by Bria Marche
They cautiously peeled back the gauze patches and showed off their tattoos, coated with ointment. Max rolled with laughter at the sight of them, especially Vic’s since it matched his even though they were in different spots. Mario loved the tattoos, too, but laughed carefully, mindful of his healing ribs. Aaron, Josh, and Gerard were shocked. The girls had called that one, knowing how straight-laced the guys were. Everyone nibbled on leftover chicken and made toasts to each other with Merlot and grape juice. Now the girls’ common bond of ink made them even more like sisters than before.
***
“Hey, Tina,” Dan yelled from the upper level of the deck. There was one more week of construction to complete, then a crew would come in to paint the deck.
Tina slid the far-right window of the kitchen open. She was about ten feet to the left of him. “Do you want something?” she asked through the screen.
“Yeah, I thought you were going to stop over last week and talk to me,” he joked. “Chicken out?”
“If you must know, I have a new persona, and it’s far from being a chicken.”
“Really… what the hell does that mean?”
“You’ll find out when the time is right.”
“So, now you’re talking in riddles? You’re quite the mystery woman, Tina.”
“Is that all you wanted? We’re painting the nursery today. I’ve got to go.”
“Okay, see ya. Have fun. Want to do lunch Tuesday?” Dan waited for a response, and when he didn’t get one, he looked to his left, but she had already closed the window and disappeared. “Damn it. She’s a tough one to get close to.”
***
Alina napped while Sasha and Tina started preparing the nursery to paint. Mia had promised to come over later to help. Josh and Gerard had just left, heading to Home Depot for more garden supplies. Since Tina was the only readily available female left in the bunch, she offered to help more often than the rest.
After weeks of contemplating, Sasha had finally decided on a very pale yellow for the nursery. With it being a relatively neutral color, she could accessorize the room with blue and pink, and it would look perfectly fine. Sasha began by taping the woodwork with inch-wide blue painter’s tape while Tina spread the drop cloth and lined up the paint rollers, brushes, and cans along the wall.
“What are your intentions with Dan?”
“What intentions?” Tina said. “Who said I had intentions?”
“I don’t understand why you wouldn’t. He’s interested in you, and he’s hotter than hell. Why would you waste a chance to tap that?”
“Do you eat with that mouth? Holy shit, Sasha—I never knew you were so crass.”
“Yes, you did, and don’t change the subject. What’s your deal anyway? Why wouldn’t you give Dan a chance?”
“A chance at what? He never said he wanted to date me. I’ve spoken to him for all of thirty minutes while I gave him a shave, thanks to you. I’m already content with my life, so who says I need to change it? Sure, I have a stick up my ass a lot of times, but I’m trying to relax more and be less predictable. That doesn’t mean I have to insert a guy and his drama into my life.”
“Sometimes inserting a guy feels really good.” Sasha giggled.
“There you go again with your trashy innuendos.” Tina opened the can of lemon-yellow paint and gave it a stir.
“Dan is buying Josh’s house, so we’ll all end up as friends. With summer coming and the magnificent deck, you know there’s going to be barbecues and wine parties here, so he might be invited. Dan’s single, you’re single, and keep in mind, everyone has a significant other except you.”
“Gee… thanks for making that crystal clear. I already know I’m the fifth wheel.”
“You don’t have to be. I love you, Tina. You were the first person that gave me a chance. You took me into your home when you didn’t even know me or like me. What’s the real reason you don’t want a boyfriend? Have you ever been in love?”
“Yes.”
“What do you mean, ‘Yes’? That’s your answer? I want more than that, so spill.”
“I’ve had my heart broken before, really bad. I went to college at Notre Dame, dated one of the football stars for three years, then he just dumped me like yesterday’s garbage. There wasn’t a hint that he was cheating on me. Nobody said a word, not even my roommate, and I found out later she knew all about it. Everyone betrayed me. He threw three years down the drain when a cute, perky freshman caught his eye.”
Sasha stopped tearing painter’s tape and took Tina’s hand. “Let’s go lie on my bed for a few minutes and talk. The painting can wait.”
