by Dee J. Stone
I stare after him for a bit before going back to my room. Lex is lying on her stomach, legs kicking the air. Eyes intent on the stupid math book. I dive to the bed and get my arms around her, spin her around and crash down on top of her. We both laugh as I bury my face in her neck.
I’m lying on top of her, but I put my weight on my elbows so I don’t hurt her. She wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my stomach. She yanks me close to her. Makes me collapse on her. I shift over so I don’t suffocate her.
She rests her chin on my shoulder. “So much for studying.”
“Looks like I might have to hire someone more competent.”
She whacks my shoulder. “Maybe someone needs to learn to control himself.”
“Maybe someone shouldn’t be so damn irresistible.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling. She digs her nose into my shoulder. “You’re pretty irresistible yourself.”
“Why thank you, darlin’.”
We lie like this for a little bit, enjoying the feeling of being near each other. She says, “Is Rey okay?”
I don’t want to think or talk about last night. I don’t want Lex anywhere near this. Maybe the universe will give me a break and convince Rey to get his act together. Then I could forget about all of this.
“He’s lonely,” I say. Then it hits me. Could that be the reason Rey’s lost his head? But if that was the case, wouldn’t he be hooking up with girls?
“Does it bother him when he sees us together?” Lex asks.
“Dunno. He says it doesn’t, but…” I sigh. “I wish I could find him a girl. Not a random girl. A girl he can have a relationship with.” Rey hasn’t had a girlfriend other than Lex. I know he wants one real bad.
She sits up sharply. “That’s what’s bothering him?”
“Could be.”
“Maybe we can try to set him up with a girl at school.”
I roll the idea around in my head. “Know any girls?”
“Not sure. But I can look around.”
“I don’t want him to feel like we’re making him a charity case or anything.”
“Don’t worry.” She bounces on the bed. “This is so exciting. We can play matchmaker.”
I laugh and kiss her. “You’re so cute.”
The idea of finding a girl for my bro makes me excited, too. I want Rey to be happy. Want him to stop with all this crap and be his old self again.
Chapter Twelve
Lex
As I walk home from Cruiser’s, there’s a bounce in my step. I feel so much better than I did last night. I was so worried about him. After Dani dropped me off, I marched right over there and was prepared to demand answers. How could he ruin such a special night for Dani? The double date meant so much to her and all she wanted was for it to be perfect. But then I saw him. How bent his shoulders were, the pain and worry in his eyes. I didn’t know what happened, but I understood in that moment that he didn’t need someone to bombard him with questions. He needed someone to comfort him.
I planned to get my answers today as I tutored him math, but then I saw how alive he was. I saw the spark in his eyes. He was in such a good mood, so I decided to let it slip and bring it up another time.
As I open the door to my house, I hear shouts coming from the kitchen. My heart falls. Mom and Dad are arguing.
They haven’t argued in weeks. Well, of course they argue because all parents argue, but not the way they did in the year following Rosie’s accident. I swallow before walking inside. Rosie’s sitting on the couch, playing a video game. I give her a quick hello before heading into the kitchen.
Mom’s at the counter with her arms crossed over her chest. She must have been in the middle of making dinner because vegetables are peeled and half-chopped. Dad’s at the fridge, holding pudding. His forehead is wrinkled.
I step in. “What’s going on?”
Mom rubs her head. “Nothing, Lex.”
I want to ask them what they’re arguing about, but it’s none of my business. With all the arguments last year, I thought my parents would get a divorce. My fear was calmed when they started going out on their romantic dates. But maybe Rosie’s accident isn’t the reason they were constantly arguing. Maybe it was something much more. Something that’s still bothering them now.
Mom pastes a smile on her face. “When’s your dance meet, Lex?”
I walk to the counter. “In a few weeks. Need help with dinner?”
“That’s okay, honey. The meet, it’s on a Saturday?”
“Yeah. Why do you ask?”
“I want to clear my schedule.”
I stare at her. Mom hasn’t been to any of my meets in over a year. Not since the accident. “You’re coming?”
