I’ll know it when I see it.”

  I nod. “Stacie was saying I need to get a designer to redo my office into a nursery. I hadn’t even thought of that.”

  “And a new car. Do you know what you want?”

  I shrug. “I love my car.”

  He points out, “Yeah but you can’t fit a car seat in there. I’m pretty sure there’s a law saying they have to go in the back.”

  This is true. “I don’t know, does Porsche make an SUV?” I’ve never had cause to look at one.

  He laughs. “Yeah baby, they sure do. A nice one.”

  “Sold,” I say smiling.

  “What did the doctor say?” he asks quietly.

  “I have an appointment at nine Monday morning. I don’t know what’s involved, except another ultrasound. I also ordered some books online.”

  He rubs his thumb over my knuckles. “Good. You’ll be up to speed in no time.”

  “I told everyone at work, and they were shocked, but excited I think. Stacie definitely is. Now.”

  He looks over at me and studies my face. “Maybe you aren’t now, but you will be too.” I feel my own face go soft and squeeze his hand. “I know. It just seems like it’s all hypothetical right now.”

  He nods again. “I get that.”

  The steaks are great and the view in front of me is inspiring. The conversation flows like we’ve been having dinner together forever. Quiet moments when no words are needed, and we’re comfortable with each other.

  After dinner, we do the dishes and I look around his living room with the purple lipstick couch and squiggly line chairs. “I don’t even know where to sit in here.”

  He smiles self-deprecatingly. “Don’t. Let’s go back outside.”

  There’s a hammock right off of the patio and he climbs in, then helps me get on without tipping us both. It’s nice to lay in his strong arms. It feels like my life isn’t spiraling out of my control if I can just hold onto him. He plays with my hair and then lifts his head to kiss my forehead. I look up at him, giving him access that he takes full advantage of. He kisses my eyes, nose, cheekbones, and finally my mouth very slowly. I turn more fully on my stomach so that we’re almost chest to chest and kiss him back.

  His hands go to my ass and pull me up even more so that my face is above his. We make out for a while, tongues tangling as hands roam. Before long we’re both panting and moving against each other. He pulls his head back and slides his ha
nds through my hair pulling it away from my face. “It’s getting late. You have to work tomorrow.”

  I know he’s right, but I just want to stay here forever. I nod reluctantly and pull away.

  He helps me get out of the hammock before walking in the house and out to my car. I get another smoldering kiss goodnight before he hugs me close with his nose in my neck. “Gotta get my fix to last me. Can we do dinner tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely, my house this time. At least we can sit in my living room. There might even be a ball game on or something.”

  He smiles. “Sounds perfect. Night.”

  I drive down the hill in a dream.

  Chapter 19

  The next night I get home to find Deklan leaning against his white Camaro waiting for me. “Am I late?” I ask. I just texted him twenty minutes ago saying I was on my way.

  He shakes his head and pulls me by the hips toward him. “No I just couldn’t wait.” He plants a long hot kiss on me before pulling away leaving me breathless.

  I blink hard and get my mind in gear. “I have bags in the car I need to grab.”

  He walks past me to my car, and gets the grocery bags out of the passenger seat before waving me to the front door. As we get to my doorstep there are several packages on the steps. “Looks like I got my stuff.”

  “Cool, we can read with dinner.”

  I lead the way in the house, turning off the alarm on the way to the kitchen. My kitchen is long with a long island that is completely open to the living room, where I have the long micro-suede sectional and big screen television.

  Deklan looks around. “Oh yeah, we’re coming to your house from now on. I could live on this couch.”

  I laugh and say, “You should see my bed.” He turns his molten eyes to me and looks deep in mine. “I will, one day.”

  Well, I walked into that one. I turn to distract myself and unpack the groceries I bought. I set the hamburger meat to cooking and turn to Deklan who is sitting at the island. “I’m going to change. My feet are killing me in these heels.”