by RH Tucker
Then we had to hold with boring, elevator music playing in the background. But I plan on picking right back up where we left off. Our next semester is going to be starting soon, and since I’m also working, I want to make sure the last of our free time this summer is ours.
A few days ago, I met up with my dad for lunch. He told me my mom’s upset I haven’t been back over for dinner since Veronica and I were there. So, I’m at the supermarket picking up some garlic bread for dinner, when I call the house.
“Hello?” my mom answers.
“Hey, Ma. Does Dad like the regular garlic bread or the parmesan garlic bread? I can never remember.”
“The regular one. Oh, honey, would you mind picking up something for dessert? I didn’t make any tonight.”
I chuckle as I grab the garlic bread. “That’s a first. Sure, what should I get?”
“You need to tell him, Justine.” I overhear my father in the background.
“Tell me what?” I ask.
“Oh … nothing. Um, walnut brownies.”
“Okay,” I reply, a little confused. “Anything else?”
“Nope, that’s it. See you when you get here, sweetie.”
Before I can say anything else, the phone goes silent. It’s a little weird, but I don’t give it a second thought and check out. The grocery store isn’t far from the house, so I get there quickly, and see a green Kia sitting in the driveway. I don’t recognize the car, but I see both of my parents parked in front of it, so I know they’re home.
Walking through the door, I’m met with the delicious smell of spaghetti. “I’m here. Wow, that smells incredible, Mom,” I call out. “Hey, who’s car is that in the driveway?”
Reaching the kitchen, I stop in my tracks. Lana is leaning against the counter, an embarrassed smile on her face. “It’s my friend’s.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, setting down the bread and brownies on the counter.
“I invited her,” my mom replies, smiling over the stove.
My eyes narrow and my mouth drops open. “You invited her?”
“Micah, I was just calling in hopes to get in contact with you.”
“I told you not to contact me. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Micah,” my mom scolds me.
“Mom, you too. Seriously, what the hell is going on?”
My dad walks into the kitchen from the door leading to our backyard. As soon as he walks in his eyes meet mine. “Sorry, son.”
“What the— You guys! What the hell? Lana, why are you here?”
She walks over to me. “Micah, I’m sorry. I just wanted to thank you.”
“Micah, calm down,” my mom says. “She’s been through a lot the last few days.”
My eyes widen, and my jaw drops lower. “You told my mom what happened? Lana, we’re not together. As far as me and my family are concerned, you don’t need to talk to us anymore. Ever. Why can’t you understand that?”
Her voice cracks as if she’s crying, but her eyes are dry. “Please, Micah. I just want a chance. Please, can we just talk and let me explain—”
“What the hell?” I yell out. My dad shakes his head, and I want to feel bad or embarrassed. But I don’t. “Mom! Lana! I don’t understand what is happening. Please, someone, try to explain this to me because this is totally insane.”
“Micah, calm down,” my dad finally speaks up.
“Calm down? Mom,” I point to her, “I get it, okay? You liked her. Lana was nice. We went out for a while. You still have our junior homecoming pictures up on the wall, but it’s over. She cheated on me.”
“Micah, please,” Lana says, her voice cracking again. This time she has tears.
“No. No please.” I look at her. “Seriously? What the hell have you told her that she’s so in love with you? That we were going to get married? That you wanted to have her grandkids? What, Lana?”
“Micah, that’s enough,” my dad says.
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s not enough because I’m over all of this.” I look over at my mom, exasperated. “I don’t understand why you’re not getting it. Maybe it’s because you can’t comprehend how it feels to be cheated on. And that’s great. I love you guys, and I know Dad would never do that, but everyone isn’t like that.” I stare at Lana, burrowing my eyes into hers. “Some people suck. Some people break your trust. Sometimes, the people you think you love, end up hooking up with a guy at a party that you both went to. Together. And sometimes, you somehow find it in your heart to try and forgive them and give them another chance, and they do it again.”
Tears stream down her face but her eyes never break away from mine. “I’m sorry,” she finally eeks out, then brushes by me, and out the front door.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Opening them back up, I see my mom in tears. My dad stands next to her, his arm around her as he shakes his head. I stare down at the brownies, an unbelieving chuckle escaping me. Walnut brownies. Lana’s favorite.
Looking back up, I see my mom has her face in my dad’s chest, still crying. “It’ll be okay,” he whispers.
“You guys, why do I feel like the bad guy in this? I don’t get it.”
“Micah, your mom just wants you to be happy.”
“Mom.” I take a step closer, leaning on the counter. “I’m sorry, but you have to realize I am happy. Right now, with Veronica.”
“I know you say that, but I saw the way you and Lana were together.”
I sigh, looking down at the ground. “That’s over. Please. Please understand that I can’t go back to that. I can’t. I was … I was destroyed. Wrecked. You’ll never understand how hurt I was when she did that to me. And then to catch her doing it again? Mom, please, you have to let me deal with this. Deal with it and move on. I’m happier now.”
Tears still cover her cheeks, but she looks over at me and gives me a sympathetic nod.