Tina continued when they got settled on Sasha’s comfortable, king-sized bed. “The funny thing was I actually thought we had a future. I daydreamed about the proposal, the wedding, and having a family. I thought of myself as the future Mrs. Brent Morrison. I would even write it out to see how it looked. I used to whisper to myself, Tina Morrison, Tina Morrison. It had a nice ring to it. How juvenile, huh? Sasha, I’m no different than anyone else, but trusting is really hard for me. That’s my hang-up, and that’s why I’m sarcastic about men. I’d rather not be involved with anyone than get hurt like that again.”
“Do Mia and Vic know?”
“No. We all went to different schools. They never met him. We reconnected when we came back to Tarrytown after college. Of course, we kept in touch over the phone, but as far as they knew, I only dated casually. I never told them how badly I was hurt.”
“Honey, that was more than ten years ago. Don’t you think it’s time to move on?”
“I should, but whenever I give it too much thought, I almost have a panic attack. I thank God for my friends. You guys keep me sane. My mom and dad divorced years ago, and Dad moved away and remarried. He has a whole new family, and we haven’t kept in touch. Mom moved to Rochester five years ago to be near her sister. They were always close. I guess she felt closer to her sister than she did to me, her own daughter.”
“That’s a sad story,” Sasha said. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“I don’t want pity—not from you or from any guy.”
“You have to learn to trust again, hon. Just talk to Dan. He’s really sweet. Nobody says you have to be more than friends.”
“I’ll think about it, but I’m not making any promises. Now, let’s go. That nursery isn’t going to paint itself.”
Sasha completed the taping. Now all of the woodwork was safe from an accidental brush stroke of yellow paint. Tina had one wall completed already when the men returned. The echo of voices coming up the staircase told them Mia was in the house. Pattering of footsteps getting closer signaled she was on her way up.
“Hi guys… ooh, I like the color. Nice job. Where do you want me to start?”
“Why don’t you just grab a roller and pick a wall? I’m going to make lunch for us so I don’t inhale too many paint fumes. You can crack the window open a little if it gets too stinky in here. I’ll call you guys when lunch is ready.”
Tina and Mia slathered thick, creamy yellow paint on the walls as they talked. “What’s Aaron doing that you’re able to spend a Sunday with us?” Tina asked.
“I guess his dad isn’t feeling well. He has flu-like symptoms. Aaron’s going to hang out with him today to see how he’s doing. Hopefully it isn’t too serious. We’ve got things to go over anyway for the weddings.”
“Like what?”
“Sasha and I have to arrange a day to sample cake flavors together or just go ahead with two individual cakes. I want to look over the photographer’s portfolio even though I know the guy. He does great work. As far as the people standing up in the wedding, you’re the only one who isn’t coupled with their real boyfriend. Are you sure you don’t mind standing up with Jake instead of Matt?”
“Well, first off, thanks for pointing that out, and second off, no, I don’t mind standing up with Jake. It’s fine with me. That way, Matt can stand up with Liz, his own wife. Why does being singl
e feel like a disease lately?”
“I don’t know, Tina. I want you to be included in everything, boyfriend, or not. A lot has changed this last year. It went from me being the only person in a relationship—if that’s what the thing Jack and I had was called—to everyone being with someone except you. I don’t want you to ever feel left out, that’s all.”
“Thanks. I’m sorry I get snippy and defensive. I know you guys have my best interests at heart.”
Sasha yelled up from the bottom of the stairs, “Lunch is ready, and will somebody wake up my mom, please?”
One by one, they gathered at the dining-room table for lunch. Sasha made a spread of deli-meat sandwiches on crusty whole-wheat bread, pasta salad, chips, and a vegetable platter. They decided each couple would choose separate wedding-cake flavors. The guys had an appointment next Saturday to have their tuxes fitted, and a block of rooms had to be booked for people coming into town. Mia’s parents would stay at Aaron’s house, but Matt and his family would get a room at the Tarrytown Suites along with most other out-of-town guests who were staying overnight. Luckily, the store the guys were getting their tuxes at was a national chain. Mia’s dad and Matt would have their own fittings done and bring their tuxes along. The long to-do list was getting shorter every day as Mia and Sasha checked things off.