“Of course I’m coming.” She strokes my hair.
I turn to Dad. “You’re coming, too?”
“Do you want me there?” he asks with a teasing smile. “I wouldn’t want to see you fall on your butt in front of hundreds of people.”
I roll my eyes and smile.
“I’ll be there, sweetie.”
“And what about Rosie? I’d love for her to come, too.”
“You’ll have to ask her,” Mom says.
I lean against the counter. “Speaking of Rosie…I know we discussed this already, but is it possible for you to consider the procedure Jamie’s going to do? I know you said you don’t believe in it, but if there’s a chance it’ll help Rosie walk—”
“Lex.” Dad steps closer to me and rests his hands on my shoulders. “We all desperately want Rosie to walk again,” he says, his voice low so Rosie won’t hear. “But it’s wishful thinking. No surgery can repair a damaged spinal cord. I know it hurts to accept it, but that’s the reality.” His eyes meet Mom’s. “We need to put everything behind us and move on. Just like you told us, Lex.”
I nod as his words sink in. I begged them a month ago to treat Rosie just as they did before the accident. But to learn there’s absolutely no hope for her makes my throat tighten.
Mom shakes her head but doesn’t say anything. She resumes chopping the vegetables.
Dad pats my cheek. “Rosie will be okay. We’ll all be okay.”
I nod again before sitting near Rosie on the living room couch. She’s not as upset as she was the past few days, but she’s pretty down. I pick up the second controller. “I bet you can’t beat me in this game.” I nod to the screen.
Rosie snorts. “I can even beat Cruiser, and he rocks at the game.”
It’s so nice to see a small smile tugging her lips again. I put my arm around her and hug her close. And because I care so much about her, I kiss her cheek.
“Ew! Gross.” She wipes it away.
“I love you, Rosie. You know that, right?”
She rolls her eyes. “I know.”
“Now let’s see if you can whoop my butt in five minutes.”
“You’re on!”
Chapter Thirteen
Cruiser
Someone jumps on me. Rey.
My head’s buried under my blanket. It’s Sunday. My day to sleep in late. I shove him off.
“Cruise.” He yanks off the blanket.
My eyes are shut, but the sunlight blinds me. I roll onto my other side. “We’re not five.”
That’s how we used to wake each other up when we were kids. Jumped onto one another. We haven’t done something like this in years.
“Once you hear who’s here, you’ll race me downstairs.”
I crack an eye open. “What?”
“Gran and Gramps!”
He runs out.
I spring up. Gran and Gramps? My grandparents from New York. I bound out of bed, throw on a shirt and jeans, and dash down the steps. They’re in the living room. Gran’s got her arms around Rey. Hugs him close and kisses him. Her gray curls hang down her shoulders. Gramps stands next to them, hands behind his back and smiling. Mom and Dad are sitting on the recliners.
I haven’t seen Gramps and Gran in over a month. Damn, I miss
them. I step into the room. Gran raises her head. “Cruiser!” She holds out her arms.
Next thing I know, Rey and I are squeezed together in Grans arms. I laugh. Last time we were like this was when we were twelve years old. Rey and I haven’t spent a lot of time with Gran and Gramps. But when we did, it was crazy-ass fun. They took us to the park and the zoo. Let us stay up late watching scary movies. Gran baked her awesome oatmeal cookies. They’re more laid-back than Dad’s parents, even though Gramps is a retired Navy captain.
The one thing I loved about them growing up is that they never compared Rey and me like my other grandparents did. They treated each of us like we were our own persons.
Gramps steps forward and holds out his hand. I shake it. He grins and pulls me in for a hug. “Cruiser, Cruiser.” He pats my back.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask.
“Well, your Gran and I realized we haven’t been down south in a while.”
“And we hadn’t seen Rey in forever,” Gran adds.
“Did you bring your oatmeal cookies?” Rey asks.
Gran nods toward one of the suitcases. Has a twinkle in her eye. “Have a look.”
Rey and I shove each other as we pry the suitcase open. I feel like I’m ten years old again. Feels good. With Rey’s recent crazy-ass behavior, it’s nice for things to feel normal.