“I’m gonna go home.”
“No, please, Micah.” My mom wipes her tears, stepping away from my dad. “I’m sorry, but please don’t go. At least stay to eat.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Not tonight. We’ll have dinner another time.”
We stare at each other for a moment, and I still feel like I’m in the wrong for all of this. But it has to stop. And I can’t stay in this house tonight, either. She finally nods, and I turn to leave.
Chapter 22
Veronica
We get back home just as the sun is setting, and Micah is waiting for me. As soon as I see him sitting in the bed of the truck, my heart flutters. I never knew that was a thing, but it is.
Javier chuckles. “Dude must be hard up after a week.”
As soon as he says it, I hear Yesenia giggle in the back.
“Shut up, Javi.” I slap his arm, feeling my face heat up and hoping my parents didn’t hear him in the front of our SUV.
“Javi, shut your face,” Tomás says right after me, but I know it’s not for the same reason.
“That’s disgusting, fool,” Miguel tells him, who chuckles again.
Both Miguel and Javier have seemed to accept that we’re together and Micah isn’t going anywhere, which I’m happy about. But Tomás is a different story. He doesn’t appear to have any particular reason to dislike Micah, other than us dating, but he still hasn’t come around to even being friendly with him. He’s cordial, but I think it’s only because he’s trying to trust me. I appreciate that, I really do. I just wish he’d be a little more friendly when it comes to Micah.
Filing out of the SUV, Micah approaches and shakes my father’s hand and gives my mom a hug. “Did you guys need any help with bags or anything?”
“We’re fine,” my mom answers, smiling.
“We got this,” Javier adds. “You might as well get Vero out of here because she’s practically useless whenever your name comes up. I can’t imagine how she’ll function right now not being with you for a week.” Tomás smacks him in the back of the head. “Hey!”
>
“Javi!” I scold him, grinding my teeth.
“Would you shut up already?” Miguel says, Tomás nodding to his words.
Micah gives me an unsure look, waiting for my response. “Let me just put my bags away, and we can go.”
“Here, let me help.” He grabs the bags from me, and I usher him through our house, catching Tomás eyeing him.
Taking my bags into my bedroom, Micah puts them in my closet, while I grab my bag with toiletries and extra clothes. “Okay, all set.” I turn around to find Micah in my closet, holding up the babydoll Cindy got me.
His eyes wide, there’s an unbelieving smirk on his face. “Why haven’t I seen you in this?”
My face burns. I hurry toward him, grabbing it out of his hands. “It was a birthday gift from Cindy.”
“Excuse me? You’ve had this thing since your birthday?”
I quickly ball it up. “Yes.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“And why haven’t you worn it?”
I gaze down. “I don’t know.”
“Veronica?”
“I just … I wasn’t comfortable enough to wear it before.”
“Before?” He puts a finger under my chin, so my eyes find his. “And now?”
I shrug, giving him a small grin. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
He leans lower, giving me a light kiss on the cheek, before moving his lips to my ear. “Whenever you’re ready.”
And just like that, I’m ready. It’s an odd sensation to feel like you’re on the fence about something and someone can say or do something and instantly, you know. You feel it. With his words, no pressure there, no begging me to try to wear something revealing but leaving it up to me, I know I can wear a T-shirt or lingerie, or a torn up hoody. It doesn’t matter because he’s always going to look at me like he wants me. I pack it up with the rest of my clothes in my bag, and we leave the house.
He has my favorite waiting for me in the truck, chocolate covered pretzels, and I not only giggle in appreciation but swoon at the small act that he’s taken into consideration. It’s just one of many, as we drive through an In-N-Out Burger drive-thru and grab some food, then go to meet up with Cindy. It’s a small thing, but it means a lot that we hang out with her for a little bit before going back to his apartment.
When we finally get to his place, Taylor’s there and welcomes me with a smile and big hug. Then he looks over at Micah. “Should I get my headphones ready?”
“Hey.” I slap him, surprised at my lack of embarrassment for once. “If you keep teasing me, I’m gonna bust in on you and the next girl you have over, claiming you haven’t seen your son in six months and you owe me child support.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
His eyes stay locked on mine for a moment before he looks over at Micah. I look up at him to see him smiling, lifting his hands in innocence.
“Fair enough,” Taylor says. “But if you get too loud, I reserve the right to play the song ‘Bump n’ Grind’, as loud as I can until you quiet down.”
“I’ll accept those terms.”
We shake hands, and Micah stands there, at first looking confused and then starts laughing.
Retreating to our room, I grab a change of clothes and turn to Micah. “Okay, I have to tell you something. I’m going to wear the babydoll, but you might get upset.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “How in the world would I get upset at that?”
“Not at that, but it’s … well …”
“What is it?”
“It’s just that … I’ll wear it, but you’re not going to be able to take advantage of it tonight.”
“Why not?”
Biting my lip, I look away. “I’m not fully functional right now.”
“What do mean?” He squints, a smirk crossing his lips.
“Um … code red?”
“Code red? What are you trying—” His eyes widen, and he lets out a laugh. “Oh.”