“What do we have for a head count now?” Josh grabbed a second sandwich.
“Last time I checked, there were 107 RSVPs returned, but that was four days ago. They’re still arriving daily. We sent out a total of 132 invitations, so we’re getting close.” Sasha looked around the table, beaming with happiness. “It’s almost time. We have less than three weeks before the big day. Dan and his crew will be done with the deck in a week, then they’ll build the pergola. It will only take a couple of days to transform what originally was a vacant lot into a cross between Garden Designs and Bride’s magazines. Just so everyone knows, the kitchen is going to look like a tornado hit it starting on Tuesday. That’s when the guys are scheduled to knock out the wall for the sliders. I’m so excited to have a doorway leading right outside to the gorgeous deck from the kitchen.”
“That’s going to be killer, Sasha. It will be so convenient for the wedding reception, too,” Tina said.
“That reminds me, we have to reserve a ton of chairs to be delivered here the day before the wedding. We need them for the ceremony and the deck. The caterers are bringing the banquet tables, their own chairs, and a staff of five to serve the meals.” Sasha added that note to her list.
Chapter Fourteen
The nursery was almost complete. With only one wall left to paint, the girls would be done in an hour. Tina opened the window to let some fresh air in and saw Josh having a conversation with Dan. The sound of their voices drifted up to the second-floor window.
“Why don’t you follow me over to my house when you guys get done today?” Josh said. “I don’t know if you have a lot of furniture of your own to move, but you’re welcome to look through my stuff and see if there’s anything you need. Otherwise, I’m going to end up having a garage sale. I don’t think Sasha wants my man-cave style of furnishings in the Victorian anyway.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. To be honest with you, I sold most of my things when I moved back from Albany. There wasn’t a good reason to pay for storing furniture that I could live without anyway. I’d be happy to take a look. Thanks.”
“I’ll even clear out the garage and shed in advance. I can put my stuff in Sasha’s garage. She only uses it for gardening equipment right now anyway. I’ll organize things later. That way, you can move some of your own things in. No big deal.”
“I’d really appreciate that,” Dan said. “I do have a lot of tools to move, and if I can do it a little at a time, it would sure help. We’ll be finished today around four. I’ll give you a holler when we’re done.”
The nursery was finished. Mia called Sasha up to take a look.
“It looks so beautiful and happy. I love the color. Thank you both, I really appreciate your help. I can’t wait until Tuesday when the baby furniture arrives and the kitchen wall is knocked out. What an exciting day it’s going to be, even though the house will be a disaster.”
Tina took the paintbrushes and rollers outside to wash off with the hose while Mia removed the tape from the woodwork. Dan busied himself at the van, replacing the blade on his Sawzall. Tina noticed him standing alone. She fought with the inner voice that was telling her to ignore him. She didn’t want to. The time to move on with her life had arrived, and lately, that was more than obvious. Everyone had made it perfectly clear, though unintentionally, that she was the only single woman left. Dan could turn out to be just a good friend, and it didn’t have to lead to more. She wanted to feel at ease around men again—other than her friends’ boyfriends. She was tired of trying so hard to hate men since deep down she really didn’t. It was just a defense mechanism, a way to keep her distance and avoid another broken heart. Small steps were at least steps in the right direction. She felt her face heating up as she approached the van.
“What are you doing?” she asked because she had no idea what else to say.
Dan spun around, startled.
“Sorry.” She giggled. “I wasn’t trying to scare you.”
“Tina, hi… I was so focused on this saw blade I didn’t hear you come up behind me. How are you doing? What’s with all the yellow paint in your hair?”
“I have paint in my hair?”
“Yeah.” He laughed. “And everywhere else, too.”
Tina looked at her hands then at her clothes. She was covered in lemon-yellow paint. “How in the hell did I do that?” She groaned, her face flushing and her heart racing. “I have paint spatters all over me.”