I find the cookies before Rey. Grab ‘em. The four adults in the room laugh.
“Mom, Dad, please sit down.” Mom gestures to the couch. Gran and Gramps sit. Rey squeezes in between them and I half-sit on the armrest.
“How have you been doing, Rey?” Gramps asks. “Weren’t you supposed to be in some prestigious music school?”
Bro’s cheeks turn red. He scowls.
Gran pats his hand. “It doesn’t matter, sweetie.”
The room gets quiet. Except for Rey and me munching on the cookies.
“I heard you’re no longer getting into trouble.” Gramps taps my thigh. “New York must have been good for you.”
“And he has a girlfriend,” Mom says.
Gramps gives me an impressed look. “Oh? Do we know her?”
“Lex Woods from next door.”
“The girl with the wavy, black hair always in pigtails?” Gran asks. “The three of you were inseparable.”
Rey shifts in his seat. The three of us were best friends as kids, but everyone knows Lex and I were tight. I’m sure Rey feels uncomfortable when our childhood friendship comes up. And now he probably feels even more left out than he did years ago.
Gramps puts his arm around Gran’s shoulders. “I say best friends make the best spouses. It’s how your Gran and I met.”
I’ve got a feeling they’re going to tell us the story again. Always do when the topic’s brought up. For some reason, it never gets old. Maybe because it’s romantic. Yeah, I’m a guy and I admit to wanting to hear a romantic story.
“Our mothers were best friends,” Gran says. Gazes into Gramps face like she’s got hearts in her eyes. “We were stuck being together because our moms spent literally every second together.”
“I used to put frogs in her hair,” Gramps says, smiling at the memory.
Gran slaps his chest. “He was such a pest.”
“You always played hard to get.”
“I was there to see him off on his first deployment,” Gran says. “His first time away at sea.”
“I was surprised to see her there with my family.”
“He wouldn’t admit that he was in love with me.”
“She didn’t give me the chance.”
Gran laughs. “We shook hands as farewell.”
“Then, as I left with my shipmates—”
“I ran after him. I flung my arms around him and told him I loved him.”
“I didn’t even get a kiss,” Gramps says.
“Oh, you got your fair share of kisses when you returned.”
Gramps grins at her. “That was always the best part about coming home.”
Mom stands up. “Anyone want a drink?” She doesn’t wait for an answer. Just walks out of the living room. Rey and I exchange a glance. Mom struggled with her dad being in the Navy. She felt like he was hardly there. I guess the topic still makes her uneasy.
Gramps taps my knee. “When your girl waits for you, make sure you plant a big one on her. Show her how much you’ve missed her. You don’t want her running off with some other guy.”
I laugh lightly, but my insides twist. Gramps thinks I still plan on joining the Navy. I haven’t told him it’s off the plate. We both have a love for the Navy. It’s the reason we’re close. Guess I’m worried what would happen to our relationship if I don’t join.
“How long are you staying?” Rey asks.
“Not sure, kiddo,” Gramps says. “Your Gran and I figure you have, what? A year and a half before you graduate high school? Cruiser will be out at sea and you’ll be holed up in some building playing that violin of yours. Best to soak in as much of you as we can.”
“Play us a song,” Gran says. “You, too, Cruiser. I know you still know how to play.”
“I have heard him play a couple of times in the basement,” Dad says. “When he thinks no one is around.”
“Have not.”
“He’s not that bad.”
I shrug. On the rare occasion I do go down, I might grab my old violin and bust out a couple of pieces.
After some more convincing, Rey and I leave to get our violins. Mine’s in the basement. I keep my eyes on Rey as he heads for the stairs. He stops and stares at the steps. Eyebrows furrow. “Your violin is still at Kelman’s,” I say.
Rey shrugs. “They’re gonna send it back.”
I don’t like the way he’s pushing his violin aside like it’s junk. Rey’s never let that thing out of his sight. “Why’d you leave it there?” I ask.