Trying to fight off the embarrassment, I grab my things and head to the bathroom to change.
Putting it on, I look myself in the mirror. I don’t look different. I fight the urge to tug at it and try and pull it lower to hide my thighs. It does fit nicely over my chest, so that’s something. I wish I felt confident in it. The dark burgundy color is pretty, and maybe if I was just a little—
No, Veronica. Micah wants to see you in this.
I nervously slide a strand of hair behind my ear, taking one more look at myself in the mirror, before going back into the room. Taylor’s in his room, so I don’t have to worry about being seen by him, but I still hurry to Micah’s door. Getting inside, I stand still nervously, awaiting Micah’s response.
He does a double take. “Wow.”
“Yeah?” I fiddle with my fingers. “I look okay?”
“Veronica, you look amazing. You always look amazing.”
A nervous giggle breaks free, and I walk over to the bed, crawling in, snuggling next to him. He wraps his arm around me, kissing the top of my hair, before grabbing the remote control and turning on the TV. After watching a few episodes, we decide to call it a night.
It’s been a week since we’ve had sex. I remember Cindy’s words, about thinking about it all of the time. She was right. I don’t think I didn’t think about it when I was in Ensenada. Of course, it didn’t help that we messaged and talked at night, too. But it’s true, I do think about it all of the time. Is that normal? I suppose it is, especially if it’s with someone you love. Because as long as I’m thinking about it with him, it’s always going to be on my brain. I giggle at the last thought.
“What?” he asks in the darkness, just the moonlight glowing through the window.
“Nothing,” I answer, rolling my eyes at myself. “Just remembering something Cindy told me.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
I turn from our spooning position, so I’m facing him. “You’re gonna think I’m lame. Or sex crazy.” I pull the blankets up to hide my blushing.
“Sex crazy, huh? Well, now I have to know.”
“She just made this comment about sex. How once you do it, and especially once you like doing it, you want to do it all of the time.” He quirks an eyebrow at me. “Sorry, it’s because I was just thinking we haven’t had sex in over a week.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Does that make me sex crazy?”
He laughs. “No,” he answers before giving me a light kiss. “It makes you Micah crazy.”
“Okay, Mr. Bigshot.” I laugh, poking his chest.
“It’s okay. I’m totally Veronica crazy. Completely insane actually.”
He smiles, and my giggles die out. My hand rests on his chest while our gazes meet. His words plant like someone staking down a claim to land. I’m his and he’s mine. They’re just silly words, but something about them makes them feel more powerful than the first time he told me he loved me.
I study his face, the moonlight shining off his skin, and that slight stubble across his chin. The brown eyes he always says are plain, but I wouldn’t want them any other way. Everything about this, right now, I love. How he’s looking at me, how he’s holding me.
“Goodnight, beautiful.” He caresses my cheek with his thumb, still staring.
“Goodnight.”
He kisses me again. It’s soft and slow like he’s savoring every piece of me. Keeping his face close to mine, his words barely breathe out. “I love you so much.”
It’s like he’s a sculptor and every time he’s told me he loves me, he’s been chipping away at my insecurities. My hands slide away from his chest, and I wrap them around him. My chest pressed against his, the heat from our bodies mixing. This moment, where all we’re doing is holding one another, means more to me than every time we’ve kissed. It means more to me than the times we’ve had sex. This moment, right here and now, where he’s just holding me, I feel more love for him than ever.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m not myself unless I’m with you. Like not caring whether the sun sets or the moon rises, because if neither one shines on you then I don’t care.” I feel tears falling, but I don’t stop. “Like you’re my air and I’m drowning in life when I’m not with you. I’m being pulled down to the depths of the ocean, and it’s only when I’m with you that I gain the air I need to live again.”
“Don’t cry.” His hand reaches up, brushing away a tear.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He moves lower, so we are face-to-face. “I didn’t either. I thought I knew at one time, but I was completely wrong. You’re not just my life, V. You’re my world. My universe. I’m just the canvas, plain and bare. You’re the paint. You’re the brush. You add everything to my life because without you, I’m a blank sheet of paper. I love you more than I thought I could.”
I giggle, but more tears fall. “Now, you’re making me bawl my eyes out.”
He kisses my forehead. “It’s okay. Cry all of your tears, and I’ll catch them. Laugh out loud, and I’ll save your laughs. Whatever you need, you let me know, V. Anything and everything. Whatever it is, I’ll be here for you. All you have to do is tell me what you need.”
“Only you, Micah. I only need you.”
“Then you have me, Veronica. Forever.”
Chapter 23
Micah
I’m woken up by the buzzing sound of a cellphone. We keep our phones next to the nightstand on my side of the bed, so I reach over and grab my phone, but there’s no call.
“Babe,” I say, groggily. “I think someone’s calling you.”
“What?” She stirs.
“I think …” I grab her phone. “Yeah, it’s your phone. Says unknown.”
“What time is it?”
“Four. Want to answer it?” She shakes her head, and the phone vibrates one more time before going still.