“That usually comes from having too much paint on the roller. Spray back, they call it. But that smear across your face looks more like you rubbed your nose or something.” His eyes twinkled at her, almost laughing with pleasure.
She looked away out of embarrassment, feeling the heat engulfing her face. If she had known she was covered in paint, she wouldn’t have approached him. Note to self: check your friggin’ face before you walk up to a hot guy!
“Do you mind?”
“What?” She was still unnerved by her appearance.
“I asked if you minded if I wiped the paint off your nose.”
Tina instinctively pulled back as he reached for her face. “That’s okay. I’ll clean up in the house. I’ve got to go.”
Tina walked away without looking back. She grabbed the brushes and rollers and ran into the house.
“Damn it,” she snarled as she went inside and stomped down the hall to the bathroom across from the kitchen.
“What’s wrong, Tina? We’ll be right back, Mom.” Sasha and Mia followed Tina into the bathroom.
“For the first time in years, I approached a guy to have a friendly chat. I’m trying to change my ways. Did I have the slightest idea I was covered in paint? I looked like an ass in front of Dan.”
“You don’t look like an ass. You look like someone who was painting the nursery. Quit being so hard on yourself.” Mia gave Tina a hug.
Hot tears stung Tina’s eyes as she warmed a washcloth and washed her yellow-speckled face.
“What did Dan say?” Sasha asked.
“He laughed at me.”
“I highly doubt that. Maybe you read him wrong.”
“Whatever… do you need any more help, Sasha? If not, I’m going home.”
“You don’t have to go. Stay for dinner. We’re having pot roast. Josh is leaving for a little while with Dan, then he’s going to pick up J. J. on his way back. J. J. hasn’t seen you for a few weeks.”
“Maybe another time, I’ll talk to you guys later.”
***
The guys finished working on the deck just after four o’clock. Bill and Jeff left while Dan cleaned and organized the tools in his work van. He milled around, hoping to get another chance to talk to T
ina. He approached the house to let Josh know they were finished when he noticed Tina’s car was gone. There goes my chance today, he thought as he banged the doorknocker three times.
“I’ll be back with J. J. in an hour, honey. See ya, Mia.” Josh bolted out the door and led the way to his house with Dan close behind.
Once there, they walked through the house, Dan taking note of the furnishings he could use. “Yeah, there’s a lot here I can take off your hands if you really don’t want the stuff. It will make moving much easier. Actually, I like the man-cave style. I’ll be living alone anyway. So, how well do you know Tina?”
“We all grew up in Tarrytown, but we didn’t really hang out in the same group of friends. She’s nice enough but different in a way. She seems distant a lot of the time except with the girls. They all get along great. Sasha actually lived with Tina when she moved to Tarrytown.”
“Really? Where does Tina live?”
“She’s got a cute bungalow on Scenic Drive. Oh yeah, you aren’t from Tarrytown. It’s not far from here, near the mall. Anyway, I better get going. I have to pick up J. J. from crazy Candy’s apartment. She’s one person you never want to meet,” Josh laughed as he locked the front door. They said good-bye and drove off in different directions.
Dan headed the van toward Route 9 to go north to Croton-on-Hudson. He pulled over to the curb and typed in Scenic Drive on his cell phone’s navigation app. He felt weird about driving to Tina’s street to see where she lived, as if he were checking her out, but she’d piqued his curiosity ever since the day he’d met her at Sasha’s house. Of course, he’d run into her once before that, literally, but at that time their eyes hadn’t met.
The navigation showed he was only five blocks from Tina’s street. He had to check it out since he was so close anyway. He cautiously drove down Scenic Drive. He didn’t want Tina to see his van and get the wrong impression. But he was curious to see her home and possibly get an idea of her lifestyle. He stopped at the intersection of Jamestree Road and Scenic Drive when he saw her. Two houses ahead of him on the left was a cream-colored bungalow with red brick trim. It had a large front porch, and Tina sat there alone, looking out at the street. Dan had to think fast before she looked his way and recognized the van. He checked the rearview mirror and backed up, turning around in a driveway behind him. Luckily, she didn’t see him. He was sure she would be upset if she did.