He shrugs again. “It could have gotten damaged in my bag.”
Fair enough, but I know there’s more. Rey doesn’t let me question him, because he goes down to the basement to get his old violin. I grab mine. We return to the living room. Rey stares down at his violin like it’s some foreign object. He hasn’t touched a violin since he got back.
Gran, Gramps, and Dad wait for us to play. Rey’s still staring at his violin like it may combust into flames. I nudge his shoulder. “Something easy?”
He thinks for a sec. “La Primavera?”
Last time I played that was when I was twelve. Rey and I played it together on stage. Drove the audience crazy. They claimed we were “so cute.”
Gran clasps Gramps’ hand. Dad leans forward in his seat. Makes me nervous as hell.
My hand closes over the bow. Shakes a little. Clearing my throat, I start to play. Rey follows. Weird how it all comes back to me. Mom returns to the room when we’re halfway through the song. This is the first time I’m playing in front of an audience since I was a kid. Especially in front of Mom, who was always hard on me. I expect her to click her tongue. Make me stop and tell me how I’m screwing up. But she doesn’t. She sits quietly, her eyes roaming over my fingers.
When we’re done, my grandparents clap, followed by Mom and Dad. “A shame you gave it up, Elvis,” Mom says. “A waste of amazing talent.”
I place the violin and bow on the table. Not sure if Mom’s complimenting me or insulting me. But she’s not making me feel like crap, so I’ll take it.
Gran claps and bounces in her seat. “Beautiful, boys. Absolutely beautiful. Now play Row Row Row your boat. That’s the first song you played for me. I think I still have it on video.”
Rey groans. “How embarrassing.”
A memory attacks me. Rey and me playing the song when Lex came to hang out. Mom didn’t let us have any fun until we put in an hour for violin. Instead of grumbling and being bored, Lex danced while we played. Damn, she was cute.
“For me?” Gran begs, batting her eyelashes.
“Okay,” Rey gives in.
There we go. But now that we’re older
and have more experience, we turn the song into this funky version that blows my mind. When we’re done, they’re all on their feet.
“Beautiful,” Mom says, a real smile on her lips. “That was amazing, Elvis and Reagan.”
Rey glances at me. “Was pretty neat.”
“Yeah. We should start a band or something,” I joke.
“It’s not too late for you to learn to play professionally, Elvis,” Mom says.
“Pass.”
“Elvis—”
“Shirley,” Dad says.
Mom purses her lips.
Gramps slaps his thighs and stands. “That reminds me. I have a gift for the boys.”
My ears perk up. So does Rey’s. Gramps heads over to one of his suitcases, tips it over, and zips it open. After pushing things aside, he pulls out a bag.
“For you, Rey.”
Rey takes it carefully, opens it, and pulls out stacks of magazines.
“A collection of business, financial, and political magazines. A few I’ve bought myself and others I got from friends. I hope you don’t subscribe to any of them.”
Rey’s eyes shine. “Some, but these are neat. Thanks, Gramps!”
“And for you, Cruiser.” Gramps scoops up garment bags and lays them down on the couch. He unzips one and pulls out what’s inside. Grins at me. “I want you to have these.”
I slowly stand and step forward. Run my hand down the uniform. His Navy uniform. He told me when I was set to return to Florida that I could take them with me. I wanted to, real bad. But I knew Mom wouldn’t like it. So I left them there.
“Dad.” Mom sighs.
“I want him to have them, Shirley.” Gramps thumps me on the back. “See how long it’ll take until you reach my rank.”
“Don’t put those thoughts in his head, Dad. We’ve spoken about this topic at length with Elvis and have decided he won’t be joining the Navy.”
Gramps does a double take. Gapes at me. “Won’t be joining? That’s all he talked about when he was with us in New York.”
“The Navy is not for him. Don’t build it up to be this amazing thing—”
“It is amazing. One of the greatest honors a man can have.”
Mom slowly rises. “And what about the honor of being a good dad? Or a good husband? Ask Mom how many times she cried herself to sleep. How many times we snuggled in bed together because we missed you.”
